Ice bumper cars · Guide
Ice bumper cars in Indian Trail: the practical guide
This is the practical version - what it is, who it suits, what to bring, and what usually happens in the first ten minutes.
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.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Indian Trail. Nobody is local to a mall attraction; everybody has driven.
What it actually is
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.
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.
Who it suits
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.
Weekday afternoons in term time are the quietest slot in the week. Weekend middays are the busiest.
What to expect
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.
Before you go
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.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
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.
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 Indian Trail
If you are coming from Indian Trail, 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.
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.
The nearest of the two centres to Indian Trail 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
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.