Rocket World - Playground - Pembroke Pines

About

Laser tag, virtual reality, bumper cars, an arcade, a space-themed playground and a separate toddler zone, all under one roof — and a working kitchen alongside them. Parents mention the food as often as the attractions, which is not the usual pattern for a room like this: a chicken salad made to order, a cook adding extra to the plate without being asked.

The catch is that the equipment does not always keep up with the ambition. Two visitors days apart found things out of service — a run of arcade machines in one account, the laser tag guns themselves in the other — and both describe a very thinly staffed floor, one person cooking, running the arcade and briefing the laser tag in turn.

Which leaves the oddest thing about it: how empty it can be. One family arrived and nearly turned round because they thought it was closed, being the only guests; another ended up the last family on the floor and had the music put on for them. For a walk-in that is the appeal rather than the problem — nobody queues and the toddler zone is yours. Parties are a different picture, and the party reviews are consistently warm, so read the empty floor as a weekday phenomenon rather than a verdict. Non-slip socks and a signed waiver are required for everyone.