HUGE thank you to Andretti Indoor Karting and Games of Marietta for hosting us in exchange for my honest review.
In the words of Grayson, not only was his party at Andretti the best birthday ever, it was also the “best day of his life”. Dramatic? I’m not so sure! Considering the amount of fun Tyler and I had, it seems like an accurate statement.
Planning a party for a seven year old boy is tricky. There were certain things that were important. First and foremost, he needed somewhere that he could be a loud little boy with his friends, while not running out of things to keep his attention. Second, we wanted to do something that sounded like fun to his friends, so that they would be just as excited about participating with him. Lastly, but NOT least-ly, I wanted someone besides me to run the show. I hate to be stressed on my kids’ party days because I am so busy coordinating the day and controlling all the moving parts. I would rather enjoy the celebration with them and be as relaxed as possible.
Keeping all of that in mind, there only seemed like one perfect answer: Andretti Indoor Karting and Games. When I browsed their party options, I immediately knew that this would be the best plan. Let’s just say that the experience itself FAR exceeded my expectations.
When we got there, we were greeted at the front by a team member. There was a sign on the table welcoming Grayson’s guests to his party, and someone to show everyone the way to the party room. We were led to the party room, which was set up with balloons (and a large flat screen with football on for the adults!). All of the birthday packages came with individual meals for the kids, of which we chose chicken fingers and fries. I let Grayson invite four boys. I thought it would be a good number to have a close knit group where everyone got to spend quality time together and not too many little six year olds running crazy! We also had a pizza for the parents.
Our party coordinator took the reigns immediately and I was able to relax and have fun with the kids. After dinner, we had a bit of a gap between eating and time for the next activity, so our coordinator started an impromptu game of musical chairs. It was fun, an ice breaker, and killed some time before moving on.
The first activity in our package was laser tag. Grayson was SO excited to do this, because he hasn’t ever played before. They asked if any parents wanted to play and I said “Uh, yes.” (duh). It was a BLAST! I realized how out of shape I was very quickly, however! I haven’t played laser tag since I was 13 or 14. It was so much fun for all of us.
The next time block was for the kids to use their $15 game cards (+$4.50 bonus). They had about 30 minutes to run around and play arcade games. I love that Andretti has cards for the kids to swipe at the games to “pay” AND automatically load “tickets”. It eliminates the hassle of tokens and paper tickets, etc. It makes it so easy!
After that, it was time for The XD Dark Ride Motion Theater Experience. I have to say, this was my favorite part (yes, they let us ride). It’s one of those big screen 3D rides where your seat moves around in coordination with the on-screen action. You aren’t actually on a “ride” but it totally feels that way. The theme of our ride was to battle this Godzilla-like creature and lots of other mini-Godzilla creatures. We flew around the sky, fell off buildings, and raced around corners in a city. It was SO fun.
Finally, it was time to ride the go-karts on the track! The boys got briefed on driving and safety and equipped with their helmets. The parents settled in the viewing area and watched the boys race around the track in their 6-minute heat. Once they were done, they took their game cards to the prize counter to redeem their winnings.
Everyone said their goodbyes and left full of excitement and joy (including the parents)! Tyler and I left knowing exactly where we are going for our next date night. Aside from all the activities I mentioned, they also have a restaurant/bar, bowling alley, and “Sky Trail” obstacle course. We can’t wait to go without kids and try it all for ourselves!
There couldn’t have been a better option for a kid’s party in metro Atlanta. In the words of the birthday boy himself, “It was the best day of my LIFE!”
3 Comments
Brittany Ashmore
October 16, 2016 at 9:46 pmLooks like G had a great time! Wish we had a place like that!!!
bestgamingitems
December 26, 2019 at 10:28 amAmong the products listed on the site, which one is the best?
weilds
February 21, 2021 at 12:32 pmGood blog , thanks for sharing.