Why hasn’t Disney jumped on this bandwagon?

If escape game-style experiences are the next evolution in theme park entertainment, why haven’t major companies like Disney and Universal made their own? The answer is complicated.

Disney addicts might be surprised to learn that the Most Magical Place on Earth actually has experimented with escape games. Back in 2016, Disney Meetings launched their own Steampunk-themed escape challenge for corporate groups. As expected, they added a bit of their own flare to the experience with extra elements like actors involved in the story. It is unclear if Disney Meetings still offers their escape challenge, but it does give us a clue that Imagineers at least toyed with the concept.

The problem with escape rooms is that they can prove challenging to maintain. It’s a surprisingly frequent occurrence for guests to get over-eager to solve puzzles, to the point that they lose it and inadvertently break props and room elements that have nothing to do with the game (most escape game briefings will specifically point out items like this, such as not trying to unscrew power outlets or air conditioning vents). There is also a surprising issue of guest safety involved as people some do rather stupid things while under an encroaching deadline with a puzzle to solve—thus why all escape rooms usually require a waiver.

Image: Disney

Escape room owners can carefully manage the flow of guests through reservations to keep costs manageable, but with crowds like those drawn by Disney and Universal, the experience would have to be tweaked considerably to account for theme park levels of attendance. While it is possible Disney or Universal could transform the concept into a ride, it would not be as easy as simply inserting a themed escape room into the parks.

The more likely possibility for Disney and Universal to incorporate escape games into their resorts would be as an upcharge experience. Indeed, it is surprising that they have not explored this possibility further than the Disney Meetings experiment. A Disney-themed escape game could fit in well with their other VIP and special offering experiences, such as adding it as a reservation-based attraction in Disney Springs the same way they are promoting the “Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire” virtual reality attraction.

While it remains unclear if Disney or Universal will create their own escape games anytime soon, if you are planning of visiting Orlando, you don’t have to go far to try an escape room for yourself.

Orlando’s escape games

Image: Iain Cuthbertson, Flickr (license)

Orlando is an escape game fanatic’s heaven. Whether you long for the terror of being pursued by a zombie horde or the whimsical experience of a hunt for pirate treasure, there is a game for you. To make things even better, almost all of Orlando’s escape rooms are lauded with positive reviews.

Our favorite thus far has been The Escape Game Orlando, where games include a prison breakout, a hunt for lost gold, a heist, and even a mission to mars. America’s Escape Game is another possibility with games surrounding a White House crisis, a cursed mummy’s tomb, and the breakout of a pandemic. The Great Escape Room offers guests the opportunity to solve a Sherlock Holmes mystery, while Lockbusters claims to offer some of the most immersive escape experiences in town. Other options include Escapeology, The Escape Effect, Mindquest, and more. There are so many choices that you should start with whichever theme appeals to you the most.

There is no way to know if escape games might be the future of theme parks. However, they certainly hold some clues about the directions immersive entertainment might be heading. Have you ever tried an escape game? What was your experience like?