In case you missed it, people went nuts over escape rooms last summer.
And then Escape Woods came along just a couple months ago.
Now, that it's begging to look a lot like Christmas, there's a new holiday escape to try at Escape Woods. It's time to see if you can keep up with the world's all-time greatest escape artists: Santa Claus.
Odds are you can't. Escape room enthusiasts, listen up: it's been two weeks since Nikki Giovacchini — a veteran production designer from movies you've heard of and head of game making at Sleepy Hollow Farms - turned his gaze onto the teams arriving at the farm, to see if they could solve his Christmas puzzle. None have.
With more than 60 acres at their disposal, the folks running Escape Woods started with a single escape and has since built three additional courses; starting with The Dig (an archaeological dig turned FBI escape), and expanding to The Cabin (an escape from being killed and possibly eaten by a serial killer), The Bunker (a 1950's-style nuclear bunker escape), and now the still-unbeaten holiday adventure The Magic Key.
"We'd wanted to have Santa Claus involved in the escape experience but unfortunately, his December is booked spreading Christmas joy far and wide. So we built our escape around the next best thing —Salty Claus; Santa's brother," said Giovacchini. "It turns out, he's always had a tough time at Christmas. He has always played second fiddle to his brother at the Claus house, and it finally drove him to go full-grinch-mode. His elves — a much less cheery group than those northern folks helping his brother -- they have taken to destroying Christmas, one present at a time. They melt snowmen, smash ornaments, steal carrot noses and dump out milk and cookies."
It turns out there is a reason why he's so effective. And you're the only one who can help Santa save Christmas. Before it's too late. The escape launched on the first of December, and nobody has beaten it yet — adult groups included.
That said it is an all ages challenge. And, it's open 5-10 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sundays.
If those times don't work for you, don't turn out the lights in Santa's Workshop just yet; you may still have a Christmas miracle up your sleeve.
"If it's a special occasion, we can help people experience The Magic Key in that Monday through Thursday window," said Giovacchini. "It's still all about one thing for us: making great memories for people. We enjoy building these escapes, and sharing the challenge with people and teams. Email us, and we'll see what we can do to make sure your trip to Escape Woods is one to remember."
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