FAQs

Captivating Worlds is a unique live action adventure!  We share some of the best qualities of escape rooms (teamwork, problem-solving, games, mysteries and puzzles), while also offering a dynamic, immersive experience, including dramatic lighting, sounds and next generation technology.

There are a lot of great escape room and entertainment venues in the Columbus area.  We are unique in our approach to combining the two, as well as in the level of technology operating behind the scenes, providing an immersive and exciting experience.  Also, Captivating Worlds is now offering the first 75 minute experience in Columbus!

Absolutely!  We can comfortably accommodate groups up to 35, split between four experiences.  Each experience can accommodate 8 to 12 people and we also have a conference room/event space.  With sufficient notice, we can also adjust our time slots so that your whole group can start at the same time.  Please see the TeamWorlds tab for more information, and/or contact us to discuss ([email protected] or call us at 614-245-4058).  We can also offer additional time slots not on the calendar to groups of 10+.

No – all of our experiences are “private” experiences, which means that you and your group will be the only group in the room at your booking time.  You don’t have to worry about strangers being added to your group.

We have changed our pricing to a tiered pricing schedule.  Remember, all bookings are Private (meaning when you book the room and no other groups will be added for the same time). With tiered pricing, the larger your group, the lower the cost per person!

Prices above do not include booking fees; there may be some discounts available through incentives to share on social media.

We strongly suggest booking online, as most of our customers book days or weeks in advance.  You may also give us a call to check about availability.

Sure do!  We offer electronic gift vouchers, which you can order and send on line in various denominations (click here for electronic gift vouchers).  In addition, we offer physical gift cards at our New Albany location or through our online Gifts & Gear store.  (Gift card boxes available for a nominal fee.)

Captivating Worlds is a local OH-based company.  We are a family-owned small business without any affiliation to a large company or franchise.  Our experiences are strictly of our own creation, requiring a significant investment of time, energy, and money.   At times, we partner with other organizations for custom work to be used in our experiences, be it for a specific puzzle or for some set pieces.  But our experiences are unique and you will not find our customized experiences anywhere else.

Please ensure all members of your party arrive between 10 and 15 minutes before your booking time.  Our goal is to start each booking on time, allowing the full time and best experience for each group.

We will need to end each booking at the scheduled time, so if you arrive late, that will shorten the length of your experience.  Please build time for traffic delays, weather delays, etc. into your plans to get here 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

Sorry, no.  But the good news is that we have free and secure lockers available for use.  The better news is that we also have special, still free, secure lockers for your cellphone that allow your phone to charge while you enjoy your experience!  You’ll take the key to your locker with you to the experience.  We recommend you leave your stuff in your car as no bags, phones, or tools of any kind are allowed into any experience.

Yes.  After booking your experience, you will receive a link in the confirmation email that will direct you to an online waiver.  All participants must sign the online waiver PRIOR to arrival at Captivating Worlds.  Please be sure to forward the waiver link to all participants in your group.

If any participant is under the age of 18, a waiver must be signed by a parent or legal guardian using the parent’s/guardian’s own information and adding the minor’s name when prompted.

YES!  Contact us by phone or email to help plan a surprise.  We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, proposals and more!

As with most live events, refunds are not allowed.  If an emergency arises and you need to reschedule, you may do so on-line at least 48 hours in advance of your booking date.

Yes.  Just call or email us if you would like to add additional participants to your original booking.  And if the additional participant lowers the price tier, the lower cost per participant will be applied across the board (provided you use the same card for payment as the original booking).

If you add additional participants to your booking, please be sure to forward the waiver link to all new participants.

Yes.  Feel free to contact us to discuss our existing capabilities to accommodate and possible additional modifications.  Our experiences are all located on the 2^nd floor, and elevator access is available

Definitely.  Most experiences will have loud sounds, unusual or flashing lights, fog, and other special effects.  If you or someone in your party is negatively affected by any of these effects, please contact us directly to ask if there is a modification that can be made for a specific experience.  In some cases, we may need several days advance notice to work out a solution, if it is possible to modify it for your purposes.

The safety of both our customers and employees is our number one priority.  Some of the measures we have taken to ensure safety include:

• ALL experience are PRIVATE – you will never be playing with strangers.
• We disinfect props and surfaces between bookings.
• All staffmembers are vaccinated, and will strive to maintain safe distances from guests.
• We have reduced the number of time slots available so that groups are less likely to meet other groups in common areas.
• We have contactless check-in.  All bookings are made online, and all waivers are signed online prior to arrival.
• We have hand sanitizing stations available throughout the facility, including at the entryway and multiple others in common areas.

We have added additional time between each booking to ensure we have plenty of time to thoroughly disinfect rooms and props between each and every game.

Absolutely not!   While the doors to your experience will be closed to enhance your immersion in the story, they will never be locked.

One of our primary concerns is your safety, and your ability to exit quickly in an emergency is essential.  Additional safety features of our facility include overhead sprinklers and battery operated lighting in the event of a power failure.  Matter of fact, most of the power in each experience is connected to an active, uninterruptible power source.

Our experiences are not designed to be scary and would never be called “horror rooms”.  For instance, The Barnyard Winds is not scary at all.  The Sins of Dr. Faustus can be spooky and atmospheric, but there are no live actors or anything that will jump out at you.  Welcome to the Machine can be intense, but not scary or spooky.  Deep Underground has a very slight spooky element.

Your Game Master will discuss with your group in advance how you feel about receiving hints, and will operate the game flow accordingly.  We have no limit on the number of hints, and there are no penalties for receiving hints.

Yes.  Your Game Master will monitor your progress using the camera feed and will offer assistance if they notice you going off track.

The experiences are 60 – 75 minutes long (see descriptions on Book Now page).  You should plan to be at Captivating Worlds for approximately 1 ½ hours, depending upon the experience.  This will allow time for your arrival 10 -15 minutes prior to your booking time, as well as time for discussion with your Game Master after your experience concludes.

No, everything you need to know will be within each experience.  While you may be lifting light objects, and turning keys and/or carrying light items, our rooms are not generally physical.

In most cases, groups require all, or almost all, of the full time to complete the room.  There are many factors that impact completion time, including number of players, experience level, etc.

The maximum number of players in Sins of Dr. Faustus is 12, 8 in The Barnyard Winds, and 8 in Welcome to the Machine.  We suggest a maximum of 7 in Deep Underground although up to 8 players may be possible in some cases.  Our rooms are often large and several puzzles often can be worked on simultaneously, allowing many opportunities for everyone to participate.  It is possible to increase the maximum number of players per experience in certain, specific situations.

Our rooms are definitely challenging!  Those teams who work together most effectively are the most successful.  And our Game Masters are happy to provide hints if you get stuck (no limits or penalties on hints).

Be observant and listen carefully.  Communication and teamwork are the keys to success in these rooms!  Most of all, enjoy being immersed in the story and have fun!

You can take pictures in the lobby, conference room, or hallway, but not within any of our experiences.  That said, your Game Master will take a picture of your group at the end of your experience right inside the room, and will post it on Facebook.  Tag yourself in the pic and help us spread the word!

We are located in the Market District / Giant Eagle plaza immediately off of State Route 161 in New Albany, less than 20 minutes from the Columbus Convention Center.  (See the Google Map on our Location and Contacting Us page.)  We are located in the building anchored by Panera Bread and Rooster’s.  The Local Cantina is a few steps away.

There are many sit-down restaurants and fast food options within walking distance, including Roosters, Panera Bread, Local Cantina, Chipotle, Zero’s Pizza, and McDonalds.

A very short distance away, you’ll find many more choices:  BrewDog (1.5 miles), Hudson 29 (1.5 miles), Rusty Bucket (1.4 miles), and Elliot’s Wood Fired Kitchen(2 miles).

Yes, there is plenty of free parking both in front and in back of the building.

The puzzles are designed for adults, but we’ve found kids ages 12 and up tend to have fun and do well!  Younger family members also enjoy the games, especially in The Barnyard Winds.  The minimum age for all rooms is age 8 due to insurance requirements.  We do require chaperones/adult participants due to both the level of cognitive thinking required, as well as to safeguard the props and technology in each room (some of which are a bit pricey).  In addition, any participant under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed online in advance by a parent or legal guardian.

Policies on chaperones are Room/Experience specific.  Please see the description of the particular Room/Experience that you book to review chaperone requirements.

Absolutely!  We’ve had many business groups here, as the rooms are particularly effective at demonstrating the importance of communication and working together.  We can accommodate groups up to 35 participants at a time.  Some groups opt to include our conference room in their package as well.  For more information, including a special quote request form go to our TeamWorlds page.

Sure!  Please email or give us a call and we can help to make your day special!

We do not recommend our experiences for birthdays of early teens or younger.

All of the above!  We will work with you to make your event exciting and memorable.  Contact us at [email protected], or use the form on our TeamWorlds page.

We do not recommend our experiences for birthdays of early teens or younger.

Give us a call or text/email us to find out availability.  Our email is [email protected] and our phone is 614-245-4058.  If you are looking to book a private or corporate event, go to our TeamWorlds page for more information.

We do have a conference room/event room which can be added to your package.  See our TeamWorlds page for more information or to request additional details.

Sure!  Just keep in mind that we do not recommend our experiences for birthdays of early teens or younger.  Also remember that one or more adults need to be playing in the case the remaining participants are under the age required for that experience.

Please email or give us a call and we can help to make that birthday special!

For any order that totals $75 or more in merchandise and/or gift cards, shipping is free.  In addition, any order can be picked up free at Captivating Worlds by choosing “Free Local Pickup” as your shipping option.

Free shipping is always available for Gift Cards.  For Gift Card orders (i.e. orders that contain only Gift Cards) that total less than $75, please use the special coupon code GCFREESHIP.

Captivating Worlds Electronic Gift Vouchers and Physical Gift Cards were originally designed for use only in our booking system.  If you wish to use a Gift Voucher or Gift Card to purchase Gifts & Gear merchandise, just let us know.  We’ll need the serial number found either on the front of the Gift Voucher or on the reverse of the Gift Card.  Just call or text us at (614) 245-4058 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll set it up for use in Gifts & Gear.

We accept returns on everything except on Gift Cards, Gift Vouchers and Experiences.  Items must be unused, not washed or damaged, and still have the Captivating Worlds tag attached.  The official return period is 14 days.

We ship your items within 2 business days.  We use USPS Parcel Select as our Standard Shipping for $5.95; we use USPS Priority Mail as our Expedited Shipping for $12.95.  Orders containing only Gift Cards are shipped USPS First Class.  We do not guarantee delivery times, nor durations.