to think centre Parcs are money grabbing disablist idiots!

[lisad123]

We have gone to CP every year for last 4 years with my two girls who both have autism and my mum and dad normally come and help too.

We dont normally have too much of an issue with my girls and dont tend to ask for anything ontop of normal package.
However, my mum had a major stroke at Easter this year. This has left her with mobility problems, lose of 50% of her sight, cant manage large crowds and having fits.
With this in mind I asked if they could move us to a closer villa, because shes not able to walk far at all so will be in a wheelchair (and those that know CP, its quite a walk from some villas to the centre). We also asked for a slightly earlier check in, so that she can get in and rest especially if shes been having fits (which at the moment she is having almost daily)
They have refused both of these requests.

They have said we could have a closer villa but it would be £180 more!! Oh and they told me that they have to limit the early check because of cleaning BUT if i wanted to pay for early check in suddenly that isnt an issue

Should add, that i wouldnt mind paying for early check in, BUT comes with 2 bikes which we cant use because of mum and her wheelchair!!

I am never booking with them again, I am shocked that such a large company is willing to charge people extra for services they need because they are disabled.

I will be writing to head office but think this is something that needs to be public knowledge.

bit late in the day, we go in less than 2 weeks.
We have always gone with the same group and the 2 dogs and its never been an issue before, just this year because of my mum :(

If she is so sick, would she really enjoy it?

Bathsheba

You are allowed to leave dogs in the do villas

Lisa, the early book in charge is standard with CP

However you need to speak to them about the taxi service they offer so your mum and dad can get around at least. If the shuttle is full by the time it gets to you then you may not get your mum and the wheel chair on.

Or have you asked for a discount on the early booking fee to take off the bikes?

YY to the disabled driver, this is what they told us too. My MiL car wasn'y suited to driving up to CP and she cannot drive fils

She likes the peace and quiet & my dad likes the company. I had considered cancelling earlier but they look forward to it every year.

honeydragon, does the shuttle not come directly to your villa then? is it like a bus with certain stops? Do you have to ring and ask them to collect or is there a timetable?
We have never used the shuttle before

tbh I can understand their policy around cars. I haven't been for a long time, but I do remember 1 year that there seemed to be quite a lot of cars about. I think at that point if you had a disabled member in your family you were allowed to take your car on site. I thought there were too many cars about to really be safe for DCs without watching them closely. And it did make me think twice about going back.

I didn't complain, but I think others must have as next time we went it was back to the occasional car. And I think they had then brought in the policy about disabled drivers only.

CP have to balance the needs of all visitors and as one of their main selling points is a safe and largely car free place for families, they do have to limit cars to those who need them most.

Is it Longleat you are going too? They have a shuttle with stops.

The others as far as I am aware have effectively a taxi service that comes to the door. It's been a while since I went. I'd ask for a direct number to call the site and sort out transport with the site.

To be honest i agree you have taken on too much. Why not pay up. Your circumstances have changed but thats not Cp"s fault is it. I have to pay for early entry so why shouldn't you.

Hang on, how can they ban service dogs? I thought it was illegal to stop a disabled person taking their dog anywhere. What would happen if you got one in between the time of booking and the holiday (for example, if you became blind in the interim) if there were no dog villas available? Disgusting, I'm glad I've never been to CP.

Assistance dogs ARE allowed in the buildings!!

You're not allowed to take service dogs in to buildings other than the dog villas, either?! Or is it just pet dogs that aren't allowed?

No, when we last attended assistance dogs were allowed in the buildings (not pet dogs obv) but you could not have ANY dog in a disability villa. So the person requiring an assistance dog then had to book a dog villa which is further out from the main areas paradoxically limiting access.

As I said I don't know if they have changed this now as it was 5 years ago, but the online booking system never allows you to book a disabled villa with a dog when you select the options. (did it out of curiosity)

CP seem to prefer groups of disabled people to familys with disabled members imo

Oh, I see, I was a bit muddled there and nearly fainted that such a big company would consider banning them from the main areas! However, how stupid not to allow dogs in the disabled areas, surely they realise that disabled people may have service dogs?

Muffin if you booked a normal villa and then got an assistances dog you would not be allowed to take said dog in unless there was a dog villa not booked. You would lose your holiday

And those that say I have taken on too much and need to cancel, sorry but you don't know me. I have to deal with this at home everyday, I'm pretty sure doing it in holiday won't be any difference apart from its easier BUT no way would I cancel, have spent weeks preparing my two kids for this trip.

The disabled lodges are near the village centre. TBF I think its just right that dogs are only allowed on specific lodges as I'd hate to go to a villa & find the place stinking of dog. And just to clarify to some the disabled cars aren;t allowed to drive round the place - cos you can;t take cars to the village centre & other facilities.

I'd just pay up for a closer villa.

Yankee plenty of holiday lets allow pets. The villas are well cleaned so there is no smell of the dog. The dog villas are routinely let to non dog owners too. The reason CP do this is to prevent any issues with allergies. Which is a good thing.

Also they very much need to limit the amount of dogs on site as it is after all a nature reserve and they need to respect the wildlife.

Why can't they have one of the disability access villas acceptable for assistance dogs?

The fact is that CP are only disabled friendly if you are prepared to throw money at the problem. I don't think Lisa was objecting to paying extra to early booking fees, she was objecting to paying £180 for a weeks bike hire for bikes they cannot use as to get the check in early option she has to purchase the whole packaging.

Like Lisa CP used to be an ideal option for our family as we had pets children and disabilitys to consider and all these issues could be resolved without affecting any other customers or causing any hassle to staff. However CP centralised all their booking. Meaning you can no longer deal direct with CP. We have not been since two disastrous stays since the new booking. The management said they now struggle to hit targets as the booking staff don't care if lodges are left empty and this is one of the reasons prices are going up.

Its a pity as CP was great for us and we found the staff were wonderful. It wasn't just us they regularly broke "the rules" for.

I objected to having sorted out everything for MiL having a save and comfortable stay, only to have it result in her having to walking nearly miles to get to her villa, which resulted in her being in agony as they told her on the phone the shuttle was an "extra" that could be withdrawn.

I agree with the earlier poster, they're not being "disablist" as you say, as they're not offering you the same as others. Villas are available closer to the faciliities, but like all customers, you'd have to pay more. Alternatively you can choose a cheaper villa elsewhere and they provide a bus.

I'm not sure why early check in would be required because of disability (you drive in in your car to your villa whatever the time of check in), but again that's available at a cost to all if needed.

No doubt companies like Center Parcs are constantly bombarded with requests for extras at no cost, at the end of the day they're running a business and do so fairly and very efficiently. We've had some fabulous breaks there and will hopefully continue to do so.

Bugger, can't edit my post above. I meant to say they're not being disablist as they ARE offering you the same as others (but suitable for disabilities). If you pay for a villa in the outer area, you can get one suitable for your disability, alternatively if you choose to pay for a better villa closer to facilities, you can get one suitable for disabilities there too. Of course the latter costs more than the former...as it does for all.

but it is disablist if the only early check in option forces you to pay for items you can't use.

If someone can't walk or has limited mobility than what are they meant to do with two bikes?

And you can't have a bike with disability chair on included or a mobility scooter included instead as they are extras and need to be paid for when you get there.

Early check in is a god send with some disabilitys as CP dictate what times you can arrive and what times you can get to your villa so without early check in the minimum wait you have is two hours. Not ideal if you need assistance for the toilet or special medication or have been travelling for half an hour.

It's not special treatment it's making allowances to help disabled people be equal.

I still think Lisa should pay for early booking but at a discounted rate.

I don't think it's fair to charge her more for a nearer villa if they cannot guarantee adequate transport for her family. If they can put her mind at rest about that then fine, pay like everyone else, But they have not.

It is a sad indictment of society that many large corporations cater for disabled people and carers holidays, and family holidays, but make it difficult for a family holiday that has both able and disabled members. They should not be mutually exclusive.

they are hardly "disablist" just bad customer service and a typical (unfortunately) business

but why are they disablist????? you are asking for servcices that cost more for free cos you have SN, its not a given is it?????

When i went to cp, admittedly many years ago, disabled drivers could use cars to drive round the site. So of course they need to limit the number of people who can do this. Otherwise it just becomes like anywhere else with dodging cars and keeping an eye out for DCs and cars.

Also early check in suits lots of people for personal reasons - heavily pregnant women, parents with young twins, etc. There are lots of people who wouldn't want to and would find it difficult, to hang about the facilities for a good few hours without access to their villa. Early check in is available to everyone, although you have to pay. I don't think it is "disabilist" to say someone who is disabled and may really need an early check, has to pay as well.

I agree early check in shouldn't come with 2 bikes. But disabled people who want early check in, won't be the only ones in this situation unable to use bikes e.g. heavily pregnant, elderly. Many who will want early check in won't be able to use bikes - its fit and young people who don't mind not having access to a villa for a few hours. tbh I suspect the bikes have been "thrown in" as it were to make the early check in price not seem as excessive.

lesley33 you're right there. But my issue is choice. I was still cycling until the day before I gave birth with ds, and cycled with dd (but stopped earlier as dh, worried about me on the ice/snow), a pg person has a choice. Again elderly people can cycle. People who don't cycle can always take the opportunity to learn

Can you not put dogs in kennels and go without them?

CP Longleat have a road train anyone can use from designated stops. They hire wheel chairs and mobility scooters, they provide a taxi service that you cab book even if you don't have a blue badge

Nottingham and Elveden have the same other than the road train, distances are shorter

TBH, with the amount of disabled people using CP, they would have everyone asking for early entry (as I did ), we are not alone! I pay the extra just to avoid the Q at 3pm.

The sites (other than Longleat) are fairly flat, there are plenty of lifts or ramps for push chairs and wheelchairs.

But in the end they are a business, and have to make a profit, they are not a disability charity.