Centre ice · Compare
Centre ice in Midland, or something else?
There is no shortage of indoor options. The useful question is which one suits your particular child.
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.
Coming in from Midland 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.
What it does differently
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.
Where other options win
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.
How to decide
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.
Weekday afternoons in term time are the quietest slot in the week. Weekend middays are the busiest.
The short version
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.
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 Midland
Weekends bring more of Midland out at once. If the schedule allows a weekday, take it; the same visit is quieter and the machines wait for nobody in particular.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
Count on the drive home being the conversation. Children tell you what they actually thought about twenty minutes after leaving.
Nothing about the visit assumes you know the area. The centre is inside Concord Mills, which is signposted from everywhere in Concord and impossible to miss once you are there.
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.