Ice bumper cars · Occasion
Ice bumper cars in Pineville — a school trip, sorted
Here is how the day tends to run and what is worth arranging in advance.
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.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Pineville. Nobody is local to a mall attraction; everybody has driven.
Why it fits the occasion
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 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
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.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
What to arrange first
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.
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.
Small things that help
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.
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.
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.
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 Pineville
If you are coming from Pineville, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Bring a spare layer even in summer. Malls are air conditioned, rinks are colder than that, and a cold child is a child who wants to go home.
Take the phone out of your pocket before they start rather than after. The moment worth filming is usually the first one.
The nearest of the two centres to Pineville 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.