Centre ice · Ages
Centre ice in Charlotte for 5 year olds
Age changes the answer more than anything else, so this one is written for a specific one.
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.
For a Charlotte 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.
How it lands at this age
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.
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.
What to plan for
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.
Feed them first. Every attraction in the world is improved by not being hungry in it.
What parents notice
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.
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.
Worth knowing
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.
If it is the first time, do not also make it a birthday. Learning a place and celebrating in it are two different visits.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
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.
What are the opening hours?
10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
Planning your visit in Charlotte
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Charlotte. Nobody is local to a mall attraction; everybody has driven.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
Take the phone out of your pocket before they start rather than after. The moment worth filming is usually the first one.
Parents from Charlotte tend to ask the same first question: how long will this hold their attention. Long enough to be worth the drive, and short enough to leave while they still want more.
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
Anything time critical is worth a phone call first: hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.