The Official Website of the Chicago Park District’s MLK Park & Family Entertainment Center

The Official Website of the Chicago Park District’s MLK Park & Family Entertainment Center

FAQs

You have questions, we have answers!

Below you’ll find important information about roller skating at our rink, throwing a birthday party, special event and group information, and general topics about what to expect during your visit.

Roller Skating & Bowling

When are you open today and what will it cost?

Our schedule and admission price will vary depending on the day. The easiest way to know our schedule is to visit our schedule and events page.

How much does it cost to rent skates?

Skate rental is $4.00 to rent regular skates.

What does it cost if you are not skating?

Anyone between the ages of 2-17 is required to pay the full admission of the session to come into the facility whether you are skating or not.

What size skates do you have available for rent?

Adjustable skates are the smallest size we offer, which start at a toddler size 6. They are adjustable skates that can be worn by a toddler with their shoes on making their first roller skating experience more comfortable. All of our rental skates are Men’s sizes, and the largest skate size we carry is a men’s size fifteen.

What types of rental skates do you have?

We have regular roller skates, also known as quads.

Can I bring my own skates?

You can bring your own skates with a few exceptions: They must have toe stops on quad skates, or heel brakes on inline skates. The wheels must also be clean, so if you use your skates outside you need to clean the wheels before using them in the facility. Finally the axles cannot extend outside of the roller skate wheel. This can cause serious damage to the skate floor. If you do bring your own skates, please be prepared to have them checked at admission before entering

Can you tighten the wheels on our rental skates?

We cannot tighten the wheels on our skates. We want the wheels to be able to freely spin around the axle. If you or your child would like help with skating we do have skatemates to rent that provide extra stability when skating. 

If my personal skates need to be adjusted or fixed do you have anyone available to make adjustments?

We are not allowed to make any adjustments or fix skates. If we have the necessary tool available, we will provide it so that you may make the necessary adjustments to your skates.

Will someone be available to help teach me or my child how to skate?

During every roller skating session, we have certified and trained floor guards who control traffic in all areas of our skate floor. Our floor guards are trained to keep an eye out for everyone’s safety on the skate floor. If you need direct assistance on the skate floor we highly recommend that you rent a skate mate. Skate mates are walkers with wheels designed to help you keep your balance while skating. We are also working on a new lesson program that will teach your child how to skate during a structured class. Please click here to inquire about the program.

Do you offer skating lessons?

We do not have a skate lesson program at this time, however, it is something that we are planning to offer in the near future. For more information please go here.

Are Adults FREE to get in if we are NOT skating or bowling?

Non-skating adults are still required to pay a chaperone fee of $10+tax whether skating or bowling or not.

Do you offer toddler skates?

Our facility does offer adjustable skates for your toddler that are easy to put on and should be worn with their shoes.

Do you sell skates at your facility?

We do not sell skates at our facility, however, you can order them via our website and have them shipped to you!

Do you all have any coupons out at this time?

Unfortunately, at this time we are not offering any coupons however be sure to like us on Facebook or Instagram and follow us as we often do giveaways and special promotions for upcoming special events.

When a session is over can I stay for the next session or do I have to pay again?

When a session ends everyone must exit the facility as we have a block in between sessions to clean, sanitize, and disinfect our facility for the next session for the safety of our staff and guests. Therefore you will have to pay to participate in another session.

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Birthdays

How much are your birthday parties?

Our parties start at $164.99 for 10 children INCLUDING the birthday child and the price will vary based on the amount of food, game cards, and glow items that you would like each child to receive. For a complete listing of our kid birthday party packages, click here.

How old do you have to be to have a Birthday Party?

We have no age limit on our World’s Greatest Birthday Parties. We have many party packages designed to fit kids, teens, and adults

Can we bring in outside food or drinks?

We do not allow outside food or drinks into the facility. However if you have a reserved Birthday party booked, we will allow you to bring in a cake or cupcakes and individual cups of ice-cream.

We have booked a birthday party, can we use our own decorations for the table?

Yes, if you bring them to us the day before we will even decorate the table for you. The only thing we ask is no confetti or banners. (You can bring the cake, individual ice cream, and balloons (must be on balloon weights) on the day of the party.)

Is there food available for the adults that attend our child’s party?

Definitely, we have a full menu for you to order for your birthday party. You may order your items prior to the birthday party or even the day of the party. You will have a party host/hostess that will help you on the day of the party.

How early can we show up for our party?

We will attempt to open the doors 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the session. We suggest to all parties to arrive no earlier than 10 minutes before the party.

Can we bring in a birthday cake and decorations if we do not have a party reserved/booked?

Unfortunately, you are not allowed to bring in cake or decorations if you do not have a reserved birthday party.

Is the Birthday child free?

The birthday child is not free and is included in the count.

Will the mom and dad of the birthday child be free?

Mom and dad are not free.

Is there a deposit required to reserve your party?

We require a $50 non-refundable deposit for Ultimate and VIP parties and $100.00 non-refundable deposit for Private Birthday Parties that are due at the time of booking in order to reserve your party. Your deposit does go towards your total bill.

Groups & Special Events

Do you all offer Adult Skate Nights?

Yes. We have Adult Skate every Thursday night from 8:30pm – 12:30am f/ DJ TMac.

Are you open on Holidays and School Days Out?

Yes, we try to be open anytime the kids are not in school. We offer multiple skating sessions leading up to major holidays or school days out. Our skating sessions include discounted nights, special events and adult skate nights. Our skate celebrations are events you don’t want to miss! For a complete list of the upcoming special events and school day out sessions click here.

Do you offer special group rates?

Our special group rates are available for groups of 20 or more and must be booked in advance. We offer several group packages that include admission, skate rental, food and even glow items. Group rates can be booked for any public skating session and offer all of your guests the opportunity to experience our center at an affordable rate.

Do you have certain nights where specific music genres are played?

During all of our Public Skating sessions we play a mixture of R&B, Hip Hop, House, Pop and family friendly hits. We do have sessions that are based around specific types of music or artists. Please see the Special Events page for more details. 

General

Do you accept all major debit and credit cards as well as Apple Pay?

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, are all accepted as forms of payment. We do not accept Apple Pay.

How old do you have to be to work at your roller skating and entertainment center?

Our facility prides itself in all of the work we are able to provide within our community. We look for energetic, fast paced and determined individuals who don’t mind sharing their welcoming charisma with our customers. The minimum age that we hire is sixteen years old with working papers. If you are interested in joining the MLK Skating family feel free to fill out an employment application and see open positions here.

Do you play skating games or is it just skating?

While our session formats may vary, we do try to incorporate a mix of skating games, specialty skates, and dance songs to add to the skating fun.

Will you turn the lights down?

In most of our skating sessions we will have a glow skate. We also sell a variety of glowing and flashing items to make the experience more memorable for young skaters.

Do you have an arcade?

Yes, we have several games to play during the sessions. We have updated all of our games and now have the trendiest arcades in town. All of our games can now be played with game cards that are reloadable and can be purchased at our kiosk in the game room. All games range between 2-8 credits per game and some games may issue points for you to redeem for a COOL prize in our FUN Stuff Shop Center!

Do you offer anything other than skating?

Yes, bowling is also available in our facility! We have 12 lanes and each lane can accommodate 10 bowlers. We have computerized monitors to help you see who’s winning and a state-of-the-art sound system in our bowling alley. Bowling even has its own separate entrance opposite of the skating side.

Do you allow Bowling Leagues to attend?

We absolutely do, we can accommodate bowling leagues as long as we have availability. It’s best to reserve your group in advance. Please call 312-747-2602 and dial 0 to speak to a sales representative to assist you with reserving and to answer any questions you may have.

Do you do bowling parties also?

Yes, we do Cosmic bowling parties! Our Cosmic bowling birthday package offers a FUN time with our Blacklight bowling. We have a package for a minimum of 10 guests starting at $169.99+tax. This package requires a $50.00 non-refundable deposit which is due at the time of booking and does go towards your total. Please call 312-747-2602 today to book your FUN, FRIENDLY, CLEAN & SAFE Cosmic Bowling Party.

Will food be available?

Our Roller Cafe will be open anytime we have a skating session. We have a variety of food available.

Does your facility offer a bar or alcoholic beverages?

Alcoholic beverages are not sold at our facility and are not allowed inside. We do offer an array of beverages at our cafe area and our vending machines that you are able to purchase.

Do we have to wear masks while on the skate floor?

Masks are no longer required while in the facility, however they are optional and you can still wear them if you choose to.