FAQ

Well, pretty much everyone!

Are there any age restrictions for SmartyPantz? We have tied our stories/adventures with all ages and it is equally enjoyable for all age groups. For practical reasons, since this is a group activity and we need a certain level of maturity, we recommend a minimum age to 7 years old, but there is no maximum age. We love kids and if you want to bring in your child who are younger than 7 no problem, but remember this is an adult game and therefore younger children probably will not enjoy it. There must be at least one player over 18 years of age playing in the room.

Can I play on my own? Our detailed, theatrical games are all designed for 4 – 8 players. Should a solo or couple randomly walk-in to play a game we may ask you if you are okay to play with a stranger. On the plus side, you won’t be strangers after the 45 minutes!

So how many people should play? We have tested all sorts of numbers but the ideal is a group of 4 – 8 players. For this reason we are quite strict about these team sizes, as we want to ensure that each and every SmartyPantz experience is excellent.

Can you handle larger groups? Of course! Our “Dreamscape” adventure can accommodate up to 16 players at a time. For corporate groups please check our website “How It Works” or call your local SmartyPantz directly.

Can a wheelchair-bound or disabled person play a SmartyPantz adventure escape room? Absolutely. There is no reason why players with a handicap should not also enjoy the experience as well. However, please be aware that due to safety and practicality reasons we only allow one person in a wheelchair or disabled to take part in each group as they will need the assistance from able-bodies players.

Vancouver – All our adventure escape rooms are located on the 2nd floor and are only accessible via a steep stairs making access difficult, but not impossible for wheelchairs.

Edmonton – We have one room on the ground floor (Thirst for Murder) that is accessible, but all our other rooms are on the 2nd floor. Again there is a steep staircase leading to the 2nd floor that does make wheelchair access problematic.

Calgary – All our escape rooms are located on the ground floor and are therefore accessible to player[s] who are wheelchair bound.

That would give away the surprise; so let’s just say it is one of the most exhilarating ways to spend 45 minutes with your friends. Whether you escape or not we can provide feedback and game discussion, so allow approx. 60 minutes in total (more if you want to just hang out with us). Solve the mystery and escape. Sounds simple? Just try!

So how long does the adventure last? Each adventure is 45 minutes long and we suggest you arrive 15 minutes before game time for the story briefing and/or complete the necessary waiver.

Do I really need to sign a waiver? Yes, it’s a sign of the times. ALL PLAYERS including minors with or without a parent or guardian need to complete the required waiver before playing. To save everyone time players can complete this via on our website as this will greatly help speed up game play for you and your fellow adventurers!

Do we need to be really strong? Physical strength is not needed at all. We have designed our adventures to be as accessible for the most petite person to a body builder and every age group. You need skills rather than brawn like good searching skills and logical reasoning. Moving our furniture is not required…

Will it be too difficult for me? It all depends upon how well you follow the story brief, work in a team and put your best effort into the adventure. We’ve built and tested our rooms to provide varying levels of difficulty. If you truly need a hint, get on your two-way radio and we’ll help you out (we give 2 hints per play). When we say “hints,” we mean proper hints and not the full solution, since there would be no fun in that.

What if I don’t “escape”? Then you and your team will be eaten alive. Only kidding! You will still enjoy yourself whether you escape or not; we will make sure of that

What if I need to leave the room mid-game to visit the bathroom? When nature calls you gotta go . . . of course players can leave the room at any point during game play. But to reduce any possible disruptions during play we do encourage everyone to take care of “business” before they enter the room.

Can I come back in and continue playing? Absolutely.

We recommend you pay / book via our secure online booking system for the desired room[s] with a credit card [Visa or MasterCard only], but we can also take payment over the phone. We do accept Debit and cash onsite. Please note that we do need payment in order to secure your booking.

Why do you need an imprint of someone’s credit card to keep on file? It’s a security deposit in case someone from your group breaks something in one of our rooms. The vast majority of our guests are great, however we have some pretty crazy stories about what the other 1% have done!

We are a large group of friends or company and want to book an event? How much of a payment do you require?

• Large Private Group Booking Policy:
• Group 10 > ppl = 50% payment

• Corporate Booking Policy:
• Groups < 39 ppl = 100% payment Groups > 40 = 75% payment

Do you offer a discount for bigger groups? Yes we do. Groups of 20 or more receive a 10% discount off our regular rate of $25/per person for 45-minute adventure.

I don’t have a credit card, or I’m nervous about paying online, are there other options for payment? All of our rooms are pre-booked; unfortunately we don’t “hold” rooms, as it wouldn’t be fair to others, especially if you don’t show up. Some options: call us and we can process your payment over the phone, if your group is larger than 4 you can be an “add on” and pay when you arrive, or your friends can pay and you can pay them back. We’ll even take cash.

What if I have to cancel my adventure? Is the payment refundable? Cancellations or changes made to bookings more than 24 hours away: We will fully refund your purchase / deposit to the credit card that was used when making the booking. Please allow 3-5 business days for the refund to process.

Cancellations made within 24 hours of game play start time: No refunds will be provided, but we will issue you a SmartyPantz Gift Certificate for the full dollar amount deposited to use towards a future booking.

No shows: A booking is considered a no-show if we aren’t notified about a booking cancellation at least 1 hour prior to the start of the booking. No refunds or credit will be given for no-shows. If your group does have a cancellation or partial cancellation please contact the SmartyPantz location you booked with.

What if I accidentally break something? No worries, we have an imprint of your credit card we’ll just go buy a new one on you. Just kidding…kind of. All our props and rooms are carefully designed and built to withstand the rigors of day-to-day use. If it truly is an accident we will assess the situation and make a decision that is fair. If you’re just being silly, you’ll have to pay. We have cameras in all the rooms for everyone’s safety so we’ll just review the video to see what really happened.

Please come in your usual clothes, as we do not require any physical activity out of the ordinary. It is your brain we are after, so please make sure you bring that!

Edmonton Smash Room exception: Whether you’re looking to just have some fun or relieve stress and anxiety, it’s nice to have a controlled environment to bust things up without having to deal with the mess! Players will be given mandatory safety gear including coveralls, gloves, goggles and earmuffs. The only safety item we don’t provide is closed toe footwear, which is also mandatory.

I want to remember the experience in the future; can I bring my camera into the game room to take pictures? Unfortunately, during play we do not allow cameras, cell phones or any other recording devices in the rooms. We provide a secure, monitored space for your personal items outside the room.

But I really want pictures! Can I take pictures inside the room[s]? Yes of course! We totally encourage you and your team to take as many pictures as you like outside of our rooms after game play. That said if you ask your host very, very nicely, they might let you take some pictures inside the room after you’ve played, as long as we’ve swept the room and hidden all clues and intellectual property, but this will be dependent upon room availability.

SmartyPantz has been designed to be one of the most fun ways you will ever find to spend 45 minutes of your time with your friends or associates. It provides – educational, bonding, inspirational, exhilarating, spontaneous, challenging and much more.

You will learn a lot about yourself and the rest of your team in a very short space of time. We love seeing the looks of excitement and satisfaction on our guests’ faces when they escape! Examples of typical SP events:

• Family Challenge / Reunions
• Birthday Parties
• Date Nights
• Teacher’s Friday Night Out
• Stag/Hen – Bachelor/Bachelorette
• Community Events
• Conferences
• Networking Events
• Product Launches
• Award Ceremonies
• Customer Appreciation Events
• Charity Events
• VIP Events
• Meet-up Events
• School Field Trips
• Retreats & Team-building and so much more!

I’m not really into ‘games’ will I like SmartyPantz? We think so. It is not a ‘game’ like any other you can imagine. It is truly an adventure. Come and try it!

Is SmartyPantz that special? We really believe so as we love what we do. Ultimately, how successful we are is a result of how well we do our job. Having live actor / hosts in costume and the attention to detail in each room make SmartyPantz a premier adventure.

We are also trying to do it to the utmost of our abilities by offering the ultimate in personalized 5 star service and we are confident you will find it one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life…

Is SmartyPantz something I will remember? Absolutely. We are sure that the adventure itself will stay in your mind for a long time and also we help stir that memory by taking free photos of your team to post online (with your permission of course) and we also sell merchandise so you can remember us…

Why yes, yes we do. It’s your birthday. Well congratulations on orbiting the sun again. We’d like to help celebrate with you by offering a FREE play.

In order to activate the birthday discount, you need one birthday person + 4 other paying guests present for your booking. All we ask is that you bring some form of identification with you that confirms the date if your birthday. So long as your birthday is within a week in either direction, we will be happy to give you a free play.

Other discounts:

• Birthday = 1 Free play w/four paying players within 7 days of the birthday
• Players aged 5 or under = Free [Max 3 discounts per booking, inc. free birthday plays etc.]
• Players aged 6 – 10 = 50% discount [Max 3 discounts per booking, inc. free birthday plays etc.]
• Student Price Card = 10% discount
• Groups of 20 or more receive a 10% discount

Specials? From time to time we do offer specials. Whether this is a discount of an escape room, a deal with a local restaurant or a group discounts mentioned above. Please check with the location you want to play to learn more.