Butlins Minehead Feb 2027 Big Weekender

[BritAirwaysgirl]

I am hoping to book Butlins Minehead for my 60th birthday in Feb 2027, taking my children, all in their 20s, plus their partners, plus my dad aged 91, totalling a group of 8. The date of the weekend falls on a Big Weekender event. The dates are not flexible, but for nostalgic, sentimental reasons, I really want to go to Butlins Minehead on this date.

Does anyone have experience of a Big Weekender at Butlins and how taking a 91 year for a weekend break might work? I have no plans to go anything with him with regards to the party/music/dancing, just need to understand if there will be enough to do without joining in the Big Weekender element. Any advice or thoughts really appreciated.

I did ring Minehead but didn't really get any sense out of them.

Aren’t the adult weekenders just swingers events?

Grim you can find somewhere much better

My friends went a few years back, I had to work so couldn’t go but from what they told me it’s definitely not a weekend for your 60th birthday celebrations never mind with your elderly father

The whole place is taken over for the big weekender … absolute carnage. Would be a right laugh if you all like that but shit if you don’t!

Could you stay somewhere else in Minehead and get a day pass for Butlins?

Erm wtf of course not 🤣

Op no it's really not suitable for the elderly. It's basically a big piss up.
Which Decade/theme is it?

I have been to several of these weekenders, amd personally enjoyed every one. But it is absolutely completely unsuitable for a 91 year old.
There is definitely not enough to do that is outside of weekender elements and the whole environment would be entirely unsafe.

A quick google would suggest otherwise 🤣

Big Weekenders are essentially a music festival... But with no camping.
Depending on the weekend depends on how wild they are.

If you're not there for the music, it would be pointless going and a lot of the facilities won't be open...because it's all adults there for the music.

It also has the potential to be a bit rowdy, not necessarily in an obnoxious way, but 1000 people who have been drinking and dancing aren't a quiet bunch.

Which Weekender is it? They range from 80s pop to Fatboy Slim to Indie/new bands

Unsafe?
I wouldn't say unsafe... Maybe a bit rowdy?

Google suggests the theme is 'We Love Ibiza'!

The reason I mentioned unsafe, is whilst I am massively generalising, a 91 year old would usually not be completely stable footed at the best of times, forget about large crowds of drunk people all over the site. And this includes the restaurants, which you might consider outside of the weekender activities.

Falls, involving broken bones are one the largest contributing factors to death in the elderly.

Well it's going to be a festival/clubbing type vibe so plenty of day drinking and all night partying.

I guess if he could sleep through the noise then it might be OK but the the Big Weekender is the only event going on there, there may be bars etc to use during the day but they'll be full of middle aged people up for drinking/drugging etc.

@BritAirwaysgirl
If you spent the 90s dancing in Ibiza and your kids are up for a Y2K/90s party it could be a brilliant birthday weekend.
However, if that's not your vibe I would give it a swerve.

IMO a rave is not suitable enjoyment for 91 year old, it sounds like a plot from Phoenix Nights

I’ve been to a Butlins Minehead weekender. I enjoyed it. You have to pace yourself. It’s tiring as you can be on your feet lots, watching bands, dancing, moving from A to B. It’s also quite cold in the main arena. It is basically an indoor music festival. Food is okaaayyy, but not great, like all festival food. If your friends love the genre/ decade of music, they’ll have fun and it’s a good way to celebrate being 60. But I do agree with other posters that a 91 year old would find it very challenging. You need a fair bit of energy to enjoy it to the full.

Thanks for all of your replies. I think I am going to have to have a re-think about the weekend as I really do not think it is going to work out at Butlins. Really appreciate your comments.

They certainly have that reputation. Living locally and speaking to staff. Certainly a free for all.