Please look at all the reviews over the past year - all the same complaints: rude, dismissive, untrained, incompetent staff and management who refuse to address their poor staff issues.
Booked a party for 26 kids, with 30 attending adults.
Contact early march via email with requests.
Met supervisor in person on Apr 2 to discuss and sign contract.
Called supervisor week of May 21 to confirm food orders, number of guests, and all other caveats including water bottles, specifics around pizza being cut, and setting up the lanes prior.
Emailed June 2nd with information.
Called June 2nd afternoon to confirm that email was received.
Arrived at party on June 4th. Staff oblivious - asking me for confirmation for every task that was stated in 3 previous calls, and 2 previous email. I was frustrated being that I had 20m to set up for a 60 person party. There were 4 adult workers. All seemed unaware, not briefed, unwilling to follow any plan.
They called the manager to inform her that they, 4 adults, felt unsafe with me, 1 mother. She arrived to berate me, ignore my requests, threaten to charge us extra, and demand we pay before the party had even finished.
I followed up afterwards to find out why things went so wrong. I was heated, absolutely, but she kept saying things I couldn't know - their email was hacked and they don't check emails since march (4 people received calls from me about me emailing - not one staff mentioned that they're not looking at emails; I was told to email in advance to have it set up; I was told I could bring a variety of items including bottles of water that became a "covid issue" though covid restrictions have been lifted over 1 year ago).
She also refused to listen to my arguments, arguing that her staff is young (how is that my problem? train them better), that I shouldn't have emailed (why was I told to email by 3 staff members), that I couldn't bring certain things because of covid (though I was told by staff the oppositive at 3 or 4 different times).
In addition, we had asked that someone stand at the shoe rental desk to greet our 26 kids. Nobody was there consistently, resulting in at least 10 parents asking me several times, "where do we get the shoes?" Please keep in mind that I'm welcoming, setting up, hosting games for 26 kids and 30 parents, and am still expected to direct people to shoes.
On this day, we were the only party. There were 3 other families playing on lanes. The centre was 30% filled at max, with 4 workers on cite. The cherry on the cake - when I was asked if I wanted the staff to hand out the hotdogs and fries because that's what the business does, i had 2 parents coming to me saying that staff were swearing about having to serve the children to the point where one of the mothers asked them to watch their language and close the shutters.
The entire experience was atrocious. We spent $800 at the organization, + $300 extra. We confirmed 3 times via phone and 2 times via email. We were instructed on things by the staff and followed them verbatim.
I cannot recommend this place, at all. Instead of apologizing profusely and promising to make it up, the owner kept insisting that she would "watch the video and audio footage." I contacted her 3 days after the debacle. If she had the footage and/or cared about our experience, this would have been done after the party, immediately.
Go somewhere else. Like skyzone. We had an incredible experience there for my son's 4th. Staff were trained, supported us throughout, and made my day as easy as possible. Markham bowl went out of their way to destroy my event with incompetence, excuses, and adult workers who were "scared" to do their job - enough so that swearing in front of children seemed appropriate to them.
