Taller means better, right?

 
 
     When it comes to the the height of a slide, bigger does not mean better. Every manufacturer makes their slides a little differently which means not every 21' slide is equal to other 21' slides. Some manufacturers make their slides taller by adding unnecessary height. They make a rainbow, or a tree, or a log, anything that can add overall height to make it more appealing to buyers and then to renters, but not add anything to the actual slide itself.
 
 
       Let's use our 21' tall Rockin' Rapids vs our 19' tall Tiki Island for example. Both are manufactured by the same company and are supposedly the same slide just different themes. The Rockin' Rapids is by far my personal favorite waterslide. It is the biggest, the fastest, and is the most fun I have ever had on a waterslide. It stands at 21' tall, and when you stand on the top platform you can see over some of your neighbors' houses. It is truly awesome.  The Tiki Island waterslide is the same slide just a different theme. The platform height is the same height and the actual slide area is a mirror image to the Rockin' Rapids. However the Tiki Island measures 19 feet tall, 2 feet shorter. That is because there is a few small logs on top of the Rockin' Rapids that add to the total height of the slide. It doesn't actually add any height to the slide but when you quickly look at the 2 waterslides, you automatically assume the Rockin' Rapids is bigger.
 
     When we look to buy new waterslides, we do a lot of research. There are several companies that add a faux decoration to the top of the slide to make it appear bigger than it really is. Some slides are actually equivalent to a 15 foot slide but advertise as an 18 foot slide just because it has a wave or dolphin or fish added to the top of it.  Although the Rockin' Rapids is one of those slides that has a (for lack of a better term) false height, we do not advertise ours as a 21 foot tall slide. We advertise ours as a 19 foot tall slide. Not everyone, and I mean no one else, in the valley does this but us. Sure it may decrease our sales but we will not lure customers into thinking they will be getting a much larger slide than they will actually get.

     Not all slides are created equal and just because it is advertised as an 18 foot slide does not mean it is equal to all other 18 foot slides. When calling around and looking for a slide don't just ask for the height. Ask for the platform height. A good rule of thumb is the platform height should be 8 feet or less than the total height of the slide. The best advise is use a reputable company, look at reviews and make sure you can trust what they say.

                                                 
                                                   
                                                 

Reviews?! I ain't got no time for that!

     Christmas time is here and we are all doing the same thing. Trying to find something online for a better price. We all shop around trying to find the same item for the cheapest price or comparing similar items trying to get the best deal. I don't know about you but every time I am price matching online, I get anxiety. "Get free shipping!" As long as you don't need it before Christmas, in which case the shipping fees may be higher than the item you are buying. Trying to remember what website I saw that has what model or brand. I can't keep track anymore so I just choose one with a picture of what I want and in the price range I want to buy it. Well, if you are like me than you know we don't always get exactly what we think we are getting. I have opened a package or two very disappointed saying "This is not what I ordered."  Unfortunately hidden in the "I have read and accepted the policies" button you find out that it is what you ordered and the picture you thought you were getting is "not an accurate depiction of the item".

     You know where I am going with this, I am sure. No matter how much we tell ourselves to check the reviews on a company, we don't. The sites aren't useful because all they do is show the few best reviews, leading you to believe that they are a reputable company. A company always seems great when there are no problems but their true colors come out when there is an error or return on the line. Some companies have great reviews, 5 stars, but all the reviews are from a "Google user" and there are only 5 reviews when the business has been around for 5 years. Hmmm, one review a year. When I am in a hurry I don't think twice, but as I am looking at a remote control helicopter that is 1/4 the size it's supposed to be and held together with twist ties and fishing wire, I now know there is more to the story. Some companies will delete their profile and start a new one if they cannot get the bad reviews removed. And of course, the anonymous reviews. A few I can understand but 1/2 to 3/4 if not all.......I say again, Hmmmm. Why doesn't someone want their name tied to a 5 star review? All red flags that leads to the thought, "I should've known better" and my favorite "Hindsight is 20/20".

     Unfortunately, I know several bounce house companies that are advertising equipment they don't even own on their website. I know this because the pictures are of my equipment. They are showing you a well kept, clean and maintained bounce house, slide or obstacle course and delivering you something else. If you ask them why it looks different, their answer is "oh we have several different models but they are all the same really." We also get at least two calls a month stating that the company they reserved with just cancelled on them last minute. Planning a party for your kids is stressful enough, especially around the holidays. You don't need any doubts on your inflatable company. Do a little research and make sure the company you are using will provide you not only with a great inflatable but a great experience.

P.S. Dreamland Bouncers has 5.0 Google review with 47 reviews. 5/5 star Yelp rating with 12 reviews, 4.9 star Facebook rating with 110 reviews.  After every rental, we email a review survey as well, to make sure we are doing our job correctly. For 2016, we have an overall satisfaction of 99.3%. Not to toot my own horn, but we do pride ourselves on providing great customer service.

Going the extra mile

       For those of you that have used us in the past, you know we pride ourselves on the cleanliness of our equipment. During the week, we inflate the equipment and spend quite a bit of time vacuuming and sanitizing just about every square inch of our bouncers (including the outside and places kids cannot even touch). We do everything possible to ensure the equipment you reserve is in the BEST possible condition that we can provide. Occasionally, the equipment is used the day before and we have to clean it when we deliver it. We will not leave it dirty and will make sure that it is up to the quality you expect from us before we let your kids in to play. You also know that we don't make it a regular practice to rent our equipment twice in the same day. This helps ensure you are getting a clean inflatable and a quality worth paying for.
       Occasionally, and I do mean it is rare, we will double book an inflatable but only when it will benefit all parties involved. This past weekend was one of those times. One of our customers wanted a Shopkins party for their little girl. But, we did not have a modular inflatable to put the banner on so they accepted a princess theme. Fortunately, there was 2 Frozen themed parties that were perfectly timed so we were able to double up Frozen Combo. With some extra hard work by our employee and friend Jose, we were able to give both parties a clean Frozen Combo and surprise a little girl with a Shopkins Combo for her birthday. Whenever it possible, we will always go the extra mile to give you the best possible party experience. That is what separates us from our competition and will always be a driving force of our company.  Thank you.

Monsoon season

    Wow, it has been a while since I posted on this blog. I am sorry. The purpose of blog is less to do about self promotion and all to do about ensuring you get the best party experience.  I will make sure that I do a better job giving you hints and tips that help you choose the best equipment and activities for your party.
    Arizona has over 300 days of clear sunshine. Most of the summer is just plain HOT, but those that say "at least it is a dry heat" are obviously forgetting about monsoon season. Humidity, early evening thunderstorms, flash floods and haboobs. All of these are issues that trump the heat in my book. You can always beat the heat. The kids keep cool on the waterslide, parents (that don't go on the waterslide) keep cool in the shade with an evap cooler or go inside with the air conditioning.  Monsoons though, can threaten the success of your party. Those storm clouds build up and before you know it, a haboob is on its way. With winds over 40 mph and enough force to damage roofs, push over trees and yes, even send an inflatable flying. When the wind picks up or a haboob rolls in, the inflatable must be put down which will hit the pause or even stop button on your party. 
     Most people book an inflatable for their party about 2 to 3 weeks in advance and there is no way to predict the weather that far out. But the easiest way to beat the monsoon weather is start and end your party earlier.  Here are a few reasons why starting your party at noon and ending at 4 pm is a good idea.

  1) Most monsoon storms or haboobs occur in the early evening. In our experience, if a storm is going to pick up, it will occur at +/- 5 pm. Having your party end at 4 will ensure you and your guests have had adequate time to enjoy the inflatable before a storm hits.
  2) If there is no storm, this will maximize your time with the inflatable. Most companies, like ours, will add extra time both before and after the event which benefits both you and the inflatable company. It allows you plenty of time to enjoy the inflatable and allows the company to create the most efficient delivery and pick up schedule. 
   3) The 4-5 o'clock hour is the hottest part of the day.
   4) The temperature can remain above 100° until the 10 o'clock hour. Although it dark out it is still hot.

    If the weather does turn for the worst, it is better to not risk it and turn off the inflatable. Bounce houses, waterslides, or any inflatable is not able to be used in winds of excess of 20 mph.
    Although the weather it is unpredictable, we at Dreamland Bouncers constantly watch the weather and will help you make the best decision as to what the weather may be like for your party. If you are considering an inflatable for your party during monsoon season and have questions or concerns about the weather, please give us a call. We will be happy to help you find the best equipment, time frame or even back up ideas to ensure your child's party will be a successful one.

Featured product

The first featured product is.......the Snow Cone Machine!  What?!? Snow cones in January? Are you serious?  Yes, yes I am. The snow cone machine is awesome for 3 big reasons. First, it's snow cones. They are fantastic anytime of the year. Sugar filled snowy goodness that leaves kids' mouths, teeth and tongues bright red, blue and/or purple. They taste great. Sure it may be January but it is Arizona. This weekend has a high of 78°. We have it pretty good here and what would better than a nice frozen treat to celebrate this perfect weather.
       Second, there is an activity that is highly underutilized...the snow ball fight. The snow cone machine isn't just for eating, it's for throwing. What would be better than watching your kids run around throwing snowballs at each other? Now I am sure you may think that they can become an ice ball but rest assured that is not so. Once the ice is ground down the shaved ice doesn't freeze together as a frozen ball rather it is a ball of slush.  Depending on how much you make, the snow ball fight can last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. If you do not want them throwing snow balls at each other, then take a piece of chalk and draw a target on your back wall. If you are an artist, draw Prince Hans on the wall to throw at. Or do what I do, emphasize no throwing any snow balls at "kids". Soon they will realize you are not a kid and have them chase you around throwing the snow balls at you. Make sure you have a good clear path to run once they figure that out though.
   Lastly, any left over syrup is yours to keep. Anytime you want a treat or reward for your kids, just throw some ice in a blender and BAM! Snow cones. The syrup also has another very useful purpose. Are you familiar with the movie Mary Poppins? Well, a spoonful of sugar (syrup) makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way. If you kids are anything like mine, they hate the taste of the medicine no matter what the flavor is you buy. The snow cone syrup is just sugar, flavoring and water, so you can add it to any of your kids' liquid medicine for a better taste.
   I hope you consider adding the snow cone machine to your next rental. It is a wonderful addition to party and when used to its full potential, it will leave a lasting memory for you and your child.

Flu bug strikes again.

    For many of you that have used our services for your party, you may know that I am a full-time paramedic. I love my job. I have always wanted to be a paramedic and it is a calling that I was happy to answer. I enjoy being there to help and I take a great amount of pride when I make a difference in someone else's life. We are in the middle of Flu season and boy, it is going around fast. I have been on countless flu-like emergency calls and my wife has been fighting a cough and congestion for weeks now. I have been fortunate not to have caught it. That is until today. As a paramedic I am exposed to sick people daily and my immune system is normally very efficient at keeping me healthy. But today, the flu has gotten the better of me and it came on FAST. You would think as a healthcare professional I would've been able to prevent this or at least hit it hard before it decided to come on strong but alas I am just as susceptible to the flu as anyone else. It also went from a minor irritant to making me a full blown cry baby in the matter of hours. Yes, like most grown men I am kinda of a cry baby when I am sick. Stuffy heads, runny noses, coughing, headaches, that overall funk that we feel, it is just unbearable at times. No one likes being sick or even seeing their loved ones being sick. No matter how hard we try to prevent it, we just cannot escape the flu. You may also notice it comes at the worst possible time. I can't tell you how many times either the parents or kids get the flu just days before your party. Almost as if the flu knows you have something big coming up.
        If anyone understands the flu and how it effects your party, it's us. That is why we don't require deposits and why we spent so much time cleaning our inflatables. You cannot predict the weather, your families health or events that will lead to you needing to cancel or postpone the party. While some companies require deposits and then have all kinds of rules as to how much you get back if you cancel, we don't do that. We are parents as well and we know the stresses of planning a party. That is why we don't want to add any stress. We watch the weather leading up to your party so we can give you the best options. We call 3-4 days ahead to make sure everything is on track and your kids are healthy. If not we work with you to find your best option. And if that means cancelling or postponing the party so you and/or your kids can get healthy, then we support that. We are here to help you and do what's best for you.
         I also want to touch on our cleaning. We pride ourselves on our quality and cleanliness of the inflatables. We spend quite a lot of time ensuring our equipment is wiped, vacuumed and sanitized after every party. We spent countless hours cleaning every square inch of the inflatables with a anti-bacterial cleaner, both inside and out. We will never let our equipment sit for weeks at time, waiting for it to be rented again so we can clean it "on-site". Although due to it being rented the day or 2 before, we will clean it on site, but it is definitely not what we try to do. If we can clean it at our warehouse with a commercial vacuum and and all our best resources, we will. You can also rest assured that if we need to clean it at your party site, we will do so just as diligently as we would at our warehouse. I would never let dirty inflatable or a "good enough" inflatable be rented out to you and your family.
     When you make a reservation with Dreamland Bouncers, we will do everything in our power to make your party as stress free as we possibly can. You can bet our equipment will be clean and sanitized. You can also know that no matter what life throws at you, we will be here to help you with your party.

January Slide Month

     I am sure it is obvious that I am not much of a blogger. I only have a few posts and they are pretty spaced apart. I find it hard to write articles that I think people would be interested in. I was never much of an author but I am passionate about our products and parties. I hope to change our minimal posts to frequent ideas, quick tips and highlighting a products. So to kick off the new year, I will write about our current special. 

     January is Slide Month here at Dreamland Bouncers. I know what you are thinking, "But Steve, aren't your slides waterslides? It's winter, won't the kids freeze?" The answer is, of course not. Almost all of our slides are wet OR dry. They can be used year round and to be honest, I think they are just as fun dry as they are when wet. We chose January because of the weather. The vinyl is much stiffer and the kids are usually wearing fleece products which make the slides faster. We also use a product that decreases the friction and really makes the kids fly down the slide. I call it my Griswold spray, those of you that love Christmas Vacation will understand. All these things combined make the slides super fast and incredibly fun. 

      Kids will also gravitate to the slides more often. When we have public events, the kids always want to be on the slide. They can ride it over and over and over again. Slides have a high output of riders so it doesn't take very long to climb up and slide down, and it also means the wait time really isn't very long as well. 

      We also extended our special to include our interactive inflatables. Our obstacle courses, bungee cord run and Volcano Rock Wall are great for all ages especially the bigger kids. Again, at public events, these inflatables always have the longest lines and most repeat riders versus combos & bounce houses. The best part of having these inflatables for your private party is the amount of times you can ride them. You can ride these inflatables all your hearts desire. The obstacle course is my favorite inflatable we have. It is high intensity, great for younger kids, older kids and the young of heart adults. They are incredibly fun and your kids will not want to get off it. 

     If you are interested in reserving a Slide, Obstacle course, Bungee cord run or the Volcano Rock Wall, give us a call and mention the slide month special and we will take $50 off your order. This is good for private parties in the month of January. No matter what the age, an inflatable brings excitement, fun and memories that will last a lifetime to your next party. 

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