Which gyms in Allen do you recommend for a birthday party for 3-5 year olds?
I went to a party today at ASI Gymnastics in Allen and had read decent things on here about them. Wow .. they were way off and I will never use them for my own children. If your children are under 5. The activities planned were boring for 3/4 year olds. Any attempts to have 'free-play' outside of the structured part were met with employees yelling at the KIDS ... not the parents who were standing right next to them .. yelling at the kids...
4 other sets of parents were livid after the party. We couldn't even try to play with our children in the main area as 'parents were not allowed'. After repeated run-ins with multiple parents, we asked to speak to a manager and conveniently, there wasn't one on duty. We were told 'we don't make up the rules' so many times it was just unreal. My 3 year old daughter was in tears multiple times as were several other children (some as old as 5 and 6)...
There has to be another gym that will actually let kids play and have fun ... Which one is best?
Thanks everyone for the recommendations. I've heard some great things about Metroplex Gym also so I think that's where I will try. Thanks all!!
UPDATE: Just had my daughter's birthday party over the weekend at Metroplex Gymnastics in Allen. WOW ... What a difference vs. ASI Gymnastics. The helpers were amazing. These high school (I'm assuming) kids who worked there were fantastic with the kids and were so organized it made my job of hosting so easy. Kids who didn't want to participate in the main group were allowed to play on bounce houses and other areas of the gym with no problems (unlike ASI gymnastics where they yelled at the kids and parents when we tried to play). Everyone left very happy and no tears at all. I would absolutely recommend Metroplex Gymnastics for anyone who is looking for a fun, active, and easy birthday party for their kids. I plan to enroll my daughter in their classes throughout the week based on how amazed I was.
Kudos Metroplex Gymnastics and all the wonderful people who work there!!!
Metroplex on Bethany is lots more fun. I think I've heard that ASI is a bunch of line-waiting (if I recall correctly). Metroplex is more of a free-for-all - they have bounce houses and a zip line and a trapeze. Check them out!
Metroplex on Bethany is good. Also WOGA at Custer/Parker in Plano is good.
My daughter joined ASI for some tumbling extra training before cheer tryouts and it was a waste of money.
We ended up with private coaching at WOGA and it was great.
My daughter takes tumbling classes at Eagles Wings Gynmastics on Greenville and McDermott. While we haven't been to any birthday parties there, she has done the Parents Night Out and even a lock in. She has never had any problems and when I've been there to watch, I've never seen anyone yelling at the kids. Check them out!
We did my son's 4th bday party at Plano rec center at spring creek and Jupiter. They were great with the kids, plenty to do, and for 16 kids I only paid $150. It was one of the best parties we have done :)
My friend had a party at Eagle Wings and it was nice.
I've had all three of my kids birthday party's at metroplex gymnastics in Allen this year, they are 5yrs, 4yrs, & 2yrs old. My 4yr old's party was yesterday & it was awesome. They have a little structure just to get things going but its really an hour of free play. They understand 15 3-4yr olds are not going to sit still while waiting on the trapeze so they do whatever they want & come back to that activity when the wait goes down. They have 3 bounce houses, a trapeze (kids fall into the foam pit), 2 trampolines & 1 long progressive trampoline, & a zipline. The kids always have a blast & it tires them out. I sent my 4&5 yr old boys to the holiday camp today at metroplex & they had sooooo much fun. Great exercise, especially w/ the weather so yucky.
I don't know the Allen area well enough to know what other gyms are there, but did want to say that I think it may just be the Allen ASI that has staffing/policy issues. Could be a top-down thing from management??
My daughter joined some friends for an afternoon summer camp at the Allen ASI location and she didn't like it at all. She fought me having to go back. I asked her to try the Lake Highlands location one time because she had always had fun at friends' parties in the past and some of her friends were going to be there for the summer camp. She loved the Lake Highlands ASI Gymnastics and has asked to return many times. I never noticed the staff at the Lake Highlands location yell at the kids. They were very pleasant and fun and the kids seemed to love them, and I have always been pleased with how responsive and friendly the LH ASI staff has been on the occasions I have taken my daughter.
