Escape Key
Escape Key
3.5
Escape Games
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
3.5
11 reviews
Excellent
4
Very good
4
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Paul L
73 contributions
Feb 2016 • Friends
I did not have high hopes visiting this escape room. It's the newest to open in Orlando (I think this makes number 7 in the Orlando area, not to mention those springing up in Tampa and Cocoa Beach). Their website is horribly outdated, with contact info that only mentions their Vancouver location and showing promotions that expired in December 2015. And to top it off, when we got there, about 15 minutes before our scheduled time, we found the business closed. An employee arrived about 5 minutes after we did to let us in.
All those extraneous and, in the end, irrelevant details aside, the escape room within was a really fantastically done room. This was the 19th room my girlfriend and I have played, and to my shock, nearly all of the puzzles we encountered in the room were completely new to us. They required different skills, they made use of different special effects, they required different tools and props, than any other room we have played before. All of the puzzles were challenging without being impossible (though, one of the very first ones you'll find in the room did take myself and one of my teammates, working together, a good 10-15 minutes to solve)
One other aspect of the room made it very different from other escape rooms as well - once the hour is up, your team can choose to continue playing and trying to escape, at an additional cost of 29¢/minute/person. So if your team of 4 takes 70 minutes to escape rather than 60, you'll be paying an extra $11.60 over what you'd already paid when you book. Of course, your goal should be to escape before that time expires - our group got out with roughly 5 minutes of our original 60 left on the clock.
Aside from the website and staffing issues mentioned earlier, my only complain was their late party. Our party of 4 had booked, and then found that a separate party of 2 had also booked our slot, which is fine and to be expected. By the time our slot came up, however, the other party of 2 was no where to be seen. Where most escape attractions would at this point declare them to be a no-call-no-show and have those of us who were there start the room, Escape Key's policy was to give them an extra 15 minutes. This alone seemed unfair to us, as we were on time, and should not have our experience delayed because of other people's failure to show up. But even worse was that once we finally DID get started, about 10 minutes into our attempt to escape (so roughly 25-30 minutes after the scheduled time slot) the other pair of customers *did* show up. And the Escape Key policy opened the door and let them into the room, interrupting our escape game, interrupting our experience, breaking our flow of concentration and puzzle solving. Of course, the other two people were completely lost by this point, having no idea what to do or how to proceed, and they effectively contributed nothing to the entirety of the experience. This should not have been allowed to happen - the other team should have been declared a no-show and they should not have been permitted to interrupt our game after it had started. Every other escape room I've ever seen, if you do not show up on time, your payment is forfeit, as it is unfair to the people who were there to have you enter late.
The escape game itself was great. Their policies, staffing issues, and website are what is keeping this from being a 5 star review.
All those extraneous and, in the end, irrelevant details aside, the escape room within was a really fantastically done room. This was the 19th room my girlfriend and I have played, and to my shock, nearly all of the puzzles we encountered in the room were completely new to us. They required different skills, they made use of different special effects, they required different tools and props, than any other room we have played before. All of the puzzles were challenging without being impossible (though, one of the very first ones you'll find in the room did take myself and one of my teammates, working together, a good 10-15 minutes to solve)
One other aspect of the room made it very different from other escape rooms as well - once the hour is up, your team can choose to continue playing and trying to escape, at an additional cost of 29¢/minute/person. So if your team of 4 takes 70 minutes to escape rather than 60, you'll be paying an extra $11.60 over what you'd already paid when you book. Of course, your goal should be to escape before that time expires - our group got out with roughly 5 minutes of our original 60 left on the clock.
Aside from the website and staffing issues mentioned earlier, my only complain was their late party. Our party of 4 had booked, and then found that a separate party of 2 had also booked our slot, which is fine and to be expected. By the time our slot came up, however, the other party of 2 was no where to be seen. Where most escape attractions would at this point declare them to be a no-call-no-show and have those of us who were there start the room, Escape Key's policy was to give them an extra 15 minutes. This alone seemed unfair to us, as we were on time, and should not have our experience delayed because of other people's failure to show up. But even worse was that once we finally DID get started, about 10 minutes into our attempt to escape (so roughly 25-30 minutes after the scheduled time slot) the other pair of customers *did* show up. And the Escape Key policy opened the door and let them into the room, interrupting our escape game, interrupting our experience, breaking our flow of concentration and puzzle solving. Of course, the other two people were completely lost by this point, having no idea what to do or how to proceed, and they effectively contributed nothing to the entirety of the experience. This should not have been allowed to happen - the other team should have been declared a no-show and they should not have been permitted to interrupt our game after it had started. Every other escape room I've ever seen, if you do not show up on time, your payment is forfeit, as it is unfair to the people who were there to have you enter late.
The escape game itself was great. Their policies, staffing issues, and website are what is keeping this from being a 5 star review.
Written February 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard H
Celebration, FL17 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
If you are an escape room vet (a good number under your belt), you have experienced many different types of puzzles and stories. THIS SITE is totally different.
Little went into storyline and decor. It's basically the room, with puzzles and tables - and puzzles that are more than just unlock the lock. While most rooms, once you've solve the puzzle and have a code - THAT is the code to unlock. Here, when you think you got it, there's ANOTHER stage of thinking to actually unlock it. We were unsuccessful in escaping because we were thinking like every other room. You MUST think differently to work these puzzles.
Again, this venue is about the puzzles and not the story. Want to test your abstract thinking - this is an excellent challenge. Want a fun story to play through - try somewhere else. They DO give you the opportunity to extend your time (for pay) if you are close. We chose not to - there was no "fun" for us in solving these puzzles.
You DO get unlimited clues/help, so don't wait too long to use it. From our experience, you need every minute in order to solve the quantity of puzzles.
Little went into storyline and decor. It's basically the room, with puzzles and tables - and puzzles that are more than just unlock the lock. While most rooms, once you've solve the puzzle and have a code - THAT is the code to unlock. Here, when you think you got it, there's ANOTHER stage of thinking to actually unlock it. We were unsuccessful in escaping because we were thinking like every other room. You MUST think differently to work these puzzles.
Again, this venue is about the puzzles and not the story. Want to test your abstract thinking - this is an excellent challenge. Want a fun story to play through - try somewhere else. They DO give you the opportunity to extend your time (for pay) if you are close. We chose not to - there was no "fun" for us in solving these puzzles.
You DO get unlimited clues/help, so don't wait too long to use it. From our experience, you need every minute in order to solve the quantity of puzzles.
Written October 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DuckandDogWoman
Wheaton, IL23 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
Our family of four includes two teens and my husband and I. This was our first "escape room" experience and we enjoyed it very much. It was a little difficult to find in the dark in the rain tucked back in a multi-use area of residences and small office complexes. There were restroom facilities for customers. The host (Nick?) was very friendly and helpful. As we were entering, the group before us of four young women were leaving and had an awesome time and were laughing and talking about it. Our time slot included another couple for a total of six of us solving the puzzle. Our host was helpful throughout the process and supportive. The puzzles were varied and difficult enough to make us think and for each person to use their own gifts for solving. Overall, a very enjoyable time and we would do it again if we're in the area!
Written August 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel A
Sanford, FL15 contributions
Jun 2017 • Friends
In all honesty, this place feels just 1 step above a group of teenagers making an escape room in their mother's basement. The setup of the building, the experience of the staff, and the quality of the puzzles.
Also, it feels like they deliberately designed the rooms to take more than an hour, so they could get people to spend more for extra time.
I would not recommend this place.
Also, it feels like they deliberately designed the rooms to take more than an hour, so they could get people to spend more for extra time.
I would not recommend this place.
Written January 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zakya I
1 contribution
Nov 2016 • Couples
I had so much fun my boyfriend and I were paired up with another couple and we got pretty far in the game. The moderator was surprised on how far we got for only 4 people. I had a blast would definitely refer people to this location.
Written December 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jodi J
5 contributions
Sep 2016
I have done a lot of escape rooms, but this is the first one where I wanted to leave barely halfway through. It was not fun. The puzzles had no logic, the theme was laughable, there was no storyline at all, and the place is just dirty. When we got there, there were two groups and they were going to put us in the same room. No big deal, happens all the time. But the other group was told they could do a room we had already played and we certainly were not going to pay to go in a room we already finished. The Tech room was "okay" but the Birthday room was horrendous.
Written October 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim M
Jacksonville, FL29 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
Nick was an outstanding game master (one of the best I have ever worked with in my 40+ escape rooms). The room was a blast; challenging but solvable clues and many unique puzzles. I enjoyed how hints were given without actually giving away answers. I look forward to trying out the second room there.
Written August 31, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
featherlashes
Orlando, FL230 contributions
Jun 2017 • Family
In my opinion, Escape Key appears to be a lower-budget escape room when compared to the plethora of theme-based escape rooms in Central Florida, however, it ended up being one of our favorite collection of puzzles to complete. This location offers a computer theme and a world traveler theme - we completed the computer-themed room. The puzzles are smart and each one leads to another which made it a lot of fun. Hints are unlimited if needed. If you don't complete the room in the allotted time, you can buy extra time for 25 cents per person per minute. The game is paused while the group decides if they want to proceed, and if so, who will be remaining in the room. Upon room completion, you will receive a key to mark your name on and you can hang it on the wall for bragging rights. The young man Nick who was present during out game was amazing, kind, and helpful. He truly wanted us to have a fun experience. I found Escape Key on groupon. Please note, if you have a groupon, you must book your game a certain amount of hours in advance (refer to your groupon and website). At first I was confused so I called the phone number listed and left a voicemail. I received a call back and was told no when I requested to book a room with a groupon that evening which was 6 hours away. I was told I could refund my groupon and he would match the price over the phone and allow me to book the room that evening but the refund time had already passed on my groupon so it was a no-go for me. I ended up booking online 24 hours in advance for a different day. But when we arrived for our game, a party had booked out the whole room only 1 hour beforehand using a groupon and the same person I spoke with on the phone accommodated this request when poor Nick had to call him for instruction. This resulted in us (who followed the rule) rescheduling our experience for the next day. Please note, no one asked or forced us to reschedule but when the room is going to be packed, it's not going to be fun. This inconsistency in the groupon rule was incredibly frustrating as a customer especially since I was denied my request earlier that week. However, when we returned, a lack of customers gave us the whole room to complete by ourselves so it all worked out I guess. I am giving this room a very generous 4 stars because Nick was a superstar and my party of 2 genuinely enjoyed the actual room experience even though it took some maneuvering on my part to make it happen.
Written July 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DanALunar
Baltimore, Maryland, United States36 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
I tried Escape Key just recently with a couple of my buddies. They only have 1 room open to the public, which is a Computer Based theme. The inside of the room was very cool. The décor definitely fit the theme, and many of the puzzles did too. When we finished the room, we were given the opportunity to do a test run of their new room that will be opening very soon. I won’t say much about this room, since I am sure they want to keep it a surprise for now, but I will say that the décor in the new room is very well thought out.
All together I was pretty impressed with both rooms. I ran into a couple puzzle types that I’ve not seen anywhere else before.
The only real gripe we had about either room, is that a couple of the puzzles were things that required outside information. I’ve only done 7 escape rooms thus far, but the one thing I’ve been told by owners and experts alike, is that the answers to all the escape room’s puzzles should be found within that room, which I can think of 3 puzzles in particular that were not. This problem is exacerbated, because when you ask for a hint with those puzzles, it becomes difficult for the game master to give you a hint that really makes that puzzle any easier.
Despite those couple of puzzle though, everything was pretty enjoyable. We definitely had a good time, and we would still recommend this business to other players.
All together I was pretty impressed with both rooms. I ran into a couple puzzle types that I’ve not seen anywhere else before.
The only real gripe we had about either room, is that a couple of the puzzles were things that required outside information. I’ve only done 7 escape rooms thus far, but the one thing I’ve been told by owners and experts alike, is that the answers to all the escape room’s puzzles should be found within that room, which I can think of 3 puzzles in particular that were not. This problem is exacerbated, because when you ask for a hint with those puzzles, it becomes difficult for the game master to give you a hint that really makes that puzzle any easier.
Despite those couple of puzzle though, everything was pretty enjoyable. We definitely had a good time, and we would still recommend this business to other players.
Written May 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie K
3 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
I really wished this place was more well-known. They've apparently been open for two years and that's the first time I've heard of it. I've been to several escape rooms in Orlando but was wowed by the originality and creativity Escape Key offered. The puzzles were all excellent and the employee was very passionate about his job. Highly recommend!
Written April 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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