Running Late to Your Booking? Drop-In, Parties & Private Events at Off The Wall Kids

I booked online but we are running late — can we still come?"

That message hits our phone almost every weekend. Traffic on First St. A lost shoe. A nap that went long. One kid who refused to leave the house until someone found the right socks.

We are Off The Wall Kids at 539 First St in East London (Argyle, near Fanshawe College). The answer depends on **what you booked** — drop-in play, a birthday party, or a day when we have a **private event**. This is the guide we wish every family had before the car is already rolling.

Short version

**Drop-in booking a little late?** → In most cases, yes. Tell the admission counter when you arrive. They will check you in.

**Private event day?** → Hard stop. Drop-in guests need to be out before the private event. Check hours before you drive.

**Birthday party running late?** → Parties run on a fixed timeline — there are usually parties before and after yours. If there is **no party directly after** yours and you are late, **call us** and we can talk through options.

Phone: **519-914-0551**

Drop-in play booking — running a little late

If you booked **drop-in play** online and you are **a little bit late**, you can still come in most cases.

Walk up to the **admission counter**, let the person know you have a booking and you are late, and they will **check you in**. We are not going to turn you away over a few minutes because the littles finally found their shoes.

A few things to keep in mind:

**Online bookings get the same Unlimited Play Until We Close as walk-ins** — stay and play until we close that day (subject to last admission times and any private-event clear-out). There is **not** a two-hour cap on a normal booking.

The **only exception** is the **last booking slot before we close** — we cannot extend past closing time, so that slot ends when we close.

If you are a little late, tell the person at the **admission counter** when you arrive. They will check you in. You do not lose your visit over a few minutes because someone could not find their socks.

**Walk-ins** (no booking) work the same way — Unlimited Play Until We Close once admitted. Running late to a walk-in just means a later arrival.

Booking saves about $1 per ticket vs gate price: bookeo.com/off_the_wall_bookings

Walk-in vs booking full guide: offthewallkids.ca/kids-activities-blog/walk-in-play-at-off-the-wall-kids-london-ontario

Hours, last admission, and how online booking works: offthewallkids.ca/kids-activities-blog/off-the-wall-kids-hours-and-pricing-admission-parties-london

Private event days — this one is a hard stop

Some days we host a **private facility rental** or private event that requires the **public drop-in side to clear out** before it starts. That is not negotiable at the counter — it is a hard stop for drop-in guests.

If a private event forces an early close or a clear-out time, **drop-in guests need to be out** before the private event begins. Staff will communicate that at admission if it applies that day.

**Always check the Today's Hours bar** at the top of offthewallkids.ca before you leave the house — not yesterday's memory, not a blog post from last month. Private events and holiday hours show up there.

If you booked drop-in play online and a private event is scheduled later the same day, **drop-in guests need to be out before that event** — that is a hard stop. The last available booking slots before a clear-out or close end when we close or clear the floor; we cannot extend past that. When in doubt, call before you drive: **519-914-0551**

Private rental (whole facility) is a separate product from a standard birthday package: offthewallkids.ca/kids-birthday-parties-london-ontario

Birthday party booking — running late is different

**Birthday parties** are not the same as drop-in bookings.

Parties run on a **specific timeline** — 90 minutes in the private party room for standard packages, then turnover for the next group. On busy weekends there is **usually another party before yours and another party after yours**. The schedule is tight on purpose so every family gets their room and their play time.

**The party room and the playground are different.** A 10:00am party uses the room until 11:30am. Your guests are welcome to stay and play in the facility until we close — they just do not have access to the party room after your scheduled 90 minutes.

If you are **late for your party start**, we may not be able to extend your room time — the next party may be waiting. That is the most common weekend reality.

**If there is no party directly after yours** and you are running late, **call us: 519-914-0551**. We can talk about what is possible that day — whether the room can run a little long, whether play time shifts, what the next booking looks like. Every Saturday is slightly different. A phone call beats a surprise arrival.

Party hosts: build **15 minutes of buffer** into your drive and parking plan. Party guest parking on busy Saturdays: offthewallkids.ca/kids-activities-blog/parking-at-off-the-wall-kids-london-ontario-parties-weekends

Party packages, pricing, and what is included: offthewallkids.ca/kids-activities-blog/what-does-a-kids-birthday-party-cost-in-london-ontario

Party food and cake rules: offthewallkids.ca/kids-activities-blog/birthday-party-food-at-off-the-wall-kids-outside-food-cakes-allergies

What to do right now (checklist)

**Drop-in booking, slightly late** → Come in. Tell the counter. They check you in.

**Drop-in booking, very late on a private-event day** → Check Today's Hours bar. Call if unsure.

**Party booking, running late** → Call **519-914-0551** — especially if you need extra room time and there may not be a party after yours.

**Walk-in, no booking** → Just come during open hours (subject to last admission). No start time to miss.

**Not sure what you booked?** → Open your Bookeo confirmation email or call us.

Still helps even when you are on time

Socks for everyone past admission. Waivers for everyone past admission. Digital waivers good 12 months: offthewallkids.ca/waiver

First visit guide: offthewallkids.ca/first-visit-guide

Life runs late. Kids run on their own clock. In most drop-in cases, we can still get you checked in — just talk to the person at the admission counter when you walk in. Parties and private events need more lead time and a phone call. We would rather hear from you at 1:15 than wonder where you are at 1:45.

See you when you get here — on time or a little behind.