The wait is almost over for one of Cardiff’s biggest new entertainment venues and after getting an exclusive first look inside Hollywood Bowl XL ahead of its opening, we think it’s set to become one of the city’s most popular attractions.
Opening at St David’s Cardiff on Monday 20 July, Hollywood Bowl XL is the company’s first ever XL concept, bringing together bowling, electric go karting, interactive darts, arcade games, food and drink under one roof.
Located across two floors, the venue has transformed the former buffet restaurant unit, with entrances from both the outside of St David’s 2 and inside the shopping centre, near the ground floor food court and toilets. The two areas have been linked together to create one huge entertainment destination.
Electric go karting steals the show
The standout attraction has to be the brand new electric go karting experience, located on the lower level of the venue.
Forget a traditional indoor kart track. This is something completely different.
If you’ve ever played Mario Kart, you’ll instantly understand the concept. Drivers race in electric karts fitted with LCD screens, collecting virtual power ups as they pass beneath interactive checkpoints. Those power ups can then be used during the race to slow down opponents, adding a video game twist that we’ve never seen before in a real life karting experience.
It’s genuinely one of the most impressive attractions we’ve experienced and unlike anything else currently available in Cardiff.
Prices start from £6.10 for juniors and £7.10 for adults, with each session including approximately 15 minutes on track or five laps.
Bowling, darts and a huge arcade
The venue also features 20 state of the art bowling lanes, each equipped with digital scoring screens. Guests can order food and drinks directly to their lane, making it easy to stay in the game without leaving your group.
Interactive digital darts adds another competitive activity, while a live sports bar provides plenty of seating for those wanting to relax and watch live sporting events.
The amusement arcade is packed with both classic and modern games, from ticket winning pushers to immersive racing simulators and shooting games.
One standout for us was Gigashot, an action packed shooting game with impressive haptic feedback that quickly became our favourite.
There are also popular racing games including Fast & Furious and Need for Speed, perfect for taking on friends.
Most arcade games cost £1 per play, while the larger haptic racing simulators are priced at £2.
Food and drinks available throughout
Hollywood Bowl’s signature diner will serve a menu of burgers, hot dogs, loaded fries, milkshakes, cocktails and other drinks throughout the day and evening, meaning visitors can easily make a full afternoon or night out of their visit.
A great fit for Cardiff city centre
With its location in the heart of Cardiff, we can see Hollywood Bowl XL becoming incredibly popular with shoppers, families, students and groups looking for something different before or after a meal or night out.
The venue joins Hollywood Bowl’s existing Cardiff Bay location at the Red Dragon Centre but offers a much broader entertainment experience that goes well beyond traditional bowling.
The new attraction is also expected to create more than 50 jobs across leisure, hospitality and customer service.
After getting an early look around, it’s clear Hollywood Bowl XL is aiming to be much more than a bowling alley. The combination of immersive electric karting, modern bowling, interactive darts and one of the city’s best arcades makes this one of the most exciting new leisure openings Cardiff has seen for some time.
Hollywood Bowl XL Cardiff officially opens at St David’s on Monday 20 July.
