Walnut Creek On Ice

Great to have a local place for us to ice skate. My kids love going here, it’s easy in and easy out, and you pay a flat fee. It gets busy at certain times. Best to go in the morning when it first opens. My daughter went to a birthday party here at that time and the girls had the whole rink to themselves for the first 20 minutes. Slightly concerning to watch some of the very young children who aren’t supervised well. I wish it were open longer!

I went here with my wife & daughter couple of weeks ago and we did have a good time the first time. My kid wanted to go there one more time So, we visited this place again last weekend.
First, parking next to the ice rink is for the civic park only but you know everyone from the rink uses it anyway. So plan for parking ahead of time there are plenty of options around.
The front staff who give you entrance tix ($ 15/​person/​2 hrs on weekend) are hit & a miss when it comes to tending to you quickly. They are not rude by any means just busy yapping among themselves, once they start talking to you they are pretty nice…
You pay for your tix and get a wrist band. This wrist band serves both as entrance card to the rink and pass to pick-​up your skating rentals (shoes).
Since we are new to skating we needed walker for our daughter to ski which is another fee ($ 5 for 30 mins, they are not really strict about time limit). You have to get that from another counter inside the tent where you have seating to put your skates/​blades on. Off you go into the rink, have a blast. First time it was awesome, lots of kids and some adults going at diff speeds in a safe way, so it was all good.
The second time (last weekend) there a bunch of kids/​teens who were really rough zooming past others as if it were slalom for cars. It was pretty unnerving for me as a father and nobody (staff) seems to care. One of the teen bumped into a little kid, got angry at the little kid and called her names (not the nice kind), yet no staff to resolve this issue right away. I was pretty furious when very little was being done from the staff side, the father/​guarding of the kid started arguing with the teen.
This is not acceptable, lack of basic customers safety & quick intervention in case of an incident is just appalling…

The kiddos always have a fun time ice skating here. I’m really glad they have the ice rink so close to home. Prices are good and if you go during non peak hours it is less crowded (weekdays and afternoons.) we always get excited when that time of year rolls around and we see them setting up the rink!

Holiday price — $ 15 per person for 2 hours. $ 5 per walker
As to be expected, it was crowded at 12 noon. I was a little confused at the «no skating rink parking» at the parking lot right next to it. If that isn’t designated parking, I’m not sure where or if there is one. The lot was full anyway so we parked on the street which is metered with a max of 2 hours. During the holidays, because of the line and all of the people, you can easily exceed 2 hours so set a timer on your phone and have someone run back to add more time.
Now back to the rink, it smells like shoes and feet under the tent. If I can remember, I’d like to bring foot spray next time and give the rental shoes a spray before putting them on. The smell goes away once you get on the ice where its more open. Phew… nice to breathe again!
One really good thing about our experience here is that there weren’t any reckless or advance skaters speeding by. I felt comfortable letting my kids slowly make their way around the rink without worrying about anyone knocking them over. Have the kids go before you leave otherwise you’re stuck with the porter potty which is better than nothing but personally, I’d rather hold it. Bring snacks /​water. There is a vending machine and a menu on the wall but no vendors at that time. We got lucky with a credit union who was there for marketing purposes. They offered a free photo, printed and framed on a magnetic frame with their name on it. Photo turned out nice, so thank you Diablo Valley Federal credit union. One thing to improve is to have another entrance/​exit in/​out of the ice rink. That little opening just gets sooo crowded.
Overall an enjoyable time, will definitely be back.

Staff and coaches were very rude, customer service wasn’t very pleasent or willing to work with us. And we rented a walker that other kids kept taking and the staff didn’t help with that situation.

It is an annual tradition that we go to the rink with our youth from church. This year I brought along my two girls to enjoy the time out on the ice.
The cost on a Wednesday night was $ 11/​ea. Even the 5 year old was that price.
There was not that many people there and we had a great time. I am sure we will be back again next year.
What did I learn today? I got a little grossed out by seeing people’s feet steam after they took them out of the skate. What is grosser than that, the girl putting the skate back on the shelf without hitting it with Lysol!

I love it here! A great safe place to skate alone or with my friends and family. The staff are always welcoming and fun. The set up has an easy flow and it well kept. I want to do my kids party there if their open late January it was still open that time last year.

Wet skates rental. Need I say more? Who wants to put their feet in wet skates? Smell, what in the world is that smell?! You all know what I’m talking about. Sheesh. What happened to this place?!

I Loved the place! Friendly crew just the restrooms are horrible. Kids enjoyed skating and having a hot coco.

Took my son for the first time, he LOVED it, you see people from all ages all around the rink, beginners, experts, you name it.
So falling down and getting up won’t embarrass anybody, it was kind of fun to watch actually.
Some of the staff were skating checking and helping as needed, which was very helpful.
Definitely taking my son again and recommend to anyone at any age.

NOT WORTH IT! The staff this season was not good. Example: I went to the skate pickup window with my two children who needed size 10. Clerk hands me one pair and then just stands there. I say «I need two pairs for two children.» Clerk with a dead expression: «we’re out of 10’s» and then offers no solutions («I’ll let you know when a ten gets turned in; I’ll hold the next 10 for you etc.») This is the type of customer service there: none. Then there are not enough gliders for the kids and there’s no one at the counter calling the rentals back in (gliders have time limits but there was no enforcement), so we wasted a bunch of time waiting for a staff person to show up and actually do their job. «family night» was so crowded with lots of adults who cannot skate. Adults who can’t skate bobbing around young children who are learning is not fun. Lastly parking is a nightmare. Go to Iceland Dublin!

We are always excited when the ice skating rink opens every year. My kids love to skate and we always have fun UNTIL THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM… THEY ARE DISGUSTING! We were there on opening day and they were dirty and smelly then… I cannot imagine that the managers would want their kids to use those bathrooms and I sure hope that they have enough respect for their customers to get them cleaned up for next year.
Also, we did the group lessons this year… I would not reccomend it. They have too many kids in each class, too many kids on the ice at the same time and since there are so many kids — they get virtually no personal attention. In the past years we have done the private lessons and they are wonderful. We will stick to those next year.

It’s sucks when you live near the ice rink. You hear the music all day and into the night. Really? Do I need to hear Katy Perry again for the 14^th time today when I’m trying to go to bed at 10:30pm every night? Come on. Turn it down. I get that the young staff working like to hear their song on full blast, but understand that their are neighbors living on Carmel Dr.

I finally checked out Walnut Creek on Ice after years of procrastination. WORTH IT.
Yeah, I know, it’s a little pricey at $ 15 per person during holiday hours. If you’re already in Downtown Walnut Creek or don’t feel like driving to Dublin, then it’s not a bad option. Skate rentals are included with the price of admission.
The staff was super friendly. I had to change my skates three times before finding the right match. The staff members working behind the skate rental counter were happy to help me each time.
The ice rink isn’t too shabby. It’s big enough to accommodate everyone during peak hours. There’s also a Zamboni that resurfaces the ice every hour or so. It only takes 15 minutes, so that wait isn’t too annoying. However, there are a TON of toddlers and young children, so make sure to be aware of your surroundings.
If you’re hungry, there’s a snack bar that accepts cash and credit card. The menu includes pizza, pretzels, nachos, churros, etc. Most of the items are under $ 5.
There was also a DJ spinning top-​40 music. We’re gonna skate to one song and one song only…
Looking forward to returning next holiday season.

One star for existing, and one star for being close to other stuff.
I had not been ice skating for more than 30 years, so was happy to pack up the car with the gf and kids, and head down to WC:
Everything was copacetic in the admission line and at the skate rental, which is included in the $ 15 per person. Then came the trip to the 2 portapotties, where I met 3 syllables anyone who has been in a greyhound bus station or has had the sewage back up in their bathroom knows about: DIS, GUS, TING. Really, Walnut Creek? You can’t clean your overflowing toilets? Ladies and children particularly beware.
Oh yeah, on to the ice skating. Lots of fun for a beginner like me to get on the ice and laugh while flopping around like Wile E Coyote trying to chase the roadrunner across the ice that magically appears in the desert of CoCoCo. But let’s have a reality check here, this rink is rinky-​dink, the ice surface is crappy (c’mon, guys. For charging 15 bucks, I’m sure you can run the Zamboni across the surface more than once a day), it’s crowded as all get-​out, and the staff didn’t seem very responsive, except if you’re a beautiful young lady who needs a «personal» skating lesson from a young man in a red «Attendant» jacket. That looked like a hands-​on lesson to me.
So the one attendant on the ice didn’t seem to be doing much, though I did see him having a buddy-​buddy chat with the middle-​aged d’bag in the Minnesota North Stars jersey who enjoyed skating at high speed through the throngs of falling children and then coming to a rooster-​tail skidding halt. Mad ice skillz for Walnut Creek I’m sure, but truly & epically inappropriate for a family skate-​around. For the sake of future generations, let’s at least try to keep our holiday ice Wayne Gretzky-​wannabe-​free!
Btw, If you can, bring your own skates or at least wear a couple of layers of tube socks ’cause those hard-​plastic skate boots dig in to your flesh. I’m still nursing the welts on the side of my calves days later.

The ice is totally bumpy and scratched to the point where it’s impossible to glide. But the worst part is the toilets are filthy and overflowing with refuse. Not cleaned in two days. Charging $ 15 is a crime.

Yesterday we held my twin daughters 8^th bday party here. I was surprised by some of the previous reviews because we had a GREAT experience! The staff were courteous and helpful. The rental gear and ice rink were in good condition. Admittedly, it was busy because it was a very popular destination for a cold but beautiful sunny weekend afternoon in Dec. But I have to say, everyone who worked there was always so pleasant and really focused on making it safe and enjoyable skating environment for everyone. Many of the kids who attended our party and their parents came up to me at the end to say how much fun they had there. Because it was such a great experience we are even looking into holding a school event here next year. Thanks to Allison & all the staff there for ensuring all the kids had a great enjoyable time!
This rink is a great addition to this community. Looking at the earlier reviews, I just have to add that this is a local OUTDOOR holiday rink — which is part of its fun but rare in this area. Some of the previous poor reviews were when we had some exceptionally hot weather & I dont think the staff can be blamed for the wet conditions when that happens. So take into account the outdoor weather conditions before you go.
Plus it is NOT a professional rink, not does it advertise to be, so if that is what you want you should drive into Oakland. However, if you live in the area and want to take your family for some fun holiday activity (other than shopping or eating), this is a fun place to go. (It is like the SF Embarcadero holiday ice rink, but less crowded & no need to commute into the city.) That is what they are really trying to provide for the community and they do a great job at that!

Presenting The Creek’s entry into the ice skating world.
The Bay Area isn’t too strong of a stronghold for ice skating. In my time here, I remember rinks in San Francisco, Berkeley, and San Mateo that are now closed. Many rinks show up in November and disappear in January, and this is one of them. But people think about ice skating in winter, not in summer, so this setup works out right.
Walnut Creek On Ice has grown over the years. In 2013, it’s half-​covered and sometimes features live music. It’s still one of the more expensive rinks in the Bay Area.
My family was here the day it opened in 2013. Big crowd that day, with beginners pushing themselves along the wall, novices like me skating freely in a counter-​clockwise direction, showoffs in the middle, and security skating around to help people who fall and nail those on the ice with cameras. I expected rinky-​dink quasi-​ice, and was pleasantly surprised by the real thing. This real thing had leaves from the trees on the ice, which turned out to not be dangerous but still looked yuk. All three of us had trouble with our skates, me around the calves and my wife and daughter in the feet. Parking stinks.
So it’s a combination of good (atmosphere that could be romantic) and bad (price, parking). It’s also the only one in central county. Considering transportation to another rink, this one might be worth it for you.

Small rink + overcrowded conditions + skating novices = disaster.
My daughter fell and her hand was sliced by a skate. She was rushed off the ice bleeding… straight to the managers table where they had us sign a waiver before going to the emergency room. While at the emergency room we saw 3 people (2 with head injuries) all from the skating rink. 2 weeks later a close friend fell and tore his rotator cuff, had surgery, and was on disability… for almost 3 months. Big price to play for 20 minutes of fun.
My advice. Avoid this rink. They pack way too many people on the ice. During busy hours you will be dodging falling patrons right and left. Worse yet, there are tons of kids (toddlers and up) on tiny skates who have NEVER skated falling down with a zillion folks whizzing around them. It is only a matter of time before a major lawsuit shuts this place down.
If you simply can’t resist going… please consider putting a helmet on your child.

4.5 The extra half for having toddler skates!
A smaller outdoor rink on the civic side of downtown Walnut Creek with everything you’d typically find — skate rental with admission, hot food stand, soda vending machines.
Also…Parties and lessons available. Ice holding up nicely with usual center drippy post-​Zamboni.
PLUS: curb-​side drop off zone provided your passengers do not need parental guidance.
MINUS: no parking at the site. See website for free and paid parking locations.
While I love Civic Center and the park, was a little disappointed with the parking area being banned from skaters. Hopefully they had special parking designated for those with frequent skater and family passes. The rink shape is a bit awkward due to land space.