The Ultimate Guide to Your First Escape Room

Posted on January 6, 2023
by Faith Neece
If you’ve never done an escape room before, the whole concept might seem strange and even a bit scary. You might be wondering, are we really going to be locked in a room for an hour? How do we know what to do in the room? What happens if we don’t break out?
Don’t panic. You got this! And we’re here to help you know exactly what to expect.

When You Arrive
We recommend arriving 15 minutes before your escape room is scheduled to start.
You’ll go into the lobby area where a host will check you in. They will make sure everyone in your group has filled out a waiver. You can fill it out beforehand to save some time, but it can also be filled out in the lobby if anyone forgets.
You’ll have the chance to get settled and use the bathroom, and once everyone is ready, you’ll be taken to your escape room.

Your Game Master
Your game master is like your personal assistant in your game. Before the game starts, they will explain how it works and what the rules are. When the game begins, they’ll head back to a control room to monitor your progress throughout your adventure.

Your game master's first job is to prioritize your safety. They will make sure you know that the door of the escape room does not actually lock; you are free to leave the room at any time. Your game master will also watch to ensure that while you're having fun, you're not doing anything destructive in the room.

Finally, your game master will be available to give you hints any time you ask. There’s no limit to the number of hints you can receive, so you can use as many or as few as you want. Your game master will never give you the direct answer, just a push in the right direction when you need it.

A Few Tips:
  1. Don’t be afraid to ask for clues! Very few people can solve all the puzzles without any hints. It doesn’t mean that you’re less smart for using them! In fact, using clues is a good strategy for solving the room. 
  2. Focus on the locks in the room. You may see a variety of locks throughout the game. Pay attention to the lock type and how many digits there are. For example, if you have a lock with four numbers, you know you’re looking for a 4-digit code.
  3. Remember that’s it about having fun, not just escaping. We know, we know. Everyone wants to break out! It does feel pretty awesome when you do. But you don’t want to sacrifice having a good time to the competition of escaping. If you’ve had some good laughs and made some memories, that’s more important than your escape time.

Get excited!
Your first escape room is an unforgettable experience. We hope this post has been helpful, and we can't wait to see you soon.