ndakatms
67 escape rooms
Y’all… as one of the first investigators to experience the events surrounding Matty and her Doll, I need you to understand something upfront: whatever you think you’re walking into… it’s not that. People try to describe the… happenings, but there really aren’t words strong enough, sharp enough, or eerie enough to capture what actually unfolds inside that cabin. This is something you have to experience for yourself. And I mean that literally—because the experience doesn’t even wait for you to step inside. From the second we approached the building, Matt pulled us straight into the story with this charismatic, slightly unhinged, completely captivating storytelling that instantly set the tone. It starts immediately… and it does not let up for a single second. And fair warning—this was, without exaggeration, one of the most genuinely terrifying experiences of my life. Not cheap jump scares, not predictable “boo!” moments… but the kind of slow-building, spine-tightening dread that sinks in and stays with you. At the same time, it’s an adrenaline-charged hour packed with clever puzzles, heart-pounding moments, and a level of immersion that completely pulls you out of reality. The set alone feels like you’ve stepped into a fully realized world—every detail, every creak, every shadow feels intentional. The build quality and storytelling are on a level I’ve honestly never experienced before. And the game masters and staff deserve their own spotlight—they are beyond accommodating and stay fully in character the entire time, which just locks the atmosphere into place and never lets it slip. You don’t just play the game… you live inside it. If you love haunted houses and escape rooms, this is the perfect fusion of both—like stepping into a horror movie where you’re not just watching… you’re part of it. And trust me, it doesn’t end when you walk out. This one lingers. In the best and worst ways. I HIGHLY recommend experiencing everything Escape Hour Vineyard has to offer. I can say with full confidence: you won’t be disappointed… but you might sleep with the lights on.
Gameplay
It was unlike anything I’ve done before. The storyline unfolds expertly, without ever feeling like you’re going back and forth. It builds the right amount of tension, an unleashes its fury at you unexpectedly, but then never lets up so there is that constant unknowing that keeps you on your toes the whole time
Atmosphere
The set design and build quality is second to none - like Hollywood/Disney level immersion. From the moment you leave the lobby, before your even entered the room, you are as fully immersed as it’s possible to be. Special effects, props, set design are amazing.
Customer service
Matt, Drew, and the whole staff at Escape Hour are incredibly welcoming and invested in your whole experience. They are some of my favorite game masters ever - and they treat us like honored guests each and every time we visit. We may even spend more time talking before and after the room than we spend in the actual room. They are the coolest people to listen and share their creative ideas and back stories on their builds.
Particularly interesting or different
Yes
I have never been as immersed in a story and set like this. I don’t think there’s anything quite like it in Utah, for sure.
Story
Amazing. Terrifying in all the right ways.
Difficulty
Hard
We were a group of two - we were scared out of our minds and yet somehow managed to get out in about the hour they gave us. The puzzles are unique and the right level of challenging, but when you’ve got adrenaline pumping, your normally logical mind takes a vacation and so simple puzzles feel a little more challenging
Game tech
Mechanical
Ideal number of players
4
We had 2 - I think 4 is probably the sweet spot, but you might be able to get away with up to 6
Scary
💩👖
I am very tender hearted and do not like scary things and typically avoid them as a rule. But because I know the quality of Matt’s builds, I decided to risk it. I’m glad I did because it was an amazing experience (if terrifying). It might, for the average to experienced fear seekers, be more toward the scary rating. But for me - 💩👖🤬😱
Minimum age
15
This storyline is scary and as an adult, it was too scary for me! But I have a very weak heart when it comes to scary things. Having said that, I honestly think that any younger than an older teen should avoid this room - unless they are made of tougher stuff than the average kid.
Was anything broken?
No
Brand new room - everything worked great. My soul might be a little damaged though … 🫣
Live actors
Yes
I didn’t realize there would be either - so that definitely added to the fear factor in a major way.
Physically active
Somewhat
There’s some crawling, and you climb up some steep stairs. My heart rate never dropped below 120 for the full hour. I was exhausted afterward. But again - in all the best ways.
Accessibility
It’s not wheelchair accessible. There are steep stairs to climb in two places and a tunnel You have to crawl through. I suppose a person unable to physically do the stairs or crawling could let another of their group do these puzzles, and stay in the main rooms, but then you’d miss out on the bulk of the experience. And it’s very dark, almost the whole time. There are loud noises and wind at times
Easy to find location
Yes
Parking
Medium
There’s plenty of parking and it’s free, however if you go during peak times like we did on weekends or holidays, you might struggle finding a close spot.
Safety
Yes
I mean … again, other than fearing my heart might beat right out of my chest, I honestly never felt like I was in physical danger. There’s horror type “threats”throughout, but no real danger.
