Escape rooms are a new and exciting experience for many people. There is nothing like the thrill of breaking out of a room with the help of your friends! It’s a fun, cooperative activity that brings people together in a way not seen since childhood.
So why do we love escape rooms so much? Why have they exploded in popularity the last few years? And more importantly, how can you ensure yours is going to be a success?
What’s the difference between a good escape room and an awesome escape room? What can you do to make it more exciting for your guests?
Here are three things excitement has in common with:
1. Energy drinks –
When we’re feeling tired and sluggish, a can of energy drink like Red Bull or Monster is exactly what we need to get us going! We all know how it feels when you’ve finished one; you feel re-energized and ready to take on the world! The same is true for our brains. A little bit of excitement keeps your brain alert and refreshed, ready to tackle any challenge that’s thrown at it!
2. Fireworks –
Fireworks are pretty exciting, right? They’re bright and sparkly and over in minutes—but they sure pack a punch! Watching them go off is fun but just imagine the experience of actually lighting them and setting them off! That’s what you need to aim for in your escape room. If you can make participants feel like they’ve lit the fuse, you’ll create a more memorable experience for them!
3. Rock concerts –
If there’s one thing more exciting than a rock concert, it’s waiting for a rock concert. The anticipation of an awesome live show is enough to get even the calmest person excited! And that’s just before the band has come on stage—once you’re witnessing that energy first-hand, feeling it all around you and ready to burst, only then have you reached escape room nirvana!
So how do we use these examples to improve our rooms?
Well, it’s important to remember that excitement is a powerful tool. It gives us energy and enthusiasm when we need it most. If you can give your players just the right amount of excitement at the key moments in your room, they’ll feel alert and ready for anything!
Here are three things to think about:
1. Give them something to be excited for –
Escape rooms are essentially puzzles with one big “aha!” moment—that moment when everything clicks into place and you finally figure out what you’ve been missing. You could equate this feeling to that of drinking an energy drink or lighting fireworks but getting there takes time! Your participants won’t want to be bombarded with puzzles right at the start. Yes, you need to give them a challenge but not too much of one! You need to pace it so that they feel like they’re making progress every step of the way.
2. Keep them guessing –
Nobody likes being bored and when escape rooms run out of ways to surprise participants, boredom can set in pretty quickly. One way to avoid this is by introducing new surprises along the way; things that act as short-term goals for your players and keep them excited about what’s coming next! The best thing about these surprises is that your guests will never see them coming!
3. Throw in some excitement when it counts –
Remember that “aha!” moment we talked about earlier? That’s a good time to throw in a bit of excitement! When your guests figure out the puzzle, they’ll feel a huge sense of achievement which you can add to by making it more exciting. It doesn’t need to be anything too over-the-top but adding something like an LED brick wall or some confetti is enough to make players feel on top of the world and ready for whatever you’ve got up your sleeve next!
Excitement is one of our most powerful emotions and keeping your participants feeling enthusiastic and alert throughout your escape room will help them solve the puzzles faster and have an all-around better experience. Find the escape rooms near you and use all the things that you have learned from here.
