Owner and the gentleman who ran through orientation both seemed nice and the game play looked fun. However, this was our first time here with my 6 year old and it left a little to be desired. When we arrived (around 1:55 pm) we were asked how long we wanted to play. We paid for 2 hours, bought socks, selected my son's nerf gun, were given a pink wristband, and headed into the "briefing room" for rules and instructions. My son was given an orange/yellow jersey and we headed into a room full of young players (ages 5-8 maybe). Across the hall, the bigger kids were playing.
As soon as I sat down the owner introduced himself and asked how we heard about the place. I noticed at that time it was maybe 2:05 by the time my son started playing. I made note because the owner said, "We're going to move them all into one combined room about 2:30 pm." To which I said Ok because I really had no clue how it worked.
Then around 2:20, game play stopped in the little kids room and there was lots of standing around, lining up, etc in the room for about 10 minutes. I finally went in the room after I noticed a line of little kids was being led across the hall to the big kids room (the aforementioned combining of rooms) but my son and maybe 4 other little kids remained in the original room. I asked "What's going on?" My son said, "I'm not going with them."
This is when I realized we had walked into a room of YMCA campers. It seems the referees or whatever they are called let the non YMCA kids choose to go to play in the big kids room or stay in that original room. Of course, none of the non YMCA little kids wanted to compete against older players, so they stayed behind. Problem was, it was now 2:40 and it seemed like the few little kids who stayed had finally been sorted into new teams and play was just now starting again.
Then all of a sudden, maybe around 3:00 pm, my son was given another choice to move to the big kids room and this time his whole team wanted to go. They weren't having as much fun with far fewer players, surely. So my son had no choice but to move across the hallway.
Then at 3:15, the staff told the little kids their time was up and it was time to go. Again, this could have been YMCA kids. However, now there were few kids left playing in the big kids room (for want of a better term), and the original room was pitch black / closed.
So I went to the front desk and asked what was up. Why after an hour and 15 mins (we paid for 2 hours) were we being kicked out? And I was told "pink wristbands were all done at 3:15.
In short, very confusing, and I can only assume the staff intended that I would then stay and pay to play video games? I'm not sure how else the 2 hours we paid for was to be filled. Such a strange experience. My son had fun, but I don't think I will pay for 2 hours next time. Apparently we're lucky to get 1 hour of play for that price! read more