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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think we could spend more than 3 hours at Cadbury World

27 replies

SATSmadness · 27/03/2014 11:07

Major disagreement between me and dsis.

We are having a joint day out with the dc in the school Easter hols and were planning to go to Cadbury World.

I suspect she wants to combine it with a bit of shopping as she has pointed out repeatedly that the CW website suggests a visit takes 3 hours which includes an hour and a half at the main exhibition.

I'm more of a make a whole day out of it kind of visitor to kid friendly attractions so I factor in lunch half way through where the dc and I usually talk about what we've seen and look at info and decide what we want to do in the afternoon.

Is she right, will "doing" Cadbury World take no more than 3 hours of our time ?

We need to book tickets now as it gets booked up quickly so I need to find out a.s.a.p. whether to stick to my guns over planning a whole day there from say 10.00 to 3.30 or to give in and shoehorn it into half a day and allow for shopping elsewhere in the other half day.

OP posts:
Toospotty · 27/03/2014 11:09

I went a long time ago so things might have changed, but I wouldn't say it's a full day, no. They feed you through pretty quickly. We did it in an afternoon.

ChaosTrulyReigns · 27/03/2014 11:11

I don't think it's a full day sort of place. Half a day would be plenty. If you don't fancy shopping could you visit the Think Tank for the other time?

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 27/03/2014 11:11

Half a day should be plenty, as far as I remember. But we went about 10 years ago, so things may have changed.

nobutreally · 27/03/2014 11:11

I went to cadbury world with mumsnet, a few years back - and from what I remember 3 hours wouldn't be enough - the tour itslef has various bits that you cant race through (actors doing min sketches, cinema sections) plus there is interactive stuff (write your name in chocolate, make a chocolate mix, plus some more tetchy stuff) that it would be a shame not to make the most off. There is also an outside play park bit which my two would happily have spend an hour on... Given its not cheap, and the shops are always there, I think you're right Smile

CbeebiesIsAboutToPop · 27/03/2014 11:12

Definitely not an all day activity. You could probably stretch it out to 4 hours if you ha a packed lunch, but any more than that and you'd just be bored!

They feed you through the factory pretty quickly, then there is a taste expiearience, some out door play equipment a shop to look around and some out door play equipment.

melika · 27/03/2014 11:12

I've been a couple of times, and I must say I spent a lot of hours there on the first visit. Yes, you can do it in three hours but it depends whether you want to leisurely go around or skim things.

Second visit may have been 2 - 3 hours, but I had seen everything before. Hope this helps.

nobutreally · 27/03/2014 11:12

Ah, everyone else seems to disagree!! Maybe because I am also a 'make the most of your day out' kind of a girl!

thebody · 27/03/2014 11:13

live fairly near and the best parts are the shop and the play area.

CbeebiesIsAboutToPop · 27/03/2014 11:15

Nobutreally I think it depends on when you go, I've been a couple of time and have never seen actors Confused

MNBirminghamLocalEd · 27/03/2014 11:18

You could easily eke it out for a fun, relaxing day (I would with my young children), especially with the outdoor play area (v good for working off all the free chocolate they get), a stroll around Bournville and a play in the park opposite afterwards.

But if your kids are up for shopping in town afterwards Hmm, you could keep it to 3 hours. I wouldn't It depends on your energy levels really.

Original poster
SATSmadness · 27/03/2014 11:21

Website says there is a self-service restaurant. Is it any good ? I figured we could stretch the day if we arrive mid morning and factor in a lunch break half way through the CW experience ?

OP posts:
catsmother · 27/03/2014 11:26

I went quite recently and would say 3 hours is ample. Maybe you could spin it out if the weather was good and you took a picnic and sat outside while the kids went in the playground but IMO, there isn't actually that much to see/do. Queuing for the egg train thing probably takes up the most time. I've also been before, years back, and if memory serves, am pretty sure there used to be a whole load more stuff in the Bourneville "museum" bit outside - but now that seems to me to have really sparse (and a bit disjointed) info and I think they're missing an opportunity there to put on a much more informative display for people interested in the history of the place ... though admittedly not that many kids would probably find such a thing interesting.

As MNBirmingham says you could also increase your time there by walking round Bourneville itself. They do sometimes run guided walks I think but again don't know how kid friendly that'd be.

catsmother · 27/03/2014 11:33

I didn't eat there but took a nosey and it didn't look too bad - reasonable selection and prices not too astronomical.

Stinklebell · 27/03/2014 11:38

I've been, but it was years ago.

I'd say more than 3 hours, but not a full day.

By the time we'd been round it all, had a go with all the chocolate demonstrations, had lunch and the kids had had a while on the playground it was more than 3 hours.

I don't think you could stretch a full day.

But like I say, it was years ago we went - it must be 5 or more years ago now, depends what's been added to it since

AnnaLegovah · 27/03/2014 12:02

I went last week. Smile

We took DD (3) and spent most of the day there - once you've done the tour, played in the playground, eaten and don't forget the Bournville museum (which is by the playground). We went in quiet time so it wasnt busy but if you're going in the school hols I'd expect it to be a full day as the queues will be longer.

How old are the kids? They might struggle being on their feet all day if sis wants to pack in some shopping too.

AnnaLegovah · 27/03/2014 12:03

Oh and the food was fine and quite reasonably priced.

Stripytop · 27/03/2014 12:08

C W is rubbish, apart from the free chocolate. It only takes so long because of all the queuing. You would be better to spend £20 on chocolate and take them to the park for a couple of hours and then go shopping.

mummytowillow · 27/03/2014 16:34

No you can't. You walk around but its a bit like being herded and does take around 3 hours Smile

You get loads of free chocolate and tour finishes in the shop.

You could spend ages in the shop though ...

FunkyBoldRibena · 27/03/2014 16:38

AARRGGHH Chocolate hell.

It only took us 3 hours because of the hour long queue for the rubbish ride...I took step daughter one day. Never again.

I agree with just giving them £20 to spend on chocolate and go to the park.

PicaK · 27/03/2014 16:44

Don'tforget you can use Tesco Days Out vouchers. I'd say 3h was about right. It's not a dip in and out place - you walk around the exhibitions which include 2 films one after the other (they let u thru if you look wild eyed enough).

The ride is NOT worth queuing for nor the green screen photo shoots. The playground is quite good. But you can get to that without paying.

I think it's great for 8+ but def go shopping in Bham or round to Touchwood in Solihull.

WooWooOwl · 27/03/2014 16:48

I'm with your sister, it's not an all day activity, and having lunch would be better done either before or after, not in between.

It really would be dull and boring for any longer than three hours.

Groovee · 27/03/2014 17:14

When we went it was 2pm, and it was pretty quiet as the school parties all started to leave. We were finished by 4.30pm. But we got there at 1.30pm had a coffee in the cafe and did the tasting before hand along with the museumy part out the back before the actual tour.

MistressDeeCee · 27/03/2014 18:46

Well - do you want to go shopping?

I like to separate the 2 ie if its a child-activity day then thats what it is. I want to do that then chill with the DCs. Not rush off shopping straight afterwards.

I have friends who factor shopping centres into EVERYTHING & I dont do much with them, because being a slave to the shops in that way just doesn't interest me. Sounds to me as if your friend may be like this as although you're planning a day out with the DCs, she's already time-managing it and going on about shopping. I couldnt be asked with it all, personally. If you can deal with it though, thats fine. If you can't, have a word with her. Its perfectly possible to have a nice day out without it involving shopping centres..and to do shopping at another time, too.

Kiffykaffycoffee · 27/03/2014 19:34

3 hours is about right. You are on a sort of conveyor belt (not literally) - you have to do things in a certain order and you have to wait for the door to open before you can go on to the next thing. It a bit like being herded like sheep choc making demos v crowded and a lot of jostling to get near the front. Trust me you wouldn't want to spend more than 3 hours there! Birmingham has a super art gallery that is FREE. Wink

Original poster
SATSmadness · 28/03/2014 13:30

MistressDeeCee

Yep, you've guessed it, I hate shopping - hate seeing kids in buggies being trailed round shops for hours on end plied with snacks/drinks but strapped in to buggy all the time.

I have wholeheartedly embraced online shopping apart from shoes, this is a big thing for me and I like trying on lots of different styles. I have lots of shoes/boots.

I think we'll go late and have an early lunch then spend the afternoon there. Dsis can meet us at CW after she's shopped in the morning.

My youngest dc is 8 and we all love finding out how stuff is made etc which is partly why we're doing Cadbury word as we've done loads of other interesting stuff in the midlands already. The favourite being the Space Centre and even better the sewage/toilet/pumping station place next door ! We've done loads of museums and creative places but never managed CW yet despite being chocoholics.

OP posts: