Oshawa to get Star Wars-themed escape room this fall

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

In few short months, the Force will be strong in Oshawa.

Come October, Oshawa Escape Rooms Inc. will be adding a Star Wars-themed room to its facility.

Business owner James Wilkinson says he welcomes suggestions from customers, and the iconic cultural franchise is at the top of many people’s lists.

The Star Wars-theme will replace the current Harry Potter-styled room, which has been open since March 2017.

Wilkinson says he usually rotates rooms every six to eight months but interest never slowed down.

“With the Harry Potter room, I couldn’t. I mean, that’s over a year and it just wouldn’t stop booking,” he says. “I just made a decision that I have to change it and give people something new.”

He will continue taking bookings for that room until Aug. 12, when it will be retired, and work will begin immediately on the Star Wars theme.

“You are going to feel as though you’ve boarded the Millennium Falcon. I’m going to do my best to replicate that spaceship,” he says.

For Wilkinson, it presents an opportunity to challenge himself as well.

“It’s giving me a lot of new creativity in my mind, and I like going down that road of Stars Wars. I’ve never done it before, so it’s a new experience,” he says.

The room will feature trademark aspects of the Stars Wars universe, such as The Force and lightsabres, although they will be referred to as ‘lightsticks’ for legal reasons.

“There’s definitely going to be a lot of puzzles and a lot of tech in the room,” he says.

In a June 30 Facebook post announcing the room, the following description is given.

“You and your crew were being chased and found refuge in a junkyard where you stumbled upon a broken down ship. Your only chance of escape is to get the ship up and running before the rebels find you. Think you are up for the challenge?”

Interest has been phenomenal out of the gate, Wilkinson says.

“We’ve definitely had a lot of inquires,” he says.

And different from when the Harry Potter room opened, he is not going to have a waiting list.

“When we opened up the last highly popular room, people had to wait seven or eight months,” he notes.

Oshawa Escape Rooms Inc. opened its doors at its Park Road South location two years ago, and Wilkinson says they’ve built a very strong clientele.

He believes the business’s strong standing is the most significant factor in its success.

“It’s our reputation that got us the business. The customer service, and putting a lot of detail into the rooms.”

A chef by trade, and a former restaurant owner, Wilkinson says he was immediately drawn into the world of escape rooms.

“I jumped right on board,” he says.

He admits it wasn’t the smoothest road to get where he is today.

“The building wasn’t zoned for recreation, and I had a pretty big crowd against me at city hall when it came to rezoning,” he recalls.

He attributes this to a probable lack of understanding of what escape rooms are all about.
However, he happily reveals that the initial tension has all but dwindled.

“I don’t think there is one person who was against me at city hall who hasn’t come in with their grandkids or family, and actually apologized.”

When it comes to planning the schematics of his rooms, Wilkinson works in reverse.

“I start at the back and move forwards. I always finish the game with how I want it to end, and I work the room with how to get there.”

For him, the key is finding that sweet spot in challenging his customers.

“They definitely have to look outside the box. I’m a master of deceit, and I’ll make sure everything has a purpose in the room,” he says. “A room is never impossible and I don’t like to make it linear. It’s never A, B, C, D, etc. because what you get then, there are eight people, and one person is doing everything.”

The Star Wars-room is scheduled to open in October.

More information, including booking and prices, is available by calling 289-240-4731, oshawaescapes@gmail.com or oshawaescapes.com