MOM'S LITTLE BLACK BOOK | Sandbox VR

FULL BODY VIRTUAL REALITY ADVENTURE

OAK BROOK–Holy Cow!!! That was awesome! It is not too often I leave an adventure just totally and completely amazed by the experience. This was like nothing I had ever done before. It was as if we were real live action figures in a videogame. We could hear each other; we could see each other; but we were not us – we had been transferred into cartoon like characters and transported into another world where we could still see, feel, and touch things.

It is best summed up on the website – “when you enter their worlds, you become the action. Thanks to Hollywood motion capture cameras, 3D precision body trackers, custom hardware, and haptic suits, you get a feeling of transformation you cannot get anywhere else. You might forget you left reality.”

Our group entered the Deadwood Mansion encounter and when the zombies appeared, we could feel them if they got too close. It was so incredible and awesome because in reality, we were standing in a green room in our regular clothes but on the inside of the virtual world, we were mission ready and inside a mansion with many entries, doorways, stairways, and columns. We had to work as a team to fight off the zombies. You would not believe the exhilarating feeling of accomplishment when we did!

It was exciting, fun, and entertaining for our adult group; and even better this game can be played by anyone 48” inches and taller so kids can also enjoy the adventure. You can even select your own experience from the Curse of Davy Jones - spooky family friendly adventure; a Star Trek Discovery Mission, to Amber Sky 2088 defending earth against Aliens, or UFL where you become your favorite Gladiator; and of course, my favorite, Deadwood Mansion.

This is a must-do on your list this holiday season and beyond!

Overview

Sandbox is a futuristic virtual reality (VR) experience where you can see and physically interact with everyone inside, just like the real world. Inspired by Star Trek's Holodeck, their exclusive worlds let you feel like you are living inside a game or movie, and are built by EA, Sony, and Ubisoft veterans and back by famed investment partners such as Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z), Alibaba and Celebrities including Will Smith.

Sandbox VR

560 Oakbrook Center

Oak Brook

(630) 320-8427

Hours: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Price $: Varies depending on experience; team building available through David Kopec.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Naperville mom Kristen Kucharski graduated from Illinois State University in 1992 with an International Business Degree. She has two energetic daughters and her house is always full of children. Kristen’s column titled, Mom's Little Black Book, is a monthly feature written for moms who are looking for ways to keep their kids busy. Read her past columns at