There is no escaping this craze! If you’re looking for a unique activity to enjoy with friends, family or a team building activity, try an escape room! Look no further than Conroe to find one.
Escape Rooms (or escape games) have grown significantly in popularity across the U.S. over the last 5 years, over 9,000% to be exact! As of 2014, there were only about 22 escape rooms in the United States; however, that number has exploded to over 2,000 and still growing. With escape room enthusiasts popping up around the globe, it must be something everyone needs to experience. But what is an escape room?
An escape room is an exciting, immersive, adventure puzzle game. You and your team are “locked” in a room filled with puzzles, clues, hidden codes, locks, keys, and everything you need to “break out” and beat the clock timer. While that may sound like a great time, there are some who may hesitate after hearing the words: “escape,” “locks,” or “break out.” Are you really locked in? What if you lose? Part of the Postcards team decided we would make the sacrifice and find out!
Our team recently visited That Escape Place, a recently expanded and locally family-owned escape room business right off I-45 in the Outlets at Conroe, in hopes of answering all your questions and having a little fun ourselves!
How to Book
That Escape Place, like other similar businesses, offers a variety of room themes with activities and challenges that appeal to a broad range of ages. At this location, you don’t have to worry about anything being scary or inappropriate, as all their rooms are family friendly, and there are no age limits for the games.
There are four physical escape rooms and three virtual reality escape rooms to choose from: The Terminal, The Gate, Raiders of the Lost Art, A Christmas Story, Escape the Lost Pyramid (VR), Beyond Medusa’s Gate (VR), and Prince of Persia (VR).
Reservations are required for your party to play and can easily be booked online or by phone. The tickets are affordable and cost approximately $35 per person before tax. However, they do require a minimum of 4 tickets be purchased to book any of the rooms. You are welcome to play with less, but you will still pay for 4 tickets, and let’s be honest…the more people you bring, the more fun. The majority of the rooms can be booked for parties from 4-10 people, with other group event options available for parties, team-building retreats, and more.
Our team consisted of 5 people, and we decided to book
The Gate. While our party was not at full capacity for this room, we only played with those in the group we came with, as all the bookings are private.
What to Expect
We suggest that you arrive approximately 15-20 minutes earlier than your reservation time so that you have time to sign in and even practice game puzzles in the lobby. The play in the room itself will last 60 minutes, and then there will be about 10 minutes after play for a team debrief where game coordinators will answer your questions and take a complimentary photo of your group.
All the puzzles range in difficulty; some may need a simply key, while others are riddles that may take several team members to solve. This allows everyone on the team to utilize their strengths, have fun, and contribute however they feel most comfortable. The great news? You do not need to be a genius or have any prior knowledge to play and solve the puzzles in the room. You don’t even need tools or anything special, just an open mind, willingness to work as a team, and the desire to have fun!
A staff member will walk you through everything you need to know, how the game works, and explain the theme story for your room to your group. Then all that’s left is to Escape the Room!
Frequently Asked Questions
While most of our questions were answered by staff upon arrival, you can always reach out prior to your visit with any pressing questions. However, find some of the most popular questions answered below:
Are You Locked In A Room?
No! You are never physically locked or trapped inside of the room or any puzzle. You can leave at any point in the game, including going to the restroom if needed.
How Old Do You Need To Be To Play?
There is not an age limit; however, children 12 & under will need to be accompanied by a paying adult. Very young children might need assistance from older players.
The Terminal room is suggested for younger groups.
What If We are Stuck?
Your team is being monitored during the game play by staff. If you are too far off track, taking too long to get past a puzzle, or request a clue, staff will send you an electronic clue or hint to help you along. Their goal is for you to have fun and to complete the puzzle!
What Happens If You Don’t Escape In Time?
If you don’t escape in time, that’s okay! While it is exciting to successfully complete the mission, escape rooms are still a blast for those who don’t make it out on their first try – and it gives you a goal to work toward next time.
Tips & Tricks
Our team had several takeaways from our game play that may help you and your team when you book:
Look At, In, and Under Everything
Examine it all! Does it open? What’s inside? Time will fly quickly, and the items you find will propel you through the game.
Search for Patterns
The answer might not always be obvious. Look for similarities and irregularities; these might be key to solving a puzzle or riddle.
Utilize Everyone’s Skills
Escaping is a team effort. Some may be better at visual puzzles or jigsaws, where others are great at patterns or riddles. You have a whole room to cover, so spread out, but keep communication open and work together.
Stay Positive
It can be discouraging to see the clock ticking down. Don’t give up, and don’t focus on the time. If you don’t know what to do next, take a deep breath, and keep trying; if needed, ask for the hint. Work together and have fun with each other; that is what these rooms are all about!
But more than anything, I know what you all are wondering…did we escape? Yes! We escaped from the mummy’s tomb just in the nick of time, literally! We thoroughly enjoyed our game and were incredibly impressed with how well put together the puzzles were and how helpful the staff were when they saw we were stalled. It was well worth the cost and was something we all agreed we should come back and do again.
While our
Postcards team’s experience was fantastic, it is something you should experience for yourself. Whether you are looking for new date night activity with friends, a family friendly outing, or a team-building retreat, escape rooms have something that everyone will enjoy.
Here is info on some escape rooms in our area:
That Escape Place
1111 League Line Rd #132 (in Outlets at Conroe)
Conroe, TX 77303
(832)241-8898
https://thatescapeplace.comEscape The Room Woodlands
1201 Lake Woodlands Dr #4006 (in The Woodlands Mall)
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(832) 786-8822
https://escapetheroom.com/houstonEscape in Time
367 Sawdust Rd
Spring, TX 77380
(832) 974-0377
https://www.escapeintime.org/Armadillo Escape Room Adventures
417 Gentry St. Units E&F (in Spring Village)
Spring, Texas 77373
(832) 592-7645
https://www.armadilloescaperoom.comEscape Room BCS
907 Harvey Rd A&B
College Station, Texas 77840
(979) 431-1799
https://escaperoombcs.comPadlock Escape Games
707 Texas Ave #102E
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 704-6494
https://www.padlockescapegames.comEscape Artist Kingwood
2628 Chestnut Ridge Rd
Kingwood, TX 77339
(832) 412-8842
https://escapeartistkw.com/
