I have been taking my son every season since I moved here, but I'm already quite tired of the inconsistent staff attitudes. Once I buy the season pass, why do they still make me get a wristband and wait in a long line? Some staff told me to bypass the line, others said I still needed the wristband, and some even said I had to stand in the same line just to get the wristband. Also, like today--when my party walked in, one customer was trying to find the ticket prices, and we already had our passes ready and hanging around our necks. Another staff member was sitting behind the check-in staff. Why couldn't he help us get the wristbands and ask for our shoe sizes? Isn't that how you excel at your job--by noticing customer needs and stepping in, rather than staying idle and only doing the tasks assigned to you? That way, the line would move much faster and everything would run more smoothly. Honestly, it feels like they're just enjoying the free ice-skating perks instead of focusing on customer service. read more

The rink is a little bit small and can get a little crowded. My main complaint is that the skates feel really cheap and don't seem properly cleaned. I went back to change my size, and I noticed a bunch of mismatched skates just lying haphazardly throughout the skates rental area. They let me know that they had run out of my size, which wasn't surprising given that it looked like my size was probably somewhere lost within the piles of shoes strewn everywhere. read more

Not a bad ice rink for a temporary setup. It's located right in the Bellevue Downtown park, so the location is pretty convenient. Slightly pricy, and my main issue is that they would let the ice get very rough and bumpy before they would re-surface it. read more

It is a fun time. I go a bunch every year. It is all good enough to have a close ice rink, get some exercise, and spend time with friends. The staff are pretty good. They clean and spray out the skates. I wish skates were sharpened regularly. read more

Convenient location. Price is fine and it's nice that there are so many public skating time slots. Ice is pretty rough, it would be great if they could resurface it on some cadence. Spent most of tine worrying about catching a on rocks or divets in the ice or someone else and falling. read more

This experience is definetely worth it to spend some family time to make memories, but most of my memories here are bad. The experience is not worth it overall, wouldn't recommend ANY figure/ice-skater who wants to skate here not just for fun, but for practicing, since the ice is rough and bumpy, and the team waits until it gets highly rough and bumpy to resurface the ice. If you want to come here, it's best to bring your own skates. Don't know what happened over the years, but the skates have been getting progressively worse each year. "Worse" meaning getting older/crappier, extremely harder to wear, not good foot support at all, and not good for figure-skating, fine for beginner ice-skaters. Things getting older doesn't mean that they get crappier each year, but in the ice skates case where about 100 people wear the same skates that you're wearing each year, the durability and several other major/minor factors wear off. Overall, I would not recommend this experience if you're going for fun, practicing skills, or to make great memories. read more

It's a pretty crowded space in such a small rink. If you decide to go, it is definitely worth taking your own skates. I got bruises from the skates I wore read more

Idk what yall changed in recent years but these new skates are unwearable. I know my feet may be crooked but this is not a me thing. Everyone around me was complaining and left with either a blister or a bruise in the same spot. I was forced to use tissues as padding and move the tongue of the skate all the way to the side and it still hurt. If this is a way to get people to leave earlier because it's too crowded, well played and it worked because I will never come back! read more

Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink - Skating Rinks Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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Great location! Love that the admission price includes skate rental. This is a fun pop up ice skating rink with real ice.

Took my visiting east coast son and two teenage granddaughters for an outing on a snowy day last week . This facility worked out great for them. Good value with helpful staff.The City of Bellevue should be applauded for providing this venue. Harris Gig Harbor, WA read more

You get what you pay for, and in the case for most visitors, it's a Groupon at $16 for two skate rentals and admission. My friends and I have been visiting the Bellevue Magic Season Ice Rink for a few years now for a "once-a-year" ice skating tradition. Is this a professional ice skating rink with high-quality equipment? No. But is it a fun, one-time activity? Yes! Located in the Downtown Bellevue Park, the Magic Season Ice Rink has always been an easy holiday activity. It can be a little pricey (I believe its $14 per person), but definitely worth it if you happen to snag a deal. Lockers are not included in the rental so try to keep personal belongings to a minimum. It seems to be based on the honor code as everyone leaves their shoes and such in the "lobby" area. The ice rink itself is decent - neither the largest one I've been to nor the smoothest. But it's just the right size for beginners like me who are looking for that "once-in-awhile" experience. Keep your eye out for rogue children though because they give zero concerns about either skating into you or cutting you off! :P Overall, the Magic Season Ice Rink is a great, one-day holiday activity for the Bellevue area. Maybe you can even go skating and then check out Snowflake Lane afterwards? :) read more

I have to say is not organized, dirty not worth it at all. cheap skates that hurts your feet and ankle. yeah staffs are just there for a paycheck don't care. read more

- authoritarian COVID policies (some of this is not their fault) - loud music which too many commercials - ice not in great shape even though we showed up on first day, first hour. read more

I went with a friend of mine and her kids ages 5 & 10. We went on a Saturday at around 9. They had just done their reicing/Zamboni machine run at 830 pm so there wasn't too much of a delay getting onto the ice. There was a small line leading up the the first room where you pay and get your skates. They also have gloves, but we brought our own. It took about 20 minutes or so to get to the cash register which takes cash and credit with no refunds. Make sure you wear socks and possibly bring a second pair as the skates can be a little gross inside with a little mildew smell. It's to be expected since a little ice and moisture probably gets in the skates throughout the day. Also, don't wear your best shoes going and try not to bring your purse or a lot of belongings in. There are lockers to lock up your stuff but most people just leave their shoes on the floor underneath the benches. I'm not sure if there is anyone supervising the area to prevent stolen shoes. This place claims to be the largest in the area but it's actually slightly smaller than average. I wished there was more room to spread out. Please be mindful of your kids because there are a lot of "show offs" that whizz on by, go in the wrong direction, fall down on purpose, ....let's just says there's a lot of horsing around. There are supervisors on the ice to make sure people are somewhat civil but if you have a kid that very novice, the more expert skaters may not care as much and push them out of the way or run into them which will probably make your kid fall down and possibly hurt themself. But, of course this is a holiday skating rink so everyone is trying to have fun and some without regard to other's safety. I believe you can skate as long as you want for entrance fee. A cheap way to have fun. All in all we had a wonderful time. The littlest one learned how to skate as it was her first time and we got some great photos for the album. Check for hours http://bellevue.com/happening.php?id=314#bellevue-ice-skating-hours read more

Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink - Holiday season 2013 - Skating Rinks Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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So much fun! Ice skating was kinda pricey, but it was fun. We went over the Christmas holiday and there was a Christmas tree on the center and they had fake snow fall from the ceiling at one point. Renting the penguin to help kids skate was $10.00 for an hour. The mall was large but mostly abandoned, and there were a number of homeless people hanging around inside and out. read more

I came to the rink on a Monday evening where Bank of America card holders are able to enter and skate for free! To be honest, this was really why I came. Considering it was free for me and a friend, I cannot complain with the rink, service, or availability! Rental skates are never fun on the feet but they were well maintained and didn't stink too bad which was nice. The blades seemed kinda dull but if you aren't a pro skater do you really mind lol? I definitely recommend coming earlier in the day or way later at night because they do not Zamboni the ice very often. I was here for about an hour and they didn't zamboni it at all and the ice was fairly beat up even though the rink was half empty. On the plus side, they sell concessions which is nice if you get cold or hungry! read more

Around Christmas it's definitely a packed rink causing the ice to get beaten up really quick making it more difficult to properly ice skate. It's a jolly place though. I like free skate Mondays for Bank of America card holders. read more

It's really nice to have a public venue for an opportunity to skate. I look around and reflect on the diversity on the ice - people who grew up on skates skating alongside those who come from lands where water never freezes. It's Bellevue at its finest, although I do wish they had a good Zamboni, the ice out there is really rough! Monday nights are free nights for B of A cardholders (that should be everyone). read more

So I'm writing this review a little late, it's Tuesday and my family and I visited the ice rink on Saturday 1/5/2019 we decided to avoid the crowds of Christmas and Newyears, and go in the weekend after. Boy that was a great decision!! No line, plenty of space for you to sit down and lace up those skates!! With a cute little beverage and snacks counter just a few feet away. Keep in mind, those beverages are 3$ for a bottle water, and 4.50$ or 5$ for a hot chocolate. I must add though the hot cocoa was rather pricey it was soooo GOOD a mountain of whipped cream with chocolate drizzle and little chocolate flakes. So worth it. The have lockers you can purchase but we just left our shoes on the side lines and they were safe . **For you Ladies!** Wear a side bag or a cute fanny so you can skate freely without having to purchase a locker. I used my side purse and was able to hold my wallet and phone to capture fun moments. There was lots of children and lots of families which was nice to see since we were all in the same boat of trying to teach our kids to skate. It was a sight to see, and at times you couldn't hear the music because of the laughter shared amongst friends and strangers. KINDESS** The acts of kindness I seen from strangers helping other strangers on the ice was heart warming. I'm not talking about kids falling and people helping them, I'm talking about grown adults taking a spill and strangers (who know how to skate) come over and assist. Also seen some people shake hands and maybe they became friends. All I know is We went in on the Perfect night and I hope everyone else has a great experience as my family and I did read more

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I am not an avid skater. I have probably been about 10 times in my life. I imagine most of the people considering this are in the same boat (with the more experienced people who might own their own skates avoiding the seasonal crowd). With most people needing rental skates, you would think they would have better skates (or at least an alternate option). These skates dug so hard into the bones of my ankle that I could not last more than a couple laps with my little one. My wife complained about the same pain and discomfort. If you have your own skates, give it a whirl. If you need to rent, good luck. The staff was nice enough. It was pretty crowded, but the kids held their own. read more

Good place, had a lot of fun. One factor needs to be improved is that the skate shoes hurt my ankles so bad. This is not only my problem - it happened to my girlfriend too. Maybe it's a business plot? Painful shoes - short duration of play - more turnover rates ??? read more

This place isn't nearly as bad as other reviews make it seem. Is it a super great ice arena? No, it's a pop-up temporary rink for the holidays! Honestly, what were people expecting?? The poor ice quality, lack of nice bathrooms, lack of good food options, etc. are all because it's a temporary arena in a park. If you go in expecting such, the place isn't bad at all. It's actually pretty good. Is it a little expensive? Yes, but the location is convenient. I didn't want to drive all the way to Kent or Everett to skate, and this is the nearest ice rink that's close to the central part of Seattle. The staff were nice, I didn't have to wait in line, and the music was perfect for skating. Yes, this is the type of place you only go to once a year. But for that, it's perfect. read more

Had an awesome experience here. If you have Bank of America card - it's free entry on mondays. I am a newbie at skating but with my wife's help, was able to skate a bit. Will definitely go next week too! The shoes provided are good fit and overall, the staff is helpful too read more

Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink - Skating Rinks Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

I've always ice skate and the conditions of this rink is the worst I've ever seen. The ice is pretty bad. The people that works here are not helpful. Save your money and go to a better one. read more

This should not be called an "arena". It's a very small makeshift rink in the outdoor downtown park. I second other reviewers who commented on the choppiness of the ice. The Zamboni driver didn't know what he was doing, missing several spots as he resurfaced the ice. This is definitely not the place for the experienced skater to enjoy the holidays as It is overly crowded with teens who have never skated before. Lots of collisions, and toddlers pushing around PVC pipe "walkers". The tent has poor air circulation, so the rink itself smells of gas fumes from the Zamboni and the lobby area reeks of foot odor. Cons: - no restrooms on site. Trek to the far end of the playground to use the outdoor facilities - very limited parking - poor air quality - crowded - too many 1st-time skaters - extremely cheap "snap on" 1-size fits-all skate rental - limited and expensive cafe (watered down swissmiss like hot choc for $3,00) Pros: - beautiful park at night - festive for the holidays - priced accordingly with other "arenas" Recommendation: for the same price, just go to an Olympic sized arena during public skate! Get better skate rentals, larger arena, with fresh ice, and ample room to roam! read more

I really wasn't very interested in ice skating but my kids really wanted to go. So we went and I'm super glad we did. Kids had a blast. The staff were super helpful and patient with my kids finding them the right skates. Hope to get back there soon. read more

This is for the snack bar WARNING The guy tried to give me a previously opened bottle of water, gross!! Is he going through the garbage and refilling them with tap water and reselling them along with all the germs? The bottle he tried to give me wasn't even what he was selling, totally sketch read more

I only like this place because they offer groupons, but It was pretty disappointing, i don't mind the rink being small, but the skates the provide aren't the best. I wasn't able to skate at all, and i've gone ice skating a couple times, i was basically just sliding back and forth. If you go, i'd say bring your own skates or expect to skate in crappy skates. read more

This review is for their STROLLER skating. I also have my own skates so I don't need to add complaints about crappy rental skates. Pros: -fresh ice! us parents get to skate with our strollers before the rink opens up to the public, so there's no snow everywhere -only a handful of people go so there's plenty of room Cons: -toddlers use the skates' toe pick to walk around and gouge the hell out of the ice, making potholes that are dangerous to skate over. -everyone wants to take pictures so they stop in the middle of the stream of skaters, making it hard to skate around them -only once a week FYI: I spoke with a staff member and he said they clean off the ice every 60 to 90 minutes. He said that people complain about the rink having more snow than ice, but he added that hundreds of people are skating so what do you expect? He said they have new ice skates this year that are much better than previous years. read more

Bellevue Ice Rink is hear once a year in a beautiful park, a decent rink, the ice is a bit bumpy, bring your own skates if you have them, the rentals are plastic and hard to adjust to fit, will jam your ankles. The rink attracts mostly family and beginners who just want to experience the ice, though under cover. We will return to the Beautiful park, new facilities and playground, clean restrooms, wish we live nearby, parking can be a challenge when the sun is out. Great for family outings or just hanging out. read more

I had a blast! Wish there were more Christmas decorations and isn't ideal for intermediate or professional skaters but DUH!!! We're in WA, don't expect a prefect movie like "outdoor iceskating" experience when our climate just doesn't call for it. It's cool that something like this is provided here. It's just a nice spot for enjoying some fun with the kids or a slow glide while holding hands on a date. We weren't here long but everyone was kind and in the holiday spirit. Take some friends and family and enjoy the night and other festivities in the area. read more

Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink - Celebrating my little girl's 5th birthday! - Skating Rinks Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

My daughter was going to have a private lesson. But there was miscommunication between the staffs and she couldn't get it. Hope this would be improved. read more

Soo.. I usually avoid writing bad reviews but this skating rink is terrible. The skates a dull (that's a generous description), the ice is terrible! We went on a Friday evening and they obviously haven't shaved the ice down in ages.. it was the worst! The employees working there were salty as hell! Someone asked for better skates and they laughed at him! I paid $3 for lukewarm watered down hot cocoa.. it seems to me they could do a lot better for $12 a person. If I was any of those sponsors like Alaska Airlines, I'd be embarrassed to have association with that crappy scam they've got going over there! read more

One of the staff is super rude. Way too much people, no helmet , cannot go in without skate shoes to help young children. Basically it is a mess! read more

Bring your own skates and plenty of money. Very nice setup but more expensive than Seattle center and the ice skates they loan out are terrible. Most people complained of bad ankle pain and stuffed them with tons of tissue. read more

Really nice skates compared to other locations! They smooth the ice every hour or so so it stays so nice to skate on! Love it there! Open until 11pm on most nights which our family loves! read more

The supposed "New" ice skates this year are terrible, they hurt each of the four members of our families ankles so badly that I couldn't skate more than 1 hour, each leaving with blisters. For $12 per person, they could actually get comfortable skates....The holiday skating in Renton is a way better option, great skates, way bigger ice rink, etc. read more

Pluses: - It's kid friendly. - Not too expensive since it includes the skate rental ($12 at time of writing). Minuses: - The skates are not sharp and kinda moist on the inside. - The ice is pretty beat up and the new ice machine is not much of an improvement over previous seasons. Worth checking out once if you are in the area, but if you enjoy working equipment and speeds in excess of a stroll, this probably isn't your place. read more

Whether you're a complete beginner or an advance skater, you really can't go wrong with ice skating at the Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink. It's simply one of those winter activities that you need to be part of to embrace the winter season! Expenses: If you have a Bank of America card (debit credit) or if you have an Alaska Airlines credit card, then entry and skates are free though only on Mondays. Otherwise, it's a flat fee for entry. If you need to rent skates then it will be a second flat fee for skate rental. You can skate for as long as you want, which is great!! Food/drinks: It seems like you are more than welcome to bring your own drinks. It'll definitely help keep your spirits alive if you aren't already having a good time. Otherwise, the rink does sell their own food and drinks at the tail end of the entry. Don't expect the prices to be cheap. Entertainment: In the years prior, the music was provided by the sponsor Star 101.5 (KPLZ-FM, affiliated with Seattle news station KOMO) which will almost certainly play Christmas or holiday-themed music when the rink is open. You'll get a nice mix of music genres ranging from the classics to pop, from rock to caroling, and anything in between. Sometimes a song might come up and practically everyone at the rink sings along! Don't forget to bring your friends and family! Watching them and watching others learn to skate, do their tricks, watch them flail and fall.... that's what keeps the spirits alive! Parking: Carpooling is encouraged especially during peak times. The parking lots are big but it isn't nearly big enough to accommodate the ice skaters AND patrons of the Bellevue Downtown Park! Take the bus, walk, ride share, bike, whatever! If you do find a parking spot either at the park or nearby, then great! Enjoy yourself! I discourage parking at Bellevue Square; They will ticket your car if they catch you parking at Bellevue Square then walking off-site to the park. It happens. Others: Watch out for the crowds, especially on the weekends! The rink can be very crowded during all hours of the weekend. It's much less so during the weekdays but there is a high potential that the Bellevue School District might be on Winter break when the rink is open; you might find students at the rink at anytime during the week, day or night. Crowds will mean 3 things: (1) There will be people who are learning to skate. Take it easy around them. You were probably like that at some point too. These people may include grown adults and young toddlers. (2) The ice will get wrecked within an hour, if not 30 minutes. The people who run the rink will normally re-ice the rink every 30 minutes - 1 hour, depending on how bad it can get. Be careful and be prepared to face a lot of bumps on the ice (I am not joking at all). (3) Heads up for the people taking pictures or the people along the rails. There's usually holiday-themed decorations at the west end of the rink where lots of people like to stop for pictures. Watch out for them. You will also get a lot of people learning to skate and will like to cling to the side rails. Watch out for them too! All in all, just be nice and courteous. Tempers will run high but don't take things too seriously or personally. Have fun! read more

We stayed for maybe 15 minutes max... The skates are as cheap as they come and hurt!! They're somehow loose and floppy, but still pinch your ankle bones, no matter what size you got or how you adjusted them. I've never been more pleased to put my own shoes back on. read more