I think most parents would agree having a child’s birthday party is a lot of work. All of the planning, preparation, cleaning, cooking and then worrying if anyone will show up because only a few actually RSVP can be super stressful!
Being a mom of twins, especially when they have different interests or happen to be a boy and a girl, like our twins, it can make the birthday party planning even more challenging. All of the above is why I love done-for-you birthday parties or what you might call birthdays in a box.
Fortunately, up to this point, we have been able to find places that appeal to both sexes and personalities. You can actually read about some of our favorite birthday party places in Central Florida here.
This year Eden and Xen had their birthday party at Planet Obstacle, Central Florida’s largest indoor obstacle park. We have been to several birthday parties at another favorite, Altitude Trampoline Park, which when it comes to done-for-you birthday parties has many similarities to Planet Obstacle.
Altitude Trampoline Parks have locations throughout the United States and even a few locations globally. You can find their locations by going to their website. We currently have 3 in the Central Florida area.
Not all attractions will be the same at every Altitude Trampoline Park, but they all have one thing in common, lots of bouncing!
When it comes to birthday parties, the setup at Altitude is very similar to Planet Obstacle. You can opt for a private birthday room or reserve a table. The only downside to reserving a table as opposed to a private room, is well, just that, the privacy.
If you are having a birthday party during prime time, which is normally the weekend hours, the reserved tables are packed with parties and it can be difficult for adults to find seating.
The kids spend very little time at the reserved table, just long enough to eat (if your package includes food), sing happy birthday and scarf down some cake. So depending on how many parents are there you do have some seating while the children are at play.
Both Planet Obstacle and Altitude’s pricing starts at a little over $200 for a birthday party, which includes two hours of party time. These include ten children plus the necessary socks. You have options for larger party groups, or if you are like me you can just add on additional jumpers for a set price.
No matter what party option you choose, no outside food and beverages are allowed to be brought inside the locations, other than birthday cake.
If your party does include food, each child will receive two pieces of pizza. At Altitude, you can order extra pizzas for your children and adult guests. Planet Obstacle has a more extensive menu of addons for your guests that includes pizza, fruit and vegetable trays and more.
One thing that my children always enjoy is the dodgeball tournament. During the party at Altitude, the birthday group will get a set time for a private dodgeball tournament. It is the one time the birthday child and guests are definitely together, other than their time at the table.
Planet Obstacle does not have any “togetherness” time. My kids both found this hard as they had a couple of friends they did not get to interact with during their party. Just adding that one game makes all the difference, but perhaps as a parent, you could arrange something yourself? A lesson learned from our last party.
The rest of the party time at Altitude, other than the short time spent at the table, is spent doing activities of their choosing, all involving trampolines and foam pits. The foam pit area has a trapeze, diving board, wall, and of course, trampolines.
There are gladiator-like challenges where you can battle your friends on a beam and the Wipe Out where the padded arms of the spinning wheel will try to knock you down. There are a few other activities throughout the park that are reminiscent of the show American Ninja Warrior and super fun for both children and adults.
Planet Obstacle also has trampolines, including a dodgeball area, but they have some variation with their large obstacle area, bumper cars, and zipline.
Although both of these locations have areas for small children to safely play, both Planet Obstacle and Altitude Trampoline Park are truly for older children and adults. If you want to have a party for your toddler it may be best to stick to a place like Monkey Joe’s or Chuck E Cheese.
The main reason I say this is the risk involved. Both of these done-for-you party choices will require all parents to sign waivers for their children. There is definitely some risk with all of the activities, but there is plenty of staff to help ensure safety. Remember, injuries can happen anywhere, even in your own living room. This is coming from a mom whose son broke his leg from running into a chair while being chased by his sister. It happens!
All in all, both Planet Obstacle and Altitude Trampoline Park are great options for a done-for-you child’s birthday party.
Have you used a done-for-you birthday party place that you highly recommend? Please feel free to share in the comments.