Open session · Occasion
Open session in Pineville: planning a weekend afternoon around it
Same attraction, different day, different set of things to sort out beforehand.
It is the easiest way to find out whether a child likes skating enough for lessons, without committing to a course first.
For a Pineville family the trip works best folded into something else - the shopping that was happening anyway, a birthday that needed a venue, a Saturday that needed a plan.
Why it fits the occasion
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.
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.
How the day runs
An open session is the unstructured version: no lesson, no lane, just the rink and whoever is on it.
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.
What to arrange first
It is the easiest way to find out whether a child likes skating enough for lessons, without committing to a course first.
Take the photographs early. The best ones happen in the first fifteen minutes, before anybody is tired.
Small things that help
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.
An open session is the unstructured version: no lesson, no lane, just the rink and whoever is on it.
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 Pineville
Coming in from Pineville with more than one child, the useful thing to know is that the room does not need to be rationed - there is more than one thing to do at the same time.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
Families around Pineville 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.
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.