Funtopia Prospect in Sefton Park | Adelaide Indoor Playground Review
From a rock-climbing arena to an action-packed playground, Adelaide’s newest indoor adventure park and cafe has it all.
by Carla Caruso
Funtopia definitely is a utopia of fun, with a capital F.
The indoor adventure park – SA’s largest! – officially opened its doors in February 2020 and has oodles to offer, including three ‘worlds’ for differing age groups, six private party rooms, and a hip café (serving up the usual kids’ fare alongside adult-friendly dishes like healthy bowls and popcorn cauliflower). Part of a franchise chain (also operating in Victoria), Funtopia Prospect spans a whopping 1500 square metres.
Depending on how you want to enjoy your stay, there are different adventure ‘packs’ you can choose from. I went with the ‘Funtopia pack’ for my six-year-old twin boys when they journeyed there with their cousins. This pack is for those aged four-plus and includes an hour of climbing (plus a 15-minute safety briefing), a Leap of Faith jump, unlimited access to the playground, and grip socks.
Things kicked off at Climbing World (for those aged four to 84!). This state-of-the-art rock-climbing arena is really what gives Funtopia a unique edge over other indoor adventure parks.
Its interactive climbing walls range from beginner level to climbing challenges ‘fit for a pro’. Kids are strapped into auto-belays and self-clip devices. The world-class self-descending system will catch them if they fall and bring them back to earth gently, no climbing buddy required.
Climbing challenges range from a speed wall (where kids can race a friend) to a volcano wall (in which they guide lit-up ‘lava’ to the top), a fireman’s wall (where they put out fires along the way), and a giant beanstalk (where they might spot a giant).
My boys particularly loved the Skyscraper Walk – where the higher they got, the more unstable the ‘buildings’ became – and the Leap of Faith jump, where they got to leap from a crane.
The Aussie-themed, five-level Playground World (for those aged two-plus) was next up. It was cool seeing Adelaide touches incorporated into the fun, with nods to the Adelaide Central Market, Adelaide Oval, and the Southern Expressway. (Please note: a go on the electric car ‘espressway’ is an extra fee of $2 a ride.) Other zones celebrated the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Great Barrier Reef, and the Outback.
The action-packed playground has a heap to offer – speed slides, adventure obstacles, interactive games, a stadium shooting gallery, mirror maze, beginner climbing walls, and more.
Toddlers don’t miss out either. The colourful Toddler World (for those under three) features interactive games, obstacles, slides, play equipment, building blocks, and more – and nicely, they have the area all to themselves.
In between all the activity, it was great to be able to fuel up at the on-site Mr Spriggin’s Café (a nut-free venue). The restaurant-quality ‘naughty and nice’ menu is put together by executive chef Stewart Wesson (of Whistle and Flute and Part Time Lover fame).
I enjoyed the Mexican burrito bowl while my kids tucked into burgers and nuggets. You can also enjoy soft-serve sundaes, with flavours like ‘banana-rama’ and ‘unicorn’, and beverages including coffee by Five Senses. (The bar’s fully licensed too.) The café tables are a great place for the adults to sit back and observe the fun while the kids pop back and forth in between adventuring.
My boys had a ‘funbelievable’ day out. A Funtopia slogan is ‘sleep, eat, climb, repeat’ – and my lads definitely hope to repeat the experience.
What we like about it
- There’s no chance for the kids to get bored, from the state-of-the-art rock-climbing arena to the action-packed adventure playground
- Every age group is catered for, so no siblings or friends will miss out (hello, Toddler World!)
- Rainy days are sorted; kidlets will love whiling away hours here
- The on-site café offers food and drinks that both the kids and adults will enjoy. Plus, children eat free on Friday and Saturday nights – more here.
- Fit and Fun sessions are coming soon, where parents and guardians can enjoy climbing and playing alongside their juniors
- Funtopia can cater for birthday parties, corporate events, private venue hire, and fundraisers
Things to consider
- It’s best to book weekend climbing sessions in advance to avoid disappointment; the Climbing World and Playground World sessions can be booked online
- With Playground World spanning five levels, it’s possible to lose sight of your child in busy times (and you’ll need to have socks on if you want to go find them)
- Dragging the kids away from such entertainment is always a challenge
- No outside food or drink is allowed in the venue with a general admission purchase (including birthday cakes)
Coffee and food options
Mr Spriggin’s Café is on-site, serving up a ‘naughty and nice’ menu, prepared by its in-house chefs. The cafe’s a nut-free venue and can cater for most dietary requirements. Coffee is by Five Senses. Funtopia’s also part of the Regency Plaza Shopping Centre if you need to do more shopping while there.
Location:
See our Guide to Indoor Play Cafes & Centres here.
Click here for all the Best Playgrounds for Toddlers
See our Top Parks & Playgrounds Around Adelaide here.
For more information, please visit Funtopia Prospect’s website.
What: Funtopia Prospect
When: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm; Friday and Saturday 9am to 9pm; and Sunday 9am to 6pm
Where: Regency Plaza, Tenancy 8, 259-269 Main North Road | Sefton Park
Who: For the young, and young at heart (ages 2 to 84!)
All photos by Carla Caruso for Play & Go Adelaide
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
SUBSCRIBE
Want to get all the latest events and activities straight to your inbox?
Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter below to keep up to date with our latest posts and find out all the best events & activities for Adelaide families. Newsletters are only sent once a week, and you may sometimes get a special offer exclusively for our subscribers only!
