My son just turned five and for his birthday he wanted nothing other than a birthday party at a play place. We had such a great time on our first visit over the summer to Odyssey Play Place that we thought it would be the perfect venue to celebrate his milestone birthday. We knew without a doubt that we were in good hands and the day would be extra special. It was completely stress-free, and best of all, the kids and birthday boy had tons of fun!

The Party:

• Ours, ours, ours. When you book a party at Odyssey, the entire place is yours! Loved that. We had about 18 adults and 11 kids in the entire place. I felt it was spacious enough for everyone. They can accommodate as many as 54 people total (16 can be kids.)
• Oh my,  all those details! The small details were definitely Pinterest-worthy. The owners, Leena and Jario, order the decorations from Etsy so its one-of-a-kind.

• Adorable, adorable, adorable. Look how cute the birthday cake table was!

• Have your cake and eat it too. Not only does Odyssey take care of the details but they can order an awesome birthday cake for you. It was one less thing for me to worry about and hey it looked so much better than a store bought cake that I would have gotten. The cakes are made from a local mom and pastry chef Stacey White from The Flour Shop. Pretty darn good too!

• Eating is fun! The kiddie tables were set up for the youngest ones complete with cutlery, plates, and other super cute decor. The adults, on the other hand, could lounge on the couch or sit at another table.

• Coffee! For an additional cost, coffee service is available.  A most definite welcome treat for most adults.
• BYOF. Unlike other places, we were able to bring our own food and drink just as long as it was peanut-free.
• Snap! Tons of photo ops including fun DIY photo booths.

• Involved party hosts. The party hosts are none other than the owners, Leena and Jario, and they were usually seen playing with the kids or snapping photos. Working with the owners was an absolute pleasure. It’s obvious the owners, Leena and Jario, care about their customers and the community. Stay tuned for a Q&A with the lovely owners.

The Fun: 

• A visit from the superhero himself, Spider-Man, was quite a surprise! Odyssey has another great partnership with Imagination Princess Parties, another local mom-owned company, that provides character visits. Since we were having a superhero theme party it only made sense to have Spider-Man make an appearance.  During his 30-minute action-packed visit, Spider-Man showed us a few of his Spidey moves and poses, then try it out ourselves, the kids played games with him, he sang Happy Birthday and even gave the birthday boy a special present. Hanging out with him was truly the icing on the cake.
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• Play, play, play. When we weren’t hanging out with Spider-Man, the kids were able to enjoy the play area for the rest of the time. And it was all ours. They had plenty of toys and other areas that encourage creativity, imagination, and play. I do have to say that the kids couldn’t get enough of the ball pit and slide.

• What kid doesn’t love getting tattoos? The tattoo station was just too cool!

We wish…

• …we had more time to spend with Spider-Man and at Odyssey Play Place. Believe me – the kids won’t want to leave!

Tips to enjoy a party at Odyssey Play Place

• Tell guests to bring socks! Or better yet, bring a few extra ones. If not, they can just buy socks.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a no-stress place to celebrate your little ones birthday, look no further than Odyssey Play Place. It was a fun-filled two hours and definitely one epic birthday party to remember.

Nitty Gritty:

Website: http://www.odysseyplayplace.com/
Location: 395 W. Northwest Highway Palatine, IL, Located in a small plaza.

Parking: Parking at the lot
Stroller-friendly? Leave the strollers at home.
Food: Bring your own food as long as it’s peanut free.
What’s included: Party packages differ but all include: 2 hours private party access to the play area and party room lounge for up to 16 children; small birthday tables + chairs for 16 children, party hosts.
Cost: Prices start at $250 for a simple party and go up to $600 if you’d like to go all out.