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Original poster

Centre parks in the rain!

54 replies

WhenZogateSuperworm · 09/06/2019 09:04

Going to centre parcs tomorrow for the week and been looking forward to it for ages. First get away with newborn and 2.5 year old. However the weather has forecast heavy rain all week.

Please make me feel better about being stuck in the packed swimming pool all week as there is nothing else to do in the rain! Newborn won’t even be able to go in the water long.

We had planned on some nice walks, lots of playing on the parks and generally exploring nature with the toddler!

OP posts:
LoisLittsLover · 09/06/2019 09:05

Just take your waterproofs and wellies and do the walks anyway. And hot chocolate for afterwards!!

Original poster
WhenZogateSuperworm · 09/06/2019 09:06

@LoisLittsLover we will be taking them and trying to get out as much as we can but if the rain is really heavy we will be stuck as newborn needs breastfeeding regularly so will need to keep retreating indoors.

OP posts:
MissHemsworth · 09/06/2019 09:17

It's term time so it won't be packed! I'm actually jealous I love CP. You can go for meals/drinks out in peace whilst your LO entertains themselves in the play areas. There's a disco every evening for the kids. Bowling etc.

MissHemsworth · 09/06/2019 09:17

Which one are you going to?

namechangedforthis1980 · 09/06/2019 09:18

Which one are you going to?

ineedaholidaynow · 09/06/2019 09:20

Which one are you at?

There are indoor soft play areas and maybe you can do some of the activities with the toddler.

Have you got bird food? Put it on the patio and let the wildlife come to you!

FlowerTink · 09/06/2019 09:23

Also going tomorrow and dreading the rain!

flumpybear · 09/06/2019 09:26

Enjoy the fresh air and sorroundings, I live CP been there with babies and older children alike - always loads to see and do - take a rain cover for the pram and take yourself a raincoat and umbrella- enjoy!! If you have younger children try the Jardain du sport area as they have loads of activities and plenty of small tables so you can bf in Peace

flumpybear · 09/06/2019 09:26

Love ... not live lol 😆

Jboure · 09/06/2019 09:26

We went with a baby, 2 year old and 4 year old. It rained torrentially for our whole stay. Worst holiday ever. I still get flashbacks when I smell wet forest. You cant even linger long in restaurants as there are hoardes of people waiting for your table to get out of the rain. Everything just shuts down. We would have even got a boat to row into the middle of the lake but the whole boating area was closed. Even the clip on cycle thingy for babies and toddlers let in water through its waterproof cover and would steam up.

DownWentTheFlag · 09/06/2019 09:26

Go to the Sports Plaza/Jardin Des Sports, there’s a soft play there. Sherwood has the Country Club, also with a soft play.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 09/06/2019 09:29

We had plenty of rainy holidays at CP. probably as many as sunny/reasonable ones! You'll find plenty to do, honestly.

FlowerTink · 09/06/2019 09:31

There are lots of indoor activities to do, take wellies and waterproofs too, hopefully you can get out between the rain. You'll still have a wonderful time.

RunSweatLaughAndLatte · 09/06/2019 09:31

I feel your pain, we’re in center Parcs tomorrow too!!

FlowerTink · 09/06/2019 09:38

We're probably all off to the same one!

Original poster
WhenZogateSuperworm · 09/06/2019 09:43

We are going to Sherwood Forest.

We’ve got a football activity booked for one morning and pottery painting for another.

Just annoying me as we’ve never been able to afford to go as I teach so can only do school holidays and then the one chance we get to go it’s going to throw it down all week!

OP posts:
Flowersonthewall · 09/06/2019 09:49

I think the weather has been quite unpredictable this week days when it's said it's going to throw it down it hasn't and vice versa!

It's out of the school holidays so won't be busy. The pool area is huge and the toddler bit is fab lots of seating areas. They aren't cheap but you could hire a cabana in the swimming area x

Thingywhatsit · 09/06/2019 09:50

Take some bird seed/squirrel bits with you. Your toddler will love just going outside in their waterproofs putting the seed down and then they can come inside. Make them a hot chocolate and watch out the window for the wildlife to come. When mine was a toddler it entertained her for a few hours when we had rain.

youarenotkiddingme · 09/06/2019 09:53

Wellies and all in one waterproofs.

Plan for way around resort that you end up at a cafe at feed time.

Indoor soft play.

I'd make some kind of plan of a routine.

Eg up and breakfast. Swimming then walk on way home doing nature stuff. Lunch and park/soft play.
Then later session at pool, shower and PJs. If they will sleep in double (or you can get hold of one) late night swimming will help this and dh and you can enjoy a coffee and cake before taking them for bed and you have a late dinner.

Untamedtoad · 09/06/2019 09:55

Just go prepared for rain all week, and then you won't be disappointed. Pack puddle suits, waterproofs, wellies, umbrellas etc and you'll be fine. Toddlers love splashing in puddles anyway, and there are alot of indoor activities as well as swimming. Just book them in advance as they'll probably be busier due to the rain. Take plenty of small toys, so if you don't feel like venturing too far one day, you can stay in the lodge, fire blazing, lo playing, and a bottle of wine (or 2) for the adults. You can order takeaways to your lodge, again, book your slots early, and take foods to cook if you don't want to venture out. We always take stuff to make cooked breakfasts, pasta, sandwiches, beans, fruit, veg, snacks, biscuits, TEA, coffee, drinks etc, so if we want a lazy day, we have lots in. We've gone to CP in all kinds of weather, blazing sun, snow, rain, and haven't preferred one time over another. Obviously the sun makes outdoor sports/lake more enjoyable, but it's nice to go there just to relax and not cram a million different activities into a day. Also, swimming outdoors in the warm pool while it's raining is pure heaven! Have a fab time

DownWentTheFlag · 09/06/2019 09:59

The leisure bowl at Sherwood has soft play things out all day, so that’s worth going to.
You’ll love it OP! Center Parcs is fab.

ineedaholidaynow · 09/06/2019 10:02

I was just going to say swimming outside in the rain will be fun for the toddler, we even went swimming in the snow one year!

londonloves · 09/06/2019 10:02

Can I hop on this thread for some centre parcs advice too? We are going to Longleat first week July, should we book restaurants or will it be ok to just go with the flow?

Re the rain, I reckon getting up early to get to activities/soft play before they get busy is probably a good plan.

BeyondMyWits · 09/06/2019 10:03

It will be busy - Center parks have 97%+ year round occupancy. It will be busy with older folks and young families - less school age children, but it will be busy.

A couple of activities, indoor play areas, pool, sitting in villa with bird-seed on the patio alongside making the most of any non-rainy time for outdoor play, and wellies and waterproofs for the rest - you will have loads of fun. We took ours at that age and were wondering how to fill the days... never seemed to have enough time in the day!

My 2 year old used to love going with dad to the "supermarket" first thing in the morning (a ruse to let me get the baby washed and dressed in peace - divide and conquer!) and pick a pastry especially for me for a breakfast treat.

They had presses in there so you could squeeze your own orange juice last time we went (last year) - so much fun for my now teenaged daughters! they would have loved it as toddlers.

Original poster
WhenZogateSuperworm · 09/06/2019 10:05

Brill thanks everyone! You have definitely cheered me up.

We are planning on doing booked activities in morning, walk back to cabin for lunch. Then swimming in afternoon followed by dinner out in the restaurant with soft play around 5:30 ish to suit toddler. We haven’t booked restaurants yet but will probably do it for the week on the first day once we’ve looked at where has soft play for toddler.

OP posts: