There is nothing quite like the feeling of joy you get from blowing out your birthday candles and tearing open presents while your closest family and friends sing “Happy Birthday” to you.

At Daytona Lagoon, we love celebrating the good times and there is never a more perfect occasion to celebrate than birthdays. While attending birthday parties is a blast, planning one can be challenging. Here are some tips on making your next birthday party the best one yet!

Choose an Unbeatable Theme

Nothing makes a birthday party extra special quite like a theme. A creative theme is the perfect way to set the tone for a party and having a theme at your party allows to express individuality through decorations, games and costumes. A party theme can be generic like princesses, pirates, mermaids, dinosaurs, or superheroes, or can even be brand specific like Cocomelon, Harry Potter, Disney, Fortnite, Barbie or Trolls!

Create Your Dream Team

When it comes to party planning, you might find it easier to plan by yourself. Even if you are confident in your planning skills and are happy to take on the workload, it is still always best to gather a team to help with set up and decorating, helping throughout the event, and cleaning up. Whether your team is friends, family or a hired event staff, make sure you have enough people to help make sure the party runs smoothly!

Have Fun

A lot of time and effort goes into event planning, but the purpose of throwing a party it to celebrate! If planning your party starts to feel intense, remember the whole reason why you are celebrating in the first place. Remember to take a step back from the craziness and enjoy time with your friends and family.

Plan Early and Create a Checklist

One of the easiest ways to ease the stress that comes with hosting a party is by giving yourself plenty of time to plan. By allotting yourself at least 3 months in advance from the desired date of your event to plan, it gives you enough time to work out any challenges that come your way. The more of these task that are tackled in advance, the less you will have to worry about the day of the party, leaving time for you to enjoy yourself!

Another way to stay on top of your party planning is by creating the ultimate checklist. There are many things you must consider when hosting an event and it can be challenging remembering the small details. Keep a planner, writing what needs to be done in advance and checking them off as you go is one of the best ways to stay organized and make sure you aren’t forgetting anything. Here are some essential items that need to be considered when creating your ultimate party checklist:

• Set a date and time

• Set your budget

• Pick a theme

• Book a venue

• Curate a guest list

• Send invitations

• Plan entertainment/activities

• Shop for décor

• Create party favors

• Order catering

• Order a cake

• Check on RSVPs

• Decorate venue

• Buy ice

• Clean up

Other items to consider when creating your ultimate birthday checklist are:

• The weather

• The times of any rentals that you may have booked

• Parking

• Communication between you, your guests and any additional staff

If this seems like too much let Daytona Lagoon do the hard work for you! We understand that birthday planning is challenging that’s why when you plan your birthday party with us you can have your cake and eat it too! Daytona Lagoon offers a variety of birthday packages to suit everyone’s needs and budget. Any birthday package booked with Daytona Lagoon comes with all the basics like pizza, beverages, invitations and much more. We’ll even host the party for you!

Learn more about our birthday packages and sign up for our Birthday Club to receive exclusive offers, birthday discounts, perks and more. Now through the end of September, if you sign up for our birthday club you will receive a $10 Bonus Arcade Card! The next time you blow out the candles, make sure it’s at Daytona Lagoon!