Claw excavator · Compare
Claw excavator in Gallatin, or something else?
There is no shortage of indoor options. The useful question is which one suits your particular child.
Children who have played claw machines at an arcade expect this one to cheat. It does not - the grab closes when they close it and holds what it holds.
From Gallatin the practical question is timing rather than distance. Arriving in the first hour after opening is worth more than shaving minutes off the drive.
What it does differently
The grab is the machine for the child who likes precision. Picking one ball out of a hundred is a different game from moving a bucketful.
Because it grabs rather than scoops, it works just as well when the crate has been dug over and the surface is uneven.
Where other options win
The claw excavator swaps the bucket for a five finger grab. Instead of scooping, it closes around a handful of balls, which changes the whole feel of the machine.
If one child is nervous, let them watch for the first ten minutes without being asked to join in. Almost all of them join in.
How to decide
Children who have played claw machines at an arcade expect this one to cheat. It does not - the grab closes when they close it and holds what it holds.
The grab is the machine for the child who likes precision. Picking one ball out of a hundred is a different game from moving a bucketful.
The short version
Because it grabs rather than scoops, it works just as well when the crate has been dug over and the surface is uneven.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
Questions parents ask
Is this like an arcade claw machine?
It looks similar and behaves completely differently. Nothing releases the grab except the child holding the control.
Which machine should a first timer start with?
Most start on a bucket machine and move to the grab once they have the feel of the arm.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
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 Gallatin
Weekends bring more of Gallatin out at once. If the schedule allows a weekday, take it; the same visit is quieter and the machines wait for nobody in particular.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
Take the photographs early. The best ones happen in the first fifteen minutes, before anybody is tired.
If you are coming from Gallatin, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
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
Questions about a specific day, a group or a party are best asked directly - info@newlife-entertainment.com, or either of the numbers on the contacts page.