Knucklehead's
A Bowling and Family Entertainment Center in Wisconsin Dells
Need some indoor fun during your vacation to Wisconsin Dells? Knuckleheads may be what you are looking for.
Tired of the indoor waterparks but need something else to do inside because of bad weather? Try Knucklehead's: A Bowling and Family Entertainment Center in the Lake Delton/Wisconsin Dells area. Located next to Great Wolf Lodge and the Tanger Outlets, the complex opens at 11 am daily. Knucklehead's opened in late winter of 2007 and is reminiscent of Chuck E. Cheese's but without the food. (A buffet restaurant, Buffalo Phil's, is attached and serves kid-friendly food.) Besides the arcade-style games, there are a number of rides for different age groups.
The bowling alley is located toward the back of the complex. The bowling center features 24 lanes, large TV screens, comfortable couches to recline on while waiting for your turn to come back up, and bumpers that autmoatically rise up or go down so the kids can play games along with the adults. Cosmic bowling is also available. Pricing is slightly more than at your local lanes, but the amenities are nicer and the facility is still sparkling new.
The go-karts separate the bowling alley from the arcade and smaller rides. For $6 you can take 10 laps around the course, which is on the short side (being indoors) but has two levels. Smaller children can ride for free with an adult in special cars.
Two other attractions are in the building section with the go-karts: the playground and a "spring ride" that lifts you straight up and then drops you repeatedly. The playground called ballocity costs $3 to enter but the time is unlimited. The play area is three stories high and consists of tunnels, slides, and other foam activity areas and balls. All ages are allowed in ballocity.
The six amusement rides in the area with the arcade games are suitable for a range of ages and each cost $3 per ride. The littlest ones will like the Baja Buggy, with cars that bounce up and down while moving in a circle. The airplane ride, called Flying Tigers, also elicits many smiles, especially after being flung around each corner. The mini roller-coaster type ride is Family Himalaya. It goes both forward and then backward. For really little ones, have a larger kid or adult ride with them because it is easy to slide around from the momentum.
Bumper Cars are the standard fare although in the smaller space you can expect more collisions. The Family Coaster looks tame but going around the spiral corners be prepared for quite a jolt. If you really didn't want your neck cracked then you may want to skip this one. And smaller children will again slide around this ride and if they are short enough they may bump their heads on the side of the car going around the corner. The best ride in the building is the Tornado, which is like a tilt-a-whirl in flight. Children and adults can ride the Tornado and control the amount of spinning the would like to endure. The "cages" in the ride itself spins around the central axis, and then each cage can be spun by the steering wheel in the center, so you can control how tame or wild you like it.
A 3D Theater is part ride, part movie. You strap in and put your special glasses on and feel your seat move in combination with the show you are watching, giving it a real-life feeling.
The Arcade Games are much like you would find in any arcade, from driving road-type games to skee-ball. The games are played with tokens and tickets for successful games can be redeemed at the prize center.
There is something for everyone at Knucklehead's, and the time goes quickly, almost as quickly as your money will!
