Castles-N-Coasters has always been a total vibe in Phoenix. My only concern with this place is that…read morethe employees do not seem to care if people are buckled in or not. So I'm always very careful when I come with my kids, especially on the bigger posters. None of the rides are super dangerous, but I would hate for somebody to fall out! So thankful that it's still there and has survived all of the businesses closing around it. Will definitely be back.

So there we were, headed to Castles N' Coasters a wholesome amusement park in the desert... a place…read morefor families, laughter, and apparently, poor decision-making. Now my buddy this man reaches into his pocket and pulls out what I can only describe as a historical artifact. I'm talking a doobie so big it looked like Bob Marley himself rolled it during a greatest hits tour. I said, "Absolutely not. I am a grown man. I got responsibilities. I got a mortgage. I got snacks at home I haven't even finished yet." That didn't matter. Next thing I know, windows are up, car turns into a Dutch oven of bad decisions, and now I'm just along for the ride literally and spiritually. Somewhere between "this is a bad idea" and "why is everything funny," I lost control of the evening. We pull into the park around that magical time you know, that in-between hour... not quite day, not quite night... like God dimmed the lights and said, "Alright boys, let's see what happens." The whole place is glowing neon lights, arcade buzz, roller coasters rattling in the distance. Felt like walking into a carnival dream... or maybe a fever dream. Jury's still out. Now here's the thing about this place it's been around since the late '70s, sitting right there in Phoenix like a desert time capsule of fun. You got four roller coasters, including the Desert Storm, which sounds fun until you're on it reconsidering every life choice that led you there. Then there's the Patriot wooden, loud, and about as gentle as a bar fight. And somehow... SOMEHOW... we thought tequila beforehand was a good idea. So now we're buzzed, slightly baked against our will, and wandering this park like three philosophers who lost their notes. We're laughing at everything. Nothing's funny but everything's hilarious. A trash can? Comedy gold. A churro? Best thing I've ever eaten in my life. A child running past me? I'm emotionally invested in his journey. But I'll give credit where it's due the park itself? Clean. Staff's friendly. Nobody's judging three grown men giggling like idiots. It's got that old-school charm too arcades, mini golf, rides, the whole deal. You can bring a family here... or whatever version of a situation we were. Now the rides... oh, the rides. Let me tell you something nothing will make you rediscover fear like being slightly out of your mind on a roller coaster you thought you could handle. I got scared... not once... not twice... but a few times. The kind of scared where you start making promises to God you don't intend to keep. "I'll be a better man if I survive this drop..." Didn't mean a word of it. By the end of the night, we had the munchies, the laughs, and just enough dignity left to get back to the car without needing a group meeting. For a couple hours, though? We were kids again. No responsibilities. No stress. Just lights, noise, and pure, ridiculous fun. So yeah Castles N' Coasters might be a family amusement park... but under the right or completely wrong circumstances, it turns into one hell of a story. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Just... maybe crack a window on the way there.

We are prestige pass holders. This is our 3rd time visiting. We had a wonderful time! Sure, the…read morelines are long and it is packed, but what do you really expect? It's 115 degrees outside.... There are only so many places we can go to escape the heat! Parking is free, plenty of places to get a drink from the water fountain. Multiple restrooms, plenty of slides & an awesome playground for the little ones. They have locker rentals for your belongings, if you're interested. The best part is, the water is actually pretty clean considering how many people are getting in and out! I am not sure that we will renew our passes because it's an 80 mile round trip trek for us... All in all, great value for the price if you live nearby!

We had so much from here. Great selection of different slides. Fun lazy river. Nice wave pool. It…read morewas clean. On a hot day in Phoenix this place is a great option.

Recently had a birthday party here. We doubled booked and the staff was very accommodating towards…read moreus. We rented the pirate cove area and it was very clean. There was some issues with the electricity going on and off. I did wish the park closed a little later than 8 pm. I also wish the pirate cove area was also 4 hours and not 3, but the kids definitely enjoyed the entire time. Overall, very satisfied with having a party at Enchanted Island.

This place has been our go-to birthday spot for both of my kids for years, and we keep coming back…read morefor good reason. The train ride is a blast, the climbing wall is massive, and watching kids lose their minds on the bumper boats never gets old. The party packages are reasonably priced, which is a huge plus when you're hosting a group. They also recently added fans and misters to the party area, and it makes a world of difference especially on hot days. If you're looking for a fun, affordable spot for a kids' party (or just a family outing), definitely check this place out. Highly recommend!

Such a fun place to visit! There are so many restaurants and activities all in one area, plus…read moreparking is easy. Not too fun during the summer though because it's open parking! It's also a great spot to entertain and tire out the kids! Lol There's even a Ferris wheel, but it was way too hot for us to ride. We also found a photo booth near the restrooms ($8), which was a fun little bonus. It's conveniently located near OdySea, Topgolf, and Talking Stick, and it's super easy to get to from the freeway. If you're visiting during the summer, I'd recommend saving the outdoor walking for the cooler months and spending the hotter afternoons indoors at OdySea.

1 Star - Dangerous and disappointing experience on the Big Wheel…read more I rode the Boardwalk Big Wheel at Arizona Boardwalk today with my two young boys, ages 2 and 4. The experience was honestly terrible and, more importantly, felt unsafe. It was 105°F outside, and we were placed in the orange #15 gondola. The gondolas are primarily enclosed by glass and have no effective air conditioning. The AC in ours was clearly broken and was blowing hot air instead of cooling the cabin. Within minutes, all three of us were drenched in sweat and the heat inside was becoming extremely uncomfortable. The biggest issue was that the attendant locked us inside the gondola despite the extreme heat. We waved at her to let us out, but she didn't. We went around the entire wheel and, when we came back around, we waved again. She saw us, but still didn't open the door. I ultimately had to yell and knock on the glass to get her attention before she finally let us out after the second trip around. When we got off, I explained what had happened to the attendant. Her response was essentially an unenthusiastic, unapologetic "sorry." There was no concern about whether my children or I were okay, no offer to move us to a functioning gondola, and no refund or other attempt to make the situation right. I paid $22.71 for the ride, but the money isn't really the issue. What concerns me is putting young children into an enclosed, extremely hot gondola with a malfunctioning cooling system and then failing to respond when the passengers are clearly asking to get out. I would strongly recommend that Arizona Boardwalk inspect and properly maintain these gondolas and, more importantly, make sure attendants respond immediately when passengers are signaling that they need to exit. I would not recommend riding the Boardwalk Big Wheel, particularly with young children in extreme heat.

Slick City on Thunderbird Rd in Glendale is now one of my favorite places to show off to friends…read moreand visitors. Among all the different slides there is something for everyone from 6 (my grandkid) to 76 (me)! Although they are all fun, my favorite slide is the Python, followed by the Royal Flush. But I recommend you try all the slides! This is a great place for birthday parties, there's a cafe and lots of tables overlooking the playing floor. There is also a special area with toddler-size activities. One thing I especially like about Slick City is that through the adventure of slides, it teaches children self confidence and helps give them the courage to overcome fear in a healthy environment. Granddaughter (7 yrs) climbed up to the top of one of the tallest slides, only to start crying from fear and then she'd climb back down. 15 minutes later she'd go up again, only to come down, defeated by her fear. She kept it up (learning determination) until she finally found the courage to slide down from the top. The smile on her now self-confident face was priceless. She had conquered her fear! She went back and rode that slide again at least 10 times. The place is pricey but well worth it. Note: you must purchase a pair of their special traction socks in the slide areas. They do not allow any other brand, so save yours for subsequent trips.

I took my three-year-old to the Thunderbird location today, and unfortunately, we didn't have a…read moregood experience. This location has been about a mile from our house for a while, but I never took her because I didn't realize they had a separate area for children five and under. The five-and-under area was much smaller and less fun than the one in Scottsdale. Even though admission for that area is cheaper than regular admission, it still came to about $19 after tax for 90 minutes. I realize that's pretty comparable to other children's play places, but at that price, I still expect my toddler to have a good time. Instead, I had to keep persuading her to stay and play because she was bored and wanted to go into the larger kids' section, which isn't safe for her age. There also isn't a gate to keep younger kids inside the little-kid area. At the Scottsdale location, we stayed for almost three hours, and I never had to persuade her to keep playing. The "arcade," if you can even call it that, was also really disappointing. I bought a $10 game card, but there were only a few games, and some weren't working. The claw machines had cheap-looking prizes, while most of the other working games seemed better suited for older kids or teenagers. The whole area looked dumpy and thrown together, like they didn't put much thought or effort into it. I also think it's ridiculous that a waiver signed at one Slick City location doesn't carry over to another. I had already completed one for Scottsdale but had to fill out another one here. They really should have a company-wide system. I was happy to learn that the Thunderbird location had a five-and-under area because it's so close to us, but after this experience, I would still rather drive 32 miles to Scottsdale. Thunderbird really needs to improve and expand the younger-kids' area so it's actually worth the price. They also need to make the arcade bigger, fix the broken machines, and make it feel like a real arcade. If they don't plan to put more effort into it, they would honestly be better off removing it. What they have now just feels like a cheap attempt at an arcade. I hate writing 1 star reviews, but when I do, it's because I hope that the business owners can take note and make improvements. I would love to come back to this location if changes are made.

I can not say enough good things about this place. I love coming here, the staffs are super super…read moresweet. If you spend a ridiculous amount of money on a machine and still can not win, they will help you out for sure, and you will leave feeling happy. Not sure why this place has lower average rating than the other one in Chandler, but this Glendale location is superior in every way. The claws machine aren't rigged, and the toys are very very win-able. I love coming here to play, destress, and donate to the kiddos over at PCH. When one of the staffs learned that I was trying to win more for the kiddos, she was more than willing to help make it easier. Thank you for your kindness!!!! The kiddos appreciate it ! Photo 1 in review by Minh Phan

Took my wife here during the daytime to spend some quality family time on her birthday. While the…read moreprices may seem reasonable at first, do note that shoe rentals adds up, and while you are there, you eat and play arcade, so overall expenses comes high. We took the VIP lane that comes with some $7 extra without knowing it all, and once we completed our hour, we realized that VR was never ON for the game. We checked with guest services, and they mentioned that some games only offer that feature, and we selected the wrong game from the console. Well, I wish someone had mentioned that when we initially bought the package. They did not offer any credit or refunds to us. We got multiple foods from there. While the pizza was good but the chicken burger had a bad taste in it and we did not even finish the food. I wouldn't recommend it when Arrowhead Mall has multiple options in the food court.

We stopped by the zoo a few months ago and wanted to give a review of all the amazing animals and…read morethe fantastic staff! We have been here a few time over the years. We love the conservation efforts Wildlife World zoo does and does consistently. They are always trying to improve living quarters for the animals. They always have many toys for the birds, which is so great to see, since exotic birds need lots of metal stimulation. We fed the lorikeets this time around and that was so fun and beautiful. We can't wait until we stop in again for a fun day trip to The Wildlife World Zoo.

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is not a "quick stop" zoo -- it's a full-on adventure…read moreday. First of all, this place is massive. You need time, comfy shoes, and realistic expectations because there is SO much ground to cover. Zoo, aquarium, safari park -- it really does feel like three attractions in one. The aquarium section honestly surprised me. That massive prehistoric-looking fish (looked straight out of a dinosaur era) was unreal. Between the giant tanks and the variety of species, it didn't feel like a small add-on -- it felt like a legit aquarium experience inside the zoo. The animal variety is wild. We saw everything from vibrant macaws perched up high greeting guests, to monkeys lounging in the sun, to antelope practically close enough to admire their horns in detail. The white tiger was stunning, and the big cats pacing in their enclosures definitely command your attention. You're not just looking at one or two showcase animals -- there's a LOT here. It's not super polished or ultra-modern like some major metro zoos, but that's kind of the vibe. It feels expansive, a little rugged, very Arizona. More spread out, less theme-park aesthetic. A couple things to note: it can get warm and it's a lot of walking. Food options are typical park-style fare -- nothing I'd go out of my way for. Pricing can add up with admission and extras, so plan accordingly. Overall, a solid four stars. If you're looking for a full day with serious animal variety -- from aquarium tanks to safari species to big cats -- this place delivers. Just come prepared to explore.

fun place and concept, but the karts are quite rough and bumpy, and you need a decent amount of…read morestrength to turn. be careful on the first turn, its very narrow and abrupt. it was a fun experience, bought 3 races but only did 2 since the first time was rough, i went with a group of 4 and it was our first time but the workers joined in for some reason and kept crashing into us. why were they competing with newbie teens? anyways, they chipped my tooth, hurt my neck, and gave me a bruised back in one part. other than that, it wasn't too bad. be careful with kids. (i will be hyper-fixating on my chipped tooth though, an apology would be nice.)

Stopped on a whim and had the best time!…read more We purchased three races each and got on the track pretty quickly. They give new racers the run down on how everything works, the flag system, etc. Explained the red button on the steering wheel that should only be used if necessary to back up. When my husband asked if the green button on the steering wheel was to boost your speed, the guy said if you think it does, then yes. LOL The carts go fast and it's a lot of fun. I like that after your race, you can get your results up at the counter inside to see where you ranked, your fastest lap, etc. I had one incident on my last race where I spun out and then someone hit me at full force. The flag guy ran over to make sure I was OK. My pride made me tell him yes, I was fine but it actually hurt. But I'm a big girl and can handle getting roughed up a little. LOL Thankfully it happened on my last race because my car did not handle too well after that - it shook terribly. I felt that the staff were patient, helpful and want everyone to have a good time. Our only issue was that we waited forever for our last race. They never called our names and group after group after group went on the course. Turns out they had somehow forgot about us. Arcade games, food, photo opps are inside and like I said, we had the best time!