We’re previously done a review of the bowling and karaoke pods at Rogue Leisure in Aylesbury before, but we’ve never been Go Karting. Until now!!! (BTW the soft play area they had here has now been removed). I remember talking to the owners a while back and apparently their banked corner is quite unique within the go karting world. Who knew! Not me, but I love driving and I’m quite competitive so I thought it was about time we gave it a shot.
We were very kindly invited by Rogue Leisure to review this Go Karting session however they did not see the contents of the review prior to publication and had no input into its contents
Safety First
You have to arrive 45 minutes before your session starts. I thought that seemed like ages but it does go surprisingly quickly. First up you have to suit up. Different package options include balaclavas and gloves, or you can bring your own. You must have them though. There are various sizes of suit available, and it took Biggest Child a shockingly long time to figure out which one would actually fit him. I’ll be honest, balaclava and boiler suit is not my best look! If you’ve got long hair you have to tie it up. Or if you’ve forgotten (like me) tuck it into your top.
Then there’s the safety video. Basically don’t be an idiot. It’s not bumper cars. Pay attention to the lights. Helmets on and you’re good to go!
Getting in the damn things
Again, it’s not glamorous getting into a go kart when you’re quite tall and fond of cake. And have a massive bobble head on. Getting out again is less glamorous because your legs are a bit like jelly after racing for half an hour. They do a quick safety test of each go kart before letting you start.
With the kids the safety test included staff sitting on the front of the go karts whilst the kids accelerated and braked really suddenly. There’s genuine safety reasons for this (so the kids know what they’re doing) but they also thought this was hilarious.
Then we were off.
The race
I’m a nice Mummy. I really am. I was there to do a review of the go karting at Rogue Leisure. I wasn’t there to humiliate my kids. So, even though I was at the front I was kind of poodling around at a reasonable pace. Not too slowly but also not hammering it. Until Biggest Child thundered past me on the third lap. Then it was game on! That was just rude quite frankly. Turns out he’s a little speed demon. I got stuck behind Middle Child who we quickly lapped so I never got the chance to exact my revenge and regain pole position. And all because I was trying to be nice. We did lap Middle Child three times so maybe not that nice!
The track
Somehow this is the first time that I’ve been go karting so I don’t have another review to compare what’s at Rogue Leisure to really. BUT the course seemed good fun to me. I properly ache this morning though. I really was throwing myself into some of those corners trying to catch up with Biggest Child. In my not-knowing-anything-about-it opinion it’s a good track. I liked all the different levels, the hair-pin ramped corner made me think a lot (mainly about not crashing). It was fun to drive around.
One thing I did notice is that you can’t really see where everyone else is. There were only the three of us on the track when we were at Rogue Leisure to review the go karting. Despite the fact that there are certain points you can see most of the track, half the time I had no idea where the boys were! I think it would be better if you had more people racing at the same time but at points I did feel like I was on my own out there. And that I didn’t really know how far I had to go to hunt Biggest Child down!!!!!
We were given Go Pro cameras on our helmets to record the race. These are £10 extra. Most of the video is, as Hubby described it “dull as s**t” but I now have a video of my shouting “Oh My God” as Biggest Child shot past me. There might be another little swear that cropped up later in the video but you do have the option to turn the sound off! I think for bigger groups, or maybe parties, at least one of you having a camera would be cool.
Our review
I was talking with Middle Child (now my favourite) about it this morning and he’s still hyped about the race. Talking about all the bends, his favourite bits. The things he thinks he did well. Biggest Child is proud of himself for having the fastest lap (yeah, whatever!). At the end of the day, the kids (and I) enjoyed ourselves. Isn’t that the most important thing?
The other thing I have to say is that all the staff we spoke to were lovely. They were clear about keeping everyone safe but also made sure we all had a good time.
And yes, there’s a winner’s podium for you to take your photo. They also display your race stats. And yes, Biggest Child jumped straight up onto first place. Grrrr
Admission cost
The cost varies according to the package that you choose. As an example a family of four, 8+ years, all in would be £127.96. Apparently the cheapest price is £26.99 but I think that doesn’t include equipment hire.
Rogue Leisure also offer go karting kids parties and the prices also vary by package. 6 drivers on a standard party would be £210.00. The boys have done one of these before and I have to say they loved it – they were buzzing for ages afterwards.
All prices quoted in this review of go karting at Rogue Leisure are correct at the time of publication. For the latest prices, and to book, visit their website.
Parking / How to get there
Parking – Free parking on-site
Address – Unit 6 The Point, Gatehouse Way, Aylesbury HP19 8DB
Toilets
Onsite
Food
Cafe available. Own food not allowed
What else is there to do nearby?
Within the complex there’s also bowling and a karaoke pod. They also have a decent sized games arcade as well.
Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook