Centre ice · Occasion
Centre ice for a playdate in Concord Mills
The occasion changes the planning more than the activity does, so this is mostly about the planning.
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
If Concord Mills is home, this is the sort of place you end up returning to rather than ticking off. That changes what a first visit is worth planning around.
Why it fits the occasion
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
How the day runs
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Bring less than you think. Coats and bags are the part of the visit nobody enjoys managing.
What to arrange first
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
Small things that help
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Bring a spare layer even in summer. Malls are air conditioned, rinks are colder than that, and a cold child is a child who wants to go home.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
How do I get in touch?
By phone on +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925, or by e-mail at info@newlife-entertainment.com.
Planning your visit in Concord Mills
A Concord Mills school holiday runs out of ideas by about day three. This is a day-three answer rather than a day-one one.
Count on the drive home being the conversation. Children tell you what they actually thought about twenty minutes after leaving.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
For a Concord Mills family the trip works best folded into something else - the shopping that was happening anyway, a birthday that needed a venue, a Saturday that needed a plan.
The practical details
- XCAV ZONE — 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214: four child-operated machines over a ball pit.
- ICE PARK — 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027: a real rink with bumper cars on the ice.
- Opening hours — 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
- Phone — +1 (424) 387-6232 · +1 (615) 968-4925
- E-mail — info@newlife-entertainment.com
The two centres are at 433 Opry Mills Drive in Nashville and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd in Concord, open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM most days and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.