By Special To The Dispatch
Originally published May 28, 2010

T.K. Dickerson

Staff Writer

OCEAN CITY – Outside of the brightly colored building that is home to Planet Maze on 33^rd Street in Ocean City, there are several sets of tiny handprints set in to the sidewalk, labeled with the year 1995. This was the year that the Thalers, Albrights, and Gordons (all with children around the age of 3) realized that there were almost no places in Ocean City for kids to have birthday parties, and they decided to change that.

Now, 15 years later, the children who left those handprints in the cement that would mark the foundation of the now iconic Ocean City play place, work in the family owned and operated business.

Back when Planet Maze was first starting out, it had the only laser tag arena in Ocean City.

“When we first opened we had the newest system of Laser Storm,” said co-owner Rina Thaler. “After 15 years, the technology changes so much … that is why we upgraded to go to the cutting edge of what is current and new right now.”

The new “Lasertron” system at Planet Maze is already a huge hit. In the four weeks since it has opened, a college fraternity, an army squad, bachelor parties and even girl scouts have all played Lasertron.

“It’s for everybody,” co-owner Jamie Albright.

Lasertron is more advanced, as well as little bit more difficult than the former game, Laser Storm. With Lasertron, the owners have the ability to customize the games. “It keeps things interesting, it keeps things fresh,” said Thaler.

In addition to standard format, there is also rapid fire, humans vs. zombies, invisibility mode (invisible players cannot be hit), deflector mode, and virus mode (players can infect each other with “viruses”).

“We had [high school] seniors here last week,” Thaler said. “They played standard format, and the second game we changed it up and did rapid fire mode.”

Though lines can sometimes reach out the door on summer nights, the new arena holds 25 players at a time, and 25 more sit in the holding room to get briefed on the rules, so lines move quickly.

Children maneuver around large bunkers in the new arena, some red and some blue, the two team colors. Adrenaline-rush inducing music pervades the black-light lit arena as blinking lights give off a futuristic, space travel feel. High tech “phasers” are used to shoot the other teams players, and there are refueling stations in the back of each team’s side, showing statistics and scores.

Like all of Planet Maze, the Lasertron is space themed, and the game gives off the feeling of being in the future. Including Lasertron, there are three parts to Planet Maze: the maze (the original part of Planet Maze) and Lost Galaxy Golf, which was added last.

“It really changed the whole aspect of everything because now you can have Grandma and Grandpa out there on the golf course, the little kids in the maze, and the teenagers in laser tag,” said Thaler. “We are the flagship family place.”

The owners say that most of their business comes from tourists in Ocean City during the summer, but they keep Planet Maze open year round to cater to the local population. For several years now Planet Maze has been an active participant in the “Play It Safe” program, which offers discounts and deals to high school graduates to help keep them safe during senior week. Every Thursday for the first three weeks of June, from 11 p.m.-1 a.m., Planet Maze offers free laser tag and mini golf.

“We are happy people still want to come and play,” Albright says.
The owners have enjoyed the past 15 years of success, and say they are looking forward to 15 more. For everyone looking to get in touch with both their children and their inner child, the Albrights and Thalers of Planet Maze invite you to “let the game begin”.

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