How to Design Birthday Party Packages That Sell Out

Are your birthday party packages helping you sell more bookings or turning customers away? 🤔

If parents are looking at your birthday party options but not booking, the problem isn’t demand. It’s how your packages are designed. Your customers want an easy, stress-free experience that feels worth the price. If your packages don’t meet those expectations, they’ll look elsewhere…

In the first post of the Birthday Profit Formula series, we broke down why birthday parties are one of the biggest revenue drivers for indoor entertainment venues. We also looked at key market trends, including how parents are spending more than ever on experiences.

Now, let’s focus on how you can design party packages that sell out. This post will show you how to create structured, high-value offers that increase bookings, maximize upsells, and keep families coming back.

At Valo Motion, we walk the talk. In Helsinki, we run our own compact yet high-impact amusement park, ValoHalli, which is fully powered by Valo Motion attractions. Hosting birthday parties and private events here gives us firsthand insight into what works best for venues like yours. Therefore every actionable tip we share is also something we test and refine to help you create memorable celebrations that drive revenue.

"There was no discussion about where to celebrate. He didn’t even want to hear other options. I think we’ll be doing birthdays at ValoHalli until he’s 18 years old!" – Mom of a 7-year-old, returning for their second ValoHalli birthday

Steps to build a profitable birthday party package

A well-designed birthday package does more than just fill up your schedule. It makes it easy for parents to book, increases upsells and ensures kids have an experience they’ll talk about long after the party is over. At the same time, it improves your staff’s time efficiency, making party execution smoother and reducing operational stress for you.

With a little planning and the right approach, you can boost revenue and create lasting memories for your guests.

1️⃣ Create tiered party packages 🎂

Develop tiered packages tailored to different budgets and preferences. Include essentials like decorations, food, and activities, and offer add-ons like themed party decorations, character appearances, or exclusive access to attractions.

• Basic Package: Entry, reserved seating, and standard attractions
• Premium Package: Additional catering, goody bags, and extended playtime
• VIP Package: Exclusive access to an attraction, personalized decor, and premium entertainment

Craft profitable birthday party packages that offer value at every level, ensuring guests find the right fit for their celebration. By offering multiple package levels, guests can choose what suits their budget, while a well-planned structure keeps production smooth and efficient. Standardized elements simplify execution, so delivering a great experience doesn’t add extra workload to your team. 

Parents don’t like surprises, at least not when it comes to pricing! Make sure your package details are clear, with no hidden costs. Transparency builds trust and makes it easier for parents to commit to premium options.

2️⃣ Streamline the booking process 📲🖱️

Remember, a booking platform is just a tool so having one on your website isn’t enough. How you manage it and structure your booking flow makes all the difference. Parents want a fast, clear, and hassle-free booking experience. If they have to click through endless steps or call to confirm details, they’re more likely to abandon the process and book elsewhere.

The best way to avoid that is to keep it simple. A well structured booking experience should also work for you and your team. A streamlined system reduces admin work, minimizes errors, and helps you plan resources more effectively. Consider automating confirmations, reminders, and waivers so your staff can focus on delivering a great party experience rather than handling paperwork.

Most birthday party bookings happen online, especially on mobile. If your system isn’t optimized for quick browsing and payment, you’re losing business. A mobile-friendly platform with clear availability, simple package selection, and upfront pricing removes friction and increases booking conversions.

Three out of four party bookings happen online when venues provide a seamless booking experience. A user-friendly platform that allows parents to check availability, compare options, and book without calling saves time and removes barriers to booking.

Parents are not booking this event for the activities, but rather for convenience so they should be able to see all package details, costs and available add-ons BEFORE they reach checkout. 

3️⃣ Personalize the experience 🎨🎈

Allow families to customize their celebrations. Offer themed decor, personalized invitations, or special game modes. For example, ValoClimb’s "Birthday Mode" can display the birthday child’s name, adding a unique touch to the event.

4️⃣ Highlight unique experiences 🎮

Highlight activities that make your venue special, whether it’s a trampoline game, a free-roam game arena, or an interactive climbing wall. Offering exclusive access to these features during the party adds value to your customer’s experience.

For instance, the Hullabaloon game for ValoClimb comes with a special Birthday mode. This mode of the game is shorter and faster, making it ideal for birthday parties. To add a personal touch, it displays the birthday person's name at the end of each game, creating a memorable experience for everyone involved.

5️⃣ Upsell thoughtfully ✨

Offer options like custom cakes, photo packages, or extended play sessions. Train staff to understand your customer’s needs and recommend additional services that align with their preferences. 

Extended playtime, private party rooms, and exclusive mixed-reality attractions make the event feel special. Goodie bags, branded items, and game cards are easy add-ons that parents love. Photo booths or professional photography provide keepsakes while increasing revenue.

For online bookings, include a "Special needs for your celebration" field where customers can share specific requests. Use this information to follow up with a personalized email or call to confirm details and discuss additional options. 

This approach builds trust, establishes a personal connection, and creates opportunities for thoughtful upselling. At the same time, you hear directly from your most engaged customers on how to develop your services and make online booking easier by offering and adding the most requested options.

By prioritizing your customer’s needs, you increase the average spend per party while showing that you care about their celebration.

6️⃣ Use dynamic pricing for peak times 📊

Consider implementing dynamic pricing strategies to maximize revenue during busy periods and attract bookings during off-peak times. Adjusting pricing based on demand helps keep your schedule balanced. Weekends and holidays bring premium demand, while weekday parties can be incentivized with lower rates. Dynamic pricing helps maximize revenue while keeping your venue busy year-round.

7️⃣ Focus on experience 🏅

The experience matters more than the price tag. Parents expect a well-run event, and that starts with your staff. Well-trained team members who know how to manage activities, engage kids, and ensure safety can make all the difference. Clean, well-maintained spaces are just as important. Highlight both in your marketing materials because parents notice and appreciate it.

Positive guest experiences often lead to repeat business and glowing reviews, strengthening your venue’s reputation.

8️⃣ Keep staffing at a minimum 🤖

Kids are there to play at your venue, not to interact with the staff. So instead of having dedicated staff to monitor the attractions at your venue, use their time where it can add real value like adding personalized touches during the snack breaks, leading some fun birthday moments during the party, or just making sure that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. This way you can scale group offerings efficiently. 

With traditional attractions, your dedicated party staff often spend their time monitoring games, handling equipment, or managing queues. That’s time they can’t spend creating a great guest experience.

Fully automated attractions, like Valo Motion’s, remove this hassle. No extra staffing, no technical knowledge, and no supervision needed. This is especially valuable when managing multiple birthday parties at the same time. It lowers labor costs, improves operational efficiency, and lets your team focus on guest experience instead of logistics.

What’s next? Sell even more birthday party packages!

Now that your birthday packages are designed to sell, the next step is making sure they reach the right customers. How do you stand out when parents have endless venue choices? How do you turn website visitors into confirmed bookings?

In the next post, we’ll share practical marketing strategies to increase birthday party sales. From online promotions to sales tactics that drive conversions, you’ll learn how to sell more birthday packages, without lowering your prices.

📢  Stay tuned for the next post in the series: Marketing strategies to sell more birthday party packages.