Smiles
Family Entertainment
Frequently Asked Questions
(Inflatable Rental)
Can inflatable
equipment be used in the rain?
We always
reserve the right to cancel a reservation due to extreme weather or safety conditions. However,
if weather conditions are questionable upon delivery of your inflatable bounce house, obstacle course, or slide, and you decide to
keep the unit, we ask that usage stops in periods of heavy rain. Prior to allowing the equipment usage to resume, please take a dry towel and dry the unit as best possible to help ensure our little ones safety.
The units become very slippery when they get wet and slipping can severely injure
children and adults in some cases.
How much space
is necessary?
Most of our bounce houses
are 15x15 and require a minimum of a three foot "safety radius"
around the unit. At a minimum, an 18x18 clearance radius is necessary for the
15x15 units, a 16x16 clearance radius for the 13x13 units, and more space
is needed for the larger units, so please inquire prior to booking if your
event is space challenged.
How many guest can
bounce at one time?
Bounce Houses | Under 5 Years of Age | Age 5 - 8 | Age 9 - 13 | Older Teens | Adults |
20 x 20 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
15 x 15 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
13 x 13 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Please
remember, although bounce houses can be extremely fun and safe, we must always
follow these important guidelines above. We must remember not to ever mix age
groups, and also to be sure that children of like age and weight proportions
are allowed to play at the same time. Children under 5 can be extremely
fragile, and statistics show that most of the severe injuries in the bounce
house industry are caused by this rule not being followed, and our little ones
ending up with head injuries, or broken bones. Please, please, please follow
these guidelines listed above and help keep our little ones stay safe, and living
healthy lives.
How far in
advance should I reserve a bounce house?
We typically recommend that a bounce house be
reserved at least one month in advance of the date of your event. During peak
seasons, late spring and summer months, the units most in demand often book out
30-45 days on average, and many weeks leaving customers who wait until closer to
their event with no options for an inflatable unit rental. Our recommendation to
our customers is DON’T WAIT!!! It is highly recommended that you book your
event as soon as you know the date, and remember, we are flexible, so if your
date or location changes, just let us know as soon as possible, and we will do
all that we can to accommodate.
How much does it cost to rent a bounce house?
We rent our inflatable
units in 3 ½ hour or 7 hour windows and have some of the best and most
competitive rates in the Greater Saint Louis area, comparatively. Please
note that a delivery fee may apply to all rentals or services outside of our approximately 40
mile round-trip, complimentary coverage area. Please refer to the inflatable
page for packages and rates!!!
Can I pick up
the unit and set it up myself?
Unfortunately, our customers aren't able to pick up and setup their own inflatable rental unit, rather it be an obstacle course, a bounce house, or a slide. Since
safety is our utmost concern, we require that our qualified installers setup
our units, check them for safe operation, and review all the necessary safety
instructions with the responsible party and anyone that will be involved in
supervising the safe operation of the inflatable units and all of our most
prized possessions, our little ones.
What is your
Bad Weather policy?
We always
reserve the right to cancel a reservation (at no penalty to you) if there are
heavy rains or high winds (over 20 mph). Safe operation of our units and
customer safety is our utmost concern. Absolutely no refunds will be given once
the jump is delivered and accepted by the customer, even if a rain out or strong
winds should occur.
If you would
like to cancel because it rains, you can opt to receive your deposit, or
reschedule. If you cancel without rain, the deposit is non-refundable.
Does the
inflatable have to be set up in a yard or on grass?
No, many of our
units are set up in the parking lots of schools, malls, churches
and other commercial facilities parking lots. Instead of using anchors that are driven approximately 24-30" into the ground, the inflatable is weighed down by 50 - 100 pounds of sand on each corner, and in most instances a tarp is used to protect our equipment from any possible abrasive movement, thus allowing the bounce house or other inflatable equipment to be setup on most any level surface.
Who sets up
the inflatable?
Smiles Family
Entertainment has teams of qualified installers/technicians that have been properly
trained to set up all of our units so that they can be enjoyed in the safest and
most enjoyable manner possible. Our installers/technicians have been trained on
how to prevent "tripping" and shock hazards and also on how to
minimize down time during the extent of your rental.
Are you insured?
Yes Smiles Family
Entertainment is insured to protect our client's, as well as our name. The client shall be in charge of operation in most cases, except larger events where multiple units may be present, and also when our larger units are rented out,
and in all cases our client's are fully responsible for any accidents or injuries that may occur due to client's negligence or failure to address known safety concerns. After receiving the unit and
instructions, and signing off on contract and waiver, lesser is not responsible for any injuries occurring to lessee or
to any persons using the leased units during client's event or any damage to any
personal property due to negligence and or failure to follow the rules and
instructions.
Is your
equipment new, clean and sanitized?
We sanitize and deep clean each and every unit that goes out after each
weekend, however we spot clean, sanitize, wipe down, and vacuum prior to
breaking down the units at each event. All of our inflatable units are in good
condition. Please note there is an $80.00 cleaning fee should we find
silly string, gum, wax, or tar on inflatable equipment, and we will do our best
to inspect and bring this to our client’s attention prior to the removal of the
unit. In order to continue to provide the best quality service to our
customer’s and to keep the cost as low as possible, Smiles Family Entertainment
recommends that our client’s ask their guest to exit the inflatable units
approximately 5-10 minutes prior to pickup of the unit so that you may perform
your own inspection, and possibly remedy any minor issues that may incur a
cleaning fee.
Is adult
supervision required?
Yes. After your
unit has been setup, our installer will go over all the safety guidelines with
our client’s and have the responsible client sign off on the contract. During that
safety review, it is always our intention to make it perfectly clear that a supervisor
is required, and must be present when anyone is occupying the unit, to ensure its safe
operation. The supervisor is there to help kids and individuals get in and out of the unit
safely, and to have the occupants exit the equipment when needed, rather it be
safety reasons, or emergency evacuation.
How long does
it take to set up an inflatable & take it down?
It takes our installers approximately
25-30 minutes to set up the unit and go over the safety rules and answer any
questions.
What is
required for set up?
All we really
need is a relatively flat, open area that does not have any overhead
obstructions and a power outlet within 50 feet of where they unit is to be set
up. If no electricity is available, portable generators are available upon
request.
Do I have to
leave the blower going all day?
There is really
no need to turn off the blower when the unit is set-up for enjoyment. The unit
uses less energy that a hair dryer will ensure that the unit is always ready
for enjoyment. However, if you do need to turn off the unit for any reason, it
is perfectly safe. Just make sure everyone has exited the unit and make sure
that the unit collapses onto it and not on any sharp objects or obstructions.
Can an
inflatable be set up inside?
We are able to
setup units indoors, assuming that adequate space is available to accommodate
the unit or units of choice. Spaces that are typically large enough to
accommodate inflatable units are gyms, stages, shopping malls, and halls.
Please be aware that there is an additional $25 fee per unit, for indoor inflatable set-up. Due to the hard setup surface,
sandbags of at the least 50-75 pounds per corner are required to weigh down the
unit for safety reasons.
Will the
inflatable harm my lawn?
No, inflatable
equipment doesn’t generally harm lawns. We also take every precaution possible
to protect our client’s property, as well as our equipment, and do so by
placing down a tarp prior to inflating the bounce house to make sure that any
movement will minimize any damage. We will place stakes in the yard to help
anchor the unit, for safety reasons, however, this does no permanent damage.
What is your
cancellation policy?
We require up to a 10% deposit per inflatable unit. Your deposit is
fully refundable as long as the cancellation request is done at least 10 days
prior to your rental date. Customer reserves the right to cancel or reschedule rental after 10 day period, and prior to inflatable setup,
due to weather related reasons only.
(Entertainer Services)
Coming soon, frequently asked and answered questions about our costumed entertainers and impersonators !!!
