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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Centre Parcs is a very weird place.

342 replies

MOIST · 25/01/2017 20:23

Fake forest. Plastic stuff. Signposts and advertising everywhere. Like Ikea in a fake forest with one-way system and bad feng.

Most peculiar.

OP posts:

MrGrumpy01 · 27/01/2017 09:25

I did look at prices for a weekend in June as the dc's have a random day off, but even then it is still similar to what we are paying for our week holiday in August. I can't justify a 3rd holiday at that price, especially when it will involve even more spending once there.

I don't think I would even enjoy it that much so not sure why I'm looking.

Verbena37 · 27/01/2017 09:25

scattymere but that's just it....there aren't thousands of other at all. Pretty sure the villas only go to 900 odd max.
At Woburn, it's only 600 odd.
At Christmas when we go, it's never to capacity.....you see the same people wandering around, which you rarely do in summer or other hols.

For some people, say with children with SEN, or for me who doesn't fly, it's an ideal holiday.....fun, relaxing, stuff to do if you want it not, nice accommodation etc. It doesn't mean we don't have any imagination......I could say people who book to go somewhere hot abroad then sit on a pool bed all day reading a book have little imagination.....but I don't because it's obviously the holiday they like.

Center Parcs has a huge following and if it's not to your taste, it doesn't mean it's not good for others.

2014newme · 27/01/2017 09:38

We love it. We go low,season works out less than £400 for three nights for 4 of us. That is £33 each per night. Not expensive.
I agree it's very expensive at peak times but we wouldn't go then.

Treaclex · 27/01/2017 09:39

We went to Woburn last year and I hated it would never go back, far too small not enough Forrest to actually go for a wander so you end up just walking past all the lodges. Thankfully we went when it was fairly cheap. I felt that there wasn't enough to do for the different ages of the kids and just felt fenced in. I wouldn't write the others off and have heard great things about sherwood and Longleat but in all honesty I'm not prepared to travel to be disappointed.

ImNotWhoYouThinkIam · 27/01/2017 09:46

Treaclex

I've been to Woburn and Longleat.
I preferred Woburn in the capacity I went in because it was smaller.

For context I'm a carer. I take an elderly gentleman with a colleague. We are meant to take a break of 1.5 hours but I found that at Longleat this wasn't long enough to get to the pool and swim and get back, even on the train. And sometimes the train was so full we had to wait for the next one. Not much fun in January with an old man. I'd I was with my dc we could have walked/cycled.
At Woburn I had plenty of time to walk to the pool and back.
But the old man prefers longleat because he doesn't have to walk anywhere.

(There is a disabled taxi service but sometimes the wait for that was ages and he has the patience of a gnat)

ImNotWhoYouThinkIam · 27/01/2017 09:49

Sorry forgot to say if I went with my dc, 12 and 10 (which I wouldn't as it too expensive) I'd go to longleat.
Although the pool at Woburn had some ride thing and a lazy river
I didn't think the rapids were that great at Longleat. They weren't very rapid imo. (Maybe I'm too fat for the water to move me)

StealthPolarBear · 27/01/2017 10:53

" I grew up in snowdonia outback so find it really weird to see hoards of people schlepping around the countryside in the 'wrong' clothed etc"
Presumably you can cope with that though? Seem to be some precious types on this thread who struggle.

ChocolateWombat · 27/01/2017 11:03

center Parcs is the safe, sanitised version of the countryside that people like to believe they have been on holiday to. People like to feel they have been on holiday in the forest, not on a holiday park.
As people have said, you can't wander far in the woods without encountering a chalet or lodge and the chances of walking and not bumping into other people are pretty small.
Likewise people like to feel they have done adventurous activities in the outside, rather than tightly organised, timed and structured things.
It works for people for whom researching a local area, finding out about actitivities and showing more initiative is a bit of a pain and not what they want to do on holiday - it's a bit like a glorified school trip to a Pgl centre, with wine included. - oops, not included, but available, but at high cost.

Kkmuppet · 27/01/2017 11:32

I'm at cp right now and it's about our 20th visit over the last 10 years. The forests are real but they also try and sustain the woodlands by planting new trees. It's cheap outside school holidays and tons to do although some things are pricey including the Restaurants which are truly awful. It's not for everyone but i love the fact they will take my three yo off me for three hours while I can go to the spa - for total cost of £50 which is a bargain for three hours childcare and the spa for me - and she came back with cakes she'd made and a chefs hat and apron. I'm sure it's not for everyone as not much is but I'll be back again this year!

StealthPolarBear · 27/01/2017 11:37

The restaurants are really not that bad. The takeaway was lovely.

PrimalLass · 27/01/2017 11:41

I love Center Parcs. Yes, the shops and the restaurants are expensive, but nobody is forcing you to use them. I normally cook lasagne etc before we go and take that, plus lots of bbq stuff.

Ours kids are big enough to go off cycling and to the playparks themselves now, which makes it even better.

MsGameandWatch · 27/01/2017 11:42

I am always sceptical at MN moaning about food at places being crap. The endless moaning on here about DLP food really worried me before we went as we were going full board and yet we had two really fab meals and the rest were certainly above average. In fact the best chocolate fondant I have ever eaten was in "Walts" on Main Street and that restaurant was almost empty because it wasn't one of the more popular ones.

PrimalLass · 27/01/2017 11:46

Scattymere Fri 27-Jan-17 08:04:05
Centre Parcs exist for people who either just can't be bothered to or don't have the time to actually put bit of thought/research/ imagination into arranging a holiday.
_

Or those who just like it, perhaps? We got a M-F deal for £325 a couple of year ago, because our county had different Easter holidays to everyone else round about. It is less that 3 hours from home, there is lots to do that really suits our active children, and I always sleep brilliantly there.

brasty · 27/01/2017 11:55

Yes I have no imagination at all?
Or maybe a 40 minute car drive for a long weekend break, was easy and relaxing. I have actually done the backpacking through exotic places in the past. But CP exists for those who want an easy holiday.

CP is ideal for those times where do you not want to travel abroad for whatever reason. Whether a few young kids, or just time.
And you are actually allowed to leave the complex when you go there. We always used to eat at an excellent pub about 5 minutes away from the complex. Had excellent and well deserved Trip Advisor reviews.

Cosmicglitterpug · 27/01/2017 11:59

Centre Parcs exist for people who either just can't be bothered to or don't have the time to actually put bit of thought/research/ imagination into arranging a holiday.

Yep, that's me. And fine about that.

fedupslummymummy · 27/01/2017 12:10

Cosmic me too. Especially if it means the difference between us all enjoying our holiday or none of us enjoying it. Which is why I take my autistic child back year after year. It is one of his "safe places" and if he's happy, I'm happy

brasty · 27/01/2017 12:17

Totally understand that. A holiday should actually be enjoyable, as much as possible. I don't care if it is much cheaper on the continent. We went to CP as a family to avoid at that point the stress of the travel.

InsultingTheAlligator · 27/01/2017 12:18

Yes I agree fedup. I have a cousin who has two DCs, 18 months and 5. She took the piss out of us last year when we went to CP. She likes doing city breaks with the kids where they visit expensive restaurants, art galleries etc. That's fine for her, whatever floats her boat. But I am never sure how much the Dcs are in reality getting out of it, at their current age at least.

MrGrumpy01 · 27/01/2017 12:35

I really can see the appeal of going back somewhere you know. Our holiday this Easter will be our 10th time to the place. I know what I'm getting, I know where everything is, I've already sussed out the supermarkets, there is something more relaxing in that.

I'm just not prepared to spend that amount of money to go to CP though.

mummyoutoflondon04 · 27/01/2017 12:40

We went and absolutely HATED every minute of the middleclassBodenwearing fakehappy familyoverpricedcrapness of it all
I'll tell you what I really think next time. xx

RoboticSealpup · 27/01/2017 12:44

I've never been, but my class-anxious, Vivienne Westwood-wearing, constantly blabbering driving instructor bragged about going there so it must be horrible.

MsGameandWatch · 27/01/2017 12:56

Lots of inverse snobbery on this thread.

Bumpsadaisie · 27/01/2017 12:59

I've never got it. We live near the Penrith one. Why would you pay £££ to stay in a chalet in a very ordinary forest surrounded by corporate outlets when for same ££ you could hire beautiful national trust holiday cottages in spectacular locations in nicer parts of the lakes?

bibbitybobbityyhat · 27/01/2017 13:13

I think you mean a lot of snobbery on this thread MsGameAndWatch?

Although I disagree and don't think you're really listening to people's valid reasons for not finding a Center Parcs or similar type of holiday appealing. It's obvious that thousands if not millions of people love it so I don't understand that people feel this need to defend it! Why not just accept that it's not everyone's cup of tea?

Eolian · 27/01/2017 13:17

Lots of inverse snobbery on this thread.

Actually I think there's a fair mix of snobbery and inverse snobbery. Some people are sneering about CP because it's too middle class and others because it's not middle class enough .

I don't quite get why it's perceived as so much easier than just booking a self catering cottage though. Go on holiday cottage website, find one you like, book it. I suppose it's easier to book activities if they are all done through the same place. We rarely do booked activities though, so maybe that's partly why it doesn't appeal. I'd just much rather find our own stuff to do, explore the actual forests, lakes, towns, villages, restaurants that are part of the local area rather than part of the CP experience.

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