Goin’ Bananas Playnasium

Oh No… this place is CLOSED! I drove by the other day and there is nothing in it anymore… So sad.

Repeat customer but after this last visit, I will never return. First of all it was HOT!!! We sweated buckets the whole time there. Secondly, the staff did not monitor play area and allowed the big kids & grown ups to roughhouse inside the moonwalks. My nephew got trampled. The staff did not enforce their policy of «no shoes on carpet». Many people wore shoes and even got in moonwalks with shoes on! Lastly, my husband lost his phone and a very honest person turned it in. When we went to retrieve phone, the staff had already turned it over to someone who claimed that it was their aunts. No attempt to confirm if phone really belonged to the thief!!! All he said was his aunt lost a red phone and staff just handed him the phone!

My purse was STOLEN at Goin’ Bananas!!!
When we walked in we were told we needed to pay for our visit, buy a pair of socks, and sign in on a guest sheet. We were then told we needed to take our shoes off and could place them in a cubby hole next to the front desk. I proceeded to take my shoes off and place them on the shelves along with my purse and baby bag. I assumed with the proximity to the front desk it would be safe, also thinking everyone has to sign in gave me a false sense of security At first sight the building itself is pretty sad and depressing, it reminds me of a run down antique mall with thefluorescent lighting and the faint smell of mildew.
When we were ready to go of course was when I realized my purse was gone. I asked the women at the front desk if they saw anything and at first the woman in charge response was no. Then when Iprobed a bit more she lackadaisically did say there was a «suspicious man» that was childless and was not asked to sign in because he was «looking for a friend» I also asked if this kind of thing had happened before and with a bit of hesitation she responds «not to my knowledge». The woman in charge did let me use her computer to cancel my credit and debit cards but never once offered to refund my money for the visit.
This trip cost me more than a pair of socks I will never wear again in total it was almost a 1000 dollar trip. When you add up how much it costs for a «my purse was stolen» statement what that really means is my phone, my ipod touch, my car keys, my house keys, my wallet, my credit card, my debit card, my prescription pills, my licenses, my glasses, my purse itself. Hell I just dropped 200 dollars having a new key for my car made since the thief stole the only copy I have. I will have to have them changed once again including the locks on my house since they have my licenses and know where I live.
I guess if anything we should consider ourselves lucky that this «suspicious man» was only looking for purses and not children to steal.

Checked this place out with my 19 month old today. Was a little tricky to find the actual building since its not visible from Manchaca but it didn’t take me long to figure it out since there was a sign. When we arrived, the woman at the desk warned me that they had a group of 40 children there on a field trip and that we were more than welcome to still play but that it might be a little more wild than usual. I told her I would take my chances since I was there. She even went out of her way to explain that if I wanted to leave, I could hold onto my receipt and come back later. That scored points with me for sure. It was pretty crazy with all the kids but honestly, its the summertime in Texas. I don’t really expect to go anywhere like this where there aren’t a million kids, especially day campers! I definitely had to keep a close watch on my son but the other kids were pretty respectful and the ones that were kind of being a pain (playing in the 5 and under bouncy house), I just told their councilor and they took care of it. Note I didn’t say staff person– I’m not sure but I think there was only one person working there! So just go knowing that if you have a toddler you will have to keep a close watch on them and this may mean getting in the bouncy houses with them so make sure you’re up for that. I have to say it was pretty good exercise and it was fun too. Once the large group of kids left, the place seemed to mellow out and there were probably 10 people there. One thing that surprised me was how mom and pop this place felt. All of the signs were hand written and the facility seemed a little dated. The bathrooms reminded me of the kind you would find at a roller rink or a bowling ally. With that said, the place was clean and functional, the staff was friendly enough and my kid had fun. I’m sure we will return.

First visit, on a weekday, the place was empty and me and my toddler had a great time! Noticed the staff going around cleaning things, so it made me feel good that they try to control germs.
Next visit, lots of kids. My toddler was in one of the inflatables in the toddler area and an older kid ran in and JUMPED ON TOP of the inflatable she was in. I rushed in to pull her out. Luckily she was fine. I had to leave or I would have harmed the mother of the boy who jumped on the toddler inflatable (who was standing there, watching). Based on this, I will never go back to Goin’ Bananas. There is literally no supervision, and no consequences for rowdy behavior by bratty kids and lackluster parents.

I know there aren’t many places to take children to an inflatable world in South Austin, but I’d rather drive further than take my son to this dirty dive again.
Inflatables are already run-​down, which wouldn’t be a massive deal unless the other posters weren’t right about the awful parents here. The place packs ‘em in VERY tight quarters and there is no supervision. They let kids of any age play anywhere and the younger ones get toppled over and hurt easily. Parents hang out in the party areas and by the TVs and seem like the ones who don’t usually watch their kids anywhere, so why do it here?
The owners (or any adults in charge, for that matter) were nowhere to be found on a Sunday afternoon, even though 4 birthday parties were going on. There was a teenager at the front and one rounding kids up for cake, but no one else. No security measures, as the others explained, too. Kids have fun, but don’t they usually in the midst of utter mayhem?
Bottom line — if you are used to cleaner, safer options for your kids and being around parents who actually bother to watch their children, then Goin’ Bananas won’t be for you. Drive the extra distance to the better ones in Northwest Austin or Round Rock.

What can amaze and wow your kids, help YOU burn 600 calories an hour, and then guarantee you a solid 2 hour nap time when you return home? Goin’ Bananas!
I took my little guy here last Sunday since he seemed a little burnt out from «Locomotion» last time we went.
Compared to other «bouncy places» this one is a little more cramped but not in a bad way, it allowed them to throw in some really large and rather neat moon bounces inside. They have inflatable slides, things you can roll over, things you can climb on, things you can climb through– it just really is a good place for a toddler to be free and do what they do best.
I was a little suprised by the lack of supervision but then again I dont take my eyes off my kid so it wasnt much of an issue. I was VERY impressed with the staff though! My son saw another child with a balloon and as his eyes widened in envy one of the staff members went to the back and brought him his very own. (which got tied to Daddy’s backback shortly after the interest ceased)
All in all it was a good trip, my son didnt stop smiling once, the facilities were clean and the staff was incredibly friendly even if they dont do a walk around or two to check in on things.

Our 8 yr old LOVES moonwalks. What’s not to love? We threw his 8^th birthday party there knowing it was the perfect spot for a summer birthday in Texas.
I love that they are VERY clean, they have a very friendly staff, prices aren’t ridiculous for single visits, wifi, lots of chairs and bean bags for the parents to lounge on and a large facility. They also added a couple more bounce houses to their line up.
I don’t love the birthday party prices. It’s WAY overpriced for 2 hours of party. For the price I paid for 20 kids, we could have gotten 2 adjoining rooms at the Hyatt and the kids could have jumped on the beds as long as they wanted to in a COLD A/​C. I don’t love that you sweat sitting down. They need to get fans. Lots of them. Either that or turn down the temperature on the A/​C. My guests and I were uncomfortable.
I don’t enjoy that with the money I spent the only interaction I got from the staff (who is friendly once approached) was the final bill. At least thank me for picking your spot to celebrate my kids special day. I don’t expect them to roll out the red carpet but an acknowledgement would be nice. Perhaps they thank you when you spend the extra $ 30 for a «party planner». Sorry, I don’t think paying some teenage kid $ 15.00 an hour to direct us when to eat cake is appropriate. I also worry about the gate they use at the entrance. It’s not monitored very well. I’ve seen many instances where kids who were unattended were at the front door or outside of the front door. Whether they like it or not, they as a business take some responsibility for these kids. They should implement some wristband method of making sure the kids are leaving with the right adult. Ultimately it’s on the parents to keep tabs on their kids but as a parent, seeing other peoples kids walk outside the door without an adult and seeing the staff at the front desk not even flinch, concerns me.
Overall, the kids had a blast!

I love Goin Bananas! The fact that you can take your own food in for lunch is GREAT! One thing Courtney forgot to mention is they do have wireless so you can get online while your kiddos play! My daughter is so entertained the whole time she is here, and I LOVE that I can get on the inflatables with her to help (or maybe have a little fun myself hehe!) I just wish it was a little closer to downtown but it’s still worth the drive!

We have been here only for birthday parties either as the hosts or attendees of someone else’s party. We have had a nice experience there each time. My son’s party was in October, and we were treated very nicely. They let us setup our party area a bit early, and it was all ready and very nicely prepared for us. During the course of the party, workers would come around quite often to ensure we were good. I found the staff to be professional.
One thing I really like is that I have seen the workers cleaning the inflatables quite often, which is an absolute must when there are that many children around.
I think the socks rule is a very good one because it helps keep things a bit more sanitary. I do believe most all places require that nowadays, not just them. By no means am I a germ freak, but certain common sense things are always good.
I was also impressed by the fact that without hesitation they donated passes to my son’s school’s silent auction. I know for a fact they gave two years in a row to this cause.
If they have limited parental access on the inflatables, that is too bad because I also like to romp around with my kids.
I would say the biggest downfall I have seen is their parking situation.

We were very excited about this place opening up but have become less and less enchanted over time.
— Not a huge fan of the «socks only» rule but I understand that some folks have foot issues. That said, I think that the owners here have a bit of an overwhelming anti-​germ fetish given the number of industrial-​size purel bottles around the place.
— The kids don’t notice it of course, but the adults are bombarded with a constant barrage of signs that talk about what not to do. It seems that every available piece of wall space has some admonition plastered on it. My wife and I joke about pasting up some signs that prohibit smiling and laughter and fun to see how long it would take for them to be noticed.
— The final straw for us came this weekend when we saw that parents are no longer allowed to go on any of the inflatables unless assisting a child under age 2. We’ve never been the types to just set our kids loose and sit with a cup of coffee or magazine. We love playing with our kids at places like this and the folks at Going Bananas have decided that this is no longer allowed.
If you are the type of parent who believes that children should be seen but not heard, wraps all the furniture in plastic, and hoses the kids down with purel at every corner then you will find some soulmates in the owners of Going Bananas. If you want to roll around in a low-​key place and share some giggles with your kids before they grow up and don’t want anything to do with you anymore… then go elsewhere. It really makes me long for RadiJazz. The owner there loved what he did and loved kids and it showed. The folks at Going Bananas… not so much.

This is a great place to take your kids and let them run wild. If you have little ones that need a little more supervision, no problem. They have a cute little Inflata-​Land full of half a dozen squishy vehicles for your toddler to climb under, on and through. A $ 7 admission is fair, maybe a tad high but figure this: 2 – 3 hours of play at $ 7 equates to about 3 bucks an hour for an inflatable babysitter you check in with periodically. And once you pull your child kicking and screaming from the clutches of this Little Tikes wonderland, you will only have to listen to them cry for about 5 minutes before they are zonked in the car. Ahhh… Peace and tranquility all the way home.
While I think this drop-​in availability is a decent alternative to the duldrums on a rainy Sunday or a blazing hot, Texas summer day, I am at odds with their birthday party policies. You cannot book unless you are ready to say how many children will attend. But you cannot say how many children will attend unless you hand out invitations. But you cannot hand out invitations unless you book a time slot (and, as already stated, how many children you expect.). See the circle of insanity developing? There is no compensation at all if you book for 15 or 20 and only have 6 or 10 show up. I think this is the first place we’ve been to or looked into that was so scroogy with this policy. (And watch out, they are great at upselling your party package. I was stupidly talked into a party for 20, even tough I felt 15 would be fine.) That said, they will allow for changes in your party package up to 2 weeks before your event. I find this policy useless when you’re talking about kids’ birthday parties. Also, unlike other similar businesses who offer party packages, GB offers no return discounts, coupons or gift certificates to your guests to lure them to come back.
Overall, not a bad deal I suppose and if my kids ask to go back, we may, but not for parties.

Clean, brightly lit, and fun for kids. The downside is the management. The people greeting you as you come in are often brusque and indifferent, and can be almost rude. How hard is a friendly smile?

If I was turning three, I wouldn’t be mad about having a birthday party at Goin’ Bananas. Picture a medium-​sized warehouse, carpeted and filled with bounce houses. Except they’re not the average bounce houses you can rent and stick in your yard for that weekend barbecue and irritate the hell out of your neighbors…
No sir, these are super-​deluxe bounce houses. In fact, I was able to channel my inner Nemo and venture through a shark’s jaws and then kick it in a coral reef before sliding down the E.A.C. Or something like that (for those of you who haven’t seen Finding Nemo 127 times, E.A.C = East Australian Current… just bear with me here).
So, the bottom line is thus: kids dig it. Birthday parties go for $ 150 and up, which gets you a sort of low-​walled, oversized cubicle with tables, benches, and plates and utensils for the cake eating (as well as entry for the guests). You get your party area for a couple hours (unless you pay for more, I guess), but the guests are free to stay and play as long as they like. Which ain’t a bad thing… especially in August when it’s 100+ degrees outside and you run the risk of melting if you try to take your kids to a park. Otherwise, entry is open to the public for $ 7 a kid, for air-​conditioned bouncy fun.
The staff is friendly and helpful, and when we arrived 20 minutes early to set up and they were hesitant to let us in (we were one of the first parties of the day, and they said to arrive 15 minutes early), they quickly acquiesced once I growled at them. Seriously. I growled. So props to them for not incurring the wrath of Papa bear. One requirement to be aware of is socks. If you don’t have ‘em, they’ll sell you a pair for $ 2 I think, so all is not lost if you arrive sockless.
Oh, and the name is a bit misleading… it’s B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bananas… RIMSHOT!!).

This is, by far, the BEST indoor inflatable playground I have ever taken my kids to. My kids (ages 9,4, and 8 months) usually tire of the inflatables in average time of 1 hour. They could’ve stayed at Goin Bananas all day. The only reason we left was because the baby needed a nap. Seriously, if you have kids and you live anywhere near Austin, you need to take them here.
The reason we drove from Pflugerville to South Austin for this playnasium, was because it is owned by a friend of mine who used to take care of my daughter while I worked. She and her staff have thought of every touch to make this experience fun for the whole family. It is hard to find a place that all three of my kids enjoy, but this one entertained them all! There is a tiny tots section for the baby that had baby toys, slides, soft blocks, balls, etc. Then, of course, you have all of the inflatables that my older two love, and they were actually able to play together!
But the best part about Goin Bananas is all of the extra special touches that other playnasiums haven’t thought of. There are Purell dispensers all around for those Germophobes (like me!) Large sinks encourage hand washing before snacking and lunch. Ample, comfortable seating for the adults. Even baskets of magazines for tired moms. Wall paintings of monkeys, sunshine, flowers, etc. Lots of places for little ones to sit and eat lunch (and even a high chair!). Clean, clean, clean floors, tables, and restrooms. The staff is very diligent on keeping everything clean and there are reminders to clean up after yourself.
I was able to take the family to Goin Bananas for $ 10. That is a great price for a whole day of fun! (Mondays are play all day for $ 5/​child)
Looks like they have Parents Night Out on Fridays also.
Goin Bananas, I wish you were closer!

This indoor jump house is el bombo. My 3 year old had the time of her life and she was so worn out afterwards that I didn’t have to ask her to take a nap. LOVED IT! It is perfectly suited for small kiddos. They have a section just for kids under 2. It is 7 dollars, but funtastic! It is hidden behind the restaurant (Café 1626), but just drive around it.. .