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Goin' Bananas Playnasium
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
9 reviews for Goin' Bananas Playnasium
Our 8 yr old LOVES moonwalks. What's not to love? We threw his 8th birthday party there knowing it was the perfect spot for a summer birthday in Texas.
I love that they are VERY clean, they have a very friendly staff, prices aren't ridiculous for single visits, wifi, lots of chairs and bean bags for the parents to lounge on and a large facility. They also added a couple more bounce houses to their line up.
I don't love the birthday party prices. It's WAY overpriced for 2 hours of party. For the price I paid for 20 kids, we could have gotten 2 adjoining rooms at the Hyatt and the kids could have jumped on the beds as long as they wanted to in a COLD A/C. I don't love that you sweat sitting down. They need to get fans. Lots of them. Either that or turn down the temperature on the A/C. My guests and I were uncomfortable.
I don't enjoy that with the money I spent the only interaction I got from the staff (who is friendly once approached) was the final bill. At least thank me for picking your spot to celebrate my kids special day. I don't expect them to roll out the red carpet but an acknowledgement would be nice. Perhaps they thank you when you spend the extra $30 for a "party planner". Sorry, I don't think paying some teenage kid $15.00 an hour to direct us when to eat cake is appropriate. I also worry about the gate they use at the entrance. It's not monitored very well. I've seen many instances where kids who were unattended were at the front door or outside of the front door. Whether they like it or not, they as a business take some responsibility for these kids. They should implement some wristband method of making sure the kids are leaving with the right adult. Ultimately it's on the parents to keep tabs on their kids but as a parent, seeing other peoples kids walk outside the door without an adult and seeing the staff at the front desk not even flinch, concerns me.
Overall, the kids had a blast!
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When my daughter first started going here it was a lot of fun and she begged to go back every chance she had. We had her 2nd birthday here and even though it was a little pricey, we loved it.
Since then we've begun to shy away and knock it off our list of places to go all together. The ladies that run it seem nice and I'm fine with the rules, but the older kids really ruin it for the little ones. You get two or three 7 year old boys in the place and all the small children may as well sit in the corner for a while. I wish they'd restrict the ages allowed or monitor the play areas better to keep everyone safe and having fun.
If I was turning three, I wouldn't be mad about having a birthday party at Goin' Bananas. Picture a medium-sized warehouse, carpeted and filled with bounce houses. Except they're not the average bounce houses you can rent and stick in your yard for that weekend barbecue and irritate the hell out of your neighbors...
No sir, these are super-deluxe bounce houses. In fact, I was able to channel my inner Nemo and venture through a shark's jaws and then kick it in a coral reef before sliding down the E.A.C. Or something like that (for those of you who haven't seen Finding Nemo 127 times, E.A.C = East Australian Current...just bear with me here).
So, the bottom line is thus: kids dig it. Birthday parties go for $150 and up, which gets you a sort of low-walled, oversized cubicle with tables, benches, and plates and utensils for the cake eating (as well as entry for the guests). You get your party area for a couple hours (unless you pay for more, I guess), but the guests are free to stay and play as long as they like. Which ain't a bad thing...especially in August when it's 100+ degrees outside and you run the risk of melting if you try to take your kids to a park. Otherwise, entry is open to the public for $7 a kid, for air-conditioned bouncy fun.
The staff is friendly and helpful, and when we arrived 20 minutes early to set up and they were hesitant to let us in (we were one of the first parties of the day, and they said to arrive 15 minutes early), they quickly acquiesced once I growled at them. Seriously. I growled. So props to them for not incurring the wrath of Papa bear. One requirement to be aware of is socks. If you don't have 'em, they'll sell you a pair for $2 I think, so all is not lost if you arrive sockless.
Oh, and the name is a bit misleading...it's B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bananas...RIMSHOT!!). http://www.instantrims.../
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I love Goin Bananas! The fact that you can take your own food in for lunch is GREAT! One thing Courtney forgot to mention is they do have wireless so you can get online while your kiddos play! My daughter is so entertained the whole time she is here, and I LOVE that I can get on the inflatables with her to help (or maybe have a little fun myself hehe!) I just wish it was a little closer to downtown but it's still worth the drive!
Well, at long last someone opened an inflatable bounce house jumpy playnasium (whatever you want to call it) in South Austin. Compared to Inflatable Wonderland and Texas Jumping Beans, it is bit of a disappointment. Parking is a huge issue-- if it's busy it's not easy to find a spot to park. The sections for kids under 2 are usually overrun with kids OVER 2. It's small and chopped up funny so it's hard to keep an eye on kids. They close off the party area even if there isn't a party-- nobody else does this. That makes it hard to find a spot for a snack or lunch. It doesn't have a great selection compared to Inflatable Wonderland or Texas Jumping Beans, yet costs the same or more. And finally, I could do without the Bible verses-- not religion bashing at all, I feel that there's a time and place for everything and this is neither the time nor the place.
Rumor has it Texas Jumping Beans is coming to South Austin-- we'll be going there.
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We have been here only for birthday parties either as the hosts or attendees of someone else's party. We have had a nice experience there each time. My son's party was in October, and we were treated very nicely. They let us setup our party area a bit early, and it was all ready and very nicely prepared for us. During the course of the party, workers would come around quite often to ensure we were good. I found the staff to be professional.
One thing I really like is that I have seen the workers cleaning the inflatables quite often, which is an absolute must when there are that many children around.
I think the socks rule is a very good one because it helps keep things a bit more sanitary. I do believe most all places require that nowadays, not just them. By no means am I a germ freak, but certain common sense things are always good.
I was also impressed by the fact that without hesitation they donated passes to my son's school's silent auction. I know for a fact they gave two years in a row to this cause.
If they have limited parental access on the inflatables, that is too bad because I also like to romp around with my kids.
I would say the biggest downfall I have seen is their parking situation.
This is, by far, the BEST indoor inflatable playground I have ever taken my kids to. My kids (ages 9,4, and 8 months) usually tire of the inflatables in average time of 1 hour. They could've stayed at Goin Bananas all day. The only reason we left was because the baby needed a nap. Seriously, if you have kids and you live anywhere near Austin, you need to take them here.
The reason we drove from Pflugerville to South Austin for this playnasium, was because it is owned by a friend of mine who used to take care of my daughter while I worked. She and her staff have thought of every touch to make this experience fun for the whole family. It is hard to find a place that all three of my kids enjoy, but this one entertained them all! There is a tiny tots section for the baby that had baby toys, slides, soft blocks, balls, etc. Then, of course, you have all of the inflatables that my older two love, and they were actually able to play together!
But the best part about Goin Bananas is all of the extra special touches that other playnasiums haven't thought of. There are Purell dispensers all around for those Germophobes (like me!) Large sinks encourage hand washing before snacking and lunch. Ample, comfortable seating for the adults. Even baskets of magazines for tired moms. Wall paintings of monkeys, sunshine, flowers, etc. Lots of places for little ones to sit and eat lunch (and even a high chair!). Clean, clean, clean floors, tables, and restrooms. The staff is very diligent on keeping everything clean and there are reminders to clean up after yourself.
I was able to take the family to Goin Bananas for $10. That is a great price for a whole day of fun! (Mondays are play all day for $5/child)
Looks like they have Parents Night Out on Fridays also.
Goin Bananas, I wish you were closer!
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This indoor jump house is el bombo. My 3 year old had the time of her life and she was so worn out afterwards that I didn't have to ask her to take a nap. LOVED IT!! It is perfectly suited for small kiddos. They have a section just for kids under 2. It is 7 dollars, but funtastic! It is hidden behind the restaurant (Cafe 1626), but just drive around it. . .
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Clean, brightly lit, and fun for kids. The downside is the management. The people greeting you as you come in are often brusque and indifferent, and can be almost rude. How hard is a friendly smile?
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