I’ve never been to a Murder Mystery Dinner Show.  How does it work?

It is a four course sit down dinner in which each guest is allowed to choose their own entrée as well as their own dessert.  In between each course of the meal we have another part of the show.  The show is an interactive and improvised comedic murder mystery set in present day.  This means none of our murder mystery performers are dressed in costume and instead are dressed just like everyone else therefore you do not know who is a part of the show and who is not. 

The show takes place throughout the entire room and in many instances the performers are actually seated at your table, so part of the fun, from the beginning, is trying to figure out who’s involved in the crime and who’s not.  Throughout the night, murders and mayhem will occur, hidden clues will reveal themselves and Detectives will help everyone try to solve the crime.  In the end, we have a variety of nice prizes for the guest who comes closest to solving the crime.  After the conclusion of the show and included in the price, sometimes the hotel has a pool party or house music (21 and over only), which all of our guests are allowed to join for free. 

 

What does the ticket include?

Every murder mystery admission ticket includes:  an interrogation reception, tray passed hors d’oeuvres, fresh Italian bread, a mixed baby greens salad, your choice from four entrée’s, your choice from three dessert’s, free refills on all soda and iced tea (once the beverage has been purchased), coffee after dinner, wait staff gratuity for food service (gratuity for beverage service not-included), prizes for the one who solves the crime, an original four act murder mystery performance and we have house music after the show.  We also have a full bar in the event you would like to purchase cocktails. 

 

What does the venue look like?

We hold our weekly orange county public Murder Mystery Dinner Shows and many of our private shows within the Embassy Suites Hotel in the City of Santa Ana.

Do I have to participate in the show?

No, you do not.  Customers are not required to perform in any way, but because our murder mystery performers are not dressed up in costumes, the audience will not know if you are a part of the show or not and will interact and possibly interrogate you on their own. 

 

What is the minimum age?

Due to the interactive nature of the murder mystery with adults during the show, our minimum age is 15 and adult supervision is required. 

 

How far in advance do I need to make reservations?

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery public shows do sell-out every Saturday (sometimes weeks before, sometimes the day of the show) so we encourage our guests to make reservations and buy their tickets as soon as possible.

How much is the individual ticket?

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery individual tickets are $59.95 plus tax (or $64.89) and the group rate for parties of 12 or more is $54.95 plus tax (or $59.48).  Pricing during the December Holidays will vary.

 

 

What do you serve?  Entrées?  Desserts?

Pasta Primavera, Oven baked Salmon, Top Sirloin or a sauteed breast of chicken.  For dessert we have a Chocolate torte, Cheesecake or a homemade Carrot Cake. 

  

Is it fun?

Yes!  The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show does sell out almost every Saturday night and has received rave reviews by a variety of publications.  Almost all of our business is word of mouth, so we assume we are doing something right. We have reviews and testimonials on our website under REVIEWS.

 

Is it good for birthdays, anniversaries, dates, etc?

Yes! We specialize in celebrations and special occasions and average about 4 birthdays per show! For special occasions, we offer special packages which come with various gifts and include the opportunity for a special Dinner Detective surprise, which allows you to get a member of your party involved in the show without them knowing beforehand.  Because our performers are not dressed up in costume we will use them as a Red herring to make the audiences believe they are involved in the plot, even though we know they are not.  Once purchased, we will send you a confirmation email which will tell you everything you need to know regarding how we get them involved and what we will need from you on your end. 

 

How does the seating work?

Everyone has assigned seats at 9 to 10 person round banquet style tables.  If your party is larger than 10, then we ask you to let us know how you would like us to divide up your party or else we will divide you up evenly and seat your two parties next to each other.

 

How do I know if I’ve purchased “good” seats?

Since there is no set stage and the action happens all around you, there are no bad seats.

 

What time does the show start & what time should I arrive?

The show will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Doors will open at 6:15 for check-in.

 

How long is the show?

About 2 hours and 30 minutes.

 

Where is your venue located?

The Embassy Suites Hotel is located at 1325 East Dyer Rd, Santa Ana, CA 92705.  Their phone number is 714-241-3800.  The venue is just off of the 55 Freeway exit Dyer Rd.

 

Where do I park?

There is ample self parking throughout the entire hotel lot.
.

 

What is the dress code?

Business Casual / Dressy Casual required.  No T-shirts, shorts, or baseball caps allowed.

 

What do I need to bring?

Besides your confirmation page, we will provide you with everything you will need to solve the mystery. 

 

What is your refund or cancellation policy?

Just like any other theater or dinner show, all sales are final.  Due to the limited seating capacity and our fixed costs with the venue, we are unable to refund money once reservations have been made.

 

What are the packages?

They are bundled money-saving items that are bought in addition to the individual admission.  The packages are purchased on a per package basis and are not charged on a per person basis (i.e.:  A party of four buys a Celebration package, there will be a one time charge of $29.95 added to their bill).

 

What is the Gift Package?

In addition to the individual admission, a purchased Gift Package includes a special DVD collection of Alfred Hitchcock movies as well as a commemorative Dinner Detective Murder Mystery T-Shirt and a special Dinner Detective Murder Mystery surprise, which allows you to get a member of your party involved in the show without them knowing beforehand.  Because our murder mystery performers are not dressed up in costume, we will use your guest as a Red Herring to throw off the audience into believing they are involved in the plot in one way or another.  So as not to ruin the surprise we only reveal how we do it once the package is purchased.  This package has a one time fee of $24.95 per package, not per person.   

 

What is the Celebration Package?

In addition to the individual admission, a purchased Celebration package includes a bottle of wine of your choice or two well drinks from the bar as well as a special commemorative Dinner Detective Shirt and a special Dinner Detective Murder Mystery surprise, which allows you to get a member of your party involved in the show without them knowing beforehand.  Because our murder mystery performers are not dressed up in costume, we will use your guest as a Red Herring to throw off the audience into believing they are involved in the plot in one way or another.  So as not to ruin the surprise we only reveal how we do it once the package is purchased.  This package has a one time fee of $29.95 per package, not per person.

What is the Romance package?

In addition to the individual admission, a purchased Romance package includes a bottle of champagne as well as a commemorative Dinner Detective shirt.  In addition, you will also have the opportunity for a special Dinner Detective Murder Mystery surprise, which allows you to get a member of your party involved in the show without them knowing beforehand.  Because our murder mystery performers are not dressed up in costume, we will use your guest as a Red Herring to throw off the audience into believing they are involved in the plot in one way or another.  So as not to ruin the surprise we only reveal how we do it once the package is purchased.  This package has a one time fee of $34.95 per package, not per person.

Is it good for birthdays, anniversaries, dates, etc?
We actually specialize in celebrations and special occasions.  We handle about three to four birthdays per show and are always having couples join us along with families, friends, co workers, etc.  For special occasions, we offer special packages which come with various gifts.  In addition, you will also have the opportunity for a special Dinner Detective surprise, which allows you to get a member of your party involved in the show with out them knowing beforehand.  Because our performers are not dressed up in costume we will use them as a Red herring to throw off the audience into believing they are involved in the plot in one way or another.  Once purchased, we will send you a confirmation email which will tell you everything you need to know regarding how we get them involved and what we will need from you on your end. 

Do you produce shows for private parties? 
Yes.  We specialize in and produce corporate functions on a regular basis.  Please contact our box office and ask for private party sales or you can CLICK HERE to download a corporate PDF packet.