My son and three friends went to Andretti's to celebrate his 11th birthday. We did run into an…read moreissue with the karting experience, but I'm updating this to 4 stars because Andretti's ultimately handled the situation well.
All four boys were at or above the posted 54" minimum height for the Intermediate/Teen karts, which Andretti advertises as reaching up to 25 mph. The website lists them as "recommended for ages 12+," rather than stating 12 as a firm minimum, and Andretti's site also explains that recommendations may be waived by management.
I had called the day before specifically to make sure I understood the requirements. Holly was very helpful, explained that I should arrive early to schedule the races, and confirmed that the boys should be able to ride the Intermediate karts. Nothing was mentioned about a different weekend restriction.
When we arrived, however, we were told that on weekends Andretti's has a strict 12+ requirement for Intermediate karts regardless of height. The boys were instead placed in the Junior karts, advertised as reaching "up to 20 mph."
Unfortunately, that race was pretty underwhelming. The Junior karts appeared to be throttled down considerably, a lap took less than 25 seconds, one of the boys' karts repeatedly slowed or shut down, and there really wasn't much actual racing happening. For four 11-year-olds who were there specifically to race, it was disappointing, especially given the cost.
I spoke with the track supervisor and then the front desk, explained that we had called ahead and been given different information, and asked whether the boys might be able to ride the Intermediate karts or receive some sort of discounted or complimentary experience. At the time, I was simply told that the weekend age requirement was strict and that we could come back during the week.
I also asked where that restriction was disclosed on the website or waiver. From what I could find, the website says "recommended for ages 12+," not "must be 12+," and the waiver does not specify a 12-year-old minimum for Intermediate karts. My biggest criticism remains that if there is a strict weekend-only age requirement, it should be clearly stated online and communicated when customers call ahead.
That said, Rudy, the Assistant General Manager, reached out afterward and did a great job making things right. He offered the boys additional attractions and, more importantly, genuinely listened to the feedback about clearly stating the weekend age requirement. I appreciated that he didn't dismiss the concern and seemed to take the suggestion seriously.
So I've updated my original review to 4 stars. The initial experience and communication were frustrating, and I still think the weekend karting rules need to be much clearer, but I also believe businesses deserve credit when management responds appropriately and makes a real effort to correct the situation. Rudy did that, and it changed my overall impression of the experience.
