Peninsula Family Skating Center

This was my first visit to this long time roller skating venue and first time on roller skates in 35 years. This rink has seen some things and has some stories to tell no doubt. New owners have changed the vibe of previous decades to make this a more family friendly venue. However the building itself is so deteriorated they are up against it.I was attracted to the idea of a beginner rink, which turns out to be a small square area with a railing to cling to.Was happy to see a summer time Thursday morning family skate from 11 to 1 pm. When we entered we were confused which way to go. We wandered a bit and found the cashier. Skate rental is included in the fee. It was $20 for 2 adults and one child. We didn't need skates so a bit of a waste for us.There are very few places to sit and put on your skates. There are lockers for shoes etc if desired. Groups of kids later were sitting all over the floor walkway putting on their rentals.We were initially the only ones there so we spent some time on the big rink. Loved the pop music and disco lights. The skate floor was trashed. Years of abuse of that floor. But the new owners are doing what they can to keep it functional. It really needed a good sweep and mop.There was soon a helpful skateguard on the rink and a handful of other skaters. All 3 of us in my party took a fall, and I am currently at Med Express as I type this. Interestingly I was barely moving when I fell. Just slipped or some such as the floor Is slick.There is what looks to be a really nice skate shop. My skates are 40 years old and I thought about leaving them for a once over but there was no one handy in the shop.We stayed about an hour, leaving as a bus load of day care summer campers was lacing on their rentals. In other words just in time. Here is what I liked: staff was nice. Price point is great. Beginner rink in existence at all is a good thing but bigger is better. Music and vibe is on point for any skating rink anywhere at any time in history. What needs improvement: the entire building. It is painted black inside to cover up a multitude of sins, but that ship has sailed. Black paint is a bandaid on amputation. However the cave like interior may be an effort to cool the place as the air conditioning was MIA. It was a sweat box.I totally dislike not being able to go to my car. My granddaughter needed a Pull up from my car and I couldn't get one without paying again. I didn't even ask. Why can't I get a handstamp or wrist band and reenter? I understand for weekend night teen drop offs but family skate at 11 am? Come on.But I will go back and support this business with my dollars, because skating is a great activity, except when you fall!

PFSC has done it! They refinished the floors... not once but twice since my last review. The first attempt was not great and in a conversation with the owner we were told the company who did the work did it improperly. The second attempt at the end of Summer 22 was more successful. The floors look great but unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to skate on it myself because of injuries- my Trainer has asked I not skate until my conditioning is better but my Training goal is to get back to skating. Bonus: I attended the recent Inaugural Roller Derby Bout for Ghost Fleet Roller Derby; Having Roller Derby on the Peninsula SO EXCITING! The bout was so much fun to watch. I cannot believe the transformation this rink has undergone in just over 2 years. Once I'm cleared for skating again I'll be visiting more offen.

This place was so cool! We (my daughter and I) had a GREAT time! The music was a good variety, so all the families could enjoy the mix. The races and backward skate sessions were so cute! It was fun to root for the racer we wanted to win each round. Today I learned that they offer lessons! I might have to take them up on that because there were groups of people skating together in line and other fun formations and it was a joy to watch! They looked so smooth and practiced! It really inspired me to want to learn to skate better. There were also people in the middle section practicing their moves, they looked amazing also! TLDR: come here for a great skate session!

!This would make for a great Elite event! Google maps does this place no justice; I tried snapping a few photos, pero I was having so much fun that taking pictures became the lesser of my time. You'd definitely want to take a look for yourself, visit them in person! Employees seemed extremely loving of customers and enjoy working there. Located " 307 Main St, Newport News, Virginia 23601 " parking in the back behind the building. The venue was fairly large hosting their Large Hardwood Floor Rink, a Beginner's Rink, a Snack Bar, the Skate Rental Center, Video Games, a Skate Shop, a small Fun/Gift Shop, plus the Live DJ Booth. Their office hours are typically 9:30am -1:30pm M-W,F.I attended this venue with a group of my Elite friends for one their birthdays. We went on a Sunday evening because a lot of us weren't great on skates and didn't want to take the chance of knocking over or rolling over little people. Being that this Family-Owned Full-Time Roller Skating Rink on the Peninsula is beginner, expert, and accessible friendly; they offer a variety of different themed skate sessions! Weekdays admission prices are typically $4 to $6, unless otherwise noted plus skate rental of$2.75 if you don't have your own. You'd want to call during their office hours to maybe get a better idea of what each particular day of the week and time of the day has to offer. Sunday Night Skate worked out perfect for my group because it was 18 & older night from 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm. *All military (active & non-active), shipyard employees, and their immediate families receive $1.50 off any regular admission. Just must show a valid military or shipyard ID to receive the discount.*I really wanted to attend the St. Patrick's Day Skate night today (Tuesday March 17) from7:00 pm - 9:30 pm simply to wear green, get $1 off admission, and have a great time; pero due to The Concerns About The Coronavirus, this rink will remain closed until March 30th. At that point they will determine an open date. Needless to say this rink offers tons of Birthday Event Packages and Private Event Gatherings! Great size venue; super fun time!

This place is killing the game! I had birthday parties here back in the day and the reopening has reunited me with skating! The facility is clean and the covid precaution are being taken very seriously. They got new skate rentals and skates to purchase recently as well. The new owners are super friendly and helpful. Everyone there is so knowledgeable about the skates and they even adjusted my brand new pair for me! I've been the past 2 weeks, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, the music is current and everyone just wants to skate and have a good time! Already bought tickets for another Sunday 2-4 session !

This place feels and looks just as ive always remembered! I use to come here as a kid and for my 26th birthday I decided to come back.I had a blast with my friends! We went on Sunday evening from 7:30-10pm which is "Old Skool" night. They play a nice mix of music and it's 18+Entry was $$5 skate rentals are $3.75. Which isn't bad at all. Lots of talent and lots of music choices. They have a snack area with snacks and drinks, I advice bringing cash because card has a minimum of $5 - $10 purchase!

Floor is not bad. There is limited seating, but you came here to skate. The music seems aiight for a Sunday afternoon. The PROBLEM is, if you need to leave the place, say to get something from your car they want to charge you to come back in!? Are they hurting for $$ that bad? Do they not know how to manage the flow of patrons? Seems like Either Poot management, or some kind of money grubbing tactic. I won't be coming back. Also, eat before you come because there is like four things on the menu. Judging by the old skates, the poor seating, and the need to pay as many times as you need to go to your car, the food will be overpriced and won't be any good.**Update***In response to the comment that the owner(?) made: I understand that you are running YOUR business the way YOU want to. As a customer/ consumer, I find it in poor taste. I don't recall seeing any signs saying that there was no "re-entry" without payment. That's probably because they were poorly located, and not noticeable. ALSO, recommending that your patrons eat before they come is understandable HOWEVER, I had intentions on spending more $$ in your establishment. I guess you only want my money under YOUR conditions only. Fair enough. Maybe I'll just go someplace that can accommodate my needs better, and where I don't have to wear earplugs due to the shrillness of the music coming through your speakers (you should seriously consider adjusting it a bit, it was VERY uncomfortable) I'm just one customer, with one complaint. Perhaps everyone else was just fine with the way things were. Perhaps you don't have plans to get any better. If that's the case, good luck! Your combativeness, and lack of desire to provide a product that more consumers will enjoy is probably going to work against you.

After all these years of not being in this building, all the feels came back and we had a BALL! First of all, if you grew up in uptown Newport News in the 90's early 2000s, you might know this place well! It's a beloved place in our city. However as a kid it was just me and friends skating. But tonight, they helped me celebrate all three of our babies birthdays with flawless execution! The room was ready, the pizza showed right after we did, the music and DJ were excellent, the service during the party was incredible, the hospitality was unmatched and last but not least, the staff was the best there is! From planning, to staying in contact, to being cost effective and far and also just overall making sure we had a good experience. If any of my family and friends complained, I'd call them a liar! Customer service has lost it way in SOOOOOO many places, but not here! UNMATCHED! I can't explain how grateful I am for their professionalism and service towards us. Thank you! Really need to come more often!

Poor Customer Service, unclear policies, unwelcoming staff. Tried multiple times to call and ask questions regarding birthday policies but received no response. If customer service is important to you, you may want to choose another place for a family outing.

Unwelcoming, lack of professionalism, not a safe first impression upon arrival. Immediately pulling into the parking lot a woman walked in front of our car to beg us for money. We entered a few minutes prior to opening on a Sunday to celebrate our daughters birthday. we made several attempts to contact the rink prior in regards to bringing a small birthday cake and a small group of kids but received no response. We looked prior on their website and saw their policy about no outdoor food and drinks allowed except cake/cupcakes. Finally upon getting settled and opened, a woman who appeared to be in charge asked us if we were here for a birthday party. I explained we didn't make a reservation due to it being such a small group of kids (6). It was then she pointed to the cake box and said without a birthday reservation the cake couldn't come in the building. I asked if it were possible to pay an additional fee, or book one of their party rooms. Her only response was "No." Her initial reaction towards us as we entered was very transparent. "WE" were not welcome in the establishment. It was then, with 6 very disappointed kids we chose to leave. As we packed up, the parking lot reeked of the strong odor of marijuana and the lot was full of empty beer cans and airplane bottles. Century Lanes in Hampton greeted us with open arms and even let us use their Baquet room. Money better spent.