Image: Escape It Las Vegas
Las Vegas has long attracted tourists for the obvious reasons, but it’s more recently also become a foodie destination as well as an immersive experience hub. Right off the Strip, you can be transported to Derry, Maine and have your own horrifying encounter with Pennywise the dancing clown, thanks to Warner Bros.’ Escape It Las Vegas—an escape room that takes you into the world of Andy Muschietti’s It films.
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Perfect for the horror fiend couple or a Galentine’s girl’s trip, Escape It Las Vegas is unlike any escape room you’ve ever been in. Created in collaboration with Warner Bros., it boasts a pair of hour-long experiences inspired by It: Chapter One and It: Chapter Two, with three difficulty settings. io9 recently visited to see how it elevates popular puzzle rooms that often have a horror theme but nothing really scary happens in them. This is no pop-up where a stroll through the Neibolt Street house ends with a janky Pennywise animatronic jumping out at you; Escape It not only has real actors playing Derry townfolk, there are also Pennywise actors lurking about… and they often do more than jump. One of the scariest moments I experienced came in the sewers of Chapter One; I was trying to figure out a code on a lock while I felt a presence behind me that I was told was Pennywise. Did I turn around? Nope. Take a look at the video below to see Pennywise in action.
Really fusing a haunt element into the escape rooms—which were full-on elaborate sets recreating iconic moments from the film—makes this a not-to-be-missed Las Vegas experience for haunt and horror fans alike. It’s so well done, and there’s so many Easter eggs it will make any Stephen King fan giddy. What’s great is that even if it all become overwhelming as you’re distracted by how cool and gory gross the rooms are, or are recovering from Pennywise chasing you down, there’s always someone around to help you propel the story. We loved the dash of interactive theater, which you can play into as much as you’re comfortable with.
Escape It is open Wednesday through Sunday with reservation slots available throughout February. If you happen to be in Vegas for the Super Bowl or Valentine’s Day and want some frightful fun, be sure to check it out. As more studios set up satellite immersive expansions, we’re curious to see if Warner Bros. will rotate its horror properties in the space as time goes by—The Conjuring Universe would be a perfect future theme. For now, Pennywise takes on Sin City and it’s all the better for It.
To book the experience visit EscapeIt.com.
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