Step Into the Upside Down: SandboxVR Brings Stranger Things to Rittenhouse
The virtual reality arcade at 1712 Walnut just launched Netflix’s official Stranger Things experience—perfect timing for holiday visitors looking for an otherworldly adventure.
The Upside Down hasn’t just hit TV, it’s also officially arrived in Rittenhouse.
In genuinely exciting news for anyone hosting restless visitors this holiday week, or anyone who’s ever watched Stranger Things and thought “I could totally handle the Upside Down” The fairly new (it’s been here since May so…still kind of new?) SandboxVR just launched Netflix’s official “Stranger Things: Catalyst” virtual reality experience.
For the uninitiated, SandboxVR isn’t your typical stand-in-place-with-a-headset VR setup. This is full-body, team-based virtual reality where you and up to five friends can literally walk around together in another world. Think escape room meets video game meets actual physical experience.
The Actual Action
The Stranger Things experience drops your team directly into Hawkins, Indiana (a significant change from Walnut Street, meteorologically speaking). You’ll investigate supernatural occurrences, work together to solve puzzles, and—if you’ve watched the show—face off against some very familiar creatures. We’re talking Demogorgons, Mind Flayers, and all the otherworldly chaos that makes the series so compulsively watchable.
What makes this particularly exciting for our neighborhood is the timing. With holiday visitors arriving and winter break approaching, SandboxVR offers something completely different from our usual (wonderful!) restaurant and shopping recommendations. Got restless teenagers visiting? Bored college kids home for the holidays? Adults who secretly binged all four seasons? This is for ALL of you.
The Technology Is Wild
The technical setup is pretty impressive. Each player gets assigned a color—represented by matching tracking bands, haptic vests, and equipment—so the system knows exactly where everyone is at all times. You can see your teammates as their chosen characters, hand them weapons, work together to solve puzzles, and yes, fight monsters side by side.
The haptic feedback is where things get seriously immersive. Those vests don’t just look cool—they let you actually FEEL the action. When something attacks, you feel it. When you’re moving, you sense it. It’s the kind of technology that makes you think “okay, we’ve officially entered the future and it’s pretty excellent.”
The Experience Itself
The experience takes place in SandboxVR’s surprisingly spacious arena. White walls, ceiling-mounted tracking cameras, and—our favorite detail—six large fans positioned around the room. When you’re running through the Upside Down with that wind hitting you, your brain absolutely buys the illusion. It’s surprisingly effective.
Without spoiling too much of the storyline, you’ll get to wield various weapons against the supernatural threats—and SandboxVR’s physical props make it feel surprisingly real. The “concentrators” have weight and tactile feedback, so when you’re shooting at a Mind Flayer, you know it. And yes, like Eleven, you HAVE to use your hands.
The Practical Details
The whole experience runs about 30 minutes, but plan for about an hour total with the briefing, suiting up, and the inevitable post-experience discussion of “did that really just happen?” It’s perfect for groups who want something memorable and different from the usual dinner-and-drinks routine, or even as a pre-dinner experience.
SandboxVR offers several other experiences too—zombie apocalypse scenarios, space adventures, fantasy quests—but the Stranger Things launch feels particularly well-timed for the holiday season. It’s group entertainment that works for ages 13 and up, doesn’t require any special skills, and gives everyone something to talk about for weeks.
For fellow Ramblers looking to impress visiting relatives or just wanting to try something completely new in the neighborhood, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. Not sure if you can walk-in and see if it’s available so we’d recommend booking space ahead of time, particularly if you have a large group.
Tried it already and want to share your thoughts? Drop us a line at rittenhouseramblings@gmail.com—we’d love to hear from our fellow adventurers!
