Pier 2 Roller Rink — Attraction in New York

Expensive AND crappy. I came here for a fundraising roller skating party for my 8-y/o son's school under the impression that our admission covered everything he needed to skate for this special event (the only reason I could ever afford to go here because it's usually way more expensive, and I guess I'm naive but I have never gone to one of these and thought that "includes skate rentals only" meant "doesnt include food", because it did include wrist guards).

Well, it turns out that you have to pay $6 extra to get one of these little walker things, which is completely uncool because there's NOTHING to hold on to inside. The ledge that's there provides nothing they can grip to keep them from falling. This is totally unsafe and they're charging people for what is therefore a pretty necessary piece of safety equipment for children.

Not only that but when I asked for one of the walker things from the employee who was standing there distributing the wrist guards and who had all the walkers lined up behind her, she told me I actually had to take my child, stand on another long line and get a second wristband then come back. And this wasn't even near the beginning of skating time, it was right in the middle! I waited on the LINE anyway and when I was in the process of trying to pay, because I complained about it, a very rude employee named Lashona, I think, cut me off from speaking, told me we wouldn't be allowed to skate, reducing my son to tears, and literally slammed the window in my face! At this point I have already been waiting in lines for around half an hour in an extremely crowded place with a kid who can't stand up on skates, and I'm totally exasperated.

In addition I noted that they apparently sell junky, sugary snacks and sodas, and there's a sign that says NO OUTSIDE FOOD despite this ostensibly being a public park and the fact that I paid for my child to skate. If someone had confronted me about sitting there drinking a nutrition shake or eating a banana while he did so, I'd have had words, but fortunately I guess I was too busy physically holding my kid up while preteen kids randomly grabbed onto me or my backpack for support.

Then, they made everyone completely stop skating for five minutes while they made a really loud, angry-sounding announcement that NO BACKWARD SKATING, SPEED SKATING OR CELL PHONE USE ARE ALLOWED ON THE SKATING FLOOR. ...most of the kids were tiny and spent the whole time falling down, there was DEFINITELY no one "speed skating", that's laughable, and I'd just whipped out my cell phone to snap the attached photo... during which time no one passed us.

What else? Wet, stinky skates that are visibly filthy inside, and one was lacking an insole. I echo what others have said about the wrist guards as well, like the skates they're not clean and feel...sticky.

All in all just a bad vibe there. They gave me my money back, but that wasn't the point, the money was supposed to benefit the school or at least some of it was. I would definitely not go...

Overall I really liked this rink but there are some things I wish I had known beforehand. Parking is very difficult in the heights and also very limited at the park. There’s basically 20 maybe 30 parking spaces to accommodate the entire park. It was entirely full when I got there. There is not a lot of signage at the park that shows where to go. The rink is located on the middle north side of the rec area. The pier houses many different recreational fields - lots of basketball courts and the like — the roller rink is just one of them. The intake time was a bit long because everyone has to sign a waiver. They have a QR code for you to scan there. I was not able to find the waiver online to fill out before hand, I had to use the QR code they had at the rink. Kind of annoying but it all worked out in the end.

There are lockers on the other side of the rink that accept quarters only. There is no quarter machine so make sure you bring some. Otherwise you will have to ask the first window teller when you are “paying” to give you quarters. Or if you’re like me you will have to circle back after you paid because you didn’t read the signs and nobody told you. Before you pick up your rental skates you will need to get wrist guards first — they will not allow you to get the skates if you do not have the wrist guards on. We waited in line for awhile until right at the rental window the employee told us. I’m sure there was a little print out somewhere explaining this, but again I was not looking at the plethora of flyers they had taped to the teller windows. They’re small and easy to ignore when you are overwhelmed by the groups of people and children. The kids are excited and likewise very loud - which is great! but pretty distracting.

My favorite thing here is that they have wheelie walkers to help you if you are balance challenged like me lmao. They cost $6 and honestly very worth it. Without it I basically can’t move. Definitely a game changer for me.

The rink is really spacious and pretty clean. I went during free hours and even though it was very busy I still felt like I had space to fall over. The inside as well as the outside area of the rink are covered in blue plastic tiles. Which makes the whole area skate-able as opposed to only having the inside of the rink tiled. The outside area was really helpful to me and my friend in getting familiar with our skates and having space to mess up.

Before you go you really should watch a video on how to roller skate. It seems like it would be common sense… just walk in the skates (that’s not how it works). But nearly half the people there definitely weren’t familiar and it seemed frustrating for the kids and the parents. The employees there will not instruct you — they are not teachers. The music was GREAT here. Mostly hip hop and r&b which I was so grateful for. I definitely will be going back. It was so much fun and very affordable. They have free hours as well as paid hours. Just check the schedule...

The whole experience was a waste and I feel robbed of a potentially great experience. First I did a reservation through their online system I wasn’t able to pay but a manager Alan reached out a few days later to collect a deposit. We touched basis and explained the whole process and took my 50 dollar no refundable deposit said I should be expecting two(2) emails one for a receipt for the deposit and one with confirmation of the date and things for the party. I never received the two emails. I called 2weeks before the party asking about my emails that I never received the young lady I spoke to said she would resend them, I still didn’t receive anything. The week before the event I called a second time not mentioning I would call often trying to reach someone no one never returned a phone call after I left a message or I didn’t get a answer at all. I spoke to Alan this time again he apologized about the issues and said he would try to resend the email. Fast forward to Wednesday (3days before the event) I called again and Alan assured because of the weather there was no one in the office he offered to capture payment which I told him he would have to call back to do. I was told someone would call back later on and complete the final count and collect payment. No one ever did. Thursday& Friday was a huge rain storm. There was no communication at all. Saturday morning I called and called until I got thru Alan said he would call me back in 30 mins to let me know if they would be open that day or to reschedule. A hour and a half later he finally called back when I was about to make other arrangements for my daughter birthday and said they would be opened. I made the final payment and would be set to arrive at 3:30. I get there and I was placed at my party area. My party Host was just about the only pleasant part of this experience that I got. They communicated hand and foot with me throughout the event. I didn’t like that I wasn’t told that I could order other food for my party other then pizza until the day. I wasn’t given a option for pizza toppings. My pizza was in fact placed on top of each other in the same box, all 12 slices. I ordered a second pie and then was told I wasn’t allowed to order more food. I was so annoyed with the dysfunction. My daughter was ready to go once we arrived she did not want to be there at all. Horrible experience. I feel like you guys should communicate more with your customers and not make excuses of other events or weather. Someone should have access to the list of parties at home to be able to call and communicate with customers just in case of bad weather or closers or whatever. To take someone’s money and not give them what they paid for is really absurd and unprofessional on yall part. All in all my first and last time visiting and I will past on the message to anyone else who inquires about doing business...