To not want to do a horror escape room

[dreamsiclex]

It's my birthday soon, a friend has booked for us to do a horror escape room. It's just the two of us and I'm terrified. The trailer for this escape room looks terrifying. It's just not my sort of thing at all, I don't even watch horrors because I'm such a scaredy cat. I've told her I'm too scared but she's adamant "I'll love it" and that "it will be fun". It won't be, for me at least. I'll hate every second of it and I won't even want to enter the room. I'll probably have a panic attack. Is it really bad if I just say I'm not doing it? Or should I be grateful and not say anything but have the worst day ever.

Sounds like she is going to get pleasure from seeing you being terrified.
There’s a name for someone like that and it certainly isn’t “friend “.

Shes not a good friend is she if she enjoys torturing you with scary stuff? She sounds like a nasty bully frenemy. I'd not be hanging out with her at all life is way too short for people who don't care about your feelings at all

Tell her sorry but no. It is your idea of hell on a random day, especially so on your birthday. You appreciate the thought but she should take someone else who will enjoy it.
I went to Universal Studios at Halloween and they have these walk through experiences through a warehouse. Actors jump out at you, grab you etc…….. was honestly awful and I cried, then had nightmares after! I would never do anything like it again.

This is the weirdest way I’ve ever known somebody discover that their friend isn’t their friend.

In your shoes I would just refuse outright, and if you’re pushed, tell the friend they’re ditched. Utterly foul behaviour.

YANBU

no one should be forced to go to these. Ask her to find someone else to go with, or find a different theme. I think it being just the 2 of you makes it even worst if you are not into that kind of things.

It’s just pretend. HTH. No shit 🙄

Explain you'll hate it and get her to book a different one! We did a sci-fi mystery techy one and it was great fun.

What on earth made her think you'd want to do this? As others have already said, it's a gift for her, not you. You wouldn't be at all unreasonable to just say stick it up your arse no thanks.

I would hate that sort of thing, whatever the theme… Nothing wrong with some nice tea & cake!

Definitely NOT unreasonable. I’d absolutely hate that!
It also sounds quite selfish of you friend. She’s obviously doing it for herself rather than for you. Guess she couldn’t find anyone else that would want to do it with her so she pretended it was something for you.
”thank you for thinking of me but it’s really not my thing, I would probably have a panic attack, I won’t be joining you but hopefully you can find someone else who’d enjoy that. I’d be up for going out for lunch (or whatever) instead if you’d like”.

Absolutely don't! I LOVE escape rooms but I've heard many reports of the Butcher and it is definitely not for the fainy hearted.

Have a look on their website for other rooms that are less scary and tell her to swap.

@P1ckledonionz a bit of both to be honest. I'm going to call her soon to let her know I won't be doing it but happy to do another room that's not scary or she can take someone else. I can't put myself through it. I can't stop thinking/worrying about it and it's not for a while yet so that gives me a definite answer.

She's booked this because she wants to do it, just say no, it's your birthday and you shouldn't spend it suffering through sth you hate. I second looking at the website, finding an escape room you do like the look of and tell her you want it changed to that one or cancelled.

It's an absolute no from me!!

I've spoke to her, she's agreed to change it to a different one so that's what we've done. I honestly couldn't be any more relieved I can look forward to my birthday again now!

Hooray! Well done @dreamsiclex . Have a great birthday! x

Maybe so but after doing the Edinburgh Dungeons about 10 years ago on a school trip (I was a parent helper so about 35) I had nightmares about Sawney Bean for months!

OP I wouldn't do this & would refuse point blank to go. Fear isn't always rational & I'd really rather not spend my birthday being terrified but thankfully my friends aren't arseholes. Just tell them it's not happening.

'You can go but I'm not. It's not my thing, it's my birthday and I don't want to.'

I get it completely btw. I HATE that kind of thing. It's one of the only things I'm quite brutal about. No I will not go to your horror/scare fest/splatter film, day out, festival or show.