Party packages allow you to sell parties with inclusions that dynamically calculate based on the number of guests booked. This saves you time by making the process for booking parties simple for your guests and your staff.
And if on a Pro plan and above, you can also allow the guest to choose their own variations for food and beverage items when booking the party online.
This guide shows you how to set up and manage your party packages.
What to expect
- You can sell party packages online with the progressive checkout or when making a booking over the phone in Venue Manager.
- When configuring the items to bundle up with your party package, you can specify which stock variation to include or allow guests to choose a variation (eg pizza toppings, type of soda). Note that stock variations are a feature of a Pro plan and above. Learn more about stock variations
- When redeeming party package bookings at POS, you also have the ability to edit guest count and party inclusions directly in POS.
Why use party packages?
Use party packages if you want to ... | Examples |
---|---|
Schedule guest use of different venue resources such as party rooms and attractions | 2-hour party with 1-hour jump time in the trampoline area followed by 1 hour in a party room |
Automatically calculate stock items or add-ons included based on the number of party guests | 1 pizza per 5 guests 1 pitcher of soda per 5 guests |
Set the number of stock items or add-ons included per guest or per package | 1 pair of jump socks per guest 1 birthday t-shirt for the guest of honor |
Allow guests to choose their own stock variations for party package food and beverage inclusions (Pro plan and above) | Pizza toppings: pepperoni, vegetarian or BBQ chicken Type of soda: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Lemonade, Orange etc |
Add buffer time for cleaning | 15 MIN buffer time to clean a party room resource before the next party starts |
Create a party package
- From Venue Manager, go to Products > Create product > Party package.
- Enter a unique name for your party package in the top left corner.
- Follow the steps outlined below to configure your party packages.
Create a party program by entering the overall duration for the party, then add where guests will spend their time during the party. The party program will apply to any ticket variations you add to the party.
- Select Create program.
- Enter the overall duration for your party. Once you save the duration, you can’t change it.
- Add the resources, where guests will spend their time, for the party:
- Select Add resources.
- Select the resources in the order you want guests to use them, then select Apply.
- Add the Start and End times for each resource.
For example, if you have jump time for the first hour and an exclusive use of a party room for the second hour, set up the start and end times as shown below:
- (Optional) Add buffer time to allow for cleaning before the next party starts:
- Select Add buffer time.
- A Buffer column appears in the Resources table.
- Enter the buffer time in minutes (eg 15 mins for a party room resource). This buffer time is not visible to guests.
- (Optional) Adjust the number of venue resources that can be booked for each party (eg party rooms):
- Select Multiple resources per booking.
- A Max column appears in the resources table.
- Select the maximum number of resources that can be used.
- Select Done.
A timeline of the party program appears.
To update the party program, click Edit program.
In the relevant fields, enter:
- The price per guest for the party
- The minimum number of guests per party
- (Optional) The maximum number of guests per party. If this is not set, the resource capacity for the party will be used instead.
Add items that are bundled together with the party, such as food and beverage, merchandise, cashless cards or wallets. Bundled together, these items make up the total price for the party.
- Select Add item.
- Select an item you want to include in the party package.
- The Edit items panel appears.
- If you want to change the item's default price, enter an updated unit price. By default, the unit price is the price configured in the product's settings.
- If you want to dynamically calculate inclusions based on the number of guests:
- Under Quantity, select the Guest option (default).
- Enter how many items for every 'X' number of guests (eg 1 pizza for every 5 guests).
- If the number of guests is more than one guest, add a rule for calculating inclusions dynamically. Round up if fewer than 'X' guests. Round down if must be 'X' guests before an additional item is added.
- If you want to specify the number of inclusions per package:
- Under Quantity, select the Package option.
- Enter how many items per package.
- For additional items that have variations (eg pizza), you can specify which variation is included in the party package or allow the guest to choose which variation they want while purchasing the party online (eg which pizza toppings they want).
Stock variations are a feature of a Pro plan. If you're on a Lite plan and want to allow guests to choose variations for inclusions, contact your account manager or the support team to upgrade. - Select Done.
- The inclusions table updates with the options chosen and update quantity and base price. Repeat the above steps for each inclusion you want to add to the package variation.
If you'd like to include different ticket variations for guests to choose when they select the party package product, such as additional guests or different party tiers (eg Classic, Premium, Platinum), you can.
- Select Add variation.
- Enter a name for the variation (eg Additional guest).
- Enter the price per guest and minimum and maximum (optional) guest numbers. For example, if adding an additional jumper ticket, set the price and minimum number of guests as 1.
- Select Add items to add and configure additional inclusions for the variation (see above step for more details for configuring inclusions). For example, if adding an additional guest ticket variation, you may want to add inclusions that dynamically calculate based on the number of additional guests selected in the booking.
- Select Done. The inclusions table for the ticket variation updates. Select Add variation to add any other variations to the party package.
Remember to select the checkbox for any variation that is required for every booking (eg making the base party required if adding an additional guest variation for guests to purchase).
Under Content, add the product descriptions and image to display in the online checkout.
To add descriptions:
- Select Descriptions.
- Enter the short description that appears under the product name on the checkout products page.
- Enter a detailed description for a longer description of the party that appears when guests select the product.
To add a product image:
- Select Image.
- Select Upload file to upload an image for your product.
You can choose any upsell items you want to offer guests after they've added the party package to their cart. You can add products that are always available for guests to purchase, and products that are restricted to the days and times defined in a stock period.
- From Additional options, select Add-ons.
- For Standard add-ons that are available for all party package session times, select the product(s) from the drop-down, then select Apply.
- For Restricted add-ons that are only available on certain days and times:
- Select a stock period from the drop-down. The stock period sets the days and times for the restricted add-ons. Learn how to create a stock period
- You can hover over the stock period selected to check the times any product(s) assigned will be available. Restricted add-ons will be offered as upsell items when the stock period availability matches with a session start time the guest selects.
- Select the product(s), then select Apply.
Restricted add-ons appear along with any standard add-ons (offered for all sessions) that you’ve assigned to the party package product.
Select from the following additional options to customize the party package.
- Add-ons
- Choose which items you can offer to guests when the party package is added to the cart in the online checkout. You can choose standard add-ons which are always available or restricted add-ons. Refer to step 5 above to learn more.
- Deposit
- Allow guests to make a booking with a partial payment as a fixed amount or a percentage of the total product cost.
- Forms
- Attach a form to this product to capture additional information about party guests such as the guest of honor's name or any dietary requirements. Learn more about creating forms and adding them to the checkout.
- Instructions
- Provide the guest booking the party with important information in the confirmation email.
- Receipt shows
inclusions - Itemize party inclusions on receipts and in confirmation emails.
- Sales period
- Change the sales start date and the time period for when online sales close before the party starts. By default, items are sold from the day they are created until 1 hour before start time.
- Tax is not
default rate - Change the default tax rate.
- Terms &
conditions - Add any additional terms and conditons for the product. These will appear after the venue terms and conditions.
- Ticket holder name
captured during
checkout - Capture the name of the party package ticket holder during the online checkout flow.
- Waiver
- Require that each party guest signs a waiver. Learn more about creating and configuring your waiver settings.
Save and go to schedules
When you've finished setting up the party package, select Save and go to schedules.
- If this is your first time creating schedules, you'll be asked to set up your operating hours. Learn more
- Create a schedule for the party package for the days and times you want the party package to be available for guests to purchase.
- Make sure you include all ticket variations you want to be available for guests to book in the schedule.
You can also access schedules from Venue Manager. Go to Products > Schedules.
Learn more about creating schedules
Change number of guests and inclusions booked
For any last minute changes to the party package you can update the number of guests or inclusions booked, or type of inclusion booked, in Venue Manager or at POS (eg t-shirt size, more food and drinks).
If a guest calls to change their booking prior:
- From Venue Manager, search for the booking.
- Go to the Order tab to update as needed.
You can also make last minute changes when redeeming tickets at POS.
- From POS, search for the party booking.
- Select Edit party for the booking.
- Increase or decrease the number of guests and update any inclusions or variations for inclusions as needed.
- The booking updates and your staff can charge the new total based on the changes.
FAQs
No. A new session-based party ticket is automatically added when creating party packages.
Yes. You can add an additional guest as a ticket variation to the base party package.