This weekend, entertainment venues opened at Destiny USA mall in Syracuse, giving people more options for things to do. Mall goers we spoke to say escape rooms are the big attraction.

“It’s nice that’s everything been opening back up,” said Madison Greenfield. “So, might as well have a little bit fun in case stuff does close back up.”

This group of girls drove from Buffalo to explore the mall and experience one of the five entertainment venues that recently reopened. And they aren’t the only ones.

“We weren’t really sure what was going to happen as we opened up, just like everybody else,” said 5 Wits Operations Manager, John Taylor. “We wanted to be prepared and have a positive response because  We expected that people were gonna wanna get out and try to enjoy themselves do something positive in the world.”

The attraction, 5 Wits, is similar to an escape room, but more story-driven. There are multiple worlds to choose from for an interactive walkthrough filled with games and puzzles. 

“It’s actually been a pretty positive experience even though traffic at the mall has seemed quiet. We have seen a really positive response for people coming and wanting to take advantage of having fun and doing adventures,” said Taylor.

And while the goal is to get to the end, it is also helping people escape from the pandemic. 

“I like it, It’s pretty cool,” said Raeanne Aquilina. “I’ve still had a couple of people come to my apartment here and there, but that’s not as fun.  Going out is more fun. Doing things like adventure rooms, escape rooms. I like doing that.”