The Parks Mall curfew, officially called Parental Guidance Required, runs every Friday and Saturday from 2:00 p.m. until closing at The Parks Mall at Arlington. During those hours, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or supervising adult who is at least 21, and security officers check IDs at every entrance.1The Parks Mall at Arlington. Visit The Parks Mall at Arlington – Section: The Parks Mall at Arlington FAQs
When the Rule Is in Effect
Outside the Friday and Saturday afternoon window, there’s no age restriction on entry. Weekdays and Sunday visits are not covered, and mornings before 2:00 p.m. on the two covered days are also open to everyone.1The Parks Mall at Arlington. Visit The Parks Mall at Arlington – Section: The Parks Mall at Arlington FAQs
Holidays and school breaks are the catch. The mall reserves the right to add dates or shift hours, and it has previously extended the policy to days like December 26. Its own page states that “PGR dates and times are subject to change by Mall Management.”2The Parks Mall at Arlington. Parental Guidance Required at The Parks Mall at Arlington Check the PGR page before a holiday-week visit.
Who Counts as a Chaperone
The adult has to be 21 or older. A 19-year-old sibling or an 18-year-old friend does not qualify, even though they’re legal adults.1The Parks Mall at Arlington. Visit The Parks Mall at Arlington – Section: The Parks Mall at Arlington FAQs
One qualifying adult can supervise up to four teenagers. Children under 10 don’t count against that cap, so a parent arriving with two teens and three younger kids is within the rule.
IDs and the Wristband
Officers posted at each entrance ask for ID from anyone who might reasonably be under 18. If you can show you’re 18 or older, you’re offered an optional wristband. Wearing it means officers inside the mall won’t stop you again to re-verify. Decline it, and you may be asked for ID a second time if you’re approached in the common areas.
Accepted forms of identification are:2The Parks Mall at Arlington. Parental Guidance Required at The Parks Mall at Arlington
- State-issued driver’s license or ID card
- Military ID
- School ID card
- Passport
Each one has to be tamper-proof and carry both a photo and a date of birth.2The Parks Mall at Arlington. Parental Guidance Required at The Parks Mall at Arlington School IDs are useful for visitors who are old enough to come in alone but don’t yet drive. Without any accepted ID, you can be turned away.
Supervision Doesn’t Stop at the Door
The chaperone has to stay with the minors for the whole visit.1The Parks Mall at Arlington. Visit The Parks Mall at Arlington – Section: The Parks Mall at Arlington FAQs Walking a group of teenagers in and then peeling off to shop elsewhere in the mall doesn’t satisfy the policy. Security patrols the concourses and food court, and unaccompanied minors spotted after the 2:00 p.m. cutoff are treated the same as if they had entered alone. This is the most common way visitors run afoul of the rule.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply
A minor without a qualifying chaperone, or a visitor who can’t produce accepted ID, will be asked to leave.2The Parks Mall at Arlington. Parental Guidance Required at The Parks Mall at Arlington For most people, that’s the end of it: you go home and come back another day.
Refusing to leave is where it escalates. Staying on private property after being told to go is criminal trespass under Texas law,3State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 30-05 – Criminal Trespass and at a commercial property it’s a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to $2,000 in fines and up to 180 days in jail.4State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 12-22 – Class B Misdemeanor Mall security works with Arlington police to issue formal trespass warnings, which effectively ban the person from the property. These warnings generally last about a year, though the mall can lengthen or shorten that at its discretion. Returning before the ban lifts gives officers grounds to arrest on sight. To ask for an early review, contact mall management in writing.
If You Work at the Mall
Plenty of Parks Mall retailers employ workers under 18, which bumps up against a rule that otherwise keeps minors out on weekend afternoons. Ask your manager how your store handles PGR entry for scheduled shifts, and bring your employee badge together with an accepted form of ID when you arrive for work.