Danny Mehta opened Countdown 2 Escape to give Frisco families another type of activity.[/caption]
A new type of adventure that is part game, part theater and part team-building experience has come to Frisco.
Countdown 2 Escape is a physical adventure game in which players are placed in a room and have an hour to solve a series of puzzles to either “escape” the room or complete the game’s objective. Countdown 2 Escape opened Sept. 2.
“This is the hottest concept in the world right now,” owner Danny Mehta said. “From a business point of view, it made sense to have one in Frisco.”
The escape room concept began about 10 years ago Mehta said. Escape rooms started opening in the United States just a few years ago, and their popularity has grown ever since.
“The difference between our [escape rooms] and others is I want ours to be a lot more Frisco-centric or family-friendly,” Mehta said. “Our rooms are catered more to families as opposed to other escape rooms that may be darker or scarier.”
In the cabin, participants solve puzzles to find a hidden treasure.[/caption]
Mehta said almost half of the business’s bookings have been birthday parties and families.
“We want our rooms to be about the community and for our community,” Mehta said.
There are two rooms available, Cabin Fever and Casino Heist. Another room will be added within the next few months that will probably feature a war games theme.
In Cabin Fever, players use clues to lead them to a treasure hidden inside the cabin. In Casino Heist, players use clues to break into the cashier booth and figure out how to avoid prison.
Mehta and his staff come up with the puzzles and themes for each room. In the Cabin Fever room, Mehta used real lumber to build a cabin inside the room.
Danny Mehta and his staff create a modern game theme throughout the facility.[/caption]
Escape rooms are an activity that is all-inclusive and provides a different type of fun, Mehta said.
“In this day and age, it’s nice to step away from the electronics and do something that brings us together as a team as opposed to against each other,” he said.
Mehta said he already has businesses booking the escape rooms for corporate team-building exercises.
“I think what has surprised me the most is that no matter what type of group comes in—whether it’s a mixture of ages, cultures or personalities—everyone works together and respects each other,” he said. “Everyone brings a different perspective. That’s what we wanted, and that’s how it’s turned out so far.”
Mehta said the target goal is to have about a 30-35 percent completion rate for people who participate in an escape room.
A group tries to solve one of the puzzles inside the escape room.[/caption]
As more people participate, Mehta said his staff would adjust the puzzles to cater to their demographics.
“This is a work in progress, and we have our own unique market here and we want to cater to Frisco,” Mehta said.
The room is available for booking online for groups of two to 10 people. A request for a larger group can be made. Pricing varies depending on the number of people in the group.
6963 Main St., Frisco 972-325-2025 www.countdown2escape.com Hours: Thu. 6-10 p.m., Fri. 4-10 p.m., Sat. noon-midnight, Sun. noon-10 p.m., closed Mon.-Wed.
