Disappointing Experience for My Son's 8th Birthday…read more
I was so excited to book Sandbox VR in Oakbrook, Illinois, for my son's 8th birthday, but unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing and not worth the $200 I paid.
We arrived on October 12th and had a difficult time locating the venue because there was no clear signage indicating where Sandbox VR was located. I called three times and received no answer. Thankfully, I was eventually able to locate the email and speak with someone at a different store who directed us to the correct location.
When my husband, my two sons, and I arrived, we were greeted by a staff member who told us we were late, even though we were still within the five-minute grace period. Instead of assisting us, she made us wait while she helped two other parties first. When she finally assisted us, her attitude was rude, and she provided little to no instruction on how to put on the VR equipment. She simply told us to put everything on and make sure the hands and feet were correct before walking away.
About 10 minutes later, she returned and told us the equipment was on incorrectly, so we had to adjust everything. She left again, and another 10 minutes passed before she finally brought us into the game room.
We were instructed to raise our hands and say "assistance" if we needed help. However, while playing, I fell hard, and my toy gun came apart. I raised my hand and called for assistance, but no one came to help me. I had to remove my goggles, check myself, put the gun back together, and continue playing without assistance.
To make matters worse, the room was hot, and there were no fans running. My children were sweating and uncomfortable throughout the entire game.
I understand that things may not always go perfectly, but for a birthday experience costing $200, I expected better customer service, proper equipment instructions, a comfortable environment, and staff who respond when a guest needs assistance. This was supposed to be a fun and memorable celebration for my son, and I left feeling disappointed with how the entire experience was handled.
Unfortunately, the experience did not meet my expectations, and I do not feel the service we received was worth the price. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and addresses the issues with staff training, customer service, venue signage, and guest safety. Families deserve a much better experience, especially when celebrating a child's birthday.
