Questions you’ve always wanted to ask (aka FAQs)

Yes we do – our public liability is £10 MILLION. Why so much? Because we also do big events – we need the extra cover (most companies only offer £1m) – so should anything go wrong (and it hasn’t yet in all the years we’ve been running) then you can be assured you’re covered. If you would like confirmation we can send you a link to our brokers that gives the details. 

We set up Wacky Wheelers at the end of 2006 and did our first party in March 2007, so currently we are in our 19th year. There’s rarely a situation we haven’t come across in that time, so know how to adapt our parties to cover most eventualities and personalities!

After having had a look around the site to make sure you like our concept you’ll need to get a price. It’s quite important that you don’t skip a step, as there’s information fed to you at each stage.

1st STEP: GET A QUOTE
To get the price you can go to the quote page – Get a quote – Wacky Wheelers
It’s important to complete this as accurately as possible, as our system makes various calculations for us on distance and travel times so that we can make a more accurate quote. We should respond within the day but do wait for your quote before completing the next step.

2nd STEP : CHECK IF WE’RE AVAILABLE
Once you have got a price, and it’s acceptable, you’ll need to check whether we have availability. It’s another form, but it should remember much of the info you entered when requesting a quote, so it doesn’t take long. Ask for availability HERE.

3rd STEP: COMPLETE A BOOKING FORM
Hopefully you will have aligned a venue’s availability with ours, and you want to go ahead with the booking, so now is the time to complete the booking form. It’s more important to get the form in than decide which size party you want, as once you have us secured we can be more flexible in terms of party size and options. Again, the form will remember much of the info already entered. The booking form can be found HERE.

4th STEP: PAY THE DEPOSIT
Within a day or so after completing the booking form you will receive an estimate generated from our accounts system, and a separate email containing details of the deposit required to secure the booking. Until we receive the deposit you booking is not secure, so don’t delay in paying it (but please wait until you receive the email requesting it!).

5th STEP: PREPARE FOR THE PARTY!
Once you have paid the deposit you will receive a deposit paid confirmation email – and that’s it! You’re good to go. You’ll get a final invoice in the month of the party, and the balance needs to be settled within 7 days of the party. You’ll also receive emails of party timings etc in the week of the party.

Enjoy your party!

Because we cover such a wide area we are not able to have a close relationship with many venues – and as the prices vary so hugely between areas it would be impractical for us to include the venue hire in our price – sorry!

We don’t charge any mileage for parties within a 20 mile driving distance from our base. Any more than that we charge a small amount to take account for the extra time and fuel. It’s a bit more for larger parties as there may be more staff!

We have a huge database of venues so its quite likely we will be able to recommend a venue near to you. But as we cover such a wide area – your local knowledge may be better than ours, indeed, you might know of an alternative venue that we don’t! In that instance we’d be very happy to comment on its suitability – although site visits are not viable unless we make a separate charge.

In short, you do. We can advise on suitability, but because we are already juggling availabilities and venue suggestions for dozens of parties at a time our resources are short, and we’d worry that if we had to book the venue too then we might drop the ball… and it would end up in tears. So we stick to what we do best – concentrating on supplying the party entertainment.

However, we do have a database of thousands of venues across the South, so can usually recommend where to book, and offer further info on a particular venue (access, space etc). 

We don’t put a floor covering down as in general we don’t need to! As with much of the Jeeps, we have modified the wheels too – so that where they meet the floor – instead of hard plastic they have a soft velvety finish. Of course when we’re doing outside events we remove the soft finish and put on a rugged one – a bit like wearing wellies! So whether the floor is a brand new sprung wood one, a tiled one or one made of marble – we’re confident that no harm will come to it if the drivers obey the instructions! We have even done a party in the ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where Queen Elizabeth II was taught to ballroom dance!

A caveat though.  We are very hot on getting the kids to take their feet off the pedals when they stop at an obstacle. This is because if they sit stationary with their wheels spinning, the friction is bound to cause a small mark, no matter how soft the surface. To that end, if a child repeatedly ‘drives on’ after numerous repeated instructions to take their foot off the pedal, we reserve the right to ask them sit out for a turn or two. 

We need about 30 mins to set up – however our record is 7 minutes, so if for any reason we are delayed – don’t panic as we should be able to get the party moving in no time at all! At the end, assuming if it takes you 30 minutes to get all your guests collected and all your bits and pieces back in order, we’d suggest you only need to book the venue for 3 hours. A sample timing would be – if a party was due to start at 10.30am, we’d arrive at 10,00, the drivers briefing at 10.30 (if everyone turns up on time), driving finale ends at 12.00 when birthday lunch starts and we commence packing up our kit. The party would finish at 12.30, we’d be ready to leave along with the guests, and the remaining 30 mins would be left to you to get the dining area etc all shipshape and also giving time for those mums and dads who want to chat a bit longer to stay.

The first things to consider are which size track is being used, and how many people are coming? First, take account of the track size, then think about the space needed to wait/eat etc.
Small Party – we do have a track where the  size is flexible, generally about 10m x 12m. We can take bits out and add bits to make this track fit, but don’t really like going narrower than 8m. However, this track is now rarely used – and only for special circumstances, so the space for a small party is as a standard, below. 
Standard Party – this track is about 10m x 15m, or about 1.5 x badminton courts. We can squeeze it a bit so can use less than 10m width, but bear in mind this will then make it longer than 15m!
Large Party – this can be as per the standard track, or adding in a couple of metres length – according to availability of space at the venue. So if there’s space, we can be up to 10m x 17m
Supersize Party – we sometimes use 2 tracks here, or our special supersize track – so will move to fill the space available, but would recommend a minimum of 12 x 20m.

Now the next thing to consider is how much waiting space is required.

Are the parents staying or is it a drop off party. Will you be providing food in the hall or in an ante room? We also need some space for the waiting chairs (as many as there are jeeps) and also for the table football games. So for example, for a 24 child party with standard jeeps and eating in a separate room, there will be 14 waiting. So probably about an extra 10m x 3m is ample. If you’re not sure – just ask and we can help!

Our parties differ from the average party. A magician comes with quite a few boxes, but a juggler comes with very little. One major party company in London (who mentioned Sharks?) only come with a small backpack. We, however, just about manage to leave behind the kitchen sink. There’s the track, jeeps, PA system, table football, blowers, batteries… need we go on? Suffice to say we don’t turn up in just a Ford Fiesta!  For that reason we need good access for either our van or trailers, plus we prefer not to have to move them once parked in the loading area (time!). 

Important: If we can’t get our vehicle up to the door, it adds time.  If the door is far away from the space where the party takes place, it adds time!   So we do need to know in advance (preferably at booking) if the venue is not straightforward, because we make calculations about arrival and departure time based on reasonable access.  Every metre counts!

Similarly, doorways should be at least 1m wide (so double doors are great).  We can usually get through smaller doorways but this might mean dismantling the jeeps, and guess what? That adds time.   We do allow a reasonable time for loading and unloading, but if the venue presents challenges that are above and beyond what’s reasonable, we may have to put a surcharge on (or be a little late in starting).  A major challenge (which may be a step too far :) ) would definitely include a staircase for example! Of course, if we have already been to the venue we would usually know the layout.

Well, the simple answer is… we get wet! Being very British and all that we just get on with it (although we may discuss it quite a bit as Brits are wont to do). However, we are aware of the inherent risks in torrential rain (not to mention the displeasure of the drivers) so we won’t operate if it is absolutely bucketing down. The other thing to beware of if you are thinking of booking an outdoor party and it does go all wonky weather-wise, is that we may have to make a cleaning charge, as the track can get muddy when packed away, as well as the jeep wheels, as the next venue we go to may be indoors so we have to be careful. In the Summer though, there’s obviously less risk. If you are at all concerned please talk to us.

Please note, due to the weather, we only consider outdoor parties between March and mid September.

The great things about our Jeeps being electric is that because they don’t have smelly engines they are equally at home indoors as outdoors. In fact, we think they run better indoors. The party is more contained indoors, and the floor smoother than outdoors (therefore less rolling resistance) and there’s no lumps, bumps or slopes to slow the Jeeps down. Having said that – you can’t beat an  outdoor kids Jeep Party if the sun is shining!  We now generally restrict outdoor parties to the warmer months or March to mid September (although can do them outdoor by special arrangement on the condition that if the weather is bad there may be a cleaning and drying charge). One further tip for outdoors (as we’ve discovered during this hot summer -2025) is that if there is little or no shade, the kids can find it a little hot on the jeeps for our normal routine, so it may be a little more relaxed.

We do 5 sizes of party so we are sure to offer one that fits closely with your requirement. In general we recommend a ratio of between 3 or 4 kids to 1 Jeep, with 3 being more time on the Jeeps per child than 4.

If you want to keep the party small and intimate – then the choice is easy – go for the small party. Up to 16 kids we recommend the 4 Jeep Small party. Whilst there is nothing stopping you from booking more Jeeps to give them more time on the Jeeps, there comes a point where children’s attention drops if they have too much of a good thing, so more (jeeps) is not always better.

If you are in the low 20s then there’s no need for anything bigger than the Standard size party – but if you are in the mid 20s it may be worth considering the large 6 Jeep party.

High 20s to low 30s, add an optional extra Jeep to a Large party to make 7 Jeeps.

Mid 30s, an 8 Jeep Supersize (but you will need the extra space for the track).

It all boils down to budget and SPACE available, and whether you have extra activities such as a bouncy castle (select with care). The thing to consider is that during the party we have a progression of 4 driving exercises to get through plus the photo and finale at the end (where else would it be?), so with each ‘go’ taking 3 mins plus changeover time means the more children, the less likelihood that they will all get a chance to drive all the different tasks. That’s not to say they won’t all get lots of goes in the jeeps, but it is a question of mathematics!

If you get the right number of jeeps to the number of children then they won’t be waiting long. We reckon a ratio of 4 children to one Jeep is about right, Let’s say you have a Small party – with 4 Jeeps, 16 kids. 8 will be on the track, 4 will just have come off, and 4 will be waiting on the chairs ready to come on. If you want to be sure that every child has a turn of each driving game then the ratio should be 3:1 (but we suggest 4:1 as not every child will want to do all activities).
We also bring a mini table football table that the kids can play while they are waiting – and we often have as many as 6 kids getting involved in that. Whilst you could add a third party bouncy castle, we’re not that keen as it detracts from the finely honed routine of the party – but if there are 30 or more kids it can start to make sense.

We concentrate on making the entertainment the best it can be, and if you’ve ever tasted the boss’s sandwiches you’ll realise why we want to keep it that way! So really the answer is no – Wacky Wheelers don’t provide food. Sorry!

Our Jeeps are far from ‘off the shelf’. We have completely customised them so that they many are now 24v and have computerised controllers inside that enable us to change such things as top speed, rate of acceleration, braking efficiency, maximum current (good for slopes and bumps) – all by pre-programming them with our laptop. We also have a dial under the bonnet so we can alter the speed by miniscule amounts – to suit the drivers ability level – meaning the younger drivers would go a bit slower than the older ones, so its exciting whatever the age! Our jeeps also are fitted with remote controls, so we are also able to stop a jeep from wherever we are standing – and also change the speed! Being able to be so precise with the speed is something no-one else offers – and makes such a difference to the parties.

The seats in the cars are adjustable so will slide forward to fit the younger drivers, and back for the older ones. However, sometimes that just isn’t enough – its rare, but does happen – even though we sometimes get an adult in! Usually the child in question that is too big is a teenager – so in those instances its not possible to have a passenger on board – its just one up!

Yes of course! The more the merrier! However, we do have some recommendations to make the party run smoother:

Younger Children at Wacky Wheelers Parties

Q: Can younger children join in the party?
A: Absolutely! Younger children are welcome as passengers — they can ride along and enjoy the fun, but they won’t be driving the jeeps themselves.

Q: Why can’t younger children drive?
A: For safety and smooth running of the party. Very young children often don’t yet have the coordination to steer safely at the same time as operating the accelerator, and when the track is busy, one struggling driver can disrupt the flow for everyone.

Q: How do you keep things fair and orderly?
A: We run the party with the same number of chairs as jeeps. After each “go,” drivers leave the track and new passengers take their turn. This keeps the queue fair and ensures everyone gets a ride. Often, younger children can’t yet grasp the concept of queuing, so will jump onto the track before they are supposed to ahead of the kids that have been waiting patiently. Try extracting a younger child that has firmly planted themselves in a Jeep and you’ll understand that it’s no mean task!

Q: What should parents of younger children know?
A: Please help us by keeping younger ones in the passenger role and guiding them to wait their turn. Sometimes little ones are too excited to queue properly, and parents stepping in to “fast‑track” them can cause confusion.

Q: What happens if a younger child tries to drive anyway?
A: If we spot that a child isn’t able to manage the jeep safely, we’ll kindly ask that they remain a passenger. This avoids crashes, delays, and keeps the fun flowing for everyone.

Passengers still get all the giggles, bumps, and thrills of the ride — just without the stress of steering! Think of it as the VIP seat where you can enjoy the adventure hands‑free. 🎉🚙

We request that all those ineligible to drive be given a sticker or something else to easily identify them to our staff.

Our party programme is designed to fit into 90 minutes – but sometimes, if there’s more children than its possible to get through in the 90 minutes, its worth considering adding 30 minutes on to give 2 hours solid driving time. A caveat though – don’t choose this as an upgrade for a normal sized party – only consider it if you are pushing the boundaries (ie 30 kids for a 5 jeep party) as normally 90 mins is ample…

Our normal party times are 10.30 in the morning, and 2.30 in the afternoon. In general that gives us enough time after our morning party to get to our afternoon party. Of course, we may have to adjust things a little if the distance between the two are such that we need more time. But suffice to say, if you want a party that starts earlier than 10.30 or later then 2.30 it’s pretty much a given that we can accommodate it.

However, if you want a morning party to start later than 10.30am, or an afternoon party to start earlier than 2.30pm then all is not lost – we have options! But first – something to consider, particularly for those booking an afternoon party: the more time we have to get to your party, the more likely it will start on time. We’ll be honest and say our record in this department is exceptional : we have been late for perhaps 3 parties in 18 years, once due to a breakdown and twice due to a standstill on the M25 – and even then we managed to get all parties going!

So what are your options?
1: If you are hard and fast on a party time that would mean it wouldn’t be possible to hold a second party that day, then we reserve the right to make a surcharge equal to the value of 50% of your party (excluding extras like medals, bunting, travel time etc).
2: if you wanted a time not far off our normal time, say 11am instead of 10,30, we would do a shorter party so that we could leave at the normal time, but to compensate we would add an extra jeep. So if you booked a 5 Jeep party, we’d provide a 6th Jeep and cut the time, but charge for a 5 Jeep.

One last note about times. We recommend you think about lunch, and the time kids normally eat, which in general is at about 12. If you start a party at 10.30, they would eat at 12! Bingo! But push the party back and you end up with hungry kids during the driving session. Years ago we didn’t specify a start time, and very often had to stop the driving early by request of the parents so the kids could eat.

Yes of course! We would charge the same as a 90 minute party though – but in compensation add an extra jeep (foc) so that you get more children on the track at any one time than you would have, so that it works out that they have a similar driving time to than they would have in a longer party. We may also cut out some of the finale items too. We do recommend that everyone is there early though – to make sure we start on time!

We don’t put a floor covering down as in general we don’t need to! As with much of the Jeeps, we have modified the wheels too – so that where they meet the floor – instead of hard plastic they have a soft velvety finish. Of course when we’re doing outside events we remove the soft finish and put on a rugged one – a bit like wearing wellies! So whether the floor is a brand new sprung wood one, a tiled one or one made of marble – we’re confident that no harm will come to it if the drivers obey the instructions! We have even done a party in the ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where Queen Elizabeth II was taught to ballroom dance!

A caveat though.  We are very hot on getting the kids to take their feet off the pedals when they stop at an obstacle. This is because if they sit stationary with their wheels spinning, the friction is bound to cause a small mark, no matter how soft the surface. To that end, if a child repeatedly ‘drives on’ after numerous repeated instructions to take their foot off the pedal, we reserve the right to ask them sit out for a turn or two. 

We do 5 sizes of party so we are sure to offer one that fits closely with your requirement. In general we recommend a ratio of between 3 or 4 kids to 1 Jeep, with 3 being more time on the Jeeps per child than 4.

If you want to keep the party small and intimate – then the choice is easy – go for the small party. Up to 16 kids we recommend the 4 Jeep Small party. Whilst there is nothing stopping you from booking more Jeeps to give them more time on the Jeeps, there comes a point where children’s attention drops if they have too much of a good thing, so more (jeeps) is not always better.

If you are in the low 20s then there’s no need for anything bigger than the Standard size party – but if you are in the mid 20s it may be worth considering the large 6 Jeep party.

High 20s to low 30s, add an optional extra Jeep to a Large party to make 7 Jeeps.

Mid 30s, an 8 Jeep Supersize (but you will need the extra space for the track).

It all boils down to budget and SPACE available, and whether you have extra activities such as a bouncy castle (select with care). The thing to consider is that during the party we have a progression of 4 driving exercises to get through plus the photo and finale at the end (where else would it be?), so with each ‘go’ taking 3 mins plus changeover time means the more children, the less likelihood that they will all get a chance to drive all the different tasks. That’s not to say they won’t all get lots of goes in the jeeps, but it is a question of mathematics!

Our Jeeps are far from ‘off the shelf’. We have completely customised them so that they many are now 24v and have computerised controllers inside that enable us to change such things as top speed, rate of acceleration, braking efficiency, maximum current (good for slopes and bumps) – all by pre-programming them with our laptop. We also have a dial under the bonnet so we can alter the speed by miniscule amounts – to suit the drivers ability level – meaning the younger drivers would go a bit slower than the older ones, so its exciting whatever the age! Our jeeps also are fitted with remote controls, so we are also able to stop a jeep from wherever we are standing – and also change the speed! Being able to be so precise with the speed is something no-one else offers – and makes such a difference to the parties.

Our driving licences are totally fab! They are completely personalised with the party goers name, the date they passed and at whose party. They are credit card sized and laminated. But because they are personalised, we need some time to produce them – preferably 3 days. That also means we need the names in advance, and preferably in a format we can import into our system. That format is by the forename followed by the surname with just a comma in between, nothing else – as an example – John,Wayne
We need each name to be on a separate line – and voila ! Job done!

Our medals are unique to us – and are proper metal (not cheapo grungy plastic ones). We include one in the cost of the party, but if you choose to share a party, please make provision to add a medal or two – as we don’t want any squabbling at the end of the party!

Our chequered fabric bunting is a MUST if you want to give the usual leisure centre a lift, and to turn it into a pukka polished racetrack! You only need one to go around the whole track – but do order more if you want to use it to decorate the separate hall (if you ‘ve hired one) for eating etc.

Our party programme is designed to fit into 90 minutes – but sometimes, if there’s more children than its possible to get through in the 90 minutes, its worth considering adding 30 minutes on to give 2 hours solid driving time. A caveat though – don’t choose this as an upgrade for a normal sized party – only consider it if you are pushing the boundaries (ie 30 kids for a 5 jeep party) as normally 90 mins is ample…