As a kid, there was never a doubt which ride Chris Troiola would run to first. He couldn’t get enough of the twisting and the turning and the chance to make it go faster than last time. So to offer the same ride at his amusement park brings back its share of memories.
“I absolutely loved the Tilt-A-Whirl,” chuckles Troiola, general manager of Safari Land indoor amusement park in Villa Park. “Anytime there was a carnival in town, that’s the ride I had to go on.”
And while those carnivals can be a fun summertime tradition, there are a number of local establishments that offer rides all year round for those adrenaline lovers in your life celebrating a birthday.
Party packages for all ages are available at these amusement destinations, along with the promise that your guests will have a great time on some very unique attractions.
Safari Land, for example, is the home of the largest indoor roller coaster in Illinois. “We are working on adding features to the ride that will include a light show and music,” says Troiola, whose 65,000-square-foot facility includes bowling, nine attractions
and more than 150 video games. “We are constantly looking for ways to add more attractions and update what we have. It’s what our customers want, and it’s what we plan to give them for a long, long time.”
Even the team at Party Fantasy has modified the go-kart tracks to keep in tune with what their customers are looking for in terms of birthday party activities.
“We changed the track up a bit so there aren’t so many tight turns and it’s a bit shorter, but in turn, made the karts go a little faster,” Golan Mor, general manager at Party Fantasy, which also offers inflatables, climbing walls, arcades and a variety
of party rooms. “We also can customize the go-karts by governing the speed a bit for the younger kids.”
Go-karts are the most popular attraction at K1Speed in Addison. “Our karts are truly race inspired which offer quick acceleration and tight handling around the turns,” says Jason Mitchell, general manager. K1Speed offers a number of birthday packages
for groups of eight or more such as the Mini Grand Prix, which consists of a 12-lap qualifying race and a 12-lap championship race. The slightly more expanded Grand Prix format has a 12-lap practice race, a 12-lap qualifying race, and a 12-lap championship race.
“If it’s a group smaller than eight, you can just walk in and do one of our Arrive and Drive race packages,” says Mitchell,
who admits that his favorite ride as a kid was indeed the go-karts. “Our go-karts are great for any age, as long as they are at least 48 inches tall and the atmosphere found during a kid’s birthday party is fun and exhilarating. As soon as they step through the doors, they realize K1 is an extremely unique entertainment venue.”
If wheels are on your feet are a bit more to your birthday child’s liking, a birthday party at the iconic Fleetwood
Roller Rink in Summit may just be the perfect answer.
“Roller skating and eating pizza, how much better can you get?” chuckles Kathy VanderBeek, manager of Fleetwood Roller Rink, which offers birthday parties for all ages. “Even adults have their party here. That’s what makes us unique. The older crowd likes to come here to remember their youth, especially those who grew up in the 70s. You get to roller skate for three
hours with your friends or by yourself and listen to good music of the times. It’s fun and great exercise.”
As the party planner, make sure to do your research to see what kind of waiting times there will be for these much loved
rides. Plus, keep in mind that all this action usually means that the kids will get tired out quickly. “We can be flexible
with how long the party lasts and can pick a party room specifically sized based on your party needs,” says Mor,
who has served as the party destination for events up to 200 people.
“We can customize any birthday party package on the needs of our guests,” adds Troiola. “But I can tell you that nearly everyone loves to include our Max Flight virtual roller coaster. It’s a two-person ride that twists and turns upside down so you really get that feel of your favorite roller coaster, all in the warmth of our indoor facility. It truly is a blast to ride.”
Part of Celebrations, a special advertising birthday party guide.
