Have a Wacky Tacky Christmas

By Bob Cox

Of the 29 birthdays my son Bobby has experienced to date, there’s one that stands out in the bank of my memories. My wife Diana and I wanted to do something really special for his 14^th Birthday, so we threw him a unique surprise party. We rented a limousine to pick him and several of his closest friends up at school. From there, we whisked them off to a nearby skateboard park where they enjoyed their favorite activity. After a few hours of unbridled fun, we headed off to a local restaurant, where pizza, cake and presents awaited our arrival.

I could be wrong, but I think Diana and I had as much fun as Bobby and his friends as we basked in all three phases of that memorable crisp autumn afternoon: the planning, the execution and the memories of that special brief moment in time.

Now imagine picking up your child and several of his/her closest friends from grade-school on a cold and rainy December day. They have no idea where you’re going as you travel along Folsom Boulevard and park your vehicle nearest the building sporting a circular sign with a cute little cartoon chimpanzee that’s sandwiched between the words Wacky and Tacky. Chances are good that right about now, those little hearts beating in the back seat will begin to race with anticipation.

Once inside Wacky Tacky, your gang will be mesmerized by the 24,000 square feet of colorful and exciting play space where kids are actually encouraged to run fast, jump high and holler to their hearts content in this soft and safe space where healthy activity intersects with imagination. Your little ones will surely have a blast climbing up 3 story jungle gyms, gliding down enormous slides and navigating through the mouth of a great white shark, whose teeth are as soft as they are pearly white!

While the weather outside is frightful, the great indoors at Wacky Tacky is so delightful. With plenty of comfortable booths to choose from, you can sit back and enjoy watching your kids do what kids do best…be kids. After a couple hours of wild and crazy mayhem, you gather up the crew and allow the little ones to catch their breath in the cozy new movie theatre and enjoy a cherished Christmas movie or other movie of your choice.

If you hear a few stomachs growling louder than the imaginary creatures in the jungle section, have no fear, the Wacky Tacky Café is here with plenty of tasty menu options to choose from. If you selected one of the spectacular party packages, your entire crew will enjoy pizza, cupcakes, soda or juice with balloons and goodie bags.

Do you want even more great adventure? The Rancho Cordova Wacky Tacky facility now has a brand new, state-of-the-art virtual reality gaming room. You will feel like you’re inside the game itself because they have the most advanced headset on the market. With a platform that moves, you can experience the thrill of flying without ever really leaving the safety of mother earth.

I spoke with Nas Qurraa, the son of the creator of Wacky Tacky the other day to get a better idea about how their two indoor facilities in Rancho Cordova and Roseville have become a local sensation.

Q: How do you describe what Wacky Tacky is?

A: Wacky Tacky is the ultimate place for kids to play and have a party in a fun, clean and safe environment. They’re not sitting around playing video games. Kids are actually running around and playing on jungle gyms, getting good exercise while having loads of fun.

Q: How do adults like your place?

A: They love it! Parents can sit comfortably or go in and play with their kids.

Q: Could you describe the new cinema room?

A: We just opened up a room that has 16-18 chairs and has a very nice projector that plays 4K and 3-D movies. We have movies available or you can bring your own movie.

Q: How did you come up with this idea?

A: It just came out of the wind, honestly. My father and I were talking and we wanted to appeal to adults and children. We can also rent out the room for corporate events, birthday parties and other celebrations.

Q: Wouldn’t this be a great place to have a Christmas party?

A: Yeah, Christmas parties are great. We want to encourage church youth groups and other organizations that have programs that take kids to fun and interesting places to come here.

Q: What are your duties and responsibilities?

A: I work full time and basically help out the family. I make sure our facilities are safe and clean, and I oversee the hiring and training of our employees.

Q: Can you tell us about your new virtual reality game?

A: Yes, it’s in a separate room. We’ve got the best headset on the market and a platform that moves. We have several different games you can play, so if you’re going up in the game, you’ll feel like you’re flying!

Q: How do you like working with your dad?

A: I love it! He’s so smart when it comes to business. I think I’ve learned more from him than from any school or any other person. He’s a nice guy, he’s great to work with and everybody that works with him loves and respects him.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

A: This is a fun and safe place to play. We’re family owned, we’re always updating our facility and kids love it. We started out in a tiny little place and now we’re known all over Sacramento. Many people have noticed our business model and want to be part of our success.

For more information about Wacky Tacky’s two exciting locations in Rancho Cordova and Roseville, call (916) 476-3260 or (916) 783-3355. Their website is www.wackytacky.net. Also, be sure to ask them about their rewards program. Become a Wacky Tacky Member and enjoy future savings, special offers and exciting updates via text message.

A Kid at Heart

By Bob Cox

If you were to ask a room full of kids from ages one to 92 if they would like to experience more joy and happiness in life to raise their hands, I imagine that all but one would do so. The one that didn’t would be the crazy guy shouting back at the voices in his head while being escorted out in a straight jacket.

Sadly, the vast majority of people worldwide are less than happy when it comes to how they spend a significant portion of their waking hours. Only 13 percent of people on earth actually like going to work and less than one in three American workers are happy (29%), according to a recent poll by Gallup. That’s almost as shocking as it is sad, especially when you hark back to the days of your childhood when adults asked what you wanted to be when you grew up. Unhappy, disenchanted and unappreciated was not your answer.

With those statistics in mind, it is rare to find people like Morris Qurraa who truly love their work. Morris is the owner of two spectacular indoor play parks in the Sacramento area (Roseville and Rancho Cordova), and it’s something he’s joyously shared with the public for over 30 years. When I asked him why he always seemed so upbeat and optimistic, his reply was refreshingly simple: “I just love kids! Whenever I see them playing and having so much fun, it always leaves me smiling,” replied Morris.

From the time he opened the first Wacky Tacky back in 1985, Morris has thrived from the experience of observing kids and their parents light up from the moment they step inside one of his facilities. “I think the parents love it even more than the kids! They love to see the joy and excitement their kids have while playing, exploring and bonding with new friends,” Morris said.

Morris is convinced that a few hours of play at Wacky Tacky is much more than just idle fun, its excellent therapy for the entire family. “This is so good physically and mentally for kids and their parents. Too many kids these days sit at home playing a variety of electronic devices, like Xbox, TV, computers and games on cell phones. When kids come to Wacky Tacky, they leave their electronic devices behind,” explained Morris.

Now that the scorching days of summer are here, Wacky Tacky is a great alternative to outdoor parks. They offer children a cool, safe and comfortable place to run, jump and explore. Kids of all ages will have a blast and that includes all you parents out there who are just itching to jump into the action and set your spirit free. Children also reap all the physical and emotional benefits of burning off pent up energy while engaging their imaginations, and without the risks of sunburn, dehydration and heatstroke. Parents can kick back in comfortable seats and glorious air conditioning while watching their kids be kids. It just doesn’t get any cooler than Wacky Tacky.

Wacky Tacky is the ultimate indoor playground, featuring over 24,000 square feet of soft and safe play space, along with a cafeteria for refueling. Your little ones will surely have a blast exploring 3 story jungle gyms and enormous slides while navigating through the mouth of a great white shark. Not to worry; however, as his teeth are as soft as they are pearly white!

I asked Morris a few questions about his two thriving indoor play parks and here’s what he had to say.

Q: What makes Wacky Tacky superior to other indoor play parks?

A: Wacky Tacky is the safest and cleanest place for kids. What makes us different from other kid’s facilities is that we are a family owned small business and we care about our customers. Also, Wacky Tacky is a new concept around our area and I was the first one to have a jungle gym style birthday facility for kids in our area.

Q: Aside from loving kids, was there any other reason you decided to open Wacky Tacky?

A: Yes, I opened it because I have three kids and one was still young at the time. There weren’t any good indoor play parks for kids; the ones that existed were old, dirty and super expensive. I wanted to open a place that was fun, clean and safe for kids. Most importantly, I wanted a location that was one of a kind.

Q: Why is this a great place to host a party for kids?

A: Wacky Tacky is very safe, super clean and a place where kids and parents can play together in very big and fun jungle gyms. The prices are very reasonable for the amount of things which are provided and the staff is very friendly. This is the perfect place to host a birthday party, with cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

Q: What’s new and exciting at Wacky Tacky?

A: In Roseville, we’re going to upgrade all the play space and have more activities for the kids. In Rancho Cordova, we will be adding new rides and a state-of-the-art 5D theatre, which is something very special and really exciting. I don’t want to talk about it too much and spoil the surprise for everyone.

Q: Can you tell us about the new café and nursing room that opened in Rancho Cordova?

A: The Wacky Tacky Café opened about four weeks ago and we offer a variety of healthy food, like sandwiches. We also have a variety of snacks and we make everything fresh from scratch. The café has large windows so that you can keep an eye on your kids while enjoying a moment of quiet. We also just opened a new nursing room here in Rancho Cordova, which is a very quiet and private room for mom’s and their babies.

For more information about Wacky Tacky’s two exciting locations in Rancho Cordova and Roseville, call (916) 476-3260 or (916) 783-3355. Their website is www.wackytacky.net. Also, be sure to ask them about their rewards program. Become a Wacky Tacky Member and enjoy future savings, special offers and exciting updates via text message.