To think £500 for a DAY out is "a bit" steep??

[LemmysMole]

Basically DP and I were hoping to take our children (his two and my two) on holiday abroad this summer. However after pricing it all up - plane fares and accomodation for two adults and 4 "boys" aged between 20 and 15 would cost us over £6k. We just can't do it - especially as we're getting married in May and all of the kids need their passports renewing etc.

So Instead we're looking at doing lots of fun days out/weekends away instead. One idea was Alton Towers Halloween Special - which is simply a day away at the theme park with a few 'horror' bits added on.

Now - tickets for 5 adults (my eldest doesn't want to go) would be £200 (£40 each). Now that's bad enough in my opinion for a day out (obviously not including petrol getting there, food and parking!) but DP wanted to go and buy the fast track tickets for everyone too - that's an extra £45 each!!! This would push the ticket price for everyone up to £425 - when you include everything else this would push it beyond £500 for the day.

AIBU to think this is just too much for a day out? Plus everytime I've been anywhere with his kids his 20 year old just mopes about and doesn't actually go on anything so I can see it being a waste of money and a source of tension on the day!!

AIBU?

this 3 bed apt in Tolon including breakfast for 6 is £774 for a week in August for e.g.

Why not hire a Campervan. Sit round the table and plan where you'd each like to go. Lots of fun and variety!

I would not pay £500 for a day at Alton Towers. I've never forgotten that they destroyed all their animals when foot and mouth was rife but their animals did not test positive for it. Precautionary measure apparently... a cruel one actually!

As others have posted, it's not a choice between a £6k holiday and a £500 day trip. Far better deals available if you look.

Alton Towers is an expensive day out. It just is. And I wouldn't do it without fast track, the crowds mean you would only do a couple of rides in the day without it.

I'd look at other holiday options, as previous posters have suffered.

How about this ? www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/park-guide/prices/

or

If you want sun get cheap flights & accomadation to Benidora

Gosh I wouldn't take the 20 year old just give him £100 and tell him to entertain himself.

Can you do self catering fly/ drive somewhere like Italy or Greece near the beach or with a swimming pool ?

I rented a self catering chalet in the Alps. Found it on line. My kids enjoyed riding the cable cars, mountain biking, hiking up into a Glacier etc. We flew Easyjet to Geneva and took the train so didn't need a car.

Hi I am a cheap but lovely holiday fiend don't give up on this you will totally get something cheaper. you'll have a cheaper holiday if you widen the net of possible destinations. I second Barcelona and also Berlin (which is an incredibly cheap Western European city). Barc has hills, beach and cultured city and shops in one - if in hotel get roof top pool to maximise it. Berlin has Plenty of cool places to visit, great museums etc coming out if your ears, WWII and Berlin Wall interest, canal tours, great weather in summer, city summer beach and lots of great massive parks to cycle through stopping for beer and flamekuchen (spelling dodgy but delicious German pizza type thing) plus great bars and clubs for older ones to times. If stay at home for go ape - it's really nice thing to do as a group, it's expensive at £25 pp but lasts 3 hours and is really memorable and properly physical and you don't get fleeced for anything else and can take a picnic and eat in forest (or car!) I think you can add in Segway tour in most of them if that sounds like something you might all enjoy.

Would a villa somewhere not work out cheaper?
Get a budget airline, car hire and a villa - even in school holidays it would work out less than £6k, even for 6 adults.

Nothing wrong with taking older teens/young adults in holiday with you. I've known many of hay age actually enjoy going away with their parents. Lovely to have a big grown up holiday as a family too.

It's far too much money for a day out. I think you could get a cheaper deal to go abroad. That would be much better value than a day at Alton Towers. Which I haven't been to for years. It's just a glorified fairground. The best bit for me was the rhodendrons (sp?) in the surrounding gardens which were magnificent. Don't know if they're still there even.

Why would you leave the 20 year old out Travelled? Isn't he part of the family?

I wouldn't leave my 19 year old out.

Easy jet flight from London to Barcelona for two weeks from 30 July for 6 adults is £881

A decent private villa with 3/4 bedrooms and own pool from somewhere like HomeAway or holiday Lettings at a nearby resort, maybe somewhere like Salou would be less than £2000. Cheaper if you forgo the private pool And go for a shared one.

Somewhere like that would have city sights, beach resorts, theme park, water parks, etc.

Portugal's Algarve would be similar and possibly cheaper depending on where you stay.

Will 15 year old have finished GCSE before actual school holidays? If so you can reduce your flight and villa costs by going early July just before they start.

Not flying on a Friday/Saturday can reduce flight prices too - midweek prices often better. But that makes villa options far more reduced / though so could so split site - 3 nights city, week in villa and than 4 nights city hotel/apartment.

Avoid a package and an all in resort hotel and prices reduce a lot.

You can use Clubcard or Nectar points for theme park tickets and there are often deals on washing powder/cereal packets (not sure which now, we don't go on days out much)

For just over £600 you could buy your whole family premium Merlin passes.