Every few months a new party rental trend shows up in an Atlanta parent Facebook group, and the comments fill up fast with "wait, you can rent THAT?" It happened with bubble houses this summer. It happens every fall with cotton candy carts at church festivals. If you're planning a birthday, a school event, or a backyard bash and want something a little different from the usual setup, here are five rentals showing up more and more at metro Atlanta parties, plus what to know before you book one.
1. Bumper cars
Inflatable bumper car rentals are exactly what they sound like: a padded ring with small battery or air powered cars kids bump around in. They're a hit at birthday parties for elementary-age kids and up, and they hold attention in a different way than a bounce house does, since there's a little bit of strategy involved instead of just jumping.
A few things to know before booking. The cars need a flatter, harder surface than grass in most cases, think a driveway, a gym floor, or a paved church parking lot, so check with the vendor about surface requirements for your event. They also take up more space than most people expect, so measure your area before you commit to a headcount. And like most powered rentals, they need either an outlet or a generator, similar to how a bounce house blower runs.
Bumper cars work especially well for school field days and church festivals in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties where there's already a paved lot to work with, since setup is simpler than trying to level them on a sloped backyard.
2. LED dance floors
An LED dance floor is a panel system that lights up in patterns, usually rented for birthday parties, quinceañeras, or family reunions that want a little more of an event feel than a backyard normally has. They're popular for evening parties once the sun goes down, since the lighting effect is the whole point and it doesn't show up as well in daylight.
If you're planning one for an outdoor Atlanta event, ask the vendor how the panels handle humidity and direct sun, since some setups are built more for indoor venues or shaded, covered spaces than a wide open yard in July. A lot of families end up pairing an LED floor with an indoor reception hall or a covered pavilion rental instead of a fully outdoor setup for that reason.
3. Bubble houses
We wrote a full guide on this one because so many Atlanta parents started asking about it this year: a bubble house is a large clear inflatable dome, different from a bounce house in that the floor is flat and padded instead of bouncy. It's built more for a photo moment, a calm sit-down space, or a gender reveal setup than active play.
If you're curious about the details, wind limits, and what age groups it works best for, check out our full bubble house rental guide. It's one of the more talked-about novelty rentals in metro Atlanta right now.
4. Carnival games
Ring toss, bean bag boards, duck pond, the classics you'd see at a school fall festival or church carnival. Renting a few carnival games instead of building them yourself saves a weekend of DIY and gives kids something to rotate through between rounds on the bounce house or water slide.
Carnival games are one of the lower-effort novelty rentals to add since most don't need power or a special surface, just table space and a little yard room. We put together a longer breakdown of which games are worth renting versus making yourself in our backyard carnival games guide if you want the full rundown.
5. Concession machines
Cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn machines round out the list, and they're some of the easiest novelty add-ons to book since they take up very little space. In Georgia's summer heat, a snow cone machine in particular does double duty as a treat and a cool-down break, which matters more than people expect once a backyard gets going in July or August.
Our concession add-ons guide covers what to check before renting one of these, including power needs and how humidity affects cotton candy specifically. Red clay yards and Georgia humidity are two things every Atlanta party planner eventually has to work around, and concession machines are no exception.
What to ask before booking any novelty rental
A few questions apply no matter which of these you're eyeing:
- Power. Bumper cars, LED floors, and concession machines all run on electricity. If your yard or venue doesn't have an easy outlet, ask whether the vendor handles a generator.
- Surface. Bumper cars and dance floors usually need something flatter and harder than grass. Confirm this before you pick a spot in the yard.
- Space. Measure your actual area first. Novelty rentals often take up more room than photos make them look like they need.
- Staffing. Some rentals are drop-off and self-run, others come with an attendant. Know which one you're getting.
Building the rest of your party around it
None of these five rentals are things Party Lab Atlanta carries ourselves right now. We focus on what we know best across metro Atlanta: bounce houses, water slides, and obstacle courses, delivered and set up from our base in Conyers. But we get asked about pairing these novelty rentals with an inflatable pretty often, and we're happy to help you think through layout, timing, and how to keep kids rotating between activities instead of clustering around just one.
If a bounce house, water slide, or obstacle course is going to be the centerpiece of your event and you're building the rest of the party around it, our inflatables lineup covers everything we currently deliver across the metro.
Ready to plan your Atlanta party?
Whether you're mixing in bumper cars, a dance floor, or just want the bounce house and water slide combo that's ready to book today, we're glad to help you figure out what fits your yard, your guest count, and your date. Call (404) 480-2645 or reach out through contact and we'll help you check availability.
Frequently asked questions
Are bumper car rentals safe for younger kids?
Most inflatable bumper car setups have a padded ring and low-speed cars built for kids, so they tend to be gentler than they look. Ask any vendor about the age and weight range for their specific cars before booking, since sizes vary.
Does Party Lab Atlanta rent bumper cars, LED dance floors, or bubble houses?
Not currently. We focus on bounce houses, water slides, and obstacle courses across metro Atlanta. If you're planning a party that mixes one of these novelty rentals with an inflatable, we're glad to help you think through layout and timing.
What's the easiest novelty rental to add to a backyard party?
A carnival game station or a concession machine tends to be the simplest since they need less space and no special flooring. Bumper cars and LED dance floors need more room and usually a flatter surface like a driveway or gym floor.
Do LED dance floors work outside in Georgia heat?
They can, but check with the vendor on how the panels handle direct sun and humidity, since some are better suited to evening events or shaded, covered areas. A lot of families use them for evening receptions or indoor venues instead.
How far ahead should I book a novelty rental for a birthday party?
Novelty items like bumper cars and dance floors tend to have fewer units in a given market, so book those a few weeks out if you can. For bounce houses and water slides, call (404) 480-2645 or reach out through /contact and we'll check your date.
Can I combine a bounce house with one of these novelty rentals?
Yes, and it's a common combo. A bounce house or obstacle course gives kids somewhere to burn energy while a dance floor, bumper cars, or a concession station gives the party a second thing to rotate through.