If you happen to be looking for the best glow in the dark party venues in the Chicago Southland, our family found one that we recommend.

The pandemic robbed so many children of social milestones and memory making, and I’m sure we’re not the only parents who are trying to make up for the lost time in some small way. So as our daughter’s first birthday party with classmates and kids her own age, we wanted to make sure we went as all-out as we could afford.

Since glow in the dark birthday parties are becoming trendy, I was on the quest for venues that offer a glow in the dark birthday party package. Even our daughter’s elementary school is throwing a Glow Party for the whole student body next month!

I researched all venues in a 10 mile radius of our home, and the offerings listed on the Hollywood Park website impressed my husband and I the most. As much as I like trying different things and supporting exceptional businesses I don’t know, we asked our daughter what she liked, and right away she shouted “Yessss!” to a birthday party at Hollywood Park. We made sure to leave the glow in the dark aspect a surprise.

I’d like to honorably mention Scene75 in Romeoville, which we enjoyed visiting for the first time during the summer 7 months ago. It is on a grander scale than Hollywood Park and simply incredible. Very similar to Las Vegas’ Circus Circus indoor amusement park. They have a glow-in-the dark mini golf course room by the way. We felt that being almost 20 miles from Tinley and so big, that it would be too much for both the parents and the kids.

Hollywood Park In Crestwood

Hollywood Park is about 11 miles northwest of Tinley Park, in the Chicago Southwest suburb of Crestwood. It’s a small amusement park my husband and I have been going to since we started dating. We started taking our daughter when she was old enough to ride the go-carts, and she looks forward to going to Hollywood Park once a year as well.

Interestingly enough, in the year she was born, Hollywood Park had a huge renovation and outdoor restructuring, after it became a part of Family Entertainment Group’s In The Game network of family entertainment locations.

Indoors there are Virtual Reality Games, Mini-Bowling, Escape Rooms, Motion Theater experiences, Ropes Courses, Bumper Cars, and a huge Arcade with Prizes.

Outdoors there a Go Kart Track, one Miniature Golf Course (they used to have 2 before 2018), Batting Cages, Giant Slides, and Seasonal Rides.

Glow Party Package Review

Hollywood Park has three Birthday Packages — EPIC, Ultimate, and MVP. We chose Ultimate because MVP is not available during weekends and EPIC my husband and I felt would put a little too much pressure on the kids. There’s only so much 6 year olds can do in 2 hours, and we didn’t want anyone to feel like missed a thing. Once you pick your package you can add extras, like Glow In The Dark. All guests are more than welcome to order extra things during their party as well—like any extra guests that may RSVP late the night before.

On the website is a form that gives you the ability to see open days and submit your request for a date and time. Lisa Geerdes, the Sales and Marketing Manager, contacted me after I submitted our form and was very helpful through all the weeks leading up to the party.

All you need to do before the day of is make a $100 deposit to reserve your party. I can’t tell you have amazing it felt walking into that private room and it being so well decorated and put together—table set and everything. You will have to pay the remaining balance before you leave.

Cost For Birthday Party Of 13 Children

Some of the parents who threw birthday parties earlier in the school year told us to expect spending between $300 and $500 for a party. After tax our daughter’s party was closer to $540, but you only live once right?

Here’s a breakdown by line item of the cost of our daughter’s glow party at Hollywood Park:

We made sure that the adults had food and drinks too, and it was wild how big the pizzas were. We still had leftover pizza, which is great because we didn’t want to have the opposite problem.

I can’t remember the name of our Dedicated Party Captain, but she was so wonderful too. When we arrived to check-in, right away we were greeted and treated so well, led to the special Rockstar Lounge. She checked in frequently and had alll of the qualities you hope for in a Party Captain.

We had no idea there were a couple other parties going on at the same time because ours was the only closed room, and was well insulated from outside sounds. The Rockstar Lounge overlooks the groundfloor and feels so intimate and spacious. There were tables for the parents on one side of the room and a long glowing table for the kids on the other. There was special chalk for kids to write on the table cloth and a t-shirt for the kids to draw and sign on for the birthday girl to take home and wear—of course with In The Game branding.

There were two large flat screen TVs on the east wall, with the Disney channel playing on one, (thankfully playing Bluey which was the theme of our daughter’s cake) and the other playing the Freeform channel. The glow in the dark decorations, strobe lights, tablecloth, plates, cups, napkins, and party favors (bead necklaces, bracelets, and neon Kanye glasses) were fantastic touches. And our daughter got a special stick-on flashing badge that identified her as the birthday girl.

One of the best parts for us, as parents, was seeing the suprise and glee when the kids found out that they were getting Play Cards and could ride the Bumper Cards for 2 Hours. And almost as gratifying were seeing the parents appreciation for the facilitation of getting to sit back and relax for a little bit.

Geoff and I had a space of time while our daughter was playing with her friends to load our car and make clean up easier on the staff. We got to-go boxes for the leftover pizza (yay!) and had a great time joining the kids in the fun down below in the play zone. Parents need to have fun too!

In the final analysis Hollywood Park gets 5-stars from the Pyrzynski family and the class of K-2. ★★★★★

From a parent’s perspective I didn’t feel like a servant, it felt like both the parents and kids were getting taken care of. And the credit goes to Hollywood Park for that. So definitely Get In The Game and see for yourself! Do a little in-the-field research with the kids this Spring Break.