Visiting as a group · Seasonal
Visiting as a group in Charlotte: the winter break plans
The season changes what a visit feels like more than you would expect.
Any adult who has taken six children anywhere knows the failure mode: five occupied, one bored, and the bored one setting the tone.
The drive back to Charlotte is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
Why this time of year
Four machines and one big crate spread a group out. So does a rink - there is no single queue for the whole party to stand in.
Tell the centre the numbers in advance and the day runs better for everyone, staff included.
What changes
Split a group by what they want rather than by age. The child who wants to watch is having a good time too.
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.
What to wear
Any adult who has taken six children anywhere knows the failure mode: five occupied, one bored, and the bored one setting the tone.
Four machines and one big crate spread a group out. So does a rink - there is no single queue for the whole party to stand in.
Planning around it
Tell the centre the numbers in advance and the day runs better for everyone, staff included.
Go early if the choice is available. The first hour after opening is quieter than any hour that follows it, and quieter is easier for everybody.
Questions parents ask
How many children can come at once?
Call ahead with your numbers and arrange it: +1 (615) 968-4925.
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
Families searching from Charlotte are usually weighing one thing: whether it is worth the trip for an hour of something the children have not done before. The honest answer is that it depends on the child, and the rest of this page is about telling which.
Weekday afternoons in term time are the quietest slot in the week. Weekend middays are the busiest.
If one child is nervous, let them watch for the first ten minutes without being asked to join in. Almost all of them join in.
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.
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
Questions about a specific day, a group or a party are best asked directly - info@newlife-entertainment.com, or either of the numbers on the contacts page.