fequently asked questions!

How do I book a party?

You can request a party reservation through our online portal, call any Jam Time, or email party@jamtime.com. Parties are booked on a First Come, First Servebasis. Parties are not confirmed/reserved until the deposit is paid, processed and email confirmation sent. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please check your spam/junk folder or email settings.

I submitted a request, now what?

Once we process your request, you’ll receive an email confirmation with an embedded link to pay the non refundable security deposit of $100.00. Your party is not confirmed until your deposit is paid. You have a maximum of one week, seven business days, to confirm your interest in a Jam Time party by paying the security deposit. We will make multiple attempts to reach you before canceling your reservation and opening up the party spot. The balance of your party is due the day of your event and is subject to change due to alterations. You can make payments toward your party by calling any Jam Time and using any major debit/credit card. DO NOT USE THE LINK TO MAKE PAYMENTS. We do not recommend paying for your party in full before your scheduled party day. (See Cancellation/Refund Policy).

Can I tentatively hold a spot while I decide about my interest?

Yes. We can tentatively hold a spot for 24 hours. After that time, if we do not hear back from you, we will release the reservation and you will have to resubmit your request. You can not hold multiple spots while deciding between one or the other.

The spot I want is already booked. Can I be waitlisted for it, if they cancel?

We can make a note on the desired party with your name and contact information. If the previously booked party cancels, we will reach out to confirm your continued interest with a Jam Time party. If we don’t hear from you, we will release the party so another family can book it.

How far in advance should I think about booking a party?

From May - August, you can potentially book a party with about two weeks notice. During our busy season, September - April, the general guideline is 3 months notice. Please check out the calendar to confirm the day/time/location is available prior to submitting your party request.

What is your Cancellation/Refund Policy?

We have a very generous Cancellation policy. You have 24 hours after you make your initial deposit to change your mind and request a refund to the card used to make your payment. After that point, your deposit is nonrefundable and if you need to cancel your party (for any reason), your deposit is converted into a credit to use toward a future party at Jam Time. This credit does not expire and can be used at any Jam Time location, but solely for a future party booking. The only way you would lose your deposit is if you were to cancel your party and never reschedule.

ACCOMMODATION/SPECIAL REQUESTS

Can I extend the length of my party?

It depends. We require 30 minutes between each party to flip the party room and allow our staff to sanitize the play floor, so certain parties cannot be extended.

Simply Perfect 10am -11:30am can be extended by 30 minutes only, but the party start time would be 9:30am.

Simply Perfect (at the Natick Mall) or Simply Private (all other locations) 10 - 11:30am and 12 - 1:30pm can not be extended.

Simply Private 2 - 3:30pm can be extended by 30 minutes only. The party would end at 4:00pm because the next party starts at 4:30pm.

Premiere 2 - 4pm cannot be extended.

Premiere 4:30- 6:30 and VIP 4:30 - 7:30pm can be extended as they are the last party spots of the day.

If I book a Shared Party, can I have my guests come in as early as 9am (10am at the mall) for public play even though the party starts later?

No. If you would like your guests to have access to the play floor prior to the party start time, they would be required to check-in at the front desk and would be charged the admission fee of $15/child. The Simply Perfect party package pricing is structured so that you have access to the play floor during your allotted time and a private party room for the duration of the party. If you would like to add on time to your party, please see Can I extend the length of my party?. You can arrive no more than 5 minutes prior to your party’s start time as hosts. If you arrive earlier than that, our staff/managers may not be ready for you and ask you to come back at the designated time in your email confirmation.

Can I book a Private Party in the morning? Can I book a Simply Private or Premiere at 10am?

Since all Jam Time locations are open until the afternoon for public play on the weekends, you would not be able to book a private party in the AM unless you bought out our public play for the day. We base our buy-out rate upon our facility capacity and our drop in Public Play rate. Our standard rate per child is $15.00. Our facility capacity is around 100 people. $15 x 100 = $1500. You would then have all of Jam Time for your party! This does not include the cost of the party package or any add ons requested.

Can I have a party from 1:00pm - 4:00pm? Can I have a private party from 2:00pm - 6:00pm?

The only way to reserve a longer party during the middle of the day would be to reserve two party spots. We can reserve two party spots and provide a discount on the first party as long as it is not reserved by another family. This reservation does not include the price of the second party spot or any add ons. We only require a single $100 security deposit to reserve both spots. Please inquire further by emailing party@jamtime.com and we can try to accommodate your request.

Can I have a weekday party? Can I book a Friday Private party?

Possibly. Weekday parties are subject to manager/staff availability. Likewise, a weekday party needs to be booked as a SIMPLY PERFECT party package, unless the family making the reservation also buys out public play. See Can I book a private party? for more details. Email party@jamtime.com and we will try to accommodate your request.

How busy does the play floor get during a Shared Party?

It depends on the weather! If the weather is nice, you can almost have a private party for a shared party price.

What is your Service Animal Policy during parties?

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as an animal that has been specifically trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the animal must be directly related to the person’s disability. Jam Time welcomes your service animal during your visit to any of our locations. Emotional support or comfort dogs are NOT allowed at Jam Time. Your service animal must be healthy, cleaned and groomed (no fleas, ticks or sores). Your service animal must be house broken and under your control at all times (leashed, harness, or other effective controls) and your service animal must be well behaved (no barking, biting or scratching). Your service animal must be vaccinated (shots) as required by local, county and state requirements. Staff may require you to show proof of vaccinations for your service animal as required by local law

DECORATIONS

I’d like to bring my own/supplemental/special decorations or have an outside company decorate for my party, is that possible?

Yes! If you would like to bring in any decorations for your party - we simply ask that all decorations be pre-assembled and dropped off to your location no later than the Wednesday before your party with your last name, date, and time of your party. If you have already purchased the balloon garland kit and would like us to assemble it, please see our add on page for pricing.

If you would like to purchase your own decorations and have Jam Time assemble items for your convenience, we can! Base price for Jam Time assembling decorations is $35. Pricing is based upon the effort and time it would take to assemble.

If you would like to decorate yourself or have an outside company decorate, that’s ok! With any venue rental, you are required to rent out the space for the entirety of the time needed to set up your party. This may mean that you need to reserve two party spots. For further information please see Can I have a party that starts at 1:00pm and goes until 4:00pm? Can I have a private party from 2:00pm - 6:00pm?

If you would like to bring in rented equipment from an outside company (ex: wall panels, backdrop stands, dessert pedestals, balloon ring stand) you are going to be required to reserve a 4:30 party spot. Jam Time storage is limited and we are unable to store large, heavy structures as those listed examples out back. A limit of one (1) panel or pedestal is allowed. It is also preferred that all items be made of lightweight materials such as foam core or cardboard. Please no wood, metal or glass!

What themes do you have? I don’t see the theme I would like listed online, what do I do? What do you provide for decorations? Can I pick the colors for the balloons?

We have over 120 themes to choose from and we are always adding to our list. If you would like to see a specific theme set up, just ask! We have been collecting images of party set ups for almost a year- if we have it, we’ll send you an example of what your party could look like! Please keep in mind we can not guarantee specific decorations and all set ups are unique!

All our parties come with wall decorations (bunting, banners, wall swirls, scene setters), table covers, paper goods for adults and kiddos, a balloon tower and two centerpieces. BALLOONS COLORS for Simply Perfect and Simply Private parties are standard Primary/Rainbow in color. To customize your balloon colors for tower/centerpieces, please review our add ons on the party page (e.g. balloon garland, customize tower)

Our FESTIVE theme is a very cute, colorful rainbow balloon motif.

A CUSTOM theme is one not listed online and requires an additional fee of $50 instead of $35.

Jam Time provides all the cutlery and serving platters/bowls, and utensils for the party! You just bring the cake!

Can I have/Do you provide helium for balloons?

No. All Jam Time balloons are air filled. You are welcome to bring in helium filled balloons the day of your party. Keep in mind, Natick Mall Jam Time does not allow for ANY helium balloons due to the ducts and vaulted ceilings.

Can I have a pinata?

Yes, at three of our locations! Only pull string pinatas are allowed at the Natick, Maynard, and Norwood Jam Time locations. Pinatas are not allowed at the Natick Mall location.

FOOD

Can I bring in my own food/drinks/catering? Where do you order your pizza from? Can I order something instead of pizza?

Yes, with some exceptions. All food/drink must be NUT FREE, SHELLFISH FREE, NON ALCOHOLIC, NO OPEN FLAMES (aluminum chafing dishes with gel stern-o burners are prohibited). Outside food must be brought with you to the beginning of the party- it can not be delivered before or during the party. All pizzas must be ordered through Jam Time as this ensures proper delivery time. Electric hot plates, instant pots, and crockpots are all welcome. Of course, if someone in your party has dietary restrictions which our pizza vendors are unable to accommodate, you can bring in outside food for them.
We get our pizzas from local pizza shops! Norwood: Mustang Pizza, West Natick: Brooklyn Pizza Shop, Natick Mall: Pizza Plus, Maynard: MVP (Maynard Village Pizza)

How many pizzas should I order? Can I order anything besides pizza?

Depends on whether you are planning to feed just the kids or kids and adults. The week of your party we will request an estimated headcount. This will help us decide how many pizzas will be sufficient for your guest list. All pizzas are 16-18 inches and come double cut into kid friendly slices! Yes, some popular food options include chicken tenders, wings or salads! You can always check the vendor’s online menu for options, but please be aware that the pricing is subject to change as Jam Time includes tax, tip, and delivery in the food cost.

Do you have a fridge/freezer to store my drinks/cake?

Natick, Maynard, and Norwood all have residential refrigerators/freezers which we store ice and our lemonade/water pitchers for our parties. The Natick Mall has a small college-size refrigerator where we store mini water bottles and juice boxes for parties. We can not guarantee space in our refrigerator/freezer for cakes/icecream cakes or other beverages. Small coolers are welcome!

Can I just bring in some cupcakes during public play and have them in the cafe with a few friends?

Unfortunately, we do not allow any celebratory fanfare during public play hours in the cafe. This situation falls under our “No birthday parties without a reservation” policy. All parties require prep, planning, and staffing to accommodate requests. Our Simply Perfect party package is great for smaller groups and it comes with exclusive use of the Jam Time party room!

MISCELLANEOUS

Should I tip my party manager/assistants?

Our staff works incredibly hard to make sure our parties are memorable and effortless! Gratuity is optional but also appreciated. We love getting warm notes and rave reviews of our parties from families too!

What’s in your goody bags/party favors?

Our favors generally have 1 big item such as a reusable plastic cup, art set, backpack, stuffed animal, our custom Jam Time moose etc., along with 1-4 smaller toys such as a rubber duck, play doh, slime, noise makers, stickers, necklaces, sunglasses, silly straws, note books, small crayons, balls, bubbles, etc. Items will be tied up neatly in a fun cellophane bag. Though we can not guarantee specific items for a party, we can guarantee that we do super cute favors!

I’d like to add-on a SHOW to my party. Can you tell me a little about them?

You can add-on a show to private parties which are 2 hours or longer only. Shows are booked entirely upon vendor availability. All shows require an additional $100 deposit to secure the vendor for your party with the balance being rolled over to your final amount due on the day of your party. If they are available, we will contact you for the additional non-refundable show deposit. Once your party and show deposit are paid and you know which show you are interested in adding, we will reach out to our vendors and request a show on your behalf. If you cancel your show request, your show deposit will be applied to the total balance of your party. Shows can range in price but are generally $400+ and pricing is subject to change per the vendor. Entertainers are usually tipped for their services the day of the event. We have several different options- here are brief descriptions of each:

Animal Show: a 40 min informative, interactive show where kids can ask questions, touch and learn about a bunch of different animals! Everything from snakes to birds can be covered! Specialty animals can be added for an additional fee. This show is great for older kids 4 and up as it can require kids to stay seated and quiet for an extended period of time

Magic Show: a super cute 40 show with age appropriate tricks, stories and audience participation! This show is great for kids ages 4 and up as it requires a bit more focus on the part of the kiddos

Jammin' Science: Put on your lab coat and get ready to have your very own science class with Mr. Malcolm! Experiments galore: superhero science, weather, archeology - you name it, Mr. Malcolm has an explanation. This show is great for ages 3.5 and up

Music Concert: depending on your party location, you can have a 40 min family friendly music concert from Mr. Vic with Music Together or Lucky Day Music with Stacey Peasley. Great for all ages!

Big Joe Storyteller: Gather ‘round everyone for an amazing story! Big Joe will tell tales that explore your little one’s imagination, keep them engaged, and showcase a sense of wonder! Plus… puppets! Who doesn’t love puppets?! Each show is around 45 minutes in length and is suited for all ages.

When is the very latest I can make changes to my party?

General guideline for last minute changes is two weeks before your party date. It depends on what the change is, specifically. Final theme choice needs to be made with at least 30 days notice. Party bins are packed two weeks in advance. Please be sure to check your email confirmation for accuracy and contact us if you have any questions regarding themes! Favors can be added on the day of (they will be a mix of festive and other themes - we can not guarantee they will all match or contain the same items). Extra time (if applicable) needs to be confirmed with the store location at least two weeks prior to your party to ensure sufficient staffing. Specialty Character visits are based upon availability and require at least two weeks notice when canceling/changing. If you reserve a specialty character and decide not to have the visit with less than two weeks notice, you may forfeit your add on cost of $65 (if applicable).Final Head Count is requested by the Friday before your party. This number can not be altered the day of the party. This may mean you will forfeit the additional cost per child if you go over the included headcount of your party package (see package details for more information). Pizza orders are placed the Friday before your party.

What ages count toward my final head count numbers? Does this include the birthday child(ren)?

When providing Jam Time with your headcount we are referring to kids between the ages of 1 - 12 years old. Babies UNDER 1 and kids OVER 12 do not count toward your final headcount because they are not likely going to require a table setting or goody bag/favor. The only time they will count is if you add on favors and would like the infant or older child to receive one. Your head count DOES include the birthday child(ren). We can comfortably seat 36 kids in the party room. Adults do not count toward your final numbers either. Each Jam Time’s facility capacity is around 100 people- so as long as your guest list is UNDER 100-you’re good!