Butlin’s Minehead for the first time

[Hellohihola]

This weekend!

taking my 2 dcs 3 & 8. It’s just me and my mum (first get away post long term relationship ending)

any tips or advice? We usually do center parcs every year which we love but there is just nothing for children to do in the evenings so I’m hoping they will really enjoy butlins! Not bothered about adult activities, it’s all for them :)

thank you!

The kids will have a fantastic time! I love Butlin’s. It does get very busy and loud at times. They’ll love the pool, funfair and shows. There’s so much included in the price. It’s definitely more of a go go go holiday compared to CenterParcs.

We've been to Minehead Butlins several times, I love it, it's great value and our kids absolutely love it. Like you, we view it as a holiday for the kids rather than for us. It's definitely not a relaxing break but it's super fun. There is so much to do there and most included in the price. Swimming pool, funfair, tots funfair for the younger one, soft play, new amazing playground - the sky park, daytime and evening shows, football and other sports sessions to try, arts and crafts, amusements (take any loose change to use it up!) and character meet and greets.
Do you have the app and have you booked your shows? Definitely do this then arrive at the queue half an hour before the doors open. One adult stays in queue, one takes kids for a play at the sky park/soft play etc then back just before doors open. This should mean you get a good seat for the show as queues get very long with popular shows.
Swimming pool - don't go Saturday morning, everyone has the same idea and the queue is mental. Go in the afternoon instead and there's often no queue at all.
Plan in some chill time everyday. Just an hour in your accommodation, kids napping if little, watching TV or on screens while you rest. We found we honestly needed it because it's so full on. I often napped! Meant we were all able to do the evening shows without tired meltdowns from kids.
What are you doing for food? If you have a dining plan go early to breakfast and tea, it's the quietest time. If everyone eats well at the buffet you can just have a few snacks at lunchtime, a full meal isn't needed.
I'd say take a buggy for the 3 year old even if they've been out of it for a while. Useful for hanging all the bags on, lots of buggy parks around and a life saver when walking back to accomodation late in the evening with a tired out toddler.
Look at the map of the park on the app before you go and double check where the venues are for what you're doing. There are 4 main stages all close to the skyline pavillion.
Enjoy!

Have you booked activities on the app? I would plan something morning and evening in terms of activities but it doesn't need to be bookable ones necessarily - if you go to plan my day on the Butlins website you'll be able to see all the activities.

I would agree at least a few of the days to go back to the accommodation after lunch time and have a chill out, especially if you're staying up late. My kids love the skyline gang shows though so we don't often go to the other shows in the evenings. If you sit in skyline you can buy drinks from the spar shop rather than the bar, which is cheaper.

Take water bottles to fill up water at breakfast if you have a dining plan.

Take snacks. Sweets are expensive, I buy them and take them with. They sell lots of flashing light toys, bubble wands etc, you can usually get them from pound land / home bargains rather than pay Butlins prices!

Go swimming after lunch - 3ish I think is quiet. Take flip flops for the floor as it gets slippy.

Take cleaning wipes for the accommodation - actually we've always found it very clean but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

There are not enough plug sockets so take an extension lead !

Thank you for everyone’s replies! - very helpful advice.

i have booked 2 shows so far, but activities wise I thought we would wait until we arrive to scope out what the children would like to do. It’s always daunting when you have not been somewhere before!

we have decided not to do any dining packages to give us some freedom. We have a kitchen so breakfast will always be in our accommodation and I expect we will make packed lunches.

great advice on taking a buggy for my youngest DC and things like bubbles/sweets rather than paying their prices.

swimming is always chaotic in the mornings where ever you go so it is something we will do after lunch for sure!

any other advice welcome :) we are staying in a lakeside chatlet - any reviews on these?

If the activities you want to do are bookable ones on the app, I would advise booking before you go, or they'll be sold out.
Things like bowling I would try and book soon ish when you get there as it gets booked up.
The fairground is always great, my two love the unlimited rides.
The lakeside chalets look lovely - they were new last time we went. It's quiet down that end of the park.

I'm here now. My tips.

Arrive early. You can often get a swimming session before you can get into accommodation.
Book a meal just before you leave. Often Inn on the Green is the only one that stays open, but it's worth it to miss the scramble out of the car park.
These mean you feel you've had a longer break.

Thank you everyone! Looking forward to it

We took the DC to Minehead 18 years ago , looking for something different after Centre Parcs.
Mine were 7 and 4 at the time and they loved it !

It's got a beach nearby if you want a change of scenery but it was pretty windy when we were there.

And the toiletry bag got forgotten so we had to make an emergency trip to Tesco to get shampoo / showergel/ toothpaste/ toothbrushes etc
We laugh about it now 😏

We went to Bognor Butlins too (nearer to us)

Enjoy it
Oh take coins for the pesky arcades if theg still have them there's no getting away from them . I saved up change and gave each DC a paper cup of coins . When it's done , it's donev

OP are you driving there? If so be careful of some of the roads I think one is famously steep and challenging around there.

We went for the first time last year and my kids have asked almost weekly ever since when we're going back It was so much fun. Like you we self catered as we had an apartment with a little kitchen and that worked really well. The Sunday carvery is vile so maybe go off site for that if you want a decent roast.

My son adored the fairground and my daughter would happily have lived on the beach for the week. We only went into the pool once as it was so busy but the Sky Park, the circus and the shows were amazing.

It was surprisingly relaxing as the kids were never bored so whereas we'd normally have been desperately looking for days out and things to do, at Butlins it was all included and on site.

Have a super time!

Not on the main route in 🤣
The hill the other side of Minehead does have one that's a bit hard but you wouldn't come to Butlins on it.
The main issue with driving is likely to be the slow moving queue if you arrive at the same time as everyone else.

But people explore the area Margret and go outside the park?
I wouldn't want anyone to accidentally end up on that road. We didn't,we unfortunately experienced others and someone said " well it's a good job you didn't end up on blah road then*

I am driving! Looking to leave around 8am and the journey will be around 2.5 hours.

everyone has very positive things to say so far which is promising :)

great advice on the roast! Thank you

Consider bringing ear defenders if your kids are at all sensitive to noise.

Assuming you have a dining plan, stock up on fruit, bread rolls etc at breakfast and dinner to cover snacks.

Consider bringing quick dry travel towels, and bring the smallest swimsuits you can (i.e. swimsuits rather than long sleeve sunsuits for the kids). It's a pain drying swimwear for the next day and we found that our apartment got really humid.

Bring bin bags/tea towels/washing up liquid/sponge etc - Centre Parks gives you quite a lot of this stuff but Butlins doesn't!

Definitely book activities on the app early.

Also: if your DC are likely to want the glowing spinny wands etc that all the kids seem to wave around during the kids disco, buy them in Poundland before you go, then whip them out once you're there!

We go almost every year. We always do a click and collect order for the Morrisons next door and pick it up on the way in.
Tend to find the Diner and the chicken place the best places to eat on site but also had a lovely carvery at the pub last time. We usually go to Morrisons cafe for a cheap lunch before heading home too.
My kids are usually more than happy with the pool, fair, playground and soft play but we've also done free crafts and football, and archery which you pay something for.

Best shows for us have been Animal Guys, panto and magic shows and mine also love the "night at Reds" clubhouse evenings with mini disco and bingo etc.

Do go out of the site too - beach is lovely, steam train is a nice trip to Dunster or Watchet and the Tropiquaria zoo is...quirky 😆

The beach is literally right next to Butlins!!!!

Go into the town and spend money at the lovely independent shops.

Just saw that you haven't booked a dining plan. If you're able to change this then I would recommend getting one. They are really good value and save a lot of faff. We got the premium dining plan which allows for dinner between 4.30-7.

I have stayed in all types of accommodation but the Lakeside chalets are my preferred. They are lovely with good kitchen facilities. They are a great base when you need to chill. You will have a super time.