Ice Rink at the Long Center — Local services in Austin

This was a pretty fun experience. Definitely over priced at $26 per person, but it's less if you go earlier in the day. No one was enforcing the 1 hour reservation times. My boyfriend and I had a reservation for 6-7, but we got there at 5:20 to get in line to get our skates in case the line was long. It wasn't and we had our skates and were ready to begin at 5:30 and no one stopped us from getting on the ice early. No one was monitoring the ice at all in fact, so we could've stayed past 7 if we wanted, but we both got tired. There were definitely people who were already skating when we got there and were still skating when we left an hour later. The views and decorations were nice to look at, and there were food stands and trucks available, and a bathroom trailer, which was nicer than portapotties. Nowhere secure to put your shoes and belongings, so you just have to leave them by the chairs. The ice was a bit melted and puddly, which is understandable for an outdoor rink in Texas, but in combination with the skates being completely dulled, it made it extra slippery (not in a good way). The ice was a bit bumpy in places, not as gouged and rough as other reviews were describing, but bumpy enough to make you lose your balance if you're not careful. They had skate helpers for kids, but no one was enforcing proper use of them, so teens who didn't need them were slinging them around and almost took me out a couple times. No one was enforcing skating direction either, so there were kids and a couple adults going the wrong way. It wasn't too crowded though, there were maybe 25 people on the ice. To summarize, it was ok to do it once, but I...

If you like skating on the worst possible ice you can think of - something between a frozen corn field and a gravel parking lot after a sleet storm - then this rink is for you. I’m an experienced skater and even I caught myself on a few of the massive divets that divide the rink into roughly a dozen unequal parts. I don’t think the word “zamboni” has been so much as uttered at this rink. I know this is an outdoor rink in Texas and I’m trying to cut some slack to the weird temperature changes and difficulty with refrigeration and maintenance but this was plain unsafe, especially for kids. I’ve been to plenty of outdoor rinks in the south and this was by far the worst. Not only was the ice horrifyingly bad, the entry point at the boards features and three inch wide slab of metal on the floor that’s partially frozen, acting as a great place to trap your skate blades, particularly if you’re a beginner or small child. Once you realize you paid $26 for the opportunity to spend the next hour attempting to avoid the massive divets that will send small children and adults alike into the snow-plowed boards, can you finally enjoy the beautiful view of downtown Austin and Lady Bird Lake - but a word to the wise, you can enjoy this view for free at the park, and Chaparral Ice offers freshly Zamboni’d...

I went here last night 12/26 at about 6p.m. Worst experience of my life!! The rink hadn't been resurfaced in what looked like days. There were mounds of ice everywhere so much so that I tripped on a mound when I was trying to reach out to my daughter, slipped backwards and fell on the back of my head. The EMS came out, a rink staffer there flagged the EMS down but staff did not help me off the ice a group of good Samaritans had to lift me off the ice. I couldn't move, was dizzy and dry heaving. Staffers didn't even come Check to see if I was OK after I was moved to a bench. When EMS arrived I had to go to the ER which is how severe my fall was. I suffered a concussion, strain on my neck and clavicle, and now I'm stuck in a hotel in Austin recuperating until I can get back to San Antonio to see my doctor. DONT GO HERE, it's very unsafe, there is no medical station at the rink either! Read the other reviews about the issue of snow should be shoveled off the rink and yes, I'll be contacting...