Beware!!! Don't book a party without thoroughly inspecting for grime! About 2 years ago, I had a party for my son at Funworks on Staten Island. It was the perfect little place for kids age 1-8 to have fun, play group activities and run around barefoot. More recently, I had my second child's 2nd birthday party there and although the kids still had loads of fun, I was completely embarrassed. Bottom line is when the kids were getting ready to leave and had to put their shoes back on, their socks or bare feet were black and sticky from the dirt and grime. The place is under new owners that obviously did not think about their reputation when taking my deposit for the party. Everything from the play room, to the sitting area, to the bathroom was filthy dirty. At first glance it doesn't appear to be that way but the entire place can use an overhaul. The mats in the playground are sticky and dirty, the floor in the sitting area looked like it wasn't mopped in a few weeks, there was also a smell of urine by one of the benches, the bathroom counter was soaking wet when we arrived, the toilet and the seat were dirty, they didn't have enough paper towels in the bathroom and the floor could have used some clorox. Not to mention the men that walked through from the backdoor to the front door for no apparent reason. When I called back a few days later to let the owners know what me and my guests experienced, my call was returned by someone who just started working there a few days before. I explained that I had specifically left the message for the owners and I didn't think it was fair for her to have to hear me complain. She wanted to continue the conversation so I ran down the list of my concerns and was told that I should have told them when I arrived 20 minutes early or during the party or after the party. An apology and an offer for a 'free play' for my kids was provided only after I had to listen to the employee telling me all the things I should have done. It is completely unacceptable that the new owners continued to book parties and take deposits even while they are aware that the facility is in dire need of renovations and a good cleaning. They should think about closing for a week or two for renovations and have a professional cleaning company come in to ensure the kids do not leave with anything more than a goody bad from their next party. read more
