The view from the rail · Story
The view from the rail in Charlotte: what an afternoon looks like
What it actually looks like when a family walks in.
Everything happens in one room. There is no wandering off to another floor and no moment of not knowing where they are.
Weekends bring more of Charlotte out at once. If the schedule allows a weekday, take it; the same visit is quieter and the machines wait for nobody in particular.
Walking in
The pace is slow enough to talk over. Parents end up chatting at the rail rather than shouting over a soundtrack.
Phones come out, and for once the photographs are worth keeping: a full bucket, a spin, a first lap without the wall.
The middle of the visit
The measure of a family attraction is not what the children do, it is what the adults do while they do it. Standing where you can see and hear them counts for a lot.
If two children are visiting together, plan for them to split up. Doing different things in the same room is the point of a room with different things in it.
The last ten minutes
Everything happens in one room. There is no wandering off to another floor and no moment of not knowing where they are.
The pace is slow enough to talk over. Parents end up chatting at the rail rather than shouting over a soundtrack.
What sticks
Phones come out, and for once the photographs are worth keeping: a full bucket, a spin, a first lap without the wall.
Let the child choose what to do first even when it is the thing you would have chosen last. The order matters less than the choosing.
Questions parents ask
Can I watch the whole time?
The activity is in one room and the viewing is from the rail or the boards.
Is it loud?
It is a children attraction rather than an arcade. The machines are slow and the noise is mostly the children.
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 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.
Take the phone out of your pocket before they start rather than after. The moment worth filming is usually the first one.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
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.
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.