Party FAQ

Party FAQ

Five minutes of reading to give you and your guests a better party experience!

See below for our Party FAQ
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Rules, what rules?

Like so many other places nowadays, many of our rules are not made by us, but instead by others and simply imposed on us - we just enforce them - although we will always look after you and your guests and entertain everyone in the most fun way possible. So, let's have some skating fun!

Our doors open right on the time indicated on our website, and we are unable to let anyone in early.  On a related note, if you are attending a party sitting during an extended session (10:00AM, 12:15PM, or 2:30PM, for example) please don’t attend early, as it may not be possible to show you to your party table immediately – as we need to complete cleaning up and setting up, following the previous party sitting – and the kids can get a bit restless if you need to wait in the foyer whilst we finish getting things ready for you.  In other words, the time on the invitation should be no earlier than the booking time, to avoid an extended wait at the door.  Don’t worry, we’ll have things set up for you and you won’t really need to do much, whilst the kids get their skates.  BTW, don’t bring too much extra stuff, we engage the kids for almost the two hours, and all those “extras” are usually not needed.

Remind kids to bring long socks (short will do, but long is better) and loose comfortable clothing.

Both are great, and both are available. If your guests have used one or the other, suggest they stick with what they know, although they are welcome to try an alternative. Both have different features but if you want to know what is easier especially in the first 10-20 minutes for a first timer, the blades are a little easier because the longer wheel base slightly reduces the feeling of unbalancing backwards (for 90% of people).

Kids (and adults) learn to skate surprisingly quick as a rule! We also have a simple formula for helping people learn, and even an easy printed guide for you – just in case. (See sample image)

help

There several common issues with this. First, kids of almost any age can learn quicker without holding someone’s hand than when they do. As alluded to earlier (see previous tab) we have a few strategies for getting them started quickly and easily, but if you feel that you must help your kids, it may be worth noting that it may be you rather than the children who ends up falling on their bottom. (See here for some more skating tips.) Don’t be deterred by us if you are keen, however, but note that although we normally exempt parents from an entry fee if they are watching their kids, we have to charge you entry and hire once you participate in the activity. And, the other tricky issue is that we do not allow people without skates on the main rink – there are safety and crowd control issues associated with this, so please help any really dependent skaters off-rink, or head off to the training rink in our Party, Play & Practice Area, where you ARE permitted on the rink with shoes on – see insert in picture below. We can help too, and usually offers range of support services to get kids started

Apart from what we have here (some more skating tips) or in the image above (“how do I help them” tab) and despite any obvious vested interest we may have, we suggest that the birthday person – and perhaps your guests – be encouraged to come skating once or twice before the party.

Yes, like we said, we obviously have a vested interest in that statement, but it does improve the experience. In any case, most non-skaters can become skaters in 10-20 minutes of practising the basics, so don’t worry if you don’t have the time for a little pre-party practice, it’s just that it allows you to be confident enough to participate in more games or activities throughout the party session.  Otherwise, there should be no problems for almost anyone, and we say that with the confidence and experience of seeing several thousand absolute novice birthday party goers every year!

For children who are 5 and under, we strongly encourage that they have at least one practice session before the party. They are definitely NOT too young to skate, but it’s the roller disco and novelty of the experience that we believe they should experience, so that they are not surprised at the party, and the “concerns” about their youth then don’t become a “self-fulfilling prophecy”!

Even great skaters with awesome balance can be tripped up by a third party, so please do not carry your children whilst you are on skates.

Like most roller rinks around the world we have found that changing up the activities – even just a little – every 10-20 minutes makes things more fun. Most of the time skaters will be “general” or “free” skating but we like to throw in some easy and hard games that are either fun to play or even to watch. So, don’t expect to just skate around in circles for hours – we always aim to entertain!

May we start by saying that you can hire safety equipment, if required. Use is discretionary however*. There are arguments for and against each piece of equipment both in terms of its effectiveness and the consequences of compliance and individual behaviour when used (that sounds like a disclaimer, doesn’t it?).

 

To make a long discussion short, we leave it up to you, as the parents, to decide what is acceptable*.

Special conditions apply to catered parties, where we can allow outside non-perishable food, without a surcharge (pre-packaged food with a long life unrefrigerated). Why not pizza or hot chips or other hot food? There are so many reasons we do not allow outside hot food during our public sessions, but the key one relates to our Food Management program and how we must be able to assure the quality of perishable foods and accept responsibility for a third party’s handling of that food (it isn’t personal – promise!).

Don’t bring too much extra food as the kids tend not to eat a great deal during parties, as they are busy with the activity. If you want to “dress up” the table or if you want to go out of your way as a host, by all means bring a little extra along.

If you do feel like bringing in some additional drinks, that’s fine but please no glass bottles, or large urns of drinks, or big eskies – all of these have introduced safety issues in the past. Cans of drink, juice packs, and plastic bottles should pose no problems, although as you may notice from the section below (BYO Cakes) we have limited refrigeration space, so we hope you don’t mind keeping the drinks on the table.

Although we can often cater for individual needs, we understand that for many reasons, you may want to cater your own skating party.  As mentioned immediately above, there are restrictions relating to what outside food may be brought into our centre, primarily because of our Food Management program, and some liability issues linked to that.  Things that are not highly perishable and where cooking or refrigeration details are not required, are usually fine. In other words, and further to what was said above, typical party fare, like snack foods (packets of chips, sweets, or fairy bread), fruits, and bottled water are all fine, but pizzas or things requiring reheating are not, however.  Most cakes are also fine. If in doubt, please call us.

Slightly different conditions apply to private sessions, although due to the complexities and legalities attached to those, it’s best to speak to us about we can do for you in relation to outside food in those circumstances.

We generally require the birthday cake (this normally applies to our “standard” parties) to be kept on the party table. As you have a table for the entire time that you are at the Centre (as opposed to a booth for a “limited time” as others do) and because of limited bench and refrigerator space, we often cannot look after the cake for you. Cakes are generally considered non-highly-perishable and things like icing or cream filling have relatively long lives at room temperature (if they have been prepared correctly and refrigerated prior to the start of the session), but to be certain, check with the person you purchased the cake from. Again, please note that we are unlikely to have room to refrigerate your cake for you.

 

You may BYO cake even with Deluxe Parties – just keep our ice cream cake for later or have two cakes!

Whether because of personal preference or due to sensitivities or other reasons, many of our party children have special requirements with their food. We can usually work with the relevant person to find suitable alternatives, especially if we have advance warning. We can get into a bit of trouble if we have to prepare any special foods that we do not have ourselves (yet another example of Food Management) but we are always happy to work with you to get the best outcome.

We usually start preparing the hot food before you arrive, although we serve it about an hour after your arrival. Although at one time we offered a different menu we found that Hot Dogs were almost universally acceptable and introduced them as the standard item for all of our parties. However, “almost” is not completely, so if you can give us some advance warning, we can change some or all of the hot dogs to pies, pasties, or sausage rolls (all full size). We may still be able to change the menu at late notice but there could be additional charges that apply.

May we start by suggesting that we have had one-year-olds skating and 2-year-old hockey players. So, anyone can skate and few are too young. Having said that, we prefer to have everyone on skates to avoid children running around causing safety issues for themselves or others. Naturally, due to personal preference, development, motivation, concentration, or other reasons, not all children want to skate or even do skate. If you think that any guests (even your own children) may not want to skate or may be a “handful” it may be prudent to avoid bringing them. The other proviso is that everyone is normally charged entry to the centre, even non-skaters, so although we certainly allow non-skaters entry, we do not recommend non-skating children attend – but we do understand that sometimes it’s unavoidable.

You have a table for the entire time that you are at the Centre (as opposed to being ushered in and out of a booth or a “party room” after just a brief sitting.

Our party tables can easily be arranged to suit small or large parties.  We often accommodate groups or parties of 30 or more in the Party, Play & Practice Area (formerly the Skate Park’s Lounge) which offers extra space and a quieter environment (usually) and provides easy access to our training rink, so that any new skaters can practice and quickly gain their skating legs.

With the addition of our second kiosk, we now hold all of our parties in the Party, Play & Practice Area, and both party goers and the general public have each got more room to enjoy the amenities, in the two separate dining areas.

Sometimes things that appear simple can get complicated. Decorations on the table itself may be possible but there are always safety considerations that may not be immediately obvious in terms of trip hazards, obstructions, issues with clothing getting caught, etc. We therefore ask that you try to keep any decorations to a minimum and take special care. Please ask if uncertain. Also please avoid “party poppers” or any items that may leave residue after use or that my become tangled in skates. Finally, please see our comments above (in the opening or starting time tab) as we are unable to grant early access to “set up the table.”

A couple of years ago we added our new practice rink, in the former lounge area, and last year we built a second kiosk (to focus on serving our birthday parties, in the expanded facility) and now all parties are run from there – although party guests can use whichever rink they wish, their tables are next to the practice rink, which is both very handy and more sensory friendly (especially for beginners).
Further amenities are added to this new area, on an on-going basis, and we think it will progressive become even more fun for parties.

Most may already know but sometimes people hold parties at the centre not having visited us before, so it is worth mentioning all of our public sessions run a “Disco” sessions.

 

White light is seldom seen as we try to keep the “Roller Disco” theme throughout the session. We usually use coloured lights, strobes, flashing LED lights, lasers, and play music videos. The format is intrinsic to our operation and expected by most of our customers so if it does not suit you we may not be a suitable venue for you after all (sorry about that).

 

Our videos or songs are all licensed so we cannot not play music you have downloaded. We have current APRA and PPCA licenses to play music and must abide by the relevant legislation.

 

We review and censor the music we play but censorship is a tricky issue and we do it in good faith, albeit we may not meet everyone’s expectations. It should be noted that we have different play-lists for day or evening sessions and that our evening play-lists are a little more liberal than the daytime alternatives (as is the case with TV).

Little ones at night? If you wanted to have a party for younger skaters (4 or 5 year-olds) but work or other commitments only allow you time to come to a night session (Friday evening 6:00-9:30pm or Saturday evening 8:30-9:30) it may be appropriate to consider finishing a little earlier than usual, or with Friday evenings, starting as close to 6:00pm as you can.

 

In other words, a shortened party is really all about how you think the kids will cope or to do with timing and availability – certainly an option for some!  As we mentioned elsewhere, the standard length party (2-hours) is usually preferred by kids who are over 6 years of age, and we strongly encourage this, the older they get – subject to any special needs, of course.  NB: shortened parties do not alter standard prices, so you may as well stay to the end – unless you have little choice.

 

To reiterate: What about a 1½-hour party? What if we leave early? What if we arrive late, can we stay back?  Many things are possible and each might have some advantages or not; choice is usually nice, and sometimes we can be more accommodating than others.  One thing to note however, is that as with general admissions to the centre, our pricing is session-based (i.e. a particular block of time within a specific session) and in a similar manner to the cinema, if you leave early or get there late, you may just get diminished value or reduced access. 

 

“I don’t want to go home” or “Can we tire the kids out, so that the sleep over actually involves sleep?”  With our Friday evening (6:00-9:30), Saturday, Sunday or public school holiday Monday to Friday “all-day” skates (10:00am-4:30pm or 12:00-4:30pm) sessions, party goers can take advantage of our extra special session extension offer that allows them to stay back until the end of the session, for just $3 dollars each – giving you up to 6½ hours of skating, and doesn’t incur any extra hire costs.

Please call our info line number 0411 33 55 44 to book your party; it usually operates during extended office hours and throughout the weekend.

To recap something we mentioned on the main page…

It should be noted that on any given weekend, we are often and primarily a birthday party venue. What about friends of friends; can we accommodate them? We have lots of extra room for general skaters at Rollerway. Although we do limit the number of parties we have at the Centre, we have heaps of room for non-party people. In the event that friends or siblings (or their parents) of your guests would like to come along for a skate, tell them, “Yes, you are very welcome!

Note, we use personalised wristbands for each party, which are totally different to the ones used by the general public, so that party parents only need to worry about their own guests – and let us worry about the rest!

Don’t hesitate to ask or ring back when you have thought of that “other” question. We are always happy to discuss things further.

 

Although the centre has considerable room for skaters (and lots of roller skates & rollerblades) we only allocate a limited number of tables for parties, and so we need to make sure we don’t turn people away, if some parties “just don’t attend.”

Like most venues, we require a deposit to secure your party – but we don’t require prepayment, like others do.  However, you really should purchase the Party Token (the deposit on the link below or on the main Party page) before you send out your invitations, as we cannot guarantee your party’s booking, until that is sorted.

Book your skating party today!
Call 0411 335544!

Check out our party options below

After booking your party, buy a PARTY TOKEN (Deposit) to secure your spot
(
CLICK HERE)
* ROLLERWAY’S OPENING TIMES
* DOWNLOAD PARTY INVITES – below!
A4 Size Invitation (CLICK)
A5 Size, 2 per page (CLICK)
* Party arrangements subject to change
* Return to Party Page*

KID'S BIRTHDAY PARTY OPTIONS

Self-Catered

2 hrs at any public session *Most Work*
$ 23 Per person - min. 10 - extra guests @ $23ea.
  • Priced from $230
  • BYO party food
    *most snack foods, sweets, cakes are O.K.
    *no outside hot food or items that need reheating or refrigeration allowed
  • Blades or Skates (if needed)
  • Corkage charge & table reservation, for a minimum of 10, included
  • Special Bonus
    for parties of 10 or more
  • Need a top-up?
    Snack bar is open all sessions
  • Food Management conditions apply - we can clarify what food safety rules apply
  • *We cannot book tables for less than 10 guests

Value Pack

2 hrs at any public session *Least Work*
$ 31 Per person - min. 10 - extra guests @ $31ea.
  • HOT DOG PARTY
  • Priced from $310
  • Our best value deal with
    Hot Dog
    Drinks
    Party Bag
    Gift for B/day Child
    PLUS
  • Blades or Skates (if needed)
  • GLOW bracelet for all children
  • A FREDDO FROG ice cream cake
  • An icy pole each
  • “Bottomless” drinks
  • Free bowls of crisps for table
  • SPECIAL DEAL
    for parties of 20 or more
  • Please call for parties with only 8 or 9

More Info?

Call 0411 33 55 44 now!

Value + Pizza

2 hrs at any public session *Least Work*
$ 33 Per person - min. 10 - extra guests @ $33ea.
  • PIZZA PARTY
  • Priced from $330
  • Great value deal with
    Pizza x 2 slices
    Drinks
    Party Bag
    Gift for B/day Child
    PLUS
  • Blades or Skates (if needed)
  • GLOW bracelet for all children
  • A FREDDO FROG ice cream cake
  • An icy pole each
  • “Bottomless” drinks
  • Free bowls of crisps for table
  • SPECIAL DEAL
    for parties of 20 or more
  • Please call for parties with only 8 or 9

Booking tips

Mornings’ are popular for very young skaters, although anyone is welcome to have a party then.

Due to commitments by party goers (e.g. sport) attendance is sometimes better in the afternoons by slightly older children (See the Party FAQ for more info)

For 13 to 16 year-olds, our evening sessions are pretty cool! If it’s getting a bit late for some, finish your party a little early, and give you guests the option of staying back until the end of the session (after the party).  Everyone might enjoy the a big sleep-in the next day, maybe.

With many mums & dads working weekends, we have had children celebrating their 6th birthday at night, so you judge what suits you best, and we’ll do our best to entertain your group!

Parties may also be booked during the extra sessions that run over the public school holidays.

Last-Minute Bookings (7 days or less) are sometimes possible, but please call rather than email/message for urgent confirmations and before invitations are sent.

Want to know more?
Call 0411 33 55 44 “Give us a call, and sort it out now”
Please avoid text/email/social messages

Booked in? Grab the party token below

Complete the booking & secure your spot – purchase your $145 Skating Party Token
Please remember to book first
– call 0411 335544 – then
↓Click Green Button to buy token↓

CLICK TO RETURN TO TOP

Due to high message/email volumes, please call 0411 33 55 44 – please avoid text or email
After booking your party, buy a PARTY TOKEN (Deposit) to secure your spot (CLICK GREEN BUTTON ABOVE)
Looking for OPTIONAL (Downloadable) PARTY INVITESCLICK HERE (small) or HERE (A4 Size)

* Party arrangements subject to changeSpecial Deals for Parties