Unlock an hour of fun
New challenge activity Locked Up Lynchburg coming to Wyndhurst this month
After spending countless hours studying each semester, Liberty University students can finally test their intellect in the ultimate exam: Locked Up Escape Rooms.
Locked Up Lynchburg is the newest entertainment activity in Lynchburg, centered on combining human intellect, team building, fun and competition while giving students and locals a unique experience.
Located in Wyndhurst, Locked Up Lynchburg hosts a new escape game offering three themed rooms — the Dream, the Agent, and the Professor’s Study — where groups are given one hour to escape their room by finding clues, deciphering codes and solving real-world puzzles.
CHALLENGE — Locked Up Lynchburg will provide entertainment to students, businesses and Lynchburg locals. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
Co-owners Ryan Culkin, Dusty Miller and Mike Morrison give a few tips for escaping before the clock runs out.
“There’s something for everybody,” Morrison said. “The smartest people are not always the best at this because they can sometimes overanalyze or overthink. It’s best to have a room full of different people.”
Although customers can try and figure their way out of a room alone, Culkin, Miller and Morrison advise people to come in groups, with a maximum of 10 people to a room, for diversification in thinking methods.
As Liberty alumni, the owners wanted to give both students and the Lynchburg community something entertaining to do. However, they have been surprised at the various uses for this game, one of which is that businesses have been utilizing the rooms for team building purposes.
Escape rooms can be found in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, New York City, Miami, Charlotte, and other large cities.
“It’s great because you can see what kind of people you have,” Culkin said. “(Business owners) will sit back and watch the clips to see how their employees are doing. You can see who the natural leaders are, who the work horses are, who’s going to overanalyze things, and who gets frustrated under pressure.”
Along with business applications, Locked Up Lynchburg has shown potential with sports teams, as some Liberty coaches are planning to take their new recruits to these rooms for team building purposes as well.
As all three owners are active and competitive, they encourage competition in their escape rooms and are reaching out to campus Resident Assistants (RAs) to set up brother/sister dorm battles.
“I know of a Bible study that’s coming,” Morrison said. “They’re breaking up the group — the men in one room and the women in the other — and then they’re switching (when they are done) to see which group can do it the fastest. (It’s) kind of a battle of the sexes.”
The Locked Up Lynchburg lobby holds a board listing the groups with the fastest times, with a cash prize to be awarded to the overall fastest group.
Prices at other Escape Room locations can exceed $30 a person, while Locked Up Lynchburg charges only $18, with a 15 percent discount for Liberty students during the first month of operations.
Despite how real the game may seem, the doors are never locked, to cater to the frightened and claustrophobic.
“You can open the door and ask us questions if you get really stuck,” Morrison said.
As the owners are currently in the process of approving Flames Cash as a method of payment, the rooms will open to the public April 15, focused on challenging Liberty and the Lynchburg community in a fun and unique way.
Rice is a feature reporter.