How to throw a birthday party

Most birthday party advice lists everything you might need, decorations, favors, a theme, and leaves you to figure out the order yourself. The order is the part that saves you from a bad week. Here’s the sequence that actually works, with the castle-specific decisions folded in where they belong.

Date and weather, before anything else

Pick the date first, because everything else depends on it. If it’s an outdoor party in Colorado, have a rough idea of your backup plan before you book anything: a shorter guest window, a garage as overflow, or simply accepting that spring and fall dates carry more weather risk than a July one does. A garage is fine for the guests but too low for a castle; a bounce house indoors needs a gym or a hall. We won’t deliver in wind over 15 mph, and nothing goes up in rain, so if the forecast turns against you close to the date, we’ll work out a new time together rather than leave you stuck. More on how we handle weather. Birthday in the cold months? Winter birthday party ideas covers what changes.

Headcount decides more than you’d think

You don’t need an exact number yet, but a rough one changes real decisions: how much food to plan for, whether you need one activity or two, and which castle actually fits. Classic Castle holds 800 pounds at a time and works fine for a small group. Castle with Slide holds 1,000 and handles a bigger one, cousins and neighborhood kids included. Neither number is a headcount, since kids weigh different amounts, but it’s the real constraint and a more honest one than a made-up capacity figure would be.

Book the activity before the cake

The castle, the piñata, the entertainer, whatever it is, book it before you finalize catering or decor. It’s the piece most likely to be unavailable on a specific Saturday, and it’s also the piece the whole party schedules around. Day rates for all three castles run $100 to $300, delivered and set up the same day, and the earlier you lock in a date the more likely your first choice is still open. Add a piñata at the same time if you’re using one. It’s sold outright rather than rented, so there’s no separate rental deadline to track.

The week before is for confirming, not deciding

By the week before, the date, the castle, and roughly how many kids are coming should already be settled. What’s left is confirming: the yard is measured and flat, there’s power near the setup spot, and anyone hosting on church or school property has already requested a certificate of insurance if the venue asks for one. A park shelter has its own rules too: Highlands Ranch park shelters have a two hour minimum and no published rule on inflatables, so call before you reserve. What your yard needs before we bring the castle covers the space and power questions in detail.

The day of, in the order it happens

We arrive, open the trailer, and the blower goes on. Setup runs 30 to 45 minutes from parked to first jump. We anchor with four to six sandbags before anyone climbs on, whether that’s grass, a driveway, or a patio. At the end of the day we come back, and teardown takes about the same time as setup did. You don’t need to do anything in between except run the party.

Send us the date and we’ll tell you what’s open. Parker, Denver, Aurora, Castle Rock, Littleton and Centennial deliver at no charge; check our delivery page for anywhere else.