Gator Pit
2003 Park Royal Mall South,
West Vancouver, BC
604-925-0707

Location:
Gator Pit is located in Park Royal South Shopping Centre, just west of the Lion's Gate Bridge in West Vancouver. Gator Pit is on the second floor, directly above the Concierge Desk.

General Information:
Indoor play at it`s greatest! Exciting 4 level playground with slides, tunnels and activities at every turn. Excellent themed birthday parties, full service food and latte bar (cool)! Two hour drop-off available while you shop (some restrictions). Mr. Snappy`s #1 fun place for kids and parents. Toddler area available for children under three.

Age Group:
Babies: Don't make a special trip just with a baby. If the baby is accompanying an older child, then by all means bring the baby along. He or she is bound to get something out of the outing.

Toddlers: The toddler play area and ball pit are fun but the space is not very big. In addition to the ball pit, there is a slide and an inclined ramp with foam objects for climbing. Depending on your toddler's age and interests, you can accompany them into the play park where the older children play (larger climbing structures, slides, tunnels, ball pit, etc.). It can be tons of fun in this area for kids over 18 months if it's not too busy. The best time to go would be during the week when older kids are in school. The tunnels in the climbing tunnels have windows so they're not too claustrophobic-feeling. The slides are enclosed tunnel slides, however, and smaller kids may not enjoy this.

Older children: Kids can't help but have fun here. Climbing, sliding, jumping, crawling, rolling and all in a safe, relatively soft, space.

Hours of Operation:
Sunday & Thursday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Tuesday & Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Wednesday-Friday 9:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Cost: (Currently)
Please call for current cost!

Parking
Free parking in adjacent lot.

Gator Pit offers a form of babysitting. For an additional fee, you can leave your kids (4 and older) for a maximum of 2 hours. Parents must stay in the mall and carry a "Gator Pit Pager".

What is there to Do and See?
Gator Pit is a nice indoor playground. It is a soft play park with nets, tunnels, and ball pit that will entertain kids for hours and help them burn off some of their seemingly endless supply of energy. All of the slides are tunnel slides with big twists and curves. Toddlers will probably not like these as they are quite dark and you can't see the bottom from the top.
For younger kids, there is a small toddler play area with a ball pit, a slide and some inclined climbing walls.

This is a comfortable atmosphere. It's clean and has a well-lit, open feeling. It is located in a large mall, so there are a variety of stores and a sizeable food court.

The Gator Pit also hosts parties for toddlers and children, with full-service food and a latte bar for the adults. There is a two-hour drop off service available for parents, so that they can have time to shop or run errands. Call the centre for restrictions. Other activities include summer camps and supervised care. The atmosphere is comfortable, clean and has a well-lit, open feeling. It is located in a large mall, so there are a variety of stores to schmooze and a sizeable food court.

Tips:
1. Come when your child is well-rested. If your child is tired or hungry or already cranky, this place may put them over the edge.

2. Weekends are very busy with birthday parties so it can seem overwhelming if you're bringing toddlers. If you can, go during the week, during school hours. It won't be as busy and you won't be as worried about your toddlers getting in the way of the bigger kids. It also tends to get busy in the late morning. If you're going with toddlers, it's a good idea to get there when they open and then it's a bit more relaxed.

3. There's a concession with hot food. Lots of tables in an open area are available. You are not to bring your own snacks inside, but just outside the entrance, there are tables, chairs for kids and adults and even a high chair. And, there's also the food court in the mall.

4. Parents are encouraged to go in and play with kids. Just watch out for your knees! If you have gardening-type knee pads, bring them along for your own comfort.

5. When you pay your admission, parents and kids will get a stamp on the hand with matching numbers. For security purposes, you have to show matching numbers to leave with children.

6. Admission is valid for the whole day, so if you have business in the mall, you can come and go as you please.
7. Gator Pit offers a form of babysitting. For an additional fee, you can leave your kids (4 and older) for a maximum of 2 hours. Parents must stay in the mall and carry a "Gator Pit Pager".