Running a Bigger Party
Graduations, block parties and reunions aren't just birthdays with more people — multiple units change the power, the layout and the timing. Here's what actually goes wrong, and how to avoid it.
Talk It Through(413) 230-0596Power is what fails first
Every inflatable runs a blower continuously, and each one draws roughly as much as a hair dryer. Two blowers on the same household circuit is usually fine. Three will trip the breaker, generally about an hour in, when everything is full of kids. Spread units across different circuits — an outside outlet, a garage outlet and a kitchen outlet are often on separate breakers. Tell us how many units you're taking and we'll talk through your outlets before the day.
How many units for how many guests
Rough numbers from doing this every weekend: one unit comfortably serves about 20 kids, because they rotate on and off naturally. Forty guests wants two units, and they should be different — a bounce house and an obstacle course, not two bounce houses, or everyone queues for the same thing. Past 75 you want three, plus something for the adults.
Laying it out
Don't line units up in a row. Angle them so an adult standing in one spot can see into all of them — supervision is your responsibility and it gets much harder when units face away from each other. Leave five feet clear around each, keep stake lines out of walkways, and put the food well away from the entrances.
Access for the big units
The 120-foot monster and the Adrenaline Rush need a genuinely open run and a clear path from the truck — a standard back gate usually isn't enough. If we can't get the unit through, we can't set it up, and that decision happens on your driveway on the day. Measure your gate, or tell us the access and we'll flag it in advance.
Timing an all-day event
For a graduation or block party where guests arrive across the afternoon, book the full day rather than four hours. We often deliver the day before for Saturday events. Units don't need to stay inflated the whole time — there's a switch on the blower — so you can shut down during a meal and restart afterwards.
If it's at a park or a school
Public venues almost always require a certificate of insurance naming them, and many require it a week or two ahead. We issue those at no charge — just tell us the exact name to put on it when you book. Some parks also restrict staking, in which case we bring sandbags instead, but we need to know first.
Still not sure? Call (413) 230-0596 and describe the party — we do this every weekend and we'd rather flag a power problem now than on the day.