"The ice rink operates rain or shine, and inclement weather does not qualify for a refund, credit, or ticket transfer." That line sits in the refund policy on the Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink ticket page, just below the line that says all ice rink ticket sales are final.
That policy is a gamble for anyone booking a Saturday night in December a week ahead. This season, the bet is easier to make. Here's how the same page describes the 2026 season: "For the first time, an overhead canopy transforms the Holiday Ice Rink, so you can skate, gather and celebrate all season long, rain or shine."
The season at City Center Bishop Ranch runs from Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027. Besides the canopy, the discount now covers every Monday and Tuesday instead of four specific Tuesdays, and the skating clinic moved from December to opening weekend. Each of those changes makes it easier to book ahead on a weekday.
The rain rule hasn't changed. The roof over the ice has.
The policy is strict. Tickets can go to another person, but you can't move them to a different date or session. You only get a refund or other remedy if rink management officially closes the rink or cancels a session. A drizzly forecast doesn't count. The page tells guests to "dress for outdoor conditions," so the canopy doesn't make this an indoor rink.
The canopy changes how much a wet evening costs you. Before, a rainy night meant skating in it or giving the ticket to someone else. Now there's a cover over the ice on nonrefundable sessions. That matters most on the dates that sell first, like opening night, the themed music nights, and the weekend sessions around Santa visits.
Last season's prices against this season's
Most prices went up a little. The bigger change is how the discount works. Here's how Patch's November 2025 report on last year's season compares with the 2026 ticket page.
| 2025 season | 2026–27 season | |
|---|---|---|
| Season dates | Nov. 7 to Jan. 4 | Nov. 6 to Jan. 3 |
| Standard admission, skates included | $22 | $23 |
| Season pass | $90 | $100 |
| Discount pricing | $10 Tuesdays on four dates: Nov. 18, Dec. 2, Dec. 9, Dec. 16 | $16 all day Monday and Tuesday, plus 1 and 3 p.m. sessions Wednesday and Thursday |
| Session length | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Kristi Yamaguchi Skating Clinic | Saturday, Dec. 6 | Saturday, Nov. 7 |
Last year's deal was deeper but rare. You got $10 ice on four specific Tuesdays. This year's Weekday Value rate saves less per ticket, $7 under standard admission, but it applies to every Monday and Tuesday session plus the two afternoon sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Four skaters on a Monday pay $64 in admission. The same four on a Saturday pay $92. The page also notes that transaction fees may apply on top of those prices.
The $100 season pass costs more than four standard tickets, which come to $92, and less than five, which come to $115. At standard prices, it pays for itself on the fifth visit. If you mostly skate at the $16 rate, it takes seven sessions to break even.
Where the cheaper ice falls on the weekly calendar
The discount follows the rink's regular schedule:
- Monday through Thursday: 1 to 8:30 p.m., with sessions at 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., adding an 11 a.m. session and a 9 p.m. session
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with an 11 a.m. session added
Combine those hours with the Weekday Value rules and you get about a dozen $16 sessions a week. That's all four on Monday and on Tuesday, plus the 1 and 3 p.m. slots on Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday and Thursday evenings go back to $23.
The holiday schedule changes the rhythm. From Nov. 23 to 27 and from Dec. 21 to Jan. 3, the rink opens daily at 11 a.m. It's closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The page says hours and schedules are subject to change. The holiday breaks also open daytime pricing on the Warm-Up Lounge Fire Pits. Fire pit reservations start at $50 for weekday matinees, and during holiday breaks that covers the 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. sessions Monday through Thursday. Evening reservations Monday through Thursday and all Friday through Sunday reservations are $100. Every reservation comes with a s'mores kit with four s'mores.
The opening weekend carries more this year
Moving the clinic from December to the day after the opening ceremony puts the two biggest Kristi Yamaguchi appearances back to back.
On Friday, Nov. 6, from 6 to 7 p.m., the opening ceremony features skating performances and carolers, and Yamaguchi cuts the ribbon. That's according to City Center's event page. Opening night has its own $35 ticket, $12 more than standard admission, and the page bills it as a chance to be among the first on the ice this season.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 to 10 a.m., the Kristi Yamaguchi Skating Clinic offers an introductory lesson led by instructors, with tips from Yamaguchi. It's for ages 5 and up, and skate rental is included. It costs $60 plus a $3.85 fee and is capped at 50 skaters.
Last year, families who wanted a lesson with Yamaguchi had a month after opening to plan. This year the clinic is the morning after opening, so anyone hoping for one of the 50 spots has to book before the season even starts.
The clinic is a one-time event. The longer program for kids is the Learn to Skate Academy, five Saturday mornings from Nov. 14 to Dec. 19, with no class on Nov. 28. Ages 5 to 8 skate from 9 to 9:45 a.m., and ages 9 to 14 from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Each session is limited to 30 skaters, with no public skaters on the ice, and the program costs $169.
December nights on the ice, and what's happening around it
Three themed music nights are on the calendar.
- Thursday, Dec. 3, at 5 and 7 p.m.: K-Pop Music Night, two evening sessions skating to K-pop favorites.
- Thursday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m.: Stars & Stripes on Ice, a music night of patriotic favorites celebrating America's 250th anniversary.
- Thursday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m.: Olivia Rodrigo Music Night.
All three nights fall on Thursday evenings, outside the $16 window. They also land in the same stretch as City Center's other holiday events. The Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony is Friday, Nov. 20, from 6 to 7 p.m., with the Monte Vista Band, singers and Santa's arrival. After that, City Center's events calendar lists Visits with Santa in the Square on Nov. 21 and 22, Nov. 27 through 29, Dec. 5 and 6, Dec. 12 and 13, and Dec. 19 and 20.
Thanksgiving week is unusual. The Bishop Ranch Turkey Trot is on the calendar for Thursday, Nov. 26, the same day the rink is closed. The rink is open daily from 11 a.m. the rest of that week, and Santa is in the Square Friday through Sunday right after.
Groups have two options. Birthday packages cost $350 and include a 10-by-20-foot party tent, seating for 8 to 12 guests, and eight admissions to a 90-minute public session, with extra tickets at $23 each. Private ice starts at $2,500 for up to 100 guests, or 150 during matinee sessions. It's available Monday through Thursday for all sessions and on Sunday mornings.
Before you head over
A few rules on the ticket page catch people at the gate:
- The rink is cashless.
- Skate aids rent for $15 each, first come, first served, and you can't reserve them in advance. If your youngest skater needs one, aim for a less crowded session.
- Outside food and drinks aren't allowed at the rink. The onsite bar serves beer, wine, soft drinks and hot cocoa. Cakes and cupcakes are allowed only for reserved birthdays. A party that brings in other outside food or drinks gets an automatic $100 charge to the card on file.
- Waivers are attached for each skater at checkout.
For parking, City Center's guest services page lists free self-parking with 900 garage spaces and about 300 surface spaces. When those fill, there's another garage near Sunset Drive and Bishop Drive. Valet costs $15 per vehicle and runs Thursday 4 to 8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It's on the south side of the center, facing Bollinger Canyon Road. Valet stops at 7 p.m. on Sundays, so you'll need to self-park for a Sunday 7 p.m. session.
With a canopy over the ice, the forecast matters less this season, so the day you pick matters more. A Monday or Tuesday session at $16 is the easiest plan on the calendar. Opening weekend and the Thursday music nights are the bookings to make first.
The rink is one of the things that make San Ramon winters feel like home, and our team knows the town at that level, down to which weekends Santa is in the Square. If the holidays have you thinking about what your own place in the Tri-Valley is worth, Conor Dunn and The Dunn Team can tell you. Get your free home valuation.
