We visited Bella’s Wonderland over the weekend, so I can share a first-hand experience of this indoor playground in Southport.
After hearing a lot about it, I’ll be giving an honest review here of what to expect, what to see and do while you’re there, and some housekeeping info that will save you a bit of time and confusion/heartache when you’re there. I’ll put my tips in standout boxes so you can see them quickly and easily.
Below is a link to Bella’s Wonderland on Google maps:
TIP: Google Maps tells you to take the second left when you enter the Southport Trade Centre gate. This is wrong. Take the first left and you’ll see Bella’s on your right a few shops down (look for a big sign on top of the door and the number 48).
Bella’s Wonderland Details
ADDRESS: Unit 48, 3 Jackman Street, Southport, Gold Coast, QLD
PHONE: (07) 5661 5451
OPEN HOURS: Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm
AGE GROUP: Toddlers to 11 years old
What it’s like to visit Bella’s Wonderland
When you first get to Bella’s you’re pretty blown away. It’s big, even from the outside. And there’s a carousel with pastel-coloured ponies in the window.
This is no ordinary playground.
Kids are being carried out crying, begging for five more minutes to run around. And the noise level inside is as large as the entrance.
We checked in with reception, which was pretty quick seeing that we’d booked online and signed the waiver online too. We got a stick-on bracelet and were asked to put our socks on.
TIP: The stick-on bracelets should go on your child’s wrist. If they won’t wear the bracelet, you’ll need to wear it to show you’ve paid.
We put our shoes in the cubby units that line the room, and my handbag went with other large bags on top of the cubby units.
TIP: All kids must wear non-slip socks and adults must wear any type of socks when inside Bella’s Wonderland.
I left my handbag and carried a large backpack in with me. I thought I’d need it because I have a toddler but all I really needed was his water bottle. I took way too much in – my advice is pack as light as possible.
TIP: There’s no space for prams inside Bella’s Wonderland. You can bring one in, but you’ll have to park it and leave it in the allocated pram spot by reception.
I asked reception and they said I can leave my backpack on the tables and chairs in the café seating area.
I’m not sure why they suggest this because there’s such limited space in the café and so many people trying to eat there that this just causes more congestion.
If your bags on the café’s tables people think you’re saving the table because your bags are there. But you just don’t know that there IS storage space for your bags inside – see my next tip…
TIP: There is a cubby unit next to the café inside, where you can store backpacks, nappy bags, etc. while you’re playing in the playground.
Not only is there space for your bags but there are also high chairs by the cubby unit if you have little ones eating with you.
I saw many high chairs and many kids, but not a single kid was sitting in a high chair probably because no one knew where to find them!
Let’s hop back to reception for a moment.
When we were there, there was only one way to get in and out – through an open gate to the left of the reception area.
There’s NO lock or covering on this opening. What worries me is that I’ve read reviews where people find kids running around in the parking lot after escaping through this open gate or crawling under the other closed gates.
Please watch your children closely.
Once inside, the pony carousel greets you with a sign that only staff members are allowed to operate it. Well, there were no staff members around to operate it, so I’m not sure if it even works or not or ever runs. Bit of a bummer tight at the start to be honest.
Oh, and the train was also out of order that day. There were signs at reception to let us know. Another bummer.
We moved on to the “sandpit“, which is made up of tiny wooden blocks that really hurt when you walk on them – be careful.
As nice and non-messy as this “sand” is for older kids, my toddler kept trying to put the tiny blocks in his mouth. This is obviously a choking hazard, so any kids under three need to be watched closely.
We probably spent a little too much time in the sandpit because there was so much else to see and do in the two hour timeframe we had. But the little guy enjoyed it very much and probably would have left happy if that’s all he got to do that afternoon.
There’s a café by the sandpit with some seating available.
As I mentioned, seating is limited and this area is very crowded. If I go back, I’ll spend less time on the bottom floor and more time upstairs (which I’ll get to in a bit).
We didn’t eat there so I can’t tell you if the food is good or not. Some people complain about the prices and the fact that the kitchen isn’t always in working order. Others say the food is great and convenient.
I feel that if I only have two hours there I want to explore and be doing things. But it is exhausting and I ran into some friends who were eating just to sit down and have a bit of a rest and time out.
We moved from the sandpit to the big ball pit next to the café. The kids all loved this.
There are two slides leading into the ball pit: One is a very big, high slide and then there’s another narrow, closed, twirly slide that I still managed to get down with a backpack on my back.
Climb up the stairs to the right of the ball pit and you’ll enter a maze of obstacles.
I took some photos to give you an idea of what it looks like inside:
When I was climbing around the maze with my little man there was a young girl crying for her mummy. I tried to help her find her mum, but it’s not easy when I’m watching my own kiddo and a lost child can’t tell me where she last saw her mother.
TIP: Set a meeting point with your child when you arrive so you know where to find each other if you get separated. If your child gets lost they will know where to find you or they can tell an adult where to find you. Alternatively, write your phone number on your child’s arm so people can contact you if you lose your child. Bella’s Wonderland is a maze and kids do get lost here!
After getting sweaty in the first maze, we toddled off up to the next floor. The steps are next to the café, where the high chairs and cubbies sit.
This is another maze and play area. Much LESS crowded than the first area. And just as much fun, if not more so!
I didn’t take many pictures of this area as it’s another maze and obstacle course.
This is what it looks like when you get there:
Try exploring all corners of this area as there’s something quite unique and interesting to do and see in each corner. I won’t spoil all the surprises for you 🙂
The ball pit on this level is a lot of fun.
It sucks up balls then spits them out overhead. The kids really enjoyed packing the balls into the machines then lying in the middle and letting the balls spray all over them.
And this is what you look like when you try to keep up with your 18-month old at Bella’s Wonderland…
And the last and final stop was the third floor.
This is nice (and much, much quieter than downstairs). There’s even music playing.
It’s the perfect place to play “house”. Here you’ll find a kitchen with fancy appliances and wooden food, market stalls, trolleys, a dress-up area, and even a make-up area.
There’s a lady working there and her only job is to run around behind the kids and pack toys away – so the area stays beautifully neat as you can see from my photos.
The dress-up area was gorgeous, and it even has private change areas for the kids.
There were only a few dresses hanging up but I think a lot of dresses were walking around Bella’s as we’d seen little girls swishing and swaying around on other floors in their ball gowns.
I didn’t see any outfits for boys except a Superman outfit, but my little guy was more interested in trolleys and opening and closing the make-up containers than he was in getting dressed up…
I snuck up the stairs and around the corner to find a bunch of party rooms, a lego room, and a reading area. There wasn’t a single person in any of these rooms, which is a pity because it’s done so nicely.
And before we knew it, they announced over the intercom that it was closing time and it was our turn to carry tired, crying kids out of the place.
Bella’s Wonderland sure was an experience.
Am I glad I went? Yes.
Would I go back? If I do, I’ll stick with the quieter second and third floors, avoiding the busiest areas altogether.
I think you need to go at least once to see the playground and enjoy it, but the outing is tiring for everyone so my suggestion is not to plan or do anything too hectic afterwards.
