Clear packages
Offer two or three packages at most, with everything included: length of the activity, snack, drinks, room, host, invitations, a gift for the child. State the minimum number of children and the price per extra child. The fewer questions, the fewer calls.
Dedicated time slots
A birthday party takes up both a room and places within the activity’s capacity. Plan specific time slots, for example Wednesday afternoons and weekends, and make sure a booking automatically blocks both. Otherwise the room is free but the park is full, or the other way round.
The online deposit
Asking for a deposit when booking greatly reduces no-shows. Online payment also saves chasing people. Put your cancellation and postponement terms in writing: in France and the EU, the 14-day right of withdrawal does not apply to a leisure activity on a specific date, but your terms must be clear and accepted at the time of booking.
Quotes for groups
Schools, holiday clubs, works councils: groups often ask for a quote before booking. A fast quote with a deposit payment link turns into a booking far more often than a quote sent three days later.
On the day
- prepare the guest list and the confirmed number of children;
- have the rules and waivers signed in advance, on a tablet, rather than at reception at 2 pm on a Saturday (see our guide on waivers);
- give the group wristbands of the same colour;
- take the balance and any extras on the same ticket.
After the party
Every birthday party brings around ten families who didn’t always know your venue. Offer a gift card, a loyalty programme or a deal for their next visit: it’s the best moment to bring them back.
And with Lago?
In Lago, birthday parties are booked with a quote and a deposit paid online into your own Stripe account, with no Lago commission. They appear in the customer schedule with their room, next to the sessions, and count towards capacity. Waivers are signed on a tablet, the balance is taken at the POS, and families can join the loyalty programme. Discover Lago for indoor play centres.
Source (in French): Service-Public.fr, right of withdrawal and its exceptions. General information article.