The ultimate fun for all generations has begun – roller skating season!

The roller skating season has finally started, bringing endless opportunities for fun, socializing, and active leisure. Regardless of age or experience, all roller-skating enthusiasts can enjoy a unique experience enhanced by captivating music and lighting effects, whether they visit privately or as part of an organized group.

Ice Wonderland roller rinks, designed for both indoor and outdoor spaces, are perfect for year-round use. In addition to being a gathering place, they provide an ideal setting for a variety of entertainment programs for both children and adults. Whether it’s celebrations, anniversaries, themed events, or short-term gatherings, roller rinks attract a large number of visitors eager to enjoy a dynamic atmosphere and an active lifestyle. Our clients include shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, and city administrations looking to attract visitors and enhance their offerings with engaging attractions.

Mobile and fixed roller rinks are designed based on the client’s preferred location, infrastructure, and other possibilities. Depending on the space and size of the venue, we offer optimal rink designs that meet all requirements and fit the overall concept. Additionally, we provide management and operational services, along with entertainment programs tailored for all age groups.

For those seeking a long-term investment, purchasing a roller rink allows complete control and customization of the concept to meet specific needs, ensuring a stable source of income through various programs and events throughout the year.

Book your roller rink in time for this season and enrich your offering!

Ice Wonderland season recap – from spectacular openings to the most successful Ice Wonderland season yet!

The Ice Wonderland ice skating season kicked off and concluded with special events in Varaždin, which was crowned the most beautiful Advent destination in Croatia this year.

The season began with the grand opening of the Ice Wonderland ice park, a 1,200 m² rink at Kapucinski Square, as part of Advent in Varaždin and its Winter Magic festivities. This unique rink in the heart of the city attracted thousands of visitors eager to experience the true joy of winter skating. The opening night featured synchronized skating performances, fiery string musicians, and an electrifying fireworks display — creating an unforgettable evening for all.

Many other cities across the region hosted spectacular openings as well, with over 30 locations welcoming hundreds of thousands of ice skaters this season. Media coverage was widespread, with nearly 350 articles in national, local, tourism, and lifestyle outlets celebrating the success of Ice Wonderland.

The ice rinks were busiest during themed events, where tickets were in high demand. Meet & Greet sessions with Ice Wonderland’s beloved penguin mascots delighted children and parents alike, while events such as Kids’ New Year’s Eve, skating and hockey schools, Disco Nights, hockey tournaments, and adaptive skating sessions for people with disabilities ensured a vibrant and inclusive experience for all.

This season, Ice Wonderland elevated the visitor experience with stunning LED lighting, premium – quality ice, advanced cooling technology, a variety of skating aids, and other exciting features.

As we eagerly await the next winter season, ice skating enthusiasts can look forward to an even richer program and an enhanced on – ice experience. Ice Wonderland remains dedicated to delivering the ultimate winter magic — and is already preparing new surprises for the upcoming year!

An ice rink by the sea and 40 – meter yachts – The winning winter combination for luxury resorts

Many private clients, such as the Porto Montenegro hotel resort in Marina Park, Tivat, are adding value for their guests by incorporating our Ice Wonderland real ice rinks. These attractions not only enhance the resort experience but also draw numerous external visitors. Ice Wonderland ice rinks have become an essential winter tourism asset in many destinations, offering a unique blend of exciting entertainment and sports for all generations.

This year, we installed the first real – ice skating rink on the Montenegrin coast, just a few meters from the sea, covering an area of 300 m². Stunning images of the marina, the luxury resort, 40 – meter superyachts, and the ice rink itself have spread across the region and the world, attracting numerous guests eager to provide their families with an unforgettable winter experience — ice skating under the sun by the sea.

Winter temperatures here can reach up to 20 degrees Celsius. Due to this mild Mediterranean climate, setting up an ice rink by the sea was previously unimaginable. The exclusivity and uniqueness of this experience have delighted guests of all ages, many of whom have expressed how this additional attraction has elevated the hotel’s status and set a new benchmark for winter vacations — one they now expect to see as a staple in their seasonal getaways.

New tourism trends highlight the importance of immersive experiences and added value in making destinations more recognizable and successful. Tourism that continually invests in its offerings, surpassing previous concepts each year, and enriching its event calendar is key to the success of winter tourism — not only in Croatia but worldwide.

Beyond luxury hotels, Ice Wonderland rinks are increasingly in demand for family – friendly hotels and resorts, shopping centers, and ski resorts. Since many of these locations focus on summer tourism and active vacations for the rest of the year, more are choosing to alternate between an ice rink in winter and an Ice Wonderland roller rink during warmer months.

The growing demand for such attractions confirms that experiential tourism is becoming essential for a destination’s success. Reservations for roller rinks have already begun, ensuring a seamless transition from the winter season into the next, where we will install roller rinks for hotels, shopping centers, festivals, and other events. With these new trends and the upcoming roller – skating season, Ice Wonderland is expanding the tourism sector’s offerings into the spring and summer, making outdoor activities even more diverse.

Ice Wonderland ice park in Varaždin for the most beautiful advent in Croatia

This year, the Ice Wonderland Ice park in Varaždin became the skating hub of the region, and for the second consecutive year, the city’s Advent was declared the most beautiful in Croatia. This venue provided experiences that are still being talked about, with over 25,000 visitors of all generations enjoying the ice park — from young children just learning to ice skate to professional ice skaters performing various spectacular pirouettes.

To the delight of Varaždin locals and their guests, Kapucinski Square, one of the city’s most beautiful spaces, was graced by the Ice Wonderland ice park from November 22, 2024, to January 12, 2025, spreading across over 1,200 m². The ice rink consisted of three sections: the main ice rink, a skating path, and a children’s ice rink with LED lighting.

Throughout the ice skating season at the Ice Wonderland ice park, numerous events were held on the ice, including ice skating schools, and over 60 organized visits from kindergarten, school, and student groups took place. Almost 300 people with disabilities had the opportunity to ice skate using special equipment designed for the ice.

The spectacular opening, exciting events during the season, such as the Children’s New Year’s Eve on Ice, the Hockey Tournament, and meet – and – greet sessions with mascots, were widely reported by numerous regional and national media outlets. All major news programs on national TV stations covered the events, and pictures and videos from the Ice Wonderland ice park spread across social media, amassing over one million views.

The ice rink in the “baroque city” also had a socially beneficial aspect. In cooperation with the city of Varaždin, the Ice Wonderland ice park hosted the “Skating for all” inclusive project, the first of its kind in Croatia, which enabled people with disabilities to enjoy ice skating in Kapucinski Square with the help of specialized skating aids. As a result, hundreds of people with disabilities had the opportunity to ice skate, with many experiencing it for the first time, creating unforgettable memories.

The Ice Wonderland ice park in Varaždin attracted thousands of visitors of all ages this year, enriching the city’s Advent magic and contributing to its title as Croatia’s most beautiful advent.

All – in – one ice rink management services for a successful skating season

During the highly successful winter season of 2024 / 2025, we installed, maintained, and managed more than 30 ice rinks across Croatia and Europe. The goals were set high, but once again, we exceeded them by providing a full 360 – degree Ice rink management service, chosen by over 80% of this year’s clients.

This service includes planning, design, installation, dismantling, maintenance, ice rink and human resource management, organization of promotional, sports, and entertainment events on ice, as well as marketing and PR services. As a result, news about ice rinks managed by Ice Wonderland was covered by numerous media outlets, many partners placed their advertisements on the ice rinks, our expert team ensured technical maintenance, while other staff took care of sales points and the planning and execution of events that attracted skaters of all generations.

We provide our clients with the latest sustainability technologies and smart cooling systems, designing ice parks and rinks for various locations, temperatures, and infrastructure conditions. We create unique, creative, and attractive entertainment and sports programs on ice, as well as offer additional ice equipment and accessories.

Ice rink management requires careful planning, technical expertise, and a marketing approach to ensure a high – quality visitor experience and the financial sustainability of the project. From infrastructure setup and maintenance to event organization and financial and marketing planning — each aspect of ice rink management plays a crucial role in a rink’s success, providing clients with a turnkey solution and an investment that delivers promotional and financial benefits. Successful ice rinks thus become recognizable symbols of winter festivities such as Advent celebrations, additional attractions for shopping malls, hotels and resorts, ski resorts, drawing visitors from across the region and ensuring unforgettable winter experiences.

Natko Bošnjak: This year we are installing over 550 km of surface for more than 50 ice rinks across Europe

The winter ice skating season is just around the corner. The equipment is ready, ice skates are being packed, and materials for creating and setting up ice rinks and ice parks are being prepared. In the coming weeks and months, we will reach the peak of the ice skating season, as our slogan says – the Ice Wonderland winter magic begins its delivery across Europe. The story behind the Ice Wonderland brand and what a working season looks like is best known by the director, Natko Bošnjak, who has shared his insights in numerous interviews this year with several business media outlets such as Bloomberg Adria, Novi List, Glas Slavonije, and many others, summarized here.

The entrepreneurial story behind the Ice Wonderland brand was started by Natko Bošnjak, who, before entering entrepreneurship, was involved in organizing sports events and marketing activities, through which he gained his first experience in event management and learned about ice maintenance techniques.

How did the Ice Wonderland story begin?

Given that I had knowledge, skills, and experience in ice maintenance and event organization, I saw an opportunity in the market and, with youthful enthusiasm, ventured into entrepreneurship. Ten years ago, the trend of ice rinks at Advent events began in Croatia. The ice rink at the Advent in Zagreb, in particular, did a lot to popularize the idea, and soon all cities wanted their own ice rinks, realizing how an ice rink can enhance a tourist offer and become a center for entertainment and recreation for all generations. We started with a few ice rinks each year, grew year by year, and today we deliver more than 50 ice rinks in 13 countries across Europe annually.

How did you come up with the business idea, and what was the first step in establishing your official business?

The first step before launching the brand was creating a detailed logistics plan—establishing a supplier network, educating installers, collaborating with designers, and setting up all the prerequisites for implementing the first ice rink. At the beginning, we financed one project with another, and so on. Everything we earned, we reinvested to expand our services and capacity, and we eventually arrived at where we are today — having our own production of ice rinks in Croatia.

What does the “hardware” of your business look like from start to finish when installing ice rinks / ice parks according to client wishes? What is done in your facilities and what happens at the location? How long does it all take?

We produce new equipment and service old (used) equipment throughout the year. Many people think our job lasts just as long as it is visible — about 40 days, but the production and maintenance of equipment happen throughout the year when we are not “visible.” In our distribution center, we load trailers with all the necessary equipment, which is then sent to the locations for installation. Depending on the size of the rink, the quantity of equipment (rubber mats, barriers, skates, etc.) is adjusted, and everything needed for the rink’s operation is delivered. A forklift and crane are used for unloading, after which the installation begins. The rubber mats and pipes are placed, and the entire system is connected into a functional unit. Once the “hardware” is in place, it is connected to electricity and water, and the coolers are turned on to start freezing the ice rink. The ice rink is watered during the day and night, depending on external temperatures, to create a solid layer of ice. At smaller locations, where the ice rinks are around 200 m², the ice rink is ready for use after three days. For larger ice parks over a thousand square meters, installation can take up to ten days.

How does the transportation and installation of such an object look, and how long does the whole process take?

The process of setting up the ice rink begins with preparing the equipment in the distribution center, where all necessary elements, such as rubber mats, barriers, pipes, skates, and others, are loaded onto trailers. The amount of equipment depends on the agreed size of the ice rink, and everything is prepared for transport from our logistics center to the installation site. When the equipment arrives at the location, forklifts and cranes are used for unloading, and installation begins immediately. The entire process involves assembling the basic structure of the ice rink, connecting the system to electricity and water, allowing cooling, and forming the ice surface. The coolers freeze the water, and the ice rink is further watered to create a solid ice layer, depending on external temperatures. Smaller ice rinks (around 200 m²) are ready for use after three days, while larger ice parks (over 1,000 m²) can take up to ten days to set up.

How many square meters / tons of ice do you install Annually? Do you have any rough estimates?

These figures are always interesting, but it’s hard to calculate the exact tons of ice. When we started this business, everyone thought we literally delivered ice to the installed infrastructure of the ice rinks, but that is not the case. The thickness of the ice at the rinks depends on various factors, so calculating the tons of ice on today’s job, where we are working on more than 50 ice rinks of different sizes, in different areas, and temperatures, is difficult. However, an interesting fact is that this year we will install 540 km of rubber mats on which the ice rinks will be set up. That is literally the distance from Zagreb to Munich, and this winter, we will stretch these kilometers of rubber mats across Croatia and Europe.

How do you handle storage, and how challenging was this part of the business in the beginning?

At the beginning of our business, all the equipment fit into a very small storage space. Over time, we acquired more equipment and moved to larger warehouses at different locations, and it took a lot of time to gather everything in one place. After years of growth and development, a big step for us was when we opened our own production – logistics center three years ago, where we have our offices, warehouse, and production for all the equipment. Throughout the year, existing equipment is maintained, and new equipment is acquired and stored. All parts of the ice rinks are made, prepared, and loaded onto trailers at this center, ready to be delivered to the installation locations.

We recognized the growing trend of Advent ice rinks, so we focused our knowledge and experience on starting a business that has grown from a few ice rinks per year into a successful company that now delivers more than 50 ice rinks across 13 European countries. The business requires year – round production and maintenance of equipment, while the actual installation takes place before the winter season, requiring precise logistics and transport. Every year, we expand our capacities, broaden our services, invest in new technologies, and open new markets.Thus, the Ice Wonderland brand has become recognizable both in Croatia and globally, synonymous with top – tier service in the design, production, and management of ice rinks and ice parks.