Frequent Party Rental Questions

3 Monkeys Inflatables is your Party & Event Rental leader in York, Lancaster & Harrisburg Area

Please ensure you read through our FAQs below.  If you have further questions please get in touch with our office.  

Q:  How many people can use the inflatable at one time?

A:  It depends on each inflatable.  Here is a list of some of our general inflatables.  Feel free to contact our office for more information if the one you are looking at renting is not listed.  
Standard (LG) Bounce House 15x15, 8 kids, or 800 pounds, whichever is exceeded first.  
Combo:  10 kids or 1000 pounds, whichever is exceeded first.
Slides:   3 at a time (one on the slide, one on the ladder, and one on top)  
Obstacle Courses, Playground type:  typically up to 8 kids or 800 pounds.
Obstacle Course:  Race:  2 players at a time racing against each other.  
 * Keep in mind that all participants should be grouped together by size allowing them to play with like sizes.

Q:  What does delivery include?

A. Delivery includes driving to your location, setting up in the specified area the inflatable(s), going over the safety rules & instructions with you.  We provide the extension cord, as well as the tarp to put the unit on.  We also set up using stakes if in the grass, and sandbags if it is on a concrete/blacktop setting. You do need to be present during delivery & pickup of the inflatable.

Q:  Do we have to be present for a drop-off?  What do I need to have ready for the delivery?

Q:  Do we have to be present for pickup?  

A. Yes! You are required to be present for pickup.  We do everything possible to get as close to your suggested pickup time as possible, but please realize it is only a suggested pickup time.  We never guarantee that we can be back at a location at an exact time.  We make the delivery schedules roughly 3 days prior to the event, so we have all events in at that point and can take a look at the weather, so we cannot guarantee any special times.  With that said we certainly will try our best to get there within usually an hour or so of the event's end, but keep in mind that depending on the day and time of year there are times we can be 2-3 hours after your end time.  Please make sure you make arrangements to have power and someone available with it until our representative returns, and inspects it.  At that point as long as power is available to them you are free to leave.  We thank you for your flexibility and we will do our best to have our staff there in a timely manner. 

Q:  I have never rented an inflatable before.  What requirements do I need for the rental?

A. The Inflatables (moon bounces) can be set up on Grass, Concrete, Asphalt, or Indoors)  You need a relatively level surface free of rocks, sticks, branches, rough debris, and fecal material.  You will need a power source for your blower within 50 feet of the inflatable.  If you are renting a unit that requires water you will also need a hose to reach where you are planning on putting the inflatable.  Please check out our first-time renting with us page for more information and tips & tricks to make your rental a huge success!  

You are responsible for providing an attendant/monitor for the inflatable(s).  Each Inflatable is required to have a dedicated attendant/monitor.  Attendants can be rented for an additional charge on our website.

Q:  How much space is required for setup?

A. The Inflatables vary in size, however, we list on our website under each inflatable what size each unit is.  We ask that you add an additional 5 feet on all sides of the inflatable.  This should be an area that is free of electrical wires and low-hanging tree branches.

Q:  Do you need a deposit to reserve my Inflatable Rental?

A. Yes, we ask for a 25% non-refundable deposit in order to reserve your rental.

Q:  Do you set up in Parks?

A. Yes!  They provide rental pavilions for a minimal fee.  Please check with the park. Most parks require a permit and might require permission and/or rental of their facility in order to set up an inflatable at the park.  They may also require a certificate of insurance when reserving your pavilion.  Don't forget to find out if they have electricity on site & find out how many outlets you may need prior to calling.  Keep in mind we do charge a $50 park fee for rentals in a park in addition to our normal delivery and rental charges.  

Q:  Do you offer overnight rentals?

A. Yes.  We do offer overnight rentals.  This is not something we do often.

We don't like to leave any of our units out overnight not being used.  This opens our inflatable up to so much mold/mildew to grow.  Once they are deflated and dew, elements,  and animals are all able to get to the inflatable and offer either visible damage or invisible damage (such as mold/mildew).

In comparison to those other companies who rent their inflatables overnight all the time, it is comparing quality with quantity.  We care about your health & your child's health.  We do our best to provide you with a fun quality clean & sanitized unit. We do this by keeping up standards, and not changing our beliefs or principles just to make a buck.

We hope we earn your business and you recognize that we won’t sacrifice quality to make a few bucks.  Occasionally however we do allow overnight rentals with a charge of $40 for the overnight rental (this allows us the ability to get it out and clean it at the shop)  However keep in mind that is during our hours of 10 pm-7 am when available (it is not always available) Keep in mind we would need to verify it's in a safe location and you would still have to be able to ensure the safety of the unit while it's rented overnight.  WE DO ASK THAT YOU CONTACT US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN KEEPING IT OVERNIGHT SO WE CAN VERIFY IT'S AVAILABLE AND ABLE TO BE RENTED OVERNIGHT.

By all means, if your event is inside or you will be using the inflatable the entire night...Please call us and we will provide you with a price quote for you to rent our inflatable overnight.
 

Q:  Do you offer multi-day rentals?

A. As far as multi-day rentals we do provide these to our customers with a discount, in most cases, these types of rentals are inside in a secure location, however, there are times where we might have an event that requires outside overnight rental in a secure area, or residential rental.

At that point, we would provide a tarp to blanket the inflatable to provide shelter overnight when not in use, so the inflatable will be able to stay put for the next day's event.

Q:  I heard you have a great weather policy.  Can you tell me about it?

A. Our deposits are non-refundable.  However, if they are calling for a substantial amount of rain as defined below. There are absolutely no fees (except the non-refundable deposit) should you need to reschedule your date,  due to excessive rain, heavy winds, or snow conditions, as long as it is done by the night before your delivery, no later than 3:00 pm, as defined below AND falls in our weather policy criteria.   If you choose to cancel an event in advance of 3 pm the day before your delivery, because of a concern with the weather at that time, refunds will be issued according to the 24-hour outlook on weather.com.  (For example, if you choose to cancel an event on Wed for a Sat. event because the forecast is at 60% rain and the weather improves by Friday to 30% chance of rain, no refund will be issued for your remaining balance)  Full payment is required for any cancelations made after 5:00 pm.  

PLEASE NOTE:  The local forecast almost always includes isolated showers, thunderstorms, etc.  That is to be expected when we have excessive heat.  Please make certain you are consulting hourly forecasts on a trusted weather reporting website such as http://www.weather.com  This is what we use.

Rainy/Snow conditions warranting cancelation/under our policy are described as follows:

• 60% chance of rain during your party/event time for over 50% of your event time. Snowfall predicted at least a 60% chance for over 50% of your event time.  

• The 60% or higher chance of rain/snow must be within 24 hours in advance of your party.  Forecast predicting a higher than 50% chance of rain farther out than 24hrs is too far out to rely on the predictability of the forecast.

• If you decide to take the inflatable/moonbounce and it begins to rain, simply shut down the power until it stops.  When the passing shower passes you can re-inflate the inflatable, taking care to wipe down the surface inside to ensure there is no water to slip on.

• If it begins to start getting windy while in use, simply shut down the power until it stops.  Operating an inflatable in winds over 20 mph is unsafe, and should not be done.  Please wait until the winds calm, and then it is safe to re-inflate and use again.

• *All cancelations under 60% chance are at the discretion of management.

Q:  We have rented from companies in the past that have brought some really dirty jumps.  Are these things always dirty?

A. No!  It is the worst to expect this wonderful bounce house to arrive that looks just like the picture you rented, and find the company shows up with a filthy dirty unit!

3 Monkeys Inflatable provides clean, sanitized Inflatables.  In fact, you will notice our staff in the field spot clean at setup and then when we tear down our staff vacuums out the inflatable on-site and cleans/sanitizes it on-site upon pickup.  If the inflatable is wet we schedule it on our sheet to come out during the week to be completely dried and cleaned.

We also spot-check at the shop during the week to ensure our standards are being met.  It's our top priority to provide you with clean, in great condition units as well as provide you with great customer service.  Take a look at all of our reviews online to see how much our customers comment about how clean our units are!

Q:  What is your cancelation policy?

A. Please see our weather policy above if you are canceling due to weather.

When we take a booking we do require a 25% non-refundable deposit.   We do however allow cancelation under our weather policy for the remaining of the payment if it falls under our weather policy.  We do ask that you wait to reserve until you are sure you really want the inflatable/party equipment.  Keep in mind our equipment is sometimes pretty unique and so if it is something you definitely want you to want to reserve it as early as possible.   It then takes it out of our inventory not allowing us to rent that piece to another customer.  At this point, the deposit is non-refundable for any cancellations that are not weather-related.

Cancellations that include taking an item off an existing rental/or completely canceling a rental are subject to a 25% non-refundable fee stocking fee if they are done over 2 weeks from the delivery date during business hours of Monday-Friday 9-5 pm. (To clarify that would be the 25% deposit + the 25% restocking fee)  Rentals changed to delete items under 13 days are subject to a 50% total cost of canceled goods as long as they are done by sending an email/calling our office during regular business hours of Monday-Friday 9-5 pm. (To clarify that would be 25% deposit + the 50% restocking fee)  Cancellations under 7 days prior to the event date are subject to no refund of the total cost of canceled goods. (This does not include any cancellations that would be due to weather, if you needed to move inside, reschedule your date, or cancel due to poor weather, as long as it falls within the guidelines of our weather policy, then it will be moved to a new date as long as it's within the weather policy) 

It is your responsibility to contact us if you are concerned about the weather.  If you don't tell us to not deliver the equipment then you are responsible for the entire rental fee. If you tell us to set it up and it rains during your event, you are responsible for the entire rental fee.  No refunds will be issued on the equipment you wanted to be delivered despite a bad weather forecast.  Once our delivery guys are dispatched you are responsible for the entire rental fee.  This is based on the delivery date not the order date for cancellations.

*Weather Concerns:  Remember all-weather concerns need to be addressed with our office 24 hours prior to 3 pm of your delivery date.  (Please be aware:  We can't make exceptions as we have drivers scheduled counting on those hours/schedules and we need to be fair to them with notice of schedule changes)   We ask that you have already checked the weather.com forecast and that it is in adherence to our weather policy as featured on our FAQs on our website for your convenience if you are looking to cancel your order.  Again, We can't take calls for cancellations and reschedules sadly after 3 pm the day before your event because at that point we have crews already scheduled and we do not have enough time to organize and make changes to your event.  If you are concerned please call us to discuss during regular business hours of Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm and on the day before your party by 3 pm. time.  IMPORTANT:   We do not a dedicated office on Saturday and Sundays, so you will need to call the emergency line if you are calling about an event for Sat or Sun with any concerns - however, keep in mind that we ask that ANY/ALL changes occur by 3 pm the day BEFORE your event.  We cannot offer assistance on the emergency line for you wanted to make changes after the allotted time frame.  Thank you!   

Q:  Do you book equipment for rain dates?

A.  I'm sorry we don't.  I wish we could but that would mean we would have to reserve items on two separate days which eliminates the item from our inventory twice.  What we can do on days that are not closed (meaning we are at max capacity) is we can usually swap out the day to your rain date (understanding that nothing is booked or guaranteed to be in stock on that date) as long as we have it available...keep in mind we will do whatever we can to try to accommodate your needs even if it means us going above and beyond to pick a more expensive unit to ensure we have items for your day.  On days marked closed, we will ask you to pick a different rain date if you are needing to change your event date.  

Keeping in mind we get questions all the time if you can use a bounce house if it gets wet, and we definitely do allow you to use the bounce house if it gets wet from the rain, with the recommendation that you use it with caution that you will need to test the vinyl and see if it seems to become slippery from the rain, and if so have someone go through the bouncy castle and dry it out with a beach towel to stop the inflatable bounce from being slippery.  We also do not allow use if the rain is accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms, as that is unsafe and cannot be used until the storms pass by with no risk to life and limb.  The recommendation is that you can resume activities thirty minutes after the last thunder is heard.  Using the "30-30 Rule" is an effective rule of thumb for kid's safety.  
 

Q:  Do you allow customer pickups?

A.  We do not allow customer pickups.  Our equipment is heavy and most of our customers are not familiar with inflatable setup & safety. Our job is to ensure that your bounce house/inflatable is set up properly and ensure that you understand the safety rules & instructions for operations of the inflatable you are renting.  We ensure the cleanliness and condition of our inflatables by not allowing customer pickups of any of our equipment.

Q:  How long do I have the rental for?

A. Our rentals are for up to 8 hours.  You may pick any time from 8 am until 10 pm, within an 8 hr time frame.
 

Q:  Can you explain a damage waiver to me?

A. For 10% of your total rental fee, we will waive any unintentional damage that happens to our equipment during your rental, excluding intentional damage and theft. Unintentional damage EXCLUDES the following: silly string, gum, paint, markers or pens, cuts, slices, punctures by sharp objects such as but limited to pets, shoes or sharp objects, and damage from fireworks and cigarettes. As a frame of reference burst seams, vinyl tears, handles ripped off, etc would be included and covered under this damaging policy.

 Please note this is a non-refundable fee except in the event of inclement weather cancelations where they fall under our weather policy.  Thank you.

Q:  What are your procedures in regard to Coronavirus?  

A. We have researched cleaners that are considered to be recommended cleaners against coronavirus and us happy to find that the Lysol All Purpose cleaner that we have always used on our Inflatables, Games & Attractions is one of the listed products for Novel Coronavirus Fighting Products.  As always we will continue to sanitize and clean our attractions with the same level of care you are used to with a spot cleaning at the setup that will become a more thorough cleaning of all the inside surfaces and then again when we come back our regular deep clean at pickup will continue to be something we will continue to do.  We have gotten a few questions regarding policies surrounding the cancelation of your event.  

We do ask that you contact us if you have any concerns regarding our cleaning of the items.  We feel that this can be greatly impacted if you follow the CDC-recommended preventive actions such as washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds with hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.  Avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth.  Use household wipes and spray disinfect doorknobs, light switches, and frequently touched items/objects.  We encourage our customers to add a table with hand sanitizer at the entrance of each attraction and require participants to wash their hands.  We also encourage you to ask any guests with obvious colds or anyone that has been around anyone who is sick to not attend your event to ensure everyone stays healthy and safe.  3 Monkeys Inflatables also has added new rental items to help you manage your events with more care to keeping hands clean so we are now offering hand washing stations, anti bac stations, along with a new germ buster cleaning service that we can offer for on-site cleaning in between uses.  Give us a call or email us for more details.