Ice bumper cars · Occasion
Ice bumper cars in Mint Hill — a summer holiday, sorted
The occasion changes the planning more than the activity does, so this is mostly about the planning.
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.
The nearest of the two centres to Mint Hill is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
Why it fits the occasion
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.
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.
How the day runs
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.
If it is the first time, do not also make it a birthday. Learning a place and celebrating in it are two different visits.
What to arrange first
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.
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.
Small things that help
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.
A short visit that ends while they still want more beats a long one that ends in a meltdown, every time.
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.
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.
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 Mint Hill
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.
Do not schedule anything immediately afterwards. An hour of concentrated play is tiring in a way that shows up in the car park, not in the room.
A birthday group runs better with a rough plan of who goes where first, even if you abandon it in the first five minutes.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Mint Hill. Nobody is local to a mall attraction; everybody has driven.
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.