the mommy avenger

Every time we walk through the doors of Alcatraz Escape Games in Draper, UT, my family and I brace ourselves for chaos—but the kind that leaves you grinning from ear to ear. Whether we’re storming through “Raiders Revenge,” staging a jailbreak in “Prison Bus Escape,” or now going full-on apocalypse with “Zombie Panic,” our gang leaves stronger, closer, and just a little bit smarter every time.

Let’s back up a bit. Our first date with Alcatraz was through Raiders Revenge, an Indiana Jones–style expedition where we cracked ancient puzzles and raced against time to seize a stolen artifact—hands down our most Indiana-Jones-y moment without leaving Utah. Then came the Prison Bus Escape, a chaotic, laugh‑until‑you‑cry jailbreak scenario where, somehow, we all fit on a literal prison transport and scrambled to break out before the unseen guards returned.

Each room tests you mentally—fast—and pressures you physically (ok, maybe just mentally). We found that no matter how smart we thought we were, the clock always reveals our blind spots. The best part? They flip those moments into total belly laughs. Hearing “Dad forgot the code again!” becomes its own inside joke—especially when we’re standing around a chalked‑up puzzle board scribbling nonsense because we’re panicking.

This month, instead of our usual 4–6, we rolled in with a full squad: a posse of fourteen family members across generations. Yep—we went big. Our target? Zombie Panic, the latest and greatest from Alcatraz. The mission is simple‑ish: infiltrate a zombie‑overrun military base, locate a working fuse, and dart back to safety before the undead outbreak officially breaks out.

Oh—and there’s a live actor playing a zombie-commando.

Our group split naturally into two squads—Team Alpha and Team Bravo—darting in and out of separate rooms, communicating by walkie-talkie, and racing the clock. We laughed, we shrieked, we sprinted. All the while, my heart was pounding—part excitement, part sheer terror. And speaking of terror… seeing that live actor emerge from the shadows? I nearly dropped the fuse!

Here’s what escape rooms do best: spotlight the heroes—and the, uh, code-challenged. Spoiler alert: I am most of the latter. When the timer ticks under five minutes, my brain deflates, and I revert to looking at clues like they’re secret messages from another dimension. But here’s the beautiful part: watching my kids and family members take charge, helping me focus, cheering each little breakthrough—even when I was hunting for missing numbers—reminded me why I do this with them.

Family teamwork isn’t flawless. Tensions flare when someone’s stuck on a puzzle, or insists we should’ve solved a clue 10 minutes ago. But that’s the magic: moments of stress turn into high‑fives, shared stories later, and fresh insights into each other’s strengths. Like learning my son excels at pattern‑recognition codes… while I’ll forever be the family’s “code decipherer-in-crisis.” Hey, we can’t all be puzzle prodigies.

Most escape rooms let you poke around dusty props or decipher printed puzzles. Not Zombie Panic. A live actor prowls the corridors, growling, lunging, and reminding you that it’s all real. Except… totally safe. This layer of immersion elevates the experience from “fun escape game” to “You’re basically filming your own zombie thriller.” Every corner you turn, every creak underfoot—your heart skips a beat. It was so much fun!

If your crew is anything like ours—always itching for the next unexpected adventure—Zombie Panic should top your summer outing list. Here’s why:

• High‑adrenaline teamwork: Unlike a movie night, this is interactive drama—your choices matter, your nerves tingle, and your mistakes spark epi‑moments.
• Bonding, minus the screen: Phones off, hearts on. When you beat that fuse puzzle and hear the timer reach zero, the shared thrill arrests everything else for a heartbeat.
• Multi‑gen ready: Grandparents, teens, and kids (within reason), everyone can join, watch, and laugh. You don’t have to be a puzzle pro to have a blast.
• Unforgettable date idea: Skip the dinner-and-movie cliché. Surprise your partner with brain teasers and zombies. It’s a first date memory worth keeping… or a unique couple’s activity you’ll reminisce over.

On the fence about trying escape rooms? Just do it, it’s a blast! We can’t rave about the facility and employees at Alcatraz Escape Games enough, they are absolutely wonderful! There are so many adventures to choose from and every one I have tried so far has been so much fun. I can’t wait to go back to try the rest! We would all agree, we learned each other’s strengths, laughed at every stumble, and came out tighter than when we went in. That, to me, is a successful adventure.

You can learn more about Alcatraz Escape Games by visiting them online. Check out their great selection of games and locations and book your next adventure.

_{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}