Skateland — Local services in Olympia

I've gone skating here a lot, since I was a wayy little kid yknow? It's always been a great place to skate, good music, the works. At least it used to be that way, till I started revisiting more with my friend, now that I'm an adult. The skating, snacks, workers are all as nice as I remember. Except for the music and the guy in charge of said music. He always plays the same bassy, boring and uninteresting music I've ever has the misfortune to try and skate to. It ruins the entire vibe, not only for me but also my friend and the other people we've seen in our time there. I asked for Dancing Queen, yknow a well renowned and well beloved song, and dear god you'd think I'd asked for Mongolian throat singing the way this guy looked at me. First he waited till it starting playing, [it was miraculously further down in the queue each time I checked beforehand btw] then immediately started the fast skate [15 minutes before normally btw!], which has different music. Then I asked again afterwards like hey, did my song get skipped? and he went oh yeah it did because of the fast skate but I moved it down in the queue. I can see the computer with the queue, not there. I go whatever, ask again about 40 minutes later. Takes him a million years to slowly saunter over, slowly sit down and slowly acknowledge I'm even there. Ask for the song, 3rd time in the entire night, he slowly slowly Slowly types "Dan" and spends a good 20 seconds just trying to find the damn song. Slowly queues it, slowly moves it up, slow slow slow slow slow, as if it physically hurts him to listen to ABBA of all things. Plays the song, all is well, life is beautiful. And Then. less than halfway through? Slowly turns it down, goes hey this next song is the last one and skips it. Plays one more song. Skating is over. Great! And I know I sound dramatic but this is about the 3rd time we've gone and the 3rd time he either skips or removes our music. Not just ours too, my friend heard people go man what our songs aren't here? And said songs just never played. It is genuinely such a shame my and other people's experiences get sullied because one guy [who is listening to music on earbuds btw] decides his and his friends music is more important than anything else. Part of going skating publically is being able to experience good cheesy music in a room with people laughing and singing along, but I have to be prepared with my own headphones to hear anything even okay. Boo tomato...

This place really banks on the fact that they’re the only skating rink in town. They have signs that state there aren’t any private parties allowed during public skate sessions, but there was a huge birthday party happening today during public skate so, I guess that’s not accurate. The floor was packed with tiny children that couldn’t skate so they were constantly laying or sitting on the floor creating a hazard to all the other people there. As other people have said, there are no rules enforced here, which results in complete chaos. Every other rink I’ve been to has an employee that stays in the middle of the rink to make sure things are moving along well. But here, children are laying on the floor, kids are skating the wrong direction, people who aren’t even on skates are on the floor “helping” their kids learn, parents pushing STROLLERS with babies in them on the floor, and then on the other end of the spectrum there are people who skate at top speed. The floor is rather small, so it doesn’t take much for everything to become too congested to really glide comfortably, especially with the lack of organization happening. This rink definitely caters to small children and is a waste of money and time to anyone over the age of 10. The music is also terrible and all over the place, seems like it’s just a teenager that plays their personal favs? I know this review seems like the ramblings of a bitter, old person, but it is frustrating because it doesn’t need to be this bad. These are all easily fixable issues that apparently aren’t worth the effort from the owner...

I wish I could give this place NO STARS! We were here for a birthday party and the GIRL working at the snack bar came over to inform everyone that they were closing in 5 mins so as the party was finishing up with opening presents I walked over to the girl sweeping the floor (which was the same one that ran the snack bar) and I said politely "I'm so sorry to interrupt, my son who is barely TWO needed a drink and I nicely asked her if I could get one of the free drinks that came with the party she completely stops what she is doing looks at the clock (as it says 5:01) and with an attitude says WE'RE CLOSED", OK I get that you are closed, but the people hosting the party are PAYING customers and without PAYING customers you would not have a business, so I ask once again you can't get me a drink which takes maybe 30 seconds, so she storms over to get me a drink and as she throws the cup on the counter and storms the other way. The drink is so warm almost to the point of it being hot since putting ice in it would take entirely too long. As we are cleaning up the party I look over and see her and another girl gossiping and talking with an angry demeanor about the entire party and rolling there eyes. Number one I am a grown woman and I do not appreciate being talked with disrespect by a child and number two paying customers should not be disrespected EVER. Here's a tip if you don't want to be nice to customers don't work in customer service. Staying 10 whole minutes later then you were supposed to won't kill you. I will never go back...