Open session · Compare
Open session in Mooresville: where it fits among family activities
An honest look at where it fits.
Families spread out. One parent skates with the confident child, the other stays near the rail with the one who is still deciding, and both are on the same ice.
The nearest of the two centres to Mooresville is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
What it does differently
It is the easiest way to find out whether a child likes skating enough for lessons, without committing to a course first.
An open session is the unstructured version: no lesson, no lane, just the rink and whoever is on it.
Where other options win
The mix of ages on an open session is part of the appeal - and the reason to keep an eye out for smaller skaters when the rink is busy.
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.
How to decide
Families spread out. One parent skates with the confident child, the other stays near the rail with the one who is still deciding, and both are on the same ice.
It is the easiest way to find out whether a child likes skating enough for lessons, without committing to a course first.
The short version
An open session is the unstructured version: no lesson, no lane, just the rink and whoever is on it.
If it is the first time, do not also make it a birthday. Learning a place and celebrating in it are two different visits.
Questions parents ask
Is a session structured?
An open session is free skating rather than a class.
Can parents go on the ice too?
Skating with a nervous child is usually the fastest way to get them moving.
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 Mooresville
From Mooresville the practical question is timing rather than distance. Arriving in the first hour after opening is worth more than shaving minutes off the drive.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Mooresville. 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.