A new attraction in Orlando puts visitors at the center of their own game show, complete with a host, a buzzer, and a giant spinning wheel.
The Great Big Game Show is one of International Drive’s newest attractions, giving friends, colleagues, couples and families the chance to test their skills, luck, strategy and knowledge. During the one-hour experience, two teams of up to seven players face off in mini-games to see who can earn the most points.
“People love game shows, but they’ve never experienced what a game show is like, so it’s a lot of fun,” said Zach Stone, one of Orlando’s hosts. “We’re able to take them out of reality and give them the feel of a real live game show. The energy is always high.”
In a recent experience, the eight mini-games ranged from trivia to stacking foam blocks to shooting Nerf darts to spinning a giant wheel to score points. Another challenge involved answering elementary school students’ questions using a giant pencil, and the final showdown was a Plinko-style game using a special chip.
When teams play against other teams, they are at the center of the action, accompanied by the celebrations and disappointments that characterize game shows.
“Our fan base enjoys escape games, but we’re bringing in people who are more interested in socializing than puzzles,” said Orlando store general manager Sunshine Rawlinson, referring to the partnership with The Escape Games, which is under the same roof. “It’s very Orlando. It has all the quality of entertainment and shows you want when you’re in Orlando.”
There are 18 mini-games that can be customized or randomly selected to suit your group’s wishes. There is also a game where you blindfold yourself, draw a picture, give the least popular answer to a survey question, memorize the image, and press a buzzer after a certain amount of time. There are several variations on the classic trivia packaged into different games, including a guess-one-letter game reminiscent of Jeopardy.
Whether you’re a couple looking for a date night, an event for the whole family, an outing with friends or corporate team building, we have a wide variety of content for all ages and backgrounds. Since the game is different every time you visit, the location has already had repeat customers since it opened in March, including some families who have been there at least six times.
“It’s infinitely replayable because it’s completely different every time,” says Rawlinson. “We really care about the guest experience. We love catering to people’s needs. We love doing great deals for celebrations and things like that.”
The Great Big Game Show is located in Central Florida, the first in Florida and the 22nd overall, just north of Icon Park. It opens in 2015 and is located in the same building as The Escape Games, an affiliate of this attraction that has become a fixture in the world of escape games.
“Orlando has a special place in our story,” Great Big Game Show co-founder and chief marketing officer Jonathan Murrell said in an email. “Escape Room Games opened here in 2015, and this city was one of the first to embrace what we were building. Bringing the Great Big Game Show to Orlando felt like a full-circle moment, giving us the opportunity to introduce new ways to play in a market that has been part of our growth since the beginning.”
In Florida, additional stores are planned for Dania Beach and Panama City.
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If you go
The Great Big Game Show Orlando is held daily from 8 a.m. to midnight at 8145 International Drive, #511 in Orlando. The cost of the experience is $39.99 per person, excluding taxes and fees. Each studio can accommodate 2 to 14 people at a time. The experience is open to all ages, but participants are recommended to be 6 years of age or older. A paying parent (18 years or older) must attend with a person 14 years of age or younger. More information: greatbiggameshow.com/orlando or 321-320-8617
