Ice bumper cars · First time
Ice bumper cars for the first time in Monroe
A first visit has a shape to it, and knowing the shape takes most of the guesswork out.
The rink underneath is real ice, which is why the cars behave the way they do. On any other surface it is a different, duller ride.
Weekends bring more of Monroe 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 first ten minutes
The cars turn on the spot, so the game is less about racing and more about aim - and about the spin you leave behind when you connect.
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.
What children do first
Bumper cars on ice do something bumper cars on a floor cannot: they keep spinning. A nudge that would stop dead on rubber sends the whole car turning, and everybody in it laughs.
It suits families with mixed confidence. One child can be a natural on skates and the other can be nervous, and the cars put them on the same footing.
What usually goes wrong
No skating is involved. Children who would not step onto the ice on blades will sit in a car and go straight out onto the same surface without thinking about it.
A short visit that ends while they still want more beats a long one that ends in a meltdown, every time.
Making the second visit better
The rink underneath is real ice, which is why the cars behave the way they do. On any other surface it is a different, duller ride.
The cars turn on the spot, so the game is less about racing and more about aim - and about the spin you leave behind when you connect.
Questions parents ask
Do you need to skate to ride?
No. The cars sit on the ice and the rider stays in the seat.
Is it rough?
It is a bump and a spin rather than a crash. The speed is low and the ice does most of the work.
What should a child wear?
Something warm. A rink is cold even when the ride is not.
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.
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 Monroe
From Monroe the practical question is timing rather than distance. Arriving in the first hour after opening is worth more than shaving minutes off the drive.
Photograph the machine as well as the child. In two years you will have forgotten what the room looked like.
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.
The nearest of the two centres to Monroe is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
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.