Long before there were 324 different versions of the Mystery Incorporated gang that we have today, there was the original, Scooby-Doo Where are You! TV show which debuted on CBS in 1969. Like many other kids, I used to wonder what it must be like to walk in the shoes of those mystery-solving teens looking for clues. Today, escape rooms offer a similar experience.
Takao Kato from Japan’s Scrap magazine created the world’s first escape room in 2007. Proving popular, America’s first escape room (Real Escape Game) opened in San Francisco in 2012. In 2013, Seattle’s Puzzle Break became the nation’s first escape room company with many more right behind them.
According to Poidata, there are approximately 3,095 escape room centers currently operating in the United States. Clearly this “fad” isn’t fading away.
To get a better understanding about the popularity of escape rooms, I spoke to Emma Fee; VP of Marketing for Escapology, the largest privately held escape room brand. Having opened their location in 2014 in Orlando by brothers Simon and Paul Davison, today the chain has 100 locations worldwide – and people are still trying to get in just so they can break out.
2007: First escape room opens in Japan.
2012: America’s first escape room opens in San Francisco
2013: The U.S.’s first escape room chain begins in Seattle
2014: Escapology opens their first escape room in Orlando
“Escape rooms combine the thrill of live entertainment with the fun of solving puzzles and working as a team,” says Fee. “People are looking for unique experiences they can share with friends, family, or coworkers — and escape rooms deliver just that. They’re immersive, memorable, and give groups a sense of accomplishment when they solve the mystery together. And best of all, it gets us to disconnect from the digital world of social media and games on our phones and connect with other people to work together toward a common goal!”
The Escapology company is huge. Today, they operated over 600 individual escape games based on 25 different game titles and designs, including a few partnerships with Warner Bros. So, then I wanted to know what’s the biggest difference between Escapology and the average escape room.
“Escapology is built around quality and consistency. All of our games are always private, so guests never play with strangers,” says Fee. “We also invest heavily in immersive storytelling, high-quality sets, and puzzles designed to flow in a linear, team-friendly way. This means players spend less time working separately on multiple puzzles at the same time, and more time engaged in the adventure. Beyond the games themselves, our venues are premium—from the lobby design to guest service—making our aim for the entire visit to be a five-star experience.”
If you want to go “all out”, Escapology also offers VIP experiences too.
“Our VIP experiences elevate the escape room visit into a full event. Guests can fully customize their experience with things like a dedicated game host, multiple game rooms starting at the same time – or a full venue buyout with access to all the games, food and beverage service.”
They also offer other special touches like photos, branded merchandise, and personalized messages found inside the game.
“It’s ideal for celebrations, corporate groups, holiday parties, bachelor(ette) parties, or anyone wanting something extra memorable. We’ve even hosted a wedding or two!”
“So, what’s your favorite room and why? I ask.
“That’s a tough one because each game has its own charm!” say Fee. ‘Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Castle Adventure’ is an amazing blend of nostalgia, family-friendly fun, and clever puzzle design. Seeing guests—kids, parents, even grandparents—light up when they hear Scooby’s voice or solve a clue together really captures what Escapology is all about: creating memories through shared adventure.”
Escapology has been developing future fans with their own “Kid Mode”. Whether played with their parents or just supervised by them, some simpler versions of popular games can be played in “Kid Mode”, a rare feature not found in many other escape rooms. And one of those rooms includes Scooby-Doo and friends – something that I would have loved when I was a kid. (I might even like it now!)
They also offer rooms like “Batman: The Dark Knight Challenge” and “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”.
“Escapology has a strong history of working with world-class partners like Warner Brothers, CBS, and the Agatha Christie estate,” explains Fee. “These collaborations happen because of our reputation for quality, our global footprint, and our in-house ability to design and manufacture complex, immersive games.”
These partnerships have quickly become fan favorites, and they are among Escapology’s more popular rooms. Fee says that they are constantly approached for more partnerships, and they do evaluate those often.
Other titles found within the various Escapology locations include “A Pirate’s Curse” aboard the ship, The Soul Catcher; “Haunted House” set within the 1870’s Mulberry Manor; “Antidote: Chemical Warfare” located within a secret government testing facility; “Mansion Murder” where your elderly grandfather has been found dead in the library; and “Lost City” where you are tasked with finding a lost journal that holds information about hidden treasure within a hidden temple.
Visit the Escapology website to find the closest location near you.
Main Image: Escapology
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