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Absolutely howling at some of the comments, thanks for the responses all! 😂
We went to Center Parcs for the 1st time a couple years back with my side of the family and I wasn’t sure it was for me.. Now I’m an absolute convert - despite my OP full of shite, boring and judgmental patter I really do enjoy it, even sitting in the front room of the lodge tutting at all the people I outlined on the previous page.
I totally agree with the comments above re. car use - I’m absolutely certain some people would drive to the pool if it was allowed. It’s so nice not having cars cutting about the place 24/7. I live on a main road, albeit in a 20mph zone and you don’t realise the extent of noise pollution from motorised vehicles until it’s taken away for a week.
Our daughter is only 9months old so we’re taking advantage of the cheaper rates for the moment.. once she’s in school any tips on where to go for a nice swinging holiday in the UK? Any links to that mumsnet thread?
We're going to Center Parcs soon. With my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I had no idea.
:-O
We’re going to Center Parcs soon. With my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I had no idea.
I bet they do.
I mean it sounds utterly horrific, but what do they do outside school holidays?
Cater for families of non school age kids. That's when we went. Plenty of people obviously take their children out of school too.
Car owner stereotypes alive and well at Center Parcs CyB!
FIFY
though would have to add
>BMW driver who likes to boast of doing 150 past the turnoff on social media.
I’m assuming that the only people who go to centre Parcs have kids yeah? I mean it sounds utterly horrific, but what do they do outside school holidays?
TripAdvisor suggest the same types that take their wife for a date at the Oxo tower.
Car owner stereotypes alive and well at Center Parcs CyB!
Surely no-one drives a car to CyB? I thought it was all Volkswagen T5 / T6 or Ford Transit Customs these days?
Surely no-one drives a car to CyB?
The 50% not in T5's are in Audi's with roof bars carrying the obligatory Santa Cruz 😉
feeling left out Mister P ? 😉
I bet they do.
[gulp]
Having never been to centre parcs, then I assume the 'gates thing' is just for 'unloading' - i.e. drive to the lodge with stuff, then go park back at the car park. If so, I'd park up, and get the bikes off and pedal down to the lodge with my family's stuff, just to hiss off all those waiting to 'drive'.
Oh yes car ownership stereotypes at CyB. We turned up with two saloon cars (not hatches) loaded with 6 bikes on the roof (had capacity for 8) and all our shizzle in two large 'boots'. How dare we turn up with 'normal' cars.
If so, I’d park up, and get the bikes off and pedal down to the lodge with my family’s stuff, just to hiss off all those waiting to ‘drive’.
Good luck getting in your lodge. 😉
Having never been to centre parcs, then I assume the ‘gates thing’ is just for ‘unloading’ – i.e. drive to the lodge with stuff, then go park back at the car park. If so, I’d park up, and get the bikes off and pedal down to the lodge with my family’s stuff, just to hiss off all those waiting to ‘drive’.
in reality, there's no real wait, I've never been more than 10 minutes tops, but then I've never been on a proper busy holiday weekend, that'd be silly. 🙂
I don't understand the need for in 15yr old girls to be wearing bikinis with half their arse hanging out. FFS its not love island.
feeling left out Mister P ?
It's fine, I have a T5. However I go to neither CP or CyB these days.
Pah. T5's? You take your old bangers wherever you want, T6 for my family.
I don’t understand the need for in 15yr old girls to be wearing bikinis with half their arse hanging out. FFS its not love island.
Which one ? I'll book it this afternoon 🙂
I don’t understand the need for in 15yr old girls to be wearing bikinis with half their arse hanging out. FFS its not love island.
What type of car where they driving?
fossy
Having never been to centre parcs, then I assume the ‘gates thing’ is just for ‘unloading’ – i.e. drive to the lodge with stuff, then go park back at the car park. If so, I’d park up, and get the bikes off and pedal down to the lodge with my family’s stuff, just to hiss off all those waiting to ‘drive’.
This is what we do.
Take a couple of rucsacks with us - one with swimming gear in, the other with 'essentials' like tea bags, a pint of milk and some chocolate digestives. Oh, and a lock.
Cycle to the lodge, have a cup of tea, wander around, go for a swim etc. Then head back to the car around 4-5pm when the main CARnage has died down & unload the car.
Drac
Good luck getting in your lodge. 😉
Am I missing something? You get your keys/fobs at the gate upon arrival. Sometimes the room is still being cleaned, but they normally let you dump a bag while you go off for a wander/swim/starbucks....
so you can get parked somewhere vaguely close to your lodge
Some people just refuse to walk anywhere
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-51383435
Am I missing something? You get your keys/fobs at the gate upon arrival. Sometimes the room is still being cleaned, but they normally let you dump a bag while you go off for a wander/swim/starbucks….
He’d need to join the same people queuing to get their key.
What type of car where they driving?
They got a lift with Duncan.
Top tip btw, for those that haven’t been – arrive and park up at 10am, get a full day in the pool etc before the check in rush at 3, same again at the end, stay till 3pm on last day.
Your revolutionary idea also works for most/all kinds of self catering holidays. Saturday to Saturday cottage in Cornwall? Hell yeh, smash down Friday nights when the roads are clear and kip in a Premier Inn. Wake up and have a massive breakfast before a short jaunt to a beach etc for the day and roll into your accommodation whenever suits.
Time to go home? You could be an idiot and go home the night before like my parents/BiL does or pack, mooch around for the day etc and then drive home after tea on quiet roads again.
Ideal.
I mean it sounds utterly horrific, but what do they do outside school holidays?
Probably not Alan.
We’re going to Center Parcs soon. With my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I had no idea.
Imagine going to Croydon IKEA on a bank holiday Monday.
Friday nights when the roads are clear
Dream on.
Hate center parcs with a passion, feels like colditz to me, feel trapped. Really don't understand the appeal. Especially at school holiday prices.
Been a few times now when my parents wanted to take extended family away.
The kids love it though.
Used to go to CP regularly when we could afford it - even put a Strava segment up referring to the difficult brown. Then my wife worked out we could have a week in France CP with plenty of change even after ferry costs.
OP
ARF, it’s not jus me then.
Your analogies made my day ,,bed time now.
Strava segment up referring to the difficult brown.
Is that some kind of CP code phrase?
I'm definitely in the camp of "not my cup of tea" and "how bloody much? You could go all inclusive to the carribean for that"
I just don't get it.
Strava segment up referring to the difficult brown
Is that some kind of CP code phrase?
Presumably it's a code similar to what WRC rally Co drivers use to inform the driver how to get from the chalet to the car park 😉
Hate center parcs with a passion, feels like colditz to me
You do realise you can come and go whenever you want?
But you can never leave?
Strava segment up referring to the difficult brown
Who has the KOM/QOM?
So Center Parcs is on out doorstep. Sherwood.
Two stories spring to mind:
1) All of my dodgy mates had a secret door to get in for 'free day passes'- by climbing through a pre-constructed gap in the wire fence.
2) I used to film random stuff (Make-up guy from GMTV) there and would often exchange pleasantries with Mr Motivator as we passed through the stage door at the same time - he having had a good session with bored Mums.
My then 4 year old got knocked off his bike by a car driving the wrong way down a one way road in the middle of a saturday (traffic free time) at centre parcs. Came round a tight corner, only clipped him but stil hurt. I was bouncing. Staff did nothing.
We've gone to Longleat CP pretty much every year since 2007, midweek between March and June outside school hols when it's a lot cheaper... ~£400 for a 3-bed villa.
We love the lack of cars, undulating forest campus and going in late March the feeling of nature waking up again after winter. I've enjoyed it more in recent years since ramping up the cycling, there's wonderful rolling cat4 hills right outside the campus, in 2017 I did a loop from Warminster train station to The Mendips and back to CP on the first day.
Even without a car it's so easy, train to Warminster and then a ~£10 taxi to Longleat.
Centreparcs, its the modern Butlins, what do you expect?
My mate refers to it as Posh Butlins without the fun.
He’s forced yearly to endure it with his family in-laws 🙂
Mibbe your mate should grow a pair of testicles?. 😁
Spending time with your wife and kids, awesome pool and slides, pretty much every activity you can think of for them to have a go at, aye it's really no fun at all!.
Spending time with your wife and kids, awesome pool and slides, pretty much every activity you can think of for them to have a go at, aye it’s really no fun at all!.
Agreed, if you don't manage to have some fun you're doing it wrong or a miserable *. I should know, I am a miserable *. There are as many things for adults to do as there are for kids. Obviously it's a family/kid centred holiday, but that's no reason not to do something for yourself too (i'm also informed by my other half that the Spa is actually very, very good). Riding-wise....going to Whinfell? Quick ride up Dun Fell. Sherwood? Head out into the forest proper.
Disclaimer - I've got young kids so go off-peak, not sure I'd stomach school holidays prices so well!
mattyfez
I’m definitely in the camp of “not my cup of tea” and “how bloody much? You could go all inclusive to the carribean for that”
Hmmm. We have booked a 4-bed lodge in May at Woburn for £529 - so split between me, my parents & in-laws it's costing us ~£180 each.
I'd be interested to see some links to all-inclusive Caribbean holidays for similar cost - your Google-fu must be better than mine.
dudeofdoom
My mate refers to it as Posh Butlins without the fun.
I suppose it depends what your mates idea of fun is.
We mainly go because it's a great environment for our daughter to have fun & we get to spend some quality time together in a peaceful, quiet setting. Not having to worry about cars & traffic is really nice.
In the last few visits we have spent countless hours in the kids adventure playground areas, spent time in the pools, done a falconry session, a kids high wire session, kids off road experience, picnic & sandcastles on the beach, ten-pin bowling, last time we went the grandparents took my daughter off to do some pottery painting & I think the grandparents enjoyed that more than my daughter did. It's also a perfect place for young kids to gain confidence on bikes - the first time we went my daughter went everywhere on a weeride seat, the next time she was on her first small balance bike & last time she was whizzing around on a new, larger balance bike.
For people that aren't tied to kids all the time, there is the sports cafe with pool tables & tons of screens, there's the sports halls with all sorts of activities from badminton to yoga & climbing. There's also a spa where you can book sessions.
I also like holidays where you can just book a cottage or something & do your own thing in the 'real world' and last year we booked ten days camping in the Loire valley which was a really good holiday.
But, there's a lot of positives to Center Parcs. I used to be a real sceptic, but am pretty much a total convert.
stumpy01 nails it.
Yep, he does.