If you are unable to find an answer to your question, feel free to email us fun@mindescaperoom.com or give us a call (215) 454 6159!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is an escape room?

An escape room is a live adventure game. Participants are placed in a room full of original puzzles and clues. You use elements of the room in order to unravel the mystery, solve the puzzles and achieve the objective. Either the doors will open or you will be notified by a game master once you've properly "Escaped"!



Which room is best for me?

At Mindescape, our rooms offer a multitude of challenged and puzzles that are diverse but ultimately accessible to all. We have rooms that certified experts barely escape from, but girl scout troops handle with ease. But obviously, we can't tell you everything! For a detailed description of all our rooms and their offerings, CLICK HERE.



What are some strategy tips you could give me?

Your adversary in any escape room is time. Using It wisely will make your chances of escaping increase dramatically. Perhaps that means dividing and conquering or staying focused on one thing as a team. Check every nook and cranny for clues you might've missed and tools you haven't used. Keeping track of everything is key.



What should I bring?

We have lockers in the lobby where you can lock up any bookbags, purses and other material items you might have with you during your game. You won't need any additional items or tools to complete these puzzles, just a sharp mind, and a competitive spirit!



Are these games appropriate for kids?

While we can understand if some kids are reluctant to play darker games like Jack The Ripper, It's not intended to scare, but to give off an eerie vibe. All of our games are family-friendly and designed to be accessible to all ages and safe if the rules are followed. We've entertained kids 10 and under in every room.



What are the age minimums?

Recently we had a 2-year-old do an escape room, but of course, she was accompanied by her parent. If your child is under 6 years old, they will not need to pay. However, in general, if your child is under the age of 13, we recommend that an adult help solve some of the puzzles. Also, younger groups may be less inclined to play Jake The Ripper.



Where can I park?

We know that parking around 4th Street can be tricky – street parking is hard to find, and parking garages can charge up to $25 to park your car. But no longer! MindEscape has just teamed up with Target Park U.S. for the best possible parking in the area, only a 3-minute walk from MindEscape! Exclusively for MindEscape patrons, you can now park your car for and receive 20% off your parking fee.
Parking Garage Location:
530 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia PA 19147, Abbotts Square Parking Garage
To Validate your Ticket: After parking your car at either of Target Park’s garages, bring your parking ticket with you to MindEscape. Our GameMasters are able to validate your parking ticket to ensure that you get a discount on your parking!
*Please Note: Ticket Validations can only be done at MindEscape, not at the parking kiosk itself. Please bring your parking ticket with you to MindEscape. MindEscape is not responsible for any theft or damage to your vehicle, as we are not affiliated with TargetPark U.S.A. This discount is only good for up to 3 hours. Additional fees may apply for guests parked longer than 3 hours. Please visit https://www.targetparkusa.com/ for additional information about parking rates.



What should I wear?

You should wear comfortable clothing that let you move freely, or items that you wouldn't be upset at getting dirty if you scuffed them against anything, and that isn't so expensive that you care about their wellbeing.



Can we bring food and drink into the rooms?

For the most part, no. While we will make slight exceptions for those with certain health issues, for the most part we ask that all food and drink are either consumed in the lobby or left in the lockers till later in the game. If you have an item your afraid will melt or perish, a game master will be happy to store it in our office fridge.



How early should I arrive?

We ask all customers to ARRIVE 15 minutes early so we can account for bathroom visits, waiver signing, unpaid tickets and of course, ample time to share the room rules and special details.

All in All, plan for around a 90 minute experience, if you include your hour long game and taking pictures afterwards.



Are these games handicap accessible?

We have complete ramp access to the lobby of mindescape, and our Thai Prison Escape Room is ADA Accessible. You can read more about the room here. We hope you enjoy your time at MindEscape, and if there's anything that we can do to make your time more comfortable, please don't hesitate to ask.



I'm claustrophobic. Will I be alright?

All our rooms are designed for maximum comfort for our escapees, so even when you're shackled or chained up, you're still in rooms designed for big groups of people. However, if at any time you feel you need to escape a bit early, simply press the EXIT switch by the door, and you can take as much time as you need to get ready to go back in, if at all. It's even easier in our alice in wonderland room, the door simply opens.



I might've had too much to drink...

If you're not able to get behind the wheel, chances are you won't enjoy the game. Of course, if you feel like you're up to it, we wont stop you.
However, if at any point our game masters deem that you have become a danger to yourself, your teammates, or the room itself, they will gladly shut down the game and eject you and your party with no refund.



What if there's an emergency?

We want to remind our escape room goers that MindEscape’s top priority is the safety of our clients and our employees. With multiple emergency precautions in place in the facility and each of our rooms, we are prepared for any and all emergencies that may occur.

Our rooms are fully up to code and monitored the ENTIRE time both with video and audio. In case of an emergency (fire, loss of power, etc…), all doors unlock automatically.
All doors are equipped with emergency release buttons as well.

Here are some of our other precautions:​ Fire rated walls and doors that can withstand 2+ hours of fire outside of the premises. Fire alarms directly connected to Philly Fire Department. Clearly marked exit signs with a short distance to walk and ground level. Automatic and redundant fire sprinklers. Every room has a dedicated Game Master that listens AND watches the group at ALL TIMES.
These are just some of our main safety protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of our clients. However, if you feel at any time that your safety is compromised or could be improved, please do not hesitate to speak with one of our game masters.



How long do I have to escape?

Thai Prison Escape and JAck the ripper are 60 min adventures, and Alice In Wonderland is 70 Minutes. However, this isn't time given to just loiter around; make sure you're using your time wisely!

For a more in depth analysis of each room, go here.



What do the game masters do?

The game masters are the heart and soul of our operation at mindescape. during your game, they'l be monitoring the game, making sure it's going smoothly, addressing issues and providing hints. just say their name and raise your hand and they'll be happy to help you in your game.

When they're not running games, they're running mindescape, maintaining rooms and remixing our puzzles and challenges. And they lead pretty awesome lives as well. To read more about our awesome game masters, go here.



How many hints can I get?

For our Jack the Ripper and Thai Prison escape rooms, we happily offer 5 hints for your disposal. Alice is a little harder, so you actually have unlimited hints in that room. Sometimes regardless, our game masters will give out some free advice to our escapees, so speak with your game master at the start of the game if you'd rather play without hints!



Can I skip any puzzles?

Our games are designed so that every stone must be unturned to escape. If you manage to circumvent a puzzle in a certain area, you will most likely be skipping an item or a device that's directly needed in order to escape the room. Nonetheless, in our Alice In Wonderland room, our Game Masters have the ability to remotely skip one puzzle for your game. However, make sure to use this skip wisely!



What should I stay away from?

There's alot to search for and go after, but as a rule of thumb, you wont need to worry about anything on the ceiling. There's nothing in the air vents, sprinkler systems, lights or outlets. It's for your own safety that you steer clear of them. You might also see somethings that say "DON'T" or "DO NOT TOUCH". Avoid these items as well. They're typically housing some plumbing or electronics that make the game run.



What can I use to win the game?

Literally everything and anything else! We've even had instances where some of our players have used their surroundings in interesting and inventive ways to overcome our various challenges. Make sure you're using your time wisely, you never know what might actually be useful...



How should I behave in a escape room?

You should behave in a civilized, polite and open way. Please respect the room that you're playing in; theres no need to throw things around or scramble through haphazardly. Also, please do your best to treat the other humans with respect, whether they're the game masters or the other people playing. If at anytime the game master determines that you're damaging the room, or being especially rude to whomever, you will be asked to leave the building.



What if I accidentally break something?

There are some minor things that might break during the course of the game. Simply alert the game master, and we'll depending on the severity we'll either stop the game, or we'll resolve the issue at the conclusion of the game. Accidents happen, but according to our waiver, if it's determined that you destroyed something intentionally and maliciously, you will be fined accordingly.



What if I need to leave early, or need to go to the bathroom?

If at anytime you need to leave, whether it's for a phone call, a bathroom break or an emergency, there's a switch by the door that says either "Door/Exit" or "Press To Exit". Simply press the button and you'll be able to walk out of the room. There's no penalty for using this option, you can just as easly return to the room once you're done.



Can I use my phone during the game?

You can keep your phone on your person during the game, perhaps to take a picture after, but we ask that you don't use it while the game is running. If you'd like you can keep them in the lockers for the duration of your time.



Are there private games?

MindEscape is proud to be the only escape room in Philadelphia that allows you to play private games during the week (Monday - Thursday) at no extra charge or player minimum. To book a private game during the weekend (Friday - Sunday) , all you need is to book at least 6 tickets or more for your game.



What's your cancellation policy?

All sales are final. We do not offer refunds orcancellations on our games. However, we can easily reschedule any game or event at least 24 hours before the activity's start time with $30 cancelation fee.



© MindEscape | Philadelphia Top Escape The Room. 2019.

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