Mall visits · Compare
Mall visits in Charlotte: where it fits among family activities
Comparing like for like: what this gives you that the alternatives do not, and where the alternatives win.
Both centres sit inside big shopping malls, which changes the shape of the day: park once, stay dry, and the rest of the errands are already there.
Families around Charlotte who have done it once tend to plan the second visit differently: shorter, earlier in the day, and with the machine the child liked in mind.
What it does differently
It also means the surroundings are familiar. Children who find new places difficult arrive somewhere they have been before.
Mall parking means the walk from the car is short and covered, which matters more with small children than any other single detail.
Where other options win
Opry Mills in Nashville and Concord Mills in Concord are destinations in their own right, so an hour at the attraction fits into a day that was happening anyway.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
How to decide
Both centres sit inside big shopping malls, which changes the shape of the day: park once, stay dry, and the rest of the errands are already there.
It also means the surroundings are familiar. Children who find new places difficult arrive somewhere they have been before.
The short version
Mall parking means the walk from the car is short and covered, which matters more with small children than any other single detail.
Decide how long you are staying before you walk in. A visit with an end time attached to it finishes on a good note rather than a tired one.
Questions parents ask
Which mall is it in?
Opry Mills in Nashville and Concord Mills in Concord.
Is there parking?
Both are mall locations with mall parking.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
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 Charlotte
If you are coming from Charlotte, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Two shorter visits teach a child more than one long one. The second time they already know what they want to try, and that is when the good part starts.
If two adults are coming, split up rather than shadowing the same child. One at the rail, one free, and everybody has a better hour.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Charlotte. 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
Anything time critical is worth a phone call first: hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.