Hoopla in South Morang is one of those places where my kid didn’t want to leave when our time was up, and then fell asleep before 8pm that night, so I’d call that a win! IThe play centre designed with parents in mind, and it’s huge, 3,000 square metres of slides, climbing, arcade games, a car track and a bowling alley under one roof. I’d been hearing about it for a while and finally took my kid on the weekend, so this is everything we saw, what it costs, and what I wasn’t so keen on, because it’s not cheap once you add everything up.
How big it is
It’s enormous. Hoopla calls it Australia’s largest interactive indoor playground, and the play area is so big that there was always somewhere new to go. I saw kids of every age playing in there, and everything looked really clean.
The slides
There are 21 slides, and a lot of them are very long. One of them is a double wave slide, which Hoopla says is Melbourne’s tallest, and it’s the one that really stuck with me. There are slides at all sorts of difficulty levels, so the bigger kids get a proper shot of adrenaline and the smaller ones still have something to go down.
The themed zones
The play area is split into themed zones, a Great Barrier Reef zone, a rainforest zone and an outback zone with cheeky animals, plus a ball battle arena, and there’s a climbing volcano about four metres high.
The maze and the climbing areas
My kid’s favourite was the maze. The whole floor in there is padded, so it felt really safe. The raised areas are all connected, with climbing, monkey bars and obstacles to get over, and the best part for me is that if you climb up with your kid you can walk the whole way standing up straight, no bending over, anyone who’s done it in other play centres knows that pain!
The toddler area
The toddler area is fully enclosed with a gate, and it’s padded all the way through, so it suits kids from 0 to 3. The raised areas are made for kids from about 3, so little ones and bigger kids each have their own space.
The car track, arcade and bowling
There’s a mini race car track, around 30 arcade games, a claw machine and a bowling alley. The arcade games and car rides all need tokens, and bowling costs extra on top of your entry, it isn’t included in the ticket price. For the adults, you can have a drink, chat, play pool or bowl while the kids run around.
For the parents
Parents and carers get in free, and the seating area has a full view of the play space. The dining area is surprisingly big, with a lot of atmosphere, it feels like a little bar. We didn’t order any food, the portions looked big, but I can’t tell you if it’s any good. There are seven party rooms, which looked spacious and bright, and the toilets were quiet and cleaned regularly. There’s Wi-Fi too, and I saw lots of staff cleaning throughout the day.
What it costs
Entry is for a 2 hour session. Monday to Friday it’s $12 for ages 1 and 2 and $16 for ages 3 and up, and on weekends and public holidays it’s $12 for ages 1 and 2 and $18 for ages 3 and up. Under ones are free on weekdays and $4 on weekends, and parents and carers are free. You have to wear Hoopla grip socks, and they told us first-timers get a pair. Tokens are $10 for 5, $20 for 13, or $50 for 35, and one token is one car ride. Bowling is $12 for one game or $22 for two. We got three hours when we went, but Hoopla’s website now lists two hours, so check when you book. They also run Messy and Play sessions on weekdays for ages 0 to 5, $22.95 for 45 minutes of sensory play plus playground access.
Where it is and when it’s open
330 McDonalds Road, South Morang. Hoopla’s hours are Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 10pm, and Sunday 9am to 6pm. I’d book online ahead of time, I recommend it.
What I didn’t love
Everything costs extra. Once you add tokens for the arcade and the car, and bowling, the day gets expensive quickly. The time limit also means you can’t just settle in, you come in and then it’s nearly time to go home. One of us thought it was just okay, a nice place and a big space, but once is enough.
Is it worth it
For a first visit, yes. It’s huge, it’s clean, the padded maze and the enclosed toddler area make it feel safe, and the slides are brilliant, and as a parent being able to walk upright up there and get in free is a big plus. Just go in knowing the entry ticket is only the start, set a token budget before you walk in, and book a weekday if you can to save a couple of dollars.
For more rainy day options, have a look through our indoor play centre list, and check the Victorian school holidays and term dates when you’re planning your next one.