We recently hosted an 11th birthday party at Airsoft Extreme, and overall the kids had a great…read moretime. The booking process was easy, and the website provided everything we needed, including FAQs, waivers, and clear instructions.
A few days before the party, however, we received an email stating our reservation had been canceled due to non payment of the deposit, even though we had paid in full at the time of booking. This was understandably stressful with the party just days away! Thankfully the next business day, we were able to confirm it was a system error.
We were instructed to arrive 30 minutes early for our 2 to 4pm party. All of our guests arrived at 1:30pm, but there was no host to greet us or provide direction. The front area is a large airsoft store, while the party check in and setup are located in the back. We were initially told our party space was upstairs, but after setting up there, we learned it was actually the back staircase area that had the tables, chairs, and windows overlooking the arena. Unfortunately, no one explained this ahead of time, so we had to move all of our decorations, food, and gifts.
By the time we were settled, it was 2pm, and we were told we needed to wait in the general line to check in our 14 players. With only two employees assisting a long line of customers, this delayed our party start. It was frustrating to lose valuable game time, especially after arriving early as instructed. Thankfully, an employee eventually pulled our group out of line and got the kids set up with safety rules and gear.
The private arena space was a bit smaller than expected, but the kids still had an absolute blast. We were also unaware that the expectation was two straight hours of gameplay followed by food and cake afterward. We chose to serve food earlier while it was hot and cake before it melted, which required the kids to remove their gear and then re gear for re entry. Better communication about party flow would have helped us plan more smoothly.
To their credit, the staff did allow the kids an extra 15 to 20 minutes of game time to make up for the delayed start, which we appreciated.
Overall, the experience was fun and memorable for the kids. The private party can get pricy based upon headcount. But worth the unique birthday experience. With improved organization, clearer communication, and a more streamlined check in process for parties, this could easily be a five star experience. We would still bring them back in the future.