Roller City — Local services in Wichita

Decent prices but for a few dollars more you can go to a nicer rink that is more accommodating with friendlier staff. First impressions are generally incredibly telling and this ended up being the case here as the first woman we encountered was an older woman and she was not friendly whatsoever, but we didn’t want to let that set the tone for our experience, so we still paid and went in. I brought my 6 year old in with me (along with a large group - totaling 10 people with 8 of them being kids; 6 beginners) and there was 0 support for beginner skaters. Most rinks offer aides for skaters and when I asked if they had any available, they stated that they do not offer them because “insurance was going to double their premiums.” Interesting, because every other rink in the area offers them. I did try to call and ask about it prior to coming but no one answered the phone so we made the mistake of assuming that they would have them, just like EVERY other rink in the Wichita area. Then, I asked if they had a ratchet so that I could tighten my daughters wheels on her skates so that they didn’t roll as easy as she is 6 and this was her first time ever skating and they said that they would not tighten the wheels “because they are at manufacturer standards” which is CRAZY because I used to help run a rink and we ALWAYS tightened them down, especially in the smaller skates for younger kids! Also, how exactly do you measure “manufacturer standards” on skate wheels? My daughter is resilient and determined so she continued to try and was beginning to get the hang of it by the time we were leaving but today she is covered in bruises due to numerous falls - many of which could have been prevented had we been able to tighten her wheels so that they didn’t roll too easily - she is also VERY independent and did NOT want help. My friends 7 year old cut her finger while we were there as well and low and behold they had NO bandaids let alone a first aid kit! So to keep her from bleeding everywhere, my friend got a paper towel wet and wrapped it around her finger and had to hold it on there until it stopped bleeding. This was absolutely INSANE to us. I would imagine that if they really cared about their insurance premiums that they would do everything in their power to keep those that are utilizing their rink and equipment safe, but that seems to be less of a priority to them. There was a man that was a beginner skater there as well and as he would fall and work on getting back up the DJ would be on the speakers demanding that he got up. As we were walking past the skate counter to leave, the younger girl at the skate counter was standing there with a ratchet loosening wheels!!! Naturally, I questioned why she was loosening wheels if the older woman absolutely refused to tighten them down on my 6 year olds skates. She didn’t really have an answer because honestly, what do you say to that? If I had to guess, I’d imagine that the owner is lazy and they just don’t want to deal with it - but like I said, if they really cared about their insurance premiums they’d do everything in their power to keep those within their rink safe. With all of that being said, the customer service as a whole was incredibly poor, the only friendly employees I encountered in our 3 hours there was the young guy on the floor and the young girl working the concessions stand. Overall, I would not recommend this rink to anyone, especially those with beginner skaters. If you’re experienced, it would be fine, but still, the customer service majorly lacks and you can spend your money at a higher quality rink and have a MUCH better experience. This was a prime example of getting what you pay for and we will...

I too am not a big reviewer but I am a person of my word and I promised the manager that I would leave a review and so I am. When I took my 4 year old granddaughter there for her very first skating experience at her school skating party I expected it to be a good time. They did not have the trainers when I was a child or even when my children learned to skate. She was thrilled since they never offered her kiddie skates, and it helped her not fall as much and her little friend had one as well. I was going along with her when the teenager that worked there came along and told me that I could not help her with the trainer. I told him that was ridiculous as she was only 4 and it was the first time she had ever skated in her life half expecting he was kidding. He repeated himself and told me that the DJ had told him to tell me that and that I would need to talk to him if I didn't like it. I went and talked to that teenager and he said "It's the policy and it's posted" while pointing at a sign on his little booth in the corner that I had not seen and most likely would not have read or noticed to begin with. I asked to speak to the manager and he pointed to the direction of the front entrance and I proceeded up there. I asked the gentleman that came up to me if he was the manager and he informed me that he and his wife were the owners (the wife being the lady sitting there on a stool staring at me like a bump on a log the whole time I waited for him to help me). I asked him about this policy of not being able to help the children and he informed me that I could not skate carrying a toddler in my arms while skating. I explained to him that was not what I was trying to do and he was still adamant that this was his policy and he was not going to do it. I tried to explain to him that this was her first time ever skating and that she did not know how and that this policy made no sense whatsoever in this case as my daughter was trying to point out to the teenagers on the floor that all my granddaughter was able to do at this point was fall. Sadly not a single one of them had any decency or common sense and stuck to their idiotic proposal, my wife was lucky enough to come up with a pair of kiddie skates (which apparently the rink did not ever take time to offer and solve the moronic problem that they created) and she was able finally to continue skating somewhat for the remainder of the time. I however was so fed up and offended that I turned my skates in (and once again the owner's wife was to busy taking a selfie with one of the teenage male employees to get off of her stool and help me). My other observations about the place aside from the rude, incompetent and hostile employees and management were that this is not the same place you may remember as a child, it is dirty, one out of three urinals worked in the bathroom if you dared to touch them so there was a unpleasant odor in there. I hope that the owner enjoys his money he made off of me that night because he will not make another penny off of me, I would not take a child in that place again and I will urge anyone who will listen to go to Carousel Skate Center or some other place instead of this mismanaged place. As I sat there, I found out where to buy my granddaughter a pair of skates and will teach her myself as opposed to just throwing her out there to get hurt by herself by saying that I cannot help her and not offering any other solution to...

I have never been compelled to write a review until today, if just to save another from the awful experience I had.

Over a month ago I planned out and coordinated with a rather friendly employee to celebrate my daughter’s 10th birthday at Roller City. Within a few days I received the contract and additional paperwork needed for the party. I appreciated the thorough explanation of “what to expect”. We have gone to Roller City several times with our school’s skate night and have seen the party area which sold my daughter; I looked forward to an easy and fun birthday party.

The day of the birthday, we arrived a few minutes early. As per the contract we had only brought cake with us. As I checked the group in, my sister and brother-in-law followed the assigned “party host” to take the cake and cupcakes to the “party area”. An employee curtly informed them, “you need to go back and get checked in”, pointing to the door.

Earlier that day we gave my daughter her birthday present, a pair of rollerblades for her to use at her party. As we were getting skates for others in our party, the same curt employee asked to see the roller blades and banged to stopper against the wall behind her and said she couldn’t use them as they could cause black marks. I was bummed but willing to comply. In both these incidences the employee was exceptionally rude and when I went to pay for roller blades, I voiced my concern. The employee at the counter was apologetic but as we discussed, the offender passed by. She immediately became defensive and denied any wrongdoing. We went back and forth several times as she continued to raise her voice and even suggested that I “just take my party and leave”. I was in complete disbelief as she informed me that she was the owner. The entire encounter was unreal. There was no way I would let my child down in that way.

I am desperately trying to put the encounter behind me so I head to the party area. I take coats and handbags and start sending our guests out to enjoy themselves. I am then informed that the party area is mostly for show and is only for parties with sixteen guests or more. I would have to host our party in the common area. There was barely enough room for the girls (the five adults attending had to stand around) to eat cake. Opening presents very difficult. The party area sat empty the entire time!

The last straw: watching other patrons, I could not help but to notice that several others were wearing the exact same rollerblades that we had purchased for our daughter that could “cause black marks”.

Based on the horrendous customer service I would never recommend a birthday party at...