This charming, pop-up mini-golf course is Pixar themed and set to stay open in New York’s Battery Park until the end of October.
This summer my daughter and I got to try out the Pixar Putt golf course in New York City. Full disclosure, I went for my day job at New Jersey Family as press, but I still loved the experience, because while I’ve always been a Disney fan, some of my favorite movies in recent years have come out of the Pixar studio. I mean, I have a Finding Nemo quote tattooed on my body… So you know, I’m definitely the target audience for Pixar Putt. Plus, I love mini-golf courses. When I was in college my friends and I used to take fun pics on the course, and we called it the “girls of mini golf” and said we were going to make a calendar. OK. I should explain, I’m old… this way before the days of Instagram. Anyway, if you are in the New York City area and near Battery Park, you should check out this cute mini-golf course if you love Pixar as much as I do.
Each hole pays homage to a different Pixar movie, everything from mega hits like Toy Story and Cars and the Incredibles to more minor stuff like The Good Dinosaur and Brave. Even new movies like Luca, Soul and Onward were represented.
The 18 holes are kinda squished together, given the small space, but these are some of the most challenging and unique holes I’ve ever seen (and I’ve played a lot of mini-golf). The most eye-catching of course was the one for Up, where players all take turns putting into Carl’s house, and then an employee runs a crank that takes the house to the top of Paradise Falls. Once it lands on the hill, the balls come spilling down and then you can resume play.
But there is also a piano for Soul where you have to hit keys at just the right time to get your ball to fly straight in for a hole in one (I tried a few times… unsuccessfully). The hole for Inside Out was basically like Plinko where your ball zipped down through the inner workings of Riley’s mind before escaping on to the course.
One of my faves is the hole for Coco, you start on the guitar strings and then work your way up and around the bridge. This was super tricky, especially since the bridge is shiny and makes it slippery if you don’t hit the ball hard enough. While this course is cute and bright and designed for kids (it is based on Pixar movies after all), the holes are definitely challenging for adults, as my teenager and I stopped keeping score at some point because we kept maxing out on how many strokes we’d taken. But honestly, when we kind of gave up on caring about that, it was a lot more fun and enjoyable to just play on the course.
They even offer some adult only nights where you can play in the evening without fear of being judged for being an adult at a kids mini-golf course. Not that it bothered me, but I did hit a ball off the course at one point and was worried I was going to hit a small child. Another small child threw a tantrum and hit my kid in the head with a flying putter, which I’m guessing is less likely to happen when there are only adults around? But who knows, I’ve seen some competitive adults.
Anyway, people will be people and that’s nothing to do with this cute course. Tickets should be purchased in advance (here’s the link) and often sell out quick on the weekends. They are a timed entry, so make sure to book accordingly. Ticket prices vary according to peak times, so check their website for the most accurate pricing.
If you are in the area, make sure to stroll along the water for some pretty great views of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of New Jersey (I swear it looks really nice from that angle). Also, make sure to take a spin on the SeaGlass Carousel, which continues to be my absolute favorite carousel I’ve ever been on.
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