Before you book: three decisions
How many racers?
Party bookings start at 8 participants. A participant is someone doing the activities; family and friends who come to watch are always welcome, and they don’t pay. If the headcount is still moving, book the racers you can confirm and add more with the party coordinator later.
Junior, adult, or both?
Height picks the kart, not age. Junior karts take racers 4 feet and up; adult karts start at 5 feet. The two never run in the same race, so a party with both sizes races in turns: one group goes out, then the other.
Party area or activities-only?
Food and party area means a home base: food service, cake, gifts, and somewhere to land between heats. Activities-only means your group comes in, races, and uses the rest of the building like any other racers, except your races are private: only your party is on the track.
What to tell your guests
One short note covers it. Something like:
- Every racer needs a waiver. Under 18, a parent or someone 18 or older signs it.
- Closed-toe shoes for racing. Crocs and sandals don’t count.
- Racers should arrive about 30 minutes before the party starts.
- Family and friends who aren’t racing are welcome too, no charge.
I’d send it a few days out, so nobody is hunting for shoes that morning. If anyone asks what else to wear, point them at What to Wear Go Karting; it covers hair, glasses, and where phones go.
How the day runs
Check-in, waivers, and gear come first, then the racing, run as private races by kart class. If you booked the party area, staff bring your group in when the reservation starts, or earlier if the area is free and you’ve arrived early. Food comes to you, within about 30 minutes of your scheduled start. Cake and desserts can wait in the fridge until you want them. Party-area parties can pre-order food from the café, and anyone can buy café food on the day.
The party area is yours for at least 90 minutes, for food, cake, and presents between heats. If nothing is booked after you, you can keep it longer. If something is, the party moves out to the main floor, where there’s plenty of seating around the track and you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.
The top three racers get medals. Whoever books the party is offered discounted arcade cards for the time off the track, which is usually where the kids end up anyway.
If it’s anyone’s first time in a kart, Go-Kart Racing Tips for Beginners walks through the whole first race.
Older group?
Axe throwing is for ages 12 and up, with the same waiver and closed-toe shoe rules as karting. For a teen birthday it pairs well with a race. First-Time Axe Throwing covers what that session looks like.
Book it
Each store’s birthday page has the packages, the add-ons, and the booking form: Rohnert Park birthday parties or Fairfield birthday parties. Questions about food, timing, or which package fits? The party coordinator on either page will sort it out.
That’s all the planning there is. I’ll see you around the track.
