Winterland — Local services in New York

Festive Faux Pas: A Winter Wonderland Debacle

As the holiday season approaches, the allure of winter wonderlands beckons, promising a festive escape from the mundane. However, my recent visit on top a pier left me feeling more like an arctic explorer stuck in a plastic purgatory.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a rather underwhelming sight: a small, circular expanse of plastic masquerading as an ice rink. The once pristine white surface was now riddled with scratches and scuffs, bearing the marks of countless skates that had valiantly attempted to glide across its resistant surface.

The synthetic ice, I discovered, was not only aesthetically unappealing but also functionally deficient. Instead of the effortless glide one expects from traditional ice, this plastic impostor offered a jerky, halting experience, akin to skating on a bed of pebbles. You get this pleasure all for the cheap price of $20.

The rink's surroundings, while adorned with twinkling lights and faux snow, failed to mask the underlying sense of artificiality. The festive cheer was further dampened by the incessant drone of a generic holiday playlist, which seemed to be on a perpetual loop of 'Jingle Bells' and 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

After my somewhat perilous skating adventure, I decided to seek refuge in the restrooms, hoping to find some respite from the plastic purgatory.

Upon entering the restroom, I was immediately greeted by an assault on the senses. The lights flickered erratically, casting an unsettling strobe effect that made me feel like I had stepped into a haunted house. The air was thick with a pungent odor that seemed to blend the smells of stale urine, disinfectant, and something far more unpleasant.

Determined to brave the restroom, I searched for an unoccupied stall. However, each stall I approached revealed a scene of utter chaos. One toilet was continually flushing, another stall was occupied by the source of the odor, a sight that will forever be etched in my memory.

So, unless you have a penchant for synthetic ice, a tolerance for generic holiday tunes, and adventure in a bathroom experience, and a love of trying to have fun because you spent your money already anyway, I would advise only coming here if...

This place is a scam. Online in pictures I saw that admission and Skate rental is $25 per person. When me and my boyfriend got there, you could only purchase online. There is no stand for purchases in person. When purchased two tickets it came out to $62. I Figured that was for admission and skate rentals. When we got inside lady told us skate rental was $20 per person. Then the lady tells us it's $60. Their taxing $10 each for each per skate, which basically comes out to $30 per person just fir skates. My boyfriend wasn't having it so he told her that doesn't make sense. He had a $50 dollar bill in his hand. She said it's okay just give me $50. We put on our skates and went out to skate. Realized the ice wasn't even real ice. It's like white cardboard. We were already pissed. We went back inside and asked for a refund and to speak to a Manger. The lady says it's okay I'll just give you your money back. Takes the $50 from under the counter. Like it was just sitting there and she was going to pocket it. Also the slide was closed due to someone breaking their ankle. Only thing I'll say the free hot chocolate was good and it's a nice place to get some pictures in because of the view. Definitely not worth $120 just to take some pictures. I wouldn't...

I don’t even know where to begin !! This was hands down the best & fun I’ve skating experience for me 💕. The workers behind the counter were friendly and very helpful !! It was definitely not overcrowded, mind you it is a Friday night , so you can actually enjoy the views the ambience & have enough space to ice skate around . I saw that people in the comments were saying that the ice was fake but honestly it didn’t feel fake or filmy?? They literally “ resurfaced” the ice when I was there . The holiday music was great & so was the ambience . It wasn’t overcrowded, unsanitary or unprofessional. Everything was literally great !! And for those who need clarity on the prices . Just for my partner and I , skates given, it amounted to $80. Meaning $40 per person . There is no limit to how long you can skate for, there are wooden benches where can take breaks at and even indoor little inns too. And the ice skating rink closes at 11pm ..yes 11pm!!! It almost felt like a hidden gem. And talk about the views ?? I didn’t try the food section so I really wouldn’t know . But everything else is great & memorable I will definitely come...