Chuck E. Cheese in Springfield, Ohio recently had its Grand Re-Opening, and they invited some of the moms on the team and their families to celebrate. Read on below for their reviews on the experience AND for the fun photos they got of their little ones in the place “where a kid can be a kid!”
Kristen Hammaker
My kids and I had a chance to check out the Grand Re-Opening of the Chuck E. Cheese in Springfield, and it satisfied all my residual childhood desires to play all the games I could possibly play in about a 2-hour time period. I loved how with new-fangled technology, children receive a swipe card that parents load so the kids can play to their heart’s content, and parents can easily load more game credits. The games featured many interactive methods of play, including cars, motorcycles, or buses that moved around. We had fun playing together on some multiplayer games… even MeeMaw got into it!
My kids are 2 and 4, which was a great age for kids to go there. We ate some amazing pizza (definitely better than any other arcade pizza you can imagine). The buttery crust had herbs and there was ooooooooh so much cheese. Of course we went whole hog for the stuffed crust, which we loved. The slogan is “Where a Kid Can Be a Kid,” but I feel like it’s also where an adult can be a kid, too. My children were exhausted after a couple of hours and ready for bed (#ParentingWin). The staff at this location really impressed me as well. They genuinely cared and made sure the children had fun.
Of course Chuck E. Cheese himself came out, donning a modern outfit and a cape for Halloween. He performed a choreographed dance, and the children enjoyed a balloon drop. A manager gave me the pro-tip to check out the YouTube page ahead of time to learn Mr. Cheese’s dance and be prepared to perform it with him. That seems ambitious for a self-proclaimed Hot Mess Mom, but for those out there who are up for the challenge, there’s an option for you or your kid to be the next Michael Jackson of Chuck E. Cheese.
They host excellent birthday parties where the whole crew can play games, and your kid can be the one everyone talks about as having had the coolest birthday party ever. If your organization wants to host a fundraiser, they also would love to partner with you to help your school or group. My kids are asking me on repeat when we are going back, so it will have to be very soon.
Emily Bennett
Chuck E. Cheese is the place to be for kids and always has been a staple for family fun in the Springfield community, even back in my days as a kiddo in the 90s. I can remember having multiple birthday parties at this very same location when I was a kid, and my mom has the pictures to prove it. Now, in a nostalgic full circle, my kids love going there, too. But after the recent renovations to the Springfield store, it looks so different – in a good way! New games and fun for kids in a clean, modern, and open-concept environment.
I didn’t have to ask my big kids (almost 6 and 4) twice if they wanted to head down to Chuck E. Cheese for the grand re-opening event. And, my husband was on board, too, because he loves the pizza there (I do, too!). Of course, the kids went nuts, and it was a full-on workout to keep up with them running from one game to the next (while pushing the stroller with our 7-month-old in it nonetheless). They know how to work their Play Pass cards better than mom and dad do at this point. If we can get them to stay in one spot long enough, I always like to challenge my husband to a free-throw shooting contest to show him my basketball prowess! The picture sketch booth is another favorite of mine, because what mom doesn’t love a free memento of a family outing to stick on the fridge?
I’m sure we’ll be spending plenty of time at Chuck E. Cheese in the colder months ahead to let the kids out of the house and burn some energy – and have fun while doing it! We also plan on having the big kids’ joint birthday party there next month because truth be told, there’s no better place to have a kid’s birthday party in Springfield. The food is great, the staff is friendly, and the fun is abundant. Did you know Chuck E. Cheese also does fundraisers for schools and other organizations? I didn’t, but that’s a fundraiser I could get behind!
When we moved to our new house a couple years ago, I found a box with old photos in it. One of those was a picture of me and one of my younger sisters from Chuck E. Cheese back when we were kids. Our parents used to take us there as often as they could, and I have the fondest memories of it! The black-and-white photos that would print RIGHT THERE were the biggest novelties in that day and age before cell phones were a thing, let alone cameras on phones! I tried my best to track down some other ones from us as kids and when my daughter was younger, but this was the only one I could find at the moment. I love that the photo of Sara and me had a picture of us as adults together sitting right on top of it in that box. Makes me smile, and brings me joy!
I also tracked down pictures from my daughter’s 7th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. It was one of the easiest parties I’ve ever thrown, and they made it so much fun there for everyone. Now that Adilyn will be turning 13 in a couple weeks, I think these type of party days have passed! Although… my youngest sister turned 30 this year and said she absolutely wants to start having birthday parties for HERSELF there again now!
Whether you’re headed to Chuck E. Cheese for a classic birthday party, a day of fun, a fundraiser, or just for the pizza, it’s a place that never goes out of style. Click their logo below to check out the Springfield, Ohio location and schedule your visit today!
