Kids' Parties

Our birthday numbers mostly describe adults, and they are still useful, because children's parties differ from them in predictable ways.

The typical Valley birthday group is fifteen. A child's party often has about that many kids, and then you add the grown-ups. Twelve children and four parents is sixteen riders, which is why the 16-passenger party bus and the 18-passenger party bus are where most families start. Count every adult as a full seat.

Length is the bigger difference. Two thirds of the trips we quote run four hours, and that is an adult night out. A seven-year-old's patience for being on a bus, however fun it is, runs about 25 minutes a leg. Two to three hours total is the right shape, and it is worth asking us about the minimum rental length when you call.

The good news is timing. Children's parties run on weekend afternoons, when the same buses are usually sitting idle before their evening bookings, and summer is our quietest season of all. A July birthday gets the widest choice of vehicles in the year.

Start with the ratio you are comfortable with. For ages six to nine, many parents want one adult per four or five children. For ten to thirteen, two adults for the whole group is common. Teens often ride with one parent, or none, depending on the families.

• Eight to ten kids plus two adults: the 12-passenger limo Sprinter is cozy and less overwhelming for younger children.
• Twelve to fourteen kids plus three or four adults: a 16- or 18-passenger party bus.
• A whole class or team: the 20-passenger coach bus has forward-facing seats, which some parents prefer for a longer ride.

Keep the RSVP list in the guest list manager and note which children are being dropped off and which have a parent staying. Tag-along siblings are the usual reason a bus ends up one seat short.

Seat belts and child seats come up in nearly every one of these conversations. Equipment differs by vehicle, and restraint rules depend on a child's age and size, so tell us the ages when you ask for a quote and we will point you at the right vehicle rather than let you guess.

With a two-to-three-hour window, pick one destination and keep each ride under 30 minutes.

• Central Phoenix: the Arizona Science Center downtown and the Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park, both 15 to 20 minutes from most central neighborhoods.
• Scottsdale and the northeast Valley: OdySea Aquarium and Butterfly Wonderland share a complex off the 101 with wide drives that are easy for a bus.
• Tempe, Chandler and Ahwatukee: Arizona Mills has LEGOLAND Discovery Center and SEA LIFE under one roof, which matters a lot in summer.
• Mesa and Gilbert: Golfland Sunsplash is the long-standing favorite, along with the trampoline parks and arcades along the US 60.
• West Valley: Westgate and the entertainment centers near Arrowhead keep Peoria and Glendale families close to home.

Buy tickets or reserve the party room before you set the bus time, since venues assign party slots and they fill. Some families skip the destination entirely: an hour of driving with music and lights, then cake back at the house. Under eight, that is often the better party.

You are asking families to put their children on a vehicle, so answer the questions before they are asked. A short note with the invitation does it.

• Pickup and return address with exact times. One house for both is best.
• Where you are going and how long the ride is.
• Which adults are riding, by name.
• A mobile number that will be answered during the party.
• Whether food is being served, so parents of kids with allergies can plan.

Ask each family for an emergency contact and anything the chaperones should know. For drop-off parties, decide who is authorized to collect each child at the end. Simple at a house, harder in a busy parking lot.

Phoenix kids are used to the heat, and a party plan still has to respect it. From May through September, avoid any destination where the group crosses more than a minute or two of open asphalt. Pavement and metal handrails get hot enough to hurt in the afternoon.

Indoor venues with a close drop-off are the summer default, and water on the bus is not optional. October through April opens everything back up: the zoo, a park pavilion, miniature golf. December adds holiday light displays, which suit younger children especially well because the ride itself is the activity. Our holiday lights tour page has routes.

Time of day matters more for children than for any other group we carry. For five to eight year olds, late morning or early afternoon avoids the meltdown hour. Sunday afternoon is the sweet spot during the school year.

Friday after school looks convenient and usually is not. Valley rush hour starts around 3:30 and can double your ride. Build the day in the event timeline planner with 15 minutes of slack at each end.

Five to eight. Short and simple. A 45-to-60-minute cruise, or one 15-minute ride to a venue. More adults on board, and a theme helps. The party theme generator has ideas that go past balloons.

Nine to twelve. The best age for this. They love the lights and the music, they can handle a 25-minute ride, and they still think a chaperone is acceptable company. A destination plus a lap around the neighborhood on the way home is a great party.

Thirteen to sixteen. Teens want it to feel grown-up: dinner somewhere nice, photos, their own playlist. Parents want a written itinerary and a firm return time. Both are reasonable, and a sweet sixteen often looks like a smaller version of prom night. Our prom page covers the group-payment and parent-communication side.

Whatever the age, go over the rules before they board rather than after. Stay seated while the bus is moving, hands off the driver's area, food where the adults say.