Chapel Thrill Escapes

What Chapel Thrill Escapes does

Chapel Thrill Escapes is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates escape room experiences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founded in 2019. The organization is located in the basement of Cobb Residence Hall at 110 Country Club Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, and currently offers one primary product: 'The Morehead Odyssey,' a 60-minute astronaut training-themed escape room developed in partnership with Morehead Planetarium & Science Center. The organization describes itself as the first escape room built by students for students and the only student-run escape room in a university residence hall in the United States.

The organization relies entirely on third-party platforms rather than proprietary technology: Squarespace powers the website (chapelthrillescapes.com) and Bookeo handles online reservations. Puzzle components are physically fabricated in collaboration with BeAM (Be A Maker), UNC's campus makerspaces, using 3D printing and laser cutting. The technology footprint is intentionally minimal, reflecting the nonprofit, student-operated model.

The business model is direct-to-consumer ticket sales with five pricing tiers ranging from $16 (on-campus UNC students) to $27 (general adult), plus a 10% group discount for parties of 8 or more. All revenue is reinvested into the organization to fund future escape room iterations and student build experiences. Go-to-market combines online self-serve booking with event-driven demand (notably Residence Hall Week programs) and direct outreach for group and corporate bookings via email. Customer segments include UNC students (primary), UNC faculty and staff, the broader Chapel Hill community, and organizations seeking team-building experiences. The 2025-2026 leadership comprises an 8-person executive team of students, with total headcount between 11 and 50 including broader student operations staff.

Name

Chapel Thrill Escapes

Legal name

Chapel Thrill Escapes

Website

https://chapelthrillescapes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chapel Thrill Escapes is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating escape rooms at UNC Chapel Hill since 2019. It offers The Morehead Odyssey, a 60-minute astronaut-themed escape room, serving UNC students, faculty, and the broader Chapel Hill community through affordable ticketed bookings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Escape Room Entertainment Services

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAEAI

Adventure & Aerial Parks (Ropes Courses, Zipline Parks, Climbing Parks)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Theme Parks, Water Parks & Family Entertainment Centers

Keywords

• Escape room experiences
• Student nonprofit entertainment
• Team building activities
• Immersive puzzle games
• On campus recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Escape Room Ticket Sales: One-time ticket sales for escape room experiences. Revenue is generated through per-group/per-person bookings at various price points depending on customer category (student, faculty, adult). As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all profits are reinvested into the organization to fund future escape room iterations and provide build experiences for the student team.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chapel Thrill Escapes is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that designs, builds, and operates escape room experiences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Its current offering, The Morehead Odyssey, is an astronaut training-themed 60-minute private escape room developed in partnership with Morehead Planetarium & Science Center and located in the basement of Cobb Residence Hall on the UNC campus. The organization provides affordable, accessible entertainment and team-building experiences to UNC students, faculty/staff, families, and the broader Chapel Hill community, with all profits reinvested into building new rooms.

Product overview

Chapel Thrill Escapes operates escape rooms built by and for students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The organization currently offers one primary escape room product: The Morehead Odyssey, an astronaut training-themed experience developed in partnership with Morehead Planetarium & Science Center. The company functions as a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on providing affordable, private escape room experiences for the UNC community and general public, with discounted pricing for on-campus students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Morehead Odyssey A 60-minute immersive escape room experience created in collaboration with Morehead Planetarium & Science Center, themed around astronaut training. Players navigate high-stakes challenges designed to test intelligence, teamwork, and problem-solving under pressure, aiming to prove readiness for deep space travel. Designed for groups of 3-10 players, the experience is private to each booking. Located in the basement of Cobb Residence Hall at UNC Chapel Hill, the room is wheelchair accessible with sensory-inclusive design. Tickets are sold at $16 for on-campus students, $18 for general students, $23 for UNC faculty/staff and children 14 and younger, and $27 for adults, with a 10% group discount code 'LARGE_GROUP' for groups of 8 or more.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 residents experienced the room during first Residence Hall Week event

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Carolina HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarolina Housing provides the physical space in Cobb Residence Hall for the escape room operation. Their Executive Director, Allan Blattner, serves as the organization advisor and helps interface with students across campus. Carolina Housing is described as a founding partner that has witnessed and supported the organization's growth since 2019 launch.
• BeAM (Be A Maker)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeAM is UNC's hub for makerspaces across campus. They partner with Chapel Thrill Escapes to fabricate puzzles and design the escape room. Their Education Program Manager, Anna Engelke, serves as an advisor. Students have used BeAM makerspaces to create puzzles including 3D printed chess pieces and laser-cut mazes.
• Morehead Planetarium & Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Chapel Thrill Escapes to create 'The Morehead Odyssey' escape room experience. The Morehead Planetarium theme provides the narrative framework for the astronaut training program escape room scenario.
• The Meantime Coffee Co.minorOthersPartnered with Meantime to support another student-run, nonprofit business on campus and enhance the Chapel Hill community through collaboration between student organizations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Main Event Entertainment: Large-format family entertainment center chain offering games, attractions, and group activities under one roof. Comparable as a broader entertainment venue where escape-room-style experiences compete for group and family leisure dollars.
• Urban Air Adventure Parks: National chain of indoor adventure parks (trampolines, climbing, obstacle courses) targeting families, groups, and parties. Comparable as a paid group entertainment experience with themed physical attractions, broader than but overlapping with escape rooms.

Direct peers

• 60Out: Escape room operator with multiple themed rooms across U.S. cities, emphasizing immersive design and group experiences. Comparable product offering and target customer base to Chapel Thrill Escapes.
• Breakout Games: Multi-location U.S. escape room franchise offering themed rooms at per-person pricing. Comparable as a commercial escape room operator targeting groups, families, and corporate team-building — the same use cases Chapel Thrill Escapes serves.
• The Escape Game: Largest U.S. escape room chain with multiple themed rooms per location, serving general public and group bookings. Directly comparable as a paid, themed escape room operator — Chapel Thrill Escapes competes for the same category of group entertainment spending in the broader market.
• Escape Room Era: Themed escape room operator with multiple rooms, serving general public and private groups. Directly comparable as a themed, per-person-priced escape room experience similar to The Morehead Odyssey.

Others

• Morehead Planetarium & Science Center: UNC-Chapel Hill planetarium and science center that partnered with Chapel Thrill Escapes to create The Morehead Odyssey. Not a competitor but an adjacent experiential/educational attraction sharing the same campus audience and brand.
• Carolina Housing: UNC's on-campus housing operation and founding partner of Chapel Thrill Escapes, providing the Cobb Residence Hall basement venue. Not a competitor but the institutional partner whose continued support underpins the entire operation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/reel/DH_mLZHpvba/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
• Facebookfacebook.com/chapelthrillescapes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chapel-thrill-escapes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chapel Thrill Escapes