ValoArena at Round the Twist

Round The Twist, a family entertainment center in North East England, faced a challenge that might seem relatable to you as an operator: an underused space needing a high-impact, low-maintenance attraction. 

Owners Steven and Kerry White wanted to retrofit something that would work for their core audience (families with kids 0-12) while pulling in older siblings and parents.

They installed ValoArena - making them the first in the UK to do so. The results speak for themselves:

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📈High utilization rate of 70% for an attraction in gated admission business model

🫶 Loved by kids

👪 Active participation from parents & grandparents

🔧 Minimal maintenance requirements

🎉 Good fit for birthday party packages

😀 Increased value perception from guests

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"Out of all the products out there, especially for venues like ours (catering to families with children under 12 years old) ValoArena is the easiest attraction to manage!" says Steven White.

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Building a better FEC: one attraction at a time

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For the past 12 years, Round The Twist has been a cornerstone of family entertainment in North East England. With a motto of “We have everything to keep the whole family entertained”, the venue has focused on creating memorable experiences for families with kids under 12 years of age. Their wide range of offerings ensures fun for all age groups, making them a trusted destination for parents and children alike.

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Initially, Round The Twist operated primarily as a soft-play venue complemented by mini golf and role-play activities. Over time, the owners and operators, Steven and Kerry White, expanded their offerings, transforming the space into a “one-stop shop” for family entertainment. The goal was to provide more value to customers, encouraging them to spend more time at the venue.

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Steven, with his background in construction, is not your typical FEC owner. Using his building experience, he crafted many of the venue’s offerings himself to ensure their durability. As he explained, “Over the years, we realized that just buying off-the-shelf attractions wasn’t enough. Kids can destroy almost anything you put in front of them, so I built many of our offerings myself to make them durable and long-lasting.”

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Learning through experience

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Steven and Kerry’s dedication to adapting and improving the venue taught them a key lesson: staying relevant means constantly evolving. 

As Steven put it, “You have to keep adding things. If you stay the same, you start seeing the numbers fall.”

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The lookout for a new anchor attraction

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As experienced FEC operators, Steven and Kerry White understand the importance of maximizing floor space and ensuring every corner of their venue contributes to their revenue.

One particularly prime area of their venue had remained underutilized, representing a missed opportunity. The search for a new anchor attraction began as they set out to remodel this space into a standout feature that their guests would love.

While on the lookout for a new addition to their offerings, Steven and Kerry encountered several challenges:

• Age inclusivity: They needed an attraction that would cater to their primary audience of families with children aged 0-12, while also engaging older siblings, parents, and even grandparents.
• Ease of maintenance: They required a solution that was durable and didn’t involve high maintenance costs or complicated equipment.
• Low staffing needs: With their focus on efficiency, the new attraction had to operate independently without requiring additional staff to supervise or manage it during the weekdays.

Steven was clear - “We needed an attraction that doesn’t require manning it from Monday-Friday.”

• Interactivity without headsets: Early in their search, they realized that location-based VR attractions were not for their venue and the target audience. Steven said, “If you give a 7-8-year-old a VR headset, there is a high chance that they will throw it on the floor! 

Due to the fragile nature of wearables like headsets and controllers, they didn’t find it practical for younger children.

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"With VR, we figured that we will be spending more money fixing the headsets and stuff” - Steven White.

• High throughput: The attraction needed to handle a large volume of visitors efficiently, especially during peak times. In the UK, where cold and wet weather is common, indoor entertainment venues like Round The Twist become the top choice for families looking for experiences that they cannot get at home. This made having a high-throughput, engaging indoor attraction even more crucial to their business model.
• Memorability: As an anchor attraction, it had to stand out and leave a lasting impression on guests, encouraging repeat visits and word-of-mouth referrals.

Steven explains “We didn’t just want something to fill the space but rather something robust, exciting, and self-sufficient.” 

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The journey to find the perfect solution

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Their search for a new anchor attraction wasn’t a straightforward process. Determined to bring something special to Round The Twist, they traveled across the UK, visiting different family entertainment centers to explore their options. Each visit provided insights into what worked well at other venues and helped them refine their vision for their own.

Their first encounter with Valo Motion happened at an IAAPA Expo, where the company showcased their product, ValoJump. The innovative concept immediately caught Steven’s attention, and he began to follow the company’s developments more closely.

During a visit to another venue in the UK, Steven saw ValoClimb in action and was impressed by the attraction’s ability to engage children and adults alike. Initially, ValoClimb seemed like the perfect fit for their unused space back home.

However, the pandemic disrupted these plans. As lockdowns swept across the country, the project was put on hold.

Once the restrictions eased, Steven and Kerry resumed their search. This time, they stumbled upon a YouTube video showcasing Valo Motion’s latest product, ValoArena. Intrigued by its potential and eager to be the first venue in the UK to offer this new experience, they decided to explore it further.

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Trip to Finland

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Steven’s commitment to finding the right solution led him to Helsinki, Finland, where he visited Valo Motion’s headquarters.

“As it was a brand new product, I wanted to see how ValoArena performed over time and understand how other operators were using it.” he shared.
 

During his visit, Steven toured ValoHalli, Valo Motion’s mini-active entertainment venue, and observed ValoArena in action alongside other products in their lineup.

The trip was an eye-opener. Steven discovered that ValoArena fit perfectly into the same space they had originally planned for ValoClimb. What impressed him even more was its ability to cater to diverse age groups, aligning with Round The Twist’s motto of “keeping the whole family entertained.”

Thus, after careful consideration, the search came to an end when ValoArena checked all the boxes for them:

✅ Fit perfectly in their space requirements.

✅ Offered unique games that their target audience would love.

✅ Proved low maintenance and met Steven’s high standards for longevity.

✅ Requiring no headsets or attendants, it can be operated unmanned on weekdays.

✅High throughput attraction where up to 6 players can play together,

✅Perfect for birthday party packages.

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The 1st ValoArena in the UK: A game-changing addition

Installing the first ValoArena in the UK at Round The Twist has delivered measurable and meaningful results for the venue. From high utilization rates to increased family interaction, the investment in ValoArena has proven its worth both for guests and operators.

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Measurable success that speaks volumes

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Steven White highlights, “Our guests feel like they’re getting extra value for money with ValoArena included in the ticket price.”

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Utilization rates are a critical success metric for attractions in a gated admission model. At Round The Twist, ValoArena consistently performs exceptionally well. Data from Valo Motion’s Operations Hub shows that the attraction has an incredibly high utilization rate, making it a guest favorite.

ValoArena is the first thing visitors notice as they walk in the largest FEC in North East England, grabbing their attention instantly and inviting them to walk right into the fun.

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Creating moments that families cherish

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For Steven and Kerry, ValoArena has significantly changed how families engage at Round The Twist.

Kerry White shares, “Most of our other attractions cater to kids under 12, so older siblings and parents often had fewer options. ValoArena has been the swaying factor for families who now feel there’s something for everyone.”

Parents and grandparents are now participating actively rather than observing from the sidelines. 

Steven recalls, “Adults don’t want to just sit on their phones anymore, instead they want to play with the kids inside the ValoArena!”

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Highlights from their venue show just how much of an impact ValoArena has made:

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👶Younger kids, the primary audience at Round The Twist, love ValoArena’s immersive atmosphere. The vibrant LEDs, lively music, and extremely funny mixed-reality games create an environment that is both exciting and easy to enjoy. Kids can simply walk in and start playing without any complicated setup, making it an instant favorite.

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👪Parents continue playing long after their children move on to other attractions. “I’ve seen dads spend 30 minutes playing ValoArena after their kids are done,” says Steven.

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🤩Kerry often hears her customers share their excitement after playing ValoArena, saying things like, “We love it! We didn’t even know something like this existed!”

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From an operational perspective,

ValoArena has proven to be both reliable and easy to maintain. Steven remarks, “It’s pretty simple to maintain. Even without technical knowledge, they can easily manage it.”

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The attraction’s durability has exceeded expectations, requiring minimal interventions since its installation. Minor issues, such as LED light adjustments and a floor replacement, were resolved quickly with Valo Motion’s 24/7 support. “Having support available anytime gives us peace of mind, and they always make sure the attraction stays up and running,” Steven adds.

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Kerry mentions, "There’s always laughter coming from the ValoArena corner. It’s great to see how much joy it brings to families."

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The ValoArena has also helped the venue attract a wider audience. Adults, grandparents, and older siblings now actively engage with the attraction, which is a win for the business.

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Steven explains, "Even though our target audience is kids under 12, it’s the adults paying for the whole experience, and when there is something they can enjoy too, it adds real value for everyone."

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A supportive partnership from day one

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Steven and Kerry White’s experience with Valo Motion has been smooth and reassuring. From the first conversation to ongoing support, they felt that every interaction was handled with professionalism and care.

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Steven recalls, “Everyone’s been easy to deal with, and James (Sales Manager, UK & Ireland at Valo Motion) has always been there when we needed him.” 

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When small issues arose, like a floor replacement, they were addressed efficiently. “The replacements were practically on my doorstep the next day, and the new floor design is excellent” Steven adds.

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A memorable visit to Finland

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Even before becoming a Valo Motion customer, Steven’s trip to the company’s headquarters in Helsinki left a lasting impression. Greeted by Michael Groszewski, Sales & Channel Manager for the EMEA region, Steven spent the day touring different venues and seeing Valo Motion products in action.

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“It was amazing to see how much hard work was happening at the head office.” Steven recalls. 

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For fellow operators…

For family entertainment centers considering ValoArena, Steven and Kerry have clear advice: “The best part as an operator is that ValoArena runs itself.”

Steven had some big praise which humbles everyone here at Valo Motion - “I’ve felt that as customers of Valo Motion, we are in safe hands. They are trustworthy to work with and won’t just sell you something and leave you to figure the rest out.”