Carousel Arden Fair, Heritage Amusements
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
A traditional carousel located within the Arden Fair mall, primarily offering a classic, short amusement ride for young children. The overall experience is heavily influenced by the specific staff member on duty, with significant inconsistency reported.
Key Highlights
- ✓One specific older white male attendant is consistently praised for being super nice, polite, always smiling, and waving to children, creating a very positive and welcoming atmosphere.
Standout Features
- ⭐**Engaging Male Attendant:** The presence of a specific older male attendant who is consistently polite, kind, and actively interacts positively with children (waving, smiling) significantly enhances the experience.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Inquire About Adult Rider Cost:** If you plan to ride alongside your child, explicitly ask about the cost for an adult rider before committing, as this policy appears to vary by staff member.
- →**Be Prepared for Inconsistent Staff Experience:** Staff demeanor can range from exceptionally kind to extremely rude and impatient; your experience may depend on who is working.
- →**Consider Timing for Noise Sensitivity:** If your child (or you) is sensitive to loud noises, be aware that music levels can be excessively high, potentially impacting the enjoyment.
- →**Advocate for Children with Disabilities:** Parents of children with special needs should be prepared to advocate for their child's needs due to reported instances of staff impatience and disparate treatment.
Things to Consider
- ⚠A particular older, Caucasian female staff member (mid-50s, short dark hair, possibly glasses, potentially 'Mary the shift leader') is repeatedly described as extremely rude, impatient, miserable, and prone to yelling at children even after the ride has stopped, causing discomfort and anger.
- ⚠Reported lack of patience and discriminatory treatment by an older Caucasian female attendant towards children with disabilities, indicating a potential lack of inclusive training or willingness to accommodate special needs.
- ⚠Inconsistent policy and pricing for parents wishing to ride alongside their children; some staff charge an additional fee for an adult, while others allow it for free, leading to unexpected costs.
- ⚠One parent noted that the ride duration seemed shorter on a recent visit compared to previous experiences, suggesting inconsistency.
- ⚠Loud music played by 'Mary the shift leader' is reported to be 'on full blast,' annoying nearby shoppers and potentially disruptive for children or those sensitive to noise, even when the ride is empty.
Price & Value
Inconsistent adult pricing: an adult riding with a child may be charged an additional fee depending on the staff member on duty, which can be an unexpected cost. One parent noted the ride seemed shorter than previous visits, implying variable value for money. No specific child ride price was mentioned.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •A significant concern was raised regarding an older female attendant's 'lack of patience' and 'discrepancy in treatment' towards children with disabilities, suggesting a lack of adequate training or willingness to accommodate special needs. No positive accommodations were mentioned.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not explicitly mentioned. As it's located within a mall, mall food court policies likely apply for food consumed nearby, but the carousel itself doesn't offer food or have a specific policy mentioned.
🚗Parking Info
- •Not explicitly mentioned, but implied to be standard parking for the Arden Fair mall.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Can be quiet at times, with reports of 'nobody in line waiting nor on the ride.' No specific peak times were identified, but being in a mall, weekends and holidays are generally busier.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Riders are required to remain buckled during the ride for safety, although the method of enforcing this rule by one particular staff member was heavily criticized as inappropriate and overly aggressive.
⏰When to Avoid
- • **If You Prioritize Consistent, Friendly Staff:** The high likelihood of encountering a highly rude and impatient older female staff member (mid-50s, short dark hair, possibly glasses) makes the experience unpredictable and potentially unpleasant.
- • **Parents of Children with Disabilities:** If staff patience, understanding, and inclusive treatment are crucial, consider alternative venues due to reported negative experiences.
- • **If You Expect to Ride Free with Your Child:** Be aware that some staff may charge an additional fee for an accompanying adult, so avoid if you are unwilling to pay this or expect it to be free.
- • **During Loud Music Periods:** If your child is sensitive to very loud music, avoid visiting when 'Mary the shift leader' is on duty or when music is played at full blast.
Pricing/Package/Events
🛡️Safety Policy
- • All rides are fully insured.
- • Rides meet or exceed local regulatory requirements.
- • Backed by rigorous safety standards.
- • Team members are extensively trained to identify and address potential concerns.
- • 20+ years of incident-free operation.
- • Uniformed staff trained to deliver a safe, friendly, and engaging experience.
📅Booking Policy
- • For bringing a carousel to your center: Contact Heritage Amusements via phone or email.
What People Say
What's Great
- Safe environment for children (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Allison H.
9 months agoWent for a visit yesterday during our day out with my 9 month old. There was an older, Caucasian lady possibly mid 50s with short black/dark hair to her ears & possibly wore glasses, who was working the register (didn’t catch her name nor did I care to with her bad attitude). She was extremely rude, impatient, & seemingly miserable. She had no patience for those little kids & lacked basic customer service skills. Towards the end of the ride when it started slowing, a young girl, who couldn’t have been older than 7 or 8 yrs old, unbuckled her belt & sat sidesaddle, calling for & waving to her family. The rude worker lady made it a point to YELL at her, & I mean YELL at her, 3+ times about it, as if she were her parent. Scolding her for not reading the sign about remaining buckled the whole ride & yelling across the room to her more than once about it, even after the ride was completely stopped. The little girl went to leave & she even followed her & said something AGAIN about it. Ultimately uncomfortable & enraging. I completely understand it can be a liability & the rules are ultimately enforced for safety, but yelling & berating a child in front of a crowd was extremely unnecessary to do for a kid just being a kid. I suggest she find a new job, get fired (as this isn’t the only bad review about her) or retire. She’s going to anger the wrong parent one day, I would for sure confront her if she talked to my child that way. Absolutely unacceptable. She does NOT belong working with children. Miserable lady.
Dean Nhar
a year agoDisappointing Lack of Patience Towards Children with Disabilities As a concerned parent, I must express my disappointment with the lack of patience displayed by an older, Caucasian female attendant assisting children, particularly those with disabilities. It's disheartening to witness the noticeable discrepancy in treatment between neurotypical children and those with special needs. Every child deserves equal respect, understanding, and patience, regardless of their abilities. It's imperative for all personnel working with children to undergo proper training to ensure they can provide the same level of care and support to every child under their supervision. It's my hope that this issue will be addressed promptly to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all children.
Valerie
a year agoWent there today with my niece for the first time. The older white male attendant was super nice, i regret not getting his name. He always waves his hand to children in the carousel. He looks tired but still puts a smile on his face and is very polite. I hope employers are treating him right. Thank you sir, whoever you are.
Loki Nüwa
5 years agoWas not happy this time we went. There were two new ppl and I usually come when one guy is working whose always very nice and goes around and thanks everyone. I come simply because I get to enjoy the ride with my daughter. Went to sit beside her on an animal which I normally ride along with my daughter and the girl with the blue in her hair told me basically it wasn't free to ride next to her and it'd cost me. And the ride seemed shorter this time compared to the other times I've gone. I wasn't happy and won't be riding when those two ppl are there
Get Money
7 years agoMary the shift leader should be fired. She is super disrespectful & Annoying all the shoppers with the music on full blast next door to Verizon aswell as zumiez while there’s nobody in line waiting nor on the ride. @Fundland you need to do better
Contact Information
1689 Arden Wy, Sacramento, CA 95815, USA
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