FAQ

The Ladder is not a traditional escape room. It was specifically designed to reward multiple playthroughs AND to be equally fun for experienced puzzle solvers and more casual gamers.

Each decade (room) features a set of scored games that represent your job at Nutricorp. Most of these games are infinite, so your job isn’t to finish them, but to use them to make as much money as you can in the time allotted. Money will allow you to make certain gameplay-related decisions, like raising a family or hiring a secretary, and it will affect which ending you see.

Each decade also features a set of traditional escape room puzzles that represent your investigation into the seedy underbelly of Nutricorp (and a certain shady fellow named Stab Backner). These puzzles are very tough, completely optional, and totally unhinted, but solving them will allow you to make decisions that change the narrative of the game. Complete all the puzzles in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, and you’ll gain access to a whole new room (projected to open this summer)!

Unlike most escape rooms, The Ladder was designed to be played multiple times, so you shouldn’t expect to solve most of the puzzles on your first playthrough. Don’t worry—even if you never so much as started a single optional puzzle, The Ladder still features a full narrative with decision points, multiple endings, and more than enough content to keep you busy for its roughly 90 minute runtime. And we promise we’ll have some treats to smooth your way the second time around!

NOTE: We recommend folks leave at least four weeks between playthroughs. Also, we think you should wait until we’ve got our bonus room fully operational before returning for a second shot. We’ll let you know when it’s open if your’e on our mailing list!

The Ladder MUST be experienced with AT LEAST 4 players. If you arrive with fewer than 4 participants, you will not be able to enter the experience.

If you’re hoping to make lots of money on the scored games and try and tackle the tough secret puzzles, we recommend 6 to 8 players. Smaller groups will still have a great time, they just won’t necessarily get to see everything the game has to offer!

We recommend groups wait at least four weeks between playthroughs. Definitely do not plan to play the game twice in the same day—it’s already 90 minutes long and you need to give your brain a break. Even if you’re the type of group that loves to play multiple escape rooms in a row, The Ladder is not a typical escape room, and we promise you will be happier returning at a later date.

Our current recommendation is that groups wait to play again until we’ve finished the bonus room. While players normally need to solve all the secret puzzles in order to access this room, returning players will be able to choose an avatar with the power to “force” their way in (so you’ll definitely get to see it your second time through!). Join our mailing list and we’ll make a big announcement when it’s ready to go!

The Ladder lasts a little over 90 minutes. Your arrival time is 15 minutes before the start of your experience.

The minimum age to play The Ladder is 13 years old. Anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by at least 1 person over the age of 18. (Babies may join their parents so long as they remain in a hands-free carrier for the whole experience.)

The Ladder requires participants to stand for extended periods of time. There is seating available in two of the five decades (the 1970s and the 1990s; so about 40% of the experience).

All games and puzzles are optional. Certain activities require physical mobility, but each area in The Ladder has multiple activities to choose from.

The Ladder is accessible for most chair users. The narrowest passage is 29” wide, which may be too narrow for Full-Size Power chairs. Please note that chair users will need a teammate’s help to reach elements of games and puzzles.

The Ladder includes flashing lights as well as moments of complete darkness.

Guests with sensory limitations may encounter moments of overstimulation.