If you've ever sat on Speer Boulevard watching the Ball Arena marquee blink a few blocks ahead while traffic barely moves, you already know why this trip needs a plan. Between the Toyota parking lots that fill up fast, a rideshare lot that sits nearly 1,750 feet from the doors, and Speer Boulevard and Auraria Parkway backing up before every Nuggets or Avalanche tip-off, getting a group to Ball Arena without a plan usually means a long, cold walk at the end of it. One question settles the whole trip: where does the bus actually drop your group off, and where does it wait?
A charter bus or party bus heading to Ball Arena pulls into the loading zone at 9th Street and Chopper Circle, a three-minute walk from the doors, while the bus itself stages nearby in the back of the Camry North lot until your group is ready to leave. Below is exactly how that works, sourced from Ball Arena's own parking, accessibility, and policy pages, plus what it costs to park a car there instead, how the light rail and free downtown shuttle compare, and which vehicle actually fits your group for a game, concert, or family show at 1000 Chopper Circle.
Why Rent a Bus to Ball Arena?
A Ball Arena party bus rental turns the two worst parts of a game night — the parking scramble and the walk back to the car in the cold — into somebody else's problem. Instead of splitting a group of 20 or 30 people across six or seven cars, each one hunting for a spot in a different Toyota lot, one bus handles pickup, the drop at Chopper Circle, and the ride home after the final horn or the last encore.
It also solves the coordination headache that holds group nights out: no one has to sit out the tailgate to drive, no one has to split off early to beat the exit crowd, and no one is standing on 5th Street at 10 p.m. trying to find their car in a lot that looked completely different three hours earlier. A Lakewood charter bus rental or minibus keeps the whole group together from pickup to the doors and back, which matters even more on a weeknight Nuggets game when everyone still has work in the morning.
Charter Bus and Party Bus Drop-Off at Ball Arena
Ball Arena routes larger groups to a dedicated loading zone rather than the general rideshare line. According to the venue's own guidance for schools, camps, and large groups, guests are dropped in a loading zone on 9th Street and Chopper Circle, right in front of the main entrance, and the bus itself parks in the back of the Camry North Lot, accessed from 12th Street and Chopper Circle. That drop point sits close enough to the doors that Ball Arena's own accessibility guide clocks the walk from Chopper Circle to Door 3 at just 244 feet — about three minutes.
Compare that to the alternative. Ball Arena's rideshare, taxi, and limo pickup and drop-off is confined to one spot only, the Ball Arena Rideshare lot at the intersection of 5th and Walnut Streets, in the 4Runner West lot. The venue's accessibility guide puts that walk at 1,745 feet to Door 3 — roughly ten minutes, each way, made twice if a rideshare drops you off and picks you up in the same spot.
That is the gap a charter bus closes: a three-minute walk instead of a ten-minute one, at both ends of the night.
ADA and accessible pickup and drop-off run through that same rideshare lot rather than the Chopper Circle zone, so a group traveling with a wheelchair user should plan for the longer walk or request the accessible parking option covered below. If your group is on a school trip, camp outing, or any large block booking, the Chopper Circle loading zone in front of the main entrance is the one to give your bus for pickup instructions — not the rideshare lot address.
Charter Bus Parking at Ball Arena
Once your group is dropped at Chopper Circle, the bus itself doesn't sit at the curb — it moves into the back section of the Camry North Lot, reached from 12th Street and Chopper Circle, to wait out the game or show. That's the same lot Ball Arena designates for accessible parking, with 103 standard and 7 van-accessible spaces, so it's a lot the venue actively manages rather than an overflow gravel patch.
Ball Arena's Toyota Lot Prices, Lot by Lot
Ball Arena's on-site parking runs through a set of Toyota-branded lots, and prices swing by event, per the venue's own parking and directions page: the Camry and 4Runner lots run $25–$40, the Tundra lot runs $30–$45, Elitch's Lot runs $35–$40, the RAV4 premier lot runs $60–$75, and the TRD-Pro valet lot tops out around $85–$95. Every Toyota lot takes credit or debit; the Tundra lot is the only one still taking cash, and paying by card there knocks $5 off the price instead.
Do that math across a group. Six cars parking in the Camry lot for a Nuggets game runs somewhere around $150–$240 in parking alone, before a single ticket or beer is bought — and that's before anyone accounts for gas or the chance that a friend's car gets separated from the group in a different color-coded lot. One charter bus or minibus replaces that whole stack of individual parking transactions with a single vehicle in one lot.
Accessible Parking and ADA Drop-Off at Ball Arena
Ball Arena's ADA parking is split across three lots: 103 standard and 7 van spaces in Camry North, 8 standard and 4 van spaces in the Tundra lot, and 3 standard spaces in the RAV4 lot. ADA and accessible drop-off and pickup both route through the Ball Arena Rideshare lot at 5th and Walnut rather than the Chopper Circle zone. If your group needs a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, ask for one when comparing quotes so the right lift-equipped bus or van shows up on your date — Ball Arena's own accessibility guide also notes complimentary wheelchair escort service is available through Guest Relations for anyone who needs it inside the building.
Getting to Ball Arena from Lakewood, Denver and DEN
Ball Arena sits just west of downtown Denver, wedged between Auraria Parkway and Speer Boulevard, which makes it an easy pull for most of the metro but a genuinely different drive depending on where your group starts.
| From… | Approx. distance | Typical drive time (off-peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Lakewood, CO | ~8–9 miles | 15–25 minutes |
| Downtown Denver / Union Station | ~2 miles | 5–10 minutes |
| Golden, CO | ~13 miles | 20–30 minutes |
| Denver International Airport (DEN) | ~24 miles | 30–45 minutes |
From Lakewood, the most direct approach uses 6th Avenue (US-6) or West Colfax Avenue east into downtown, connecting to Speer Boulevard before turning onto Chopper Circle. From I-25 southbound, Ball Arena's own directions call for exit 212B toward downtown, a left onto Speer Boulevard, and a right onto Chopper Circle at the second light. From I-25 northbound, the venue directs traffic to exit 210B for Auraria Parkway, then a turn onto 7th, 9th, or 11th Street to enter the grounds — the same 9th Street that leads straight to the group loading zone.
Those drive times hold up fine on a random Tuesday afternoon. They fall apart in the hour before a 7 p.m. tip-off, when Speer Boulevard and the Auraria Parkway interchange with I-25 back up as large numbers of cars converge on the same handful of turns at once. A charter bus rental to Ball Arena doesn't make that traffic disappear, but it does mean your group is riding through it together instead of white-knuckling six separate cars trying to stay in formation.
Groups flying in for a game or concert add Denver International Airport (DEN) to the trip, about 24 miles northeast via Peña Boulevard and I-70. A single bus can gather a group at baggage claim and run straight to a hotel or to Ball Arena itself, instead of splitting arriving flyers across a handful of rideshares — the same logic covered on the Lakewood airport transportation page for groups landing before an event.
Ball Arena Transportation Options Compared
A private bus isn't the only way to get a group to Ball Arena, and it isn't automatically the right call for two people going to one game. Here's an honest look at how the options actually compare.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Walk to doors | Best group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charter bus or party bus | One flat rate, split by the group | Yes — one vehicle | ~3 minutes from Chopper Circle | 15–56 |
| RTD light rail | $2.75 per person | Only if you board together | Short walk from station to arena | Any, but no group control |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | Per car, plus post-event surge | No — multiple cars, multiple ETAs | ~10 minutes from 5th & Walnut | 1–4 per car |
| Drive and park | $25–$95 per car depending on lot | No — separate lots, separate exits | Varies by lot | 1–2 cars |
For one or two people, the light rail or a rideshare is usually the cheaper, simpler call. But once a group grows past what fits comfortably in two or three cars, the coordination cost of separate vehicles — separate parking transactions, separate arrival times, and someone who has to stay sober to drive — tips the math toward a single bus. That's the group the rest of this guide is written for.
RTD Light Rail and the Free MallRide to Ball Arena
Ball Arena has its own stop on Denver's light rail network, the Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens Station at 1700 9th Street, served by RTD's C, E, and W lines, according to RTD's official station page. A single ride currently costs $2.75 for a 3-hour pass, per RTD's fare page, which covers both the train and any RTD bus transfer within that window. Downtown, the free 16th Street MallRide shuttle connects to Union Station for anyone coming from the A Line or a downtown hotel before transferring toward Ball Arena.
Transit works fine for a couple of fans making their own way to a Tuesday night game. It works far less well for a birthday group of 20 or a company outing of 35, where getting everyone onto the same train car, keeping track of fare cards, and regrouping afterward on a packed platform becomes its own project. That's the exact scenario a Ball Arena charter bus rental is built to solve — one pickup, one vehicle, and nobody counting heads on a train platform in the cold after the game.
Choosing the Right Charter Bus or Party Bus Rental for Your Ball Arena Group
Ball Arena groups run the full range, from a six-person suite outing to a 50-person office party, and the right vehicle depends on headcount and how much gear is coming along.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Suite groups, small VIP groups |
| 18-passenger minibus | ~18 | Small office outings, birthday groups |
| 20-passenger minibus | ~20 | Mid-size fan groups |
| 25-passenger minibus | ~25 | Concert groups, family reunions |
| 28-passenger minibus | ~28 | School and camp groups |
| 30-passenger minibus | ~30 | Corporate outings |
| 35-passenger minibus | ~35 | Large fan groups |
| Party bus | ~15–40 | Birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette nights, pregame energy |
| Charter bus | Up to 56 | Large fan groups, conventions, tour groups |
| School bus | Varies | Youth teams, school field trips to family shows |
A party bus rental for Ball Arena makes sense for a group that wants the pregame energy built into the ride — built-in sound and lighting before the puck drops or the tip-off happens. A charter bus rental fits better for a large office outing or a convention group heading to Ball Arena as one stop on a longer Denver itinerary, with room for coats, gear bags, and everyone's stuff in one place instead of scattered across trunks.
Ball Arena Charter Bus Rental Prices and Party Bus Rental Prices
Lakewoodminibuscompany.com shows online rates in under a minute, and there's no single number that fits every trip, because pricing shifts with a handful of factors: vehicle size, total hours booked (including any wait time during the game or show), the date and how in-demand it is, and the mileage from your pickup point to Chopper Circle and back.
To give you an idea of how the math works: a 22-person group booking a 25-passenger minibus for a Nuggets weeknight game, picked up in Lakewood at 5:30 p.m. and returned home by 10:30 p.m., is booking roughly a five-hour block. Split across 22 people, a flat rate in that range often lands somewhere near $30–$45 per person once parking, gas, and the designated-transportation provider problem are all folded into that one number — and every person in the group gets to have a drink at the game if they want, since nobody in the group has to drive.
Fill out the quick form or call 720-973-4360 for pricing on your date, group size, and pickup point — the Lakewood bus rental prices page breaks down the same factors in more detail if you're comparing a Ball Arena trip against another kind of outing.
Bag Policy, Cashless Payment and Security at Ball Arena
Ball Arena runs a strict bag policy that catches a lot of first-time visitors off guard: only small clutches, wristlets, and fanny packs measuring 4" x 6" x 1.5" or smaller are allowed inside, and purses and backpacks are turned away at the door, per the venue's official bag policy. Diaper bags and medical bags up to 14" x 14" x 6" are permitted after inspection, but they have to enter through the VIP/ADA Door 1 at the Grand or East Atrium for screening. Guests who need to store something larger can use the venue's Binbox lockers, starting at $12 per bag, card or mobile payment only.
Every guest also passes through security screening at the door, and Ball Arena has a no re-entry policy — once you leave, you don't get back in for that event, per the venue's own policy page. That makes the bus itself useful as a place to leave anything oversized before you walk in: coats, gift bags, camera gear, or anything that would otherwise get turned away and stranded outside. Concessions, suites, and premium locations are cashless, so plan to pay by card once you're inside.
Leaving Ball Arena After the Game or Show
Getting out is usually the roughest part of any arena night, and it's where a bus earns its keep. When a Nuggets or Avalanche crowd hits the exits at once, the Chopper Circle loading zone and the surrounding lots empty out in waves, and Speer Boulevard and Auraria Parkway both back up as everyone tries to merge back onto I-25 at the same time.
With a bus, your group agrees on a pickup window and a meeting spot before you ever split up inside the building, and the bus is staged nearby in the Camry North lot, ready to pull back to Chopper Circle once the crowd starts clearing. That beats standing on 5th Street trying to flag a rideshare that's quoting a 20-minute wait and a surge price, or hiking ten minutes back to a car that's boxed in by three other rows of traffic.
What's on the Ball Arena Calendar
Ball Arena stays busy nearly year-round, and knowing the shape of the calendar helps a group figure out how far ahead to book.
- Denver Nuggets basketball. The NBA regular season runs October through April, with the Nuggets hosting dozens of home games at Ball Arena — the single most common reason groups book a Lakewood charter bus rental for a night downtown.
- Colorado Avalanche hockey. The NHL regular season overlaps the same October-through-April window, often on nights that stack against a Nuggets game earlier or later the same week, which tightens parking and rideshare availability around Chopper Circle.
- Colorado Mammoth lacrosse. The National Lacrosse League season runs winter into spring, drawing a smaller but loyal crowd to Ball Arena on select nights.
- Concerts and family shows. Ball Arena hosts touring concerts and family-friendly shows like ice and arena tours throughout the year, each with its own on-sale date that can spike demand for group transportation weeks out.
Check Ball Arena's own events calendar for the current schedule before locking in a date, since exact game times and show dates shift as the season is finalized.
Who Books a Ball Arena Charter Bus Rental
The same door-to-door setup works for very different nights out at Ball Arena. These are the groups that request it most:
- Corporate and suite groups. Moving clients or staff from a Lakewood or downtown office to a Ball Arena suite without anyone worrying about a parking pass — see the Lakewood corporate transportation page.
- Birthday and celebration groups. A Nuggets or Avalanche game that doubles as a milestone night, with the built-in bar and lighting on a party bus rental keeping the energy up before puck drop — see Lakewood birthday party transportation.
- Concert groups. A touring show at Ball Arena where the loading zone gets crowded fast — a Lakewood concert transportation booking takes the group straight to Chopper Circle and picks everyone up when the show ends.
- School and youth groups. Field trips to family shows or youth hockey outings that need one coordinated pickup and drop-off — the Lakewood field trip transportation page covers the school-group side of the same trip.
Headed to more than one stop on the same trip? A dinner downtown before the game, or a hotel pickup ahead of a Ball Arena show, is easy to build into one itinerary through the Lakewood group transportation services page.
Booking a Ball Arena Bus Rental With Lakewoodminibuscompany.com
Lining up a bus to Ball Arena through Lakewoodminibuscompany.com comes down to three steps:
- Request a quote with your group size, pickup location, and the date and time of your Ball Arena game, concert, or show.
- Compare vehicles and pricing from a large network of bus companies serving Lakewood and the greater Denver area — no account required, and quotes show up in about a minute.
- Set your pickup window. Agree on where and when the bus meets your group after the event so it's staged and ready near Chopper Circle instead of circling the block.
A support team is available any time at 720-973-4360 for anyone who'd rather talk through the details than fill out a form — vehicle size, tailgate time, or a multi-stop itinerary that starts before the game and ends well after it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly does a charter bus drop off at Ball Arena?
Charter buses and party buses use the loading zone at 9th Street and Chopper Circle, directly in front of the main entrance — about a three-minute walk to Door 3, per Ball Arena's own accessibility guide. That's a different spot from the general rideshare pickup, which is confined to 5th and Walnut Street.
Where do buses park while the group is inside Ball Arena?
The bus stages in the back section of the Camry North Lot, accessed from 12th Street and Chopper Circle, until it's time to pull back to the loading zone for pickup.
How much does parking cost at Ball Arena?
Ball Arena's Toyota-branded lots run $25–$95 depending on the lot and the event: Camry and 4Runner run $25–$40, Tundra runs $30–$45, Elitch's Lot runs $35–$40, the RAV4 premier lot runs $60–$75, and the TRD-Pro valet lot runs $85–$95, per the venue's official parking page. Every lot takes cards; only the Tundra lot still accepts cash.
Is Ball Arena a cashless venue?
Concessions, suites, and premium locations inside Ball Arena are cashless, per the venue's own policy page. Most parking lots take cards as well, with the Tundra lot as the lone cash-accepting exception.
What's the bag policy at Ball Arena?
Only small clutches, wristlets, or fanny packs measuring 4" x 6" x 1.5" or smaller are allowed inside. Purses and backpacks are not permitted. Diaper and medical bags up to 14" x 14" x 6" are allowed after inspection through the VIP/ADA Door 1.
Binbox bag storage lockers are available near the entrance starting at $12, card or mobile payment only.
Can I take light rail to Ball Arena?
Yes. The Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens Station sits right at the venue, served by RTD's C, E, and W light rail lines, with a 3-hour fare running $2.75. It works well for a couple of fans; a group of 15 or more usually finds a private bus easier to keep together.
How much does it cost to rent a bus to Ball Arena?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours booked, the date, and mileage to and from your pickup point. Fill out the quick form or call 720-973-4360 for pricing on your specific trip in about a minute.
How far is Ball Arena from Lakewood?
Roughly 8–9 miles, typically a 15- to 25-minute drive off-peak via 6th Avenue or West Colfax Avenue into downtown Denver. That time stretches out considerably in the hour before a Nuggets or Avalanche game as Speer Boulevard fills up.
What's the closest airport to Ball Arena?
Denver International Airport (DEN), about 24 miles northeast via Peña Boulevard and I-70, typically a 30- to 45-minute drive outside of rush hour.
Does Ball Arena have a re-entry policy?
No. Ball Arena enforces a strict no re-entry policy — once a guest leaves the building, they are not readmitted for that event, per the venue's own policy page. Anything a group doesn't want to carry inside is better left on the bus.
Are ADA-accessible buses available for a Ball Arena trip?
Yes, wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available through the network — just note it in your quote request. Inside Ball Arena, accessible parking is split across the Camry North, Tundra, and RAV4 lots, and ADA drop-off runs through the rideshare lot at 5th and Walnut rather than the Chopper Circle zone.
How far in advance should we book a Ball Arena charter bus rental?
As soon as your date is set, especially for a Friday or Saturday Nuggets or Avalanche game, a big touring concert, or any date near a Denver convention or downtown event that pulls extra demand for vehicles. For a weeknight game with a smaller group, a couple of weeks of lead time is usually workable.
What size bus fits our Ball Arena group?
A Sprinter van covers up to about 14 people for a suite outing; minibuses in the 18- to 35-passenger range cover most office and birthday groups; and a full-size charter bus handles up to 56 for a large fan group or a multi-stop convention itinerary. Compare the full lineup on the vehicle page.
Book Your Ball Arena Party Bus or Charter Bus Rental Today
Whether it's a Nuggets game, an Avalanche night, a Mammoth match, or a touring concert at Ball Arena, Lakewoodminibuscompany.com makes it easy to compare charter buses, party buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans serving Lakewood and the greater Denver area — with a drop right at Chopper Circle while everyone else is still hiking in from 5th and Walnut. Fill out the online quote tool or call 720-973-4360 any time for pricing on your date.
Also planning a trip to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre or Empower Field at Mile High? Those guides cover their own drop-offs and parking.
