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We visited Family Time Dine and Play on a Saturday morning shortly after they opened. This arcade, laser tag arena, and indoor children’s maze is located in the Auburn Mall in Auburn, ME.
Up a small set of stairs you could see the flashing lights and pixelly sounds of the arcade area. Before going there, we stopped at the front desk to get a card with credits to play. They use the card system for these games, so to play games in the arcade you will need to add money to a game card which gets exchanged for credits. You use the credits to pay for the games.
Pricing at the Arcade
For $5, you get 20 credits. If you add more money upfront then you get some bonus credits for free, depending on how much you add. If you know you will be playing a good amount of games (or if you live close by) then it could be beneficial to add more money to the card to get the bonus credits.
Most smaller/quicker games were 3 – 4 credits per play, while the higher tech games and prize-winning games were between 5 – 7 credits each. There were crane games to win prizes and there were also some games that gave tickets.
Most of the ticket-based games were right up front in the arcade, closest to the door. The tickets could be used to redeem at the prize desk for an assortment of prizes. You would need 10 tickets to get the lowest level of prizes and at least 1500 to get a stuffed animal.
In terms of value, the best thing we played was the Dance Dance Revolution game. For 3 credits (about 75 cents), you get to dance to 3 songs. Each song is about 2 minutes long, and even though only one of us was actually “playing”, all of the rest of us were dancing along, so it was very fun to do that together.
The Birthday Area and Play Gym Maze
They were setting up for a birthday party when we arrived and had a nice seating area where the guests started to filter into. There seemed to be enough seating for 75 – 100 people in the party area, so I am guessing it can get very busy when a large group is there for a party.
At the far end of the arcade is the “Crazy Maze” which is an enclosed play area with different levels and obstacles for children to go through. It is a bigger version of a PlayPlace at McDonald’s, and honestly, it did look like fun! There were multiple children climbing through there and they seemed to be having a good time.
Types of Games at the Arcade
There were a variety of different types of games at the Family Time Dine and Play arcade. Racing games, Whack-a-Mole, skeeball, and giant versions of classic games like Space Invaders and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in addition to all of the ticket and prize winning games. Most of the games were new/modern, as opposed to vintage or retro games.
There were 4 pinball machines – The Munsters, Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avatar. This was my first time seeing that Avatar machine, and it did look like it was going to be fun, but I did not get a chance to play it, unfortunately (but it would be first on my list for the next visit).
Some of the reviews for Family Time Dine and Play mention broken games being an issue. Were there broken games? Yes, we did see some, including one unplugged and sitting amongst the rest of the games. But having previous experience owning an entertainment business myself (escape room), I know that things break pretty regularly.
You can try to anticipate how someone might play a game and which aspects should be built strong or secured down best, but at the end of the day humans are unpredictable in what they might do, and technology (which these arcade games are filled with) always has a chance to stop working even when you want it to. Everything we played at Family Time Dine and Play worked correctly and there were plenty of options to choose from.
Final Thoughts
Overall, my family had a really fun time at Family Time Dine and Play. We did not try the food, but we would give it a try next time we are there. The entire place was very clean for an arcade that size and we all felt comfortable walking around and enjoying the games.
There were many shops also open in the Auburn Mall and it would be worth it to explore those places also before or after spending time at the arcade. So this location would definitely make for a fun family adventure!
Learn more about Family Time Dine and Play in our directory, or go straight to their website here.