Patricia
1Imagine being trapped in a room with a bunch of random things strewn about. You and your party have a limited time to get out of this space, or else you’re dead.
Okay, so maybe it’s not that dramatic; if you don’t get out, you’ll lose the game. We’re talking about escape rooms, of course.
The adrenaline (as well as the necessary teamwork and problem-solving skills) are what drive people to solve an escape room. And it may be what you need to bring some excitement into your life.
So how long does an escape room take? And what else do you need to know? Read on to find out.
How Long Does an Escape Room Take?
Let’s answer your burning question straight off the bat: the most common time limit for escape rooms is 60 minutes, giving you a full hour to find clues and find your way out of the room you’re trapped in.
This is the perfect length of time to make the room challenging enough, but not extremely so. It’s long enough to put pressure on your group to get out of there ASAP. You won’t take your sweet time contemplating each clue.
However, there are some rooms that are as short as 45 minutes or as long as 90 minutes. It depends on where you play the escape room, how many people you play with, and the difficulty.
For example, a virtual escape room can accommodate several hundred people; however, it might be a shorter duration (such as 45 minutes) for convenience’s sake. It can be much easier to facilitate teamwork between that many people too.
On the other hand, if you’re in a physical escape room with a handful of other team members and you’ve chosen the maximum difficulty, you may have between 60 to 90 minutes to solve it.
Why Aren’t the Escape Rooms Longer?
The truth is, even the biggest escape room enthusiast probably wouldn’t want to spend over two hours solving a room. The average move is around two hours long, and many of us can’t sit through anything longer without squirming.
It’s true that escape rooms are more interactive, so they’ll capture our attention and keep us engaged better. However, you’re using big brain power to look for clues and solve puzzles, so you’ll quickly get exhausted. This is especially true if you’re in a large group and/or you’re with people who clash often with you.
Plus, if the escape room duration is too long, you won’t get good value for money since you’ll be paying for time not used. And the operator won’t get as much money since the room’s taken up for longer.
Can You Beat an Escape Room Faster?
You definitely can beat the escape room faster than the minutes on the clock. In fact, you’re encouraged to!
Essentially, all teams that go through the escape room compete against one another. If you don’t even make it through the puzzles, then you won’t be on the wall of fame.
However, if you do beat the escape room, you get to take a group photo with your team with an “I beat this escape room!” sign, as well as the time it took you to get through it. Your picture will be put on the wall, and your time will motivate future groups to finish it quicker.
What Happens During Your Time in the Escape Room?
You now know approximately how long you get in an escape room, but what exactly happens while you’re in there?
The initial 10 or 15 minutes will involve a pre-game briefing, and it can go longer if it’s your first time. The more questions you have, the more time this will take, of course.
Then, you’ll get to actually go in and start. You’ll get the full one hour (or whatever length) that the escape room promises.
Once you’re done, you’ll have a final debrief that lasts five to 10 minutes.
This means you should add another 15 to 30 minutes to your time limit at the escape room to figure out how long you’ll be there.
How Can I Get Through an Escape Room Efficiently?
Finding out more about escape rooms might have you eager to sign up for one. But what are the steps you can take to ensure you beat the clock with plenty of time left?
First of all, pick the right people to go with you. They don’t necessarily have to be your best friends; instead, choose people who complement your strengths and weaknesses, and work well in a group. Make sure you choose an appropriate difficulty level too.
While you’re in there, make sure that the entire team doesn’t hone in on one clue, as that’s a huge waste of time. Everyone should also always be aware of the time and practice good time management skills.
Keep your used and unused clues organized so you don’t waste precious minutes sorting through them repeatedly. And don’t be afraid to ask for hints from the staff members if you get stuck!
Get Your Escape Room Game On
Now you know the answer to the question, “how long does an escape room take?” If you were previously on the fence about trying one out, then we hope that this article has answered not only this question, but any others that were burning in your brain.
The bottom line is, most (if not all) people love experiencing escape rooms, especially when their hearts beat fast, and their hands get sweaty. Racing against a clock is 1 a fun time, and you just might learn a few things about your team members that you never knew before.
Check out the rest of our blog page to find more fun topics.
