This was our first time visiting this location, and we were genuinely excited to try it out. A lot of the rooms looked like a lot of fun, and we were honestly even considering playing a second room afterward because things were going so well in the beginning.
We played the dollhouse room, and to start with the positives, the decorations were great and the theme was very well done. We moved through many of the early puzzles quickly and completed a large portion of the room within the first 15 minutes without needing any clues. Everything was running smoothly, and we were having a great time.
That changed when we reached one particular puzzle. Without giving any spoilers, we were consistently entering the correct code, but the issue was not user error. It appeared to be a sensor or technical malfunction. This was the first time we asked for a clue, which was frustrating because we did not need help solving the puzzle. Staff confirmed that we had the correct code and instructed us to continue entering it.
We spent approximately 10 to 15 minutes repeatedly inputting the same correct code. We tried different approaches and reentered it multiple times, but nothing worked. We lost a significant amount of time here through no fault of our own. After clearly expressing frustration and asking for assistance, we were told someone would come help us. No one came, but shortly afterward, the lock suddenly opened on its own and allowed us to move into the next room.
At that point, we checked the clock and saw that we only had about 15 minutes left, which was extremely discouraging, especially since it was clear there was still another room to complete. Not long after that, we received a notification that our time was up. This was particularly frustrating given how much time we had lost due to the malfunctioning puzzle. When we exited the room and looked at the timer, we saw that we still had just under three minutes remaining. While three minutes would not have been enough to finish the room, it is the principle of the matter.
When we brought this up to the Game Master, she asked if we wanted to go back in and finish playing. At that point, however, the experience was already ruined, and the offer did not really address the underlying issue.
This was the first time in all of our escape room experiences that a room has been ended early like this. It was also the first time we have encountered such a frustrating situation involving a technical issue, especially one where we were clearly entering the correct solution and did not receive timely support. Unfortunately, because of this experience, we likely will not be returning, despite how promising the room initially seemed.
