Centre ice · Tips
Centre ice in Concord Mills: practical tips
None of this is complicated. All of it is the difference between a good hour and a difficult one.
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.
The drive back to Concord Mills is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
Before you leave the house
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 two children are visiting together, plan for them to split up. Doing different things in the same room is the point of a room with different things in it.
When you arrive
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.
While you are there
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.
On the way home
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.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
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.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
Planning your visit in Concord Mills
If you are coming from Concord Mills, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Check the day of the week against the closing time before you leave. Sunday finishes earlier than the rest of the week and catches people out.
Go early if the choice is available. The first hour after opening is quieter than any hour that follows it, and quieter is easier for everybody.
Coming in from Concord Mills with more than one child, the useful thing to know is that the room does not need to be rationed - there is more than one thing to do at the same time.
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.