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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To go on holiday to butlins?

85 replies

inpixiehollow · 28/06/2021 19:35

Met with a friend for lunch the other day we were chatting about this and that and I mentioned I had booked to take my two under 2's on a just for tots break next summer. My friends reaction was quite clearly one of horror.. I know its not fancy but she pulled a face like I had said we were going to have a week at HMP.
AIBU to want to holiday fairly locally with two very small children, with activities to keep them occupied?

OP posts:
DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou · 28/06/2021 20:42

We love it, it's bloody exhausting but it's a laugh.

Mrspopper · 28/06/2021 20:45

We’ve had brilliant times at butlins. Kids adore the rides and the new pool at Bognor is amazing. Honestly just go with it and you’ll have a great time.

Spaceman101 · 28/06/2021 20:48

We've been on the just for tots week at Butlins twice and loved it. It's completely geared up for children so only families holidaying there at that time. The accommodation is basic but we were hardly there as there was so much to do.

Figgygal · 28/06/2021 20:53

I grew up going to butlins until foreign holidays from around 12 butlins were the best holidays ever

We’ve gone to minehead twice in last 3 years the entertainment and food were great our kids are desperate to go back but I’m not going while covid is around.

The accommodation not so great unless you pay ££££ It’s a bloody rip off this year the prices are outrageous

magictoe · 28/06/2021 20:56

The Just for Tots breaks are brilliant. We went in March last year and we were so glad we managed to have a nice family break, it made lockdown more bearable.

Christmasfairy2020 · 28/06/2021 20:58

I'm of to skegvevas butlins in August Grin

ladygindiva · 28/06/2021 21:01

@magictoe

The Just for Tots breaks are brilliant. We went in March last year and we were so glad we managed to have a nice family break, it made lockdown more bearable.
Awww we were booked for the 23rd, the day everything shut down!
DobbyTheHouseElk · 28/06/2021 21:05

You couldn’t pay me enough.

Even Butlins fans say that covid has affected the experience.

OrangeBananaFish · 28/06/2021 21:05

We came back from Butlins today. We are due to go again over New Year (was originally booked for June 2020, then last new year) and also booked today for July 2022. It will be our 5th year in a row. We did go when DS and DD1 were little for 3 years, but then had a break for a few years until I decided I wanted to take DD2 to experience it too. Been going every year since.

We have considered other UK breaks now our DCs are 16, 13 and 9, but everything else was so much more expensive. Love, love, love Butlins.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 28/06/2021 21:06

@DobbyTheHouseElk

You couldn’t pay me enough.

Even Butlins fans say that covid has affected the experience.

I prefer it this way. Much less crowded and manic.
Original poster
inpixiehollow · 28/06/2021 21:06

Thank you all! Sounds like it will be fab for us as long as the kids are happy we are too. We have booked the premium dining so my part of the holiday is none of the cooking and cleaning up! Lovely to read so many of you and your little ones have enjoyed it!

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 28/06/2021 21:08

We went last Feb, just before covid properly hit, and had a lovely time. It was in the middle of the massive storm so not the best for enjoying the beach and outdoor funfair but we still had run. This was at Bognor.

The pool there is really excellent. It’s a real show stopper. The kids really liked the funfair too, and did a bit of archery and wall climbing. They don’t really like evening shows on holiday so that was a bit wasted on us.

I’m not totally sure if I’d go again - I think I’d want to find cheap dates. What id like to do is go for a day visit but those are all of due to covid.

I’m on the Facebook group for it, and a lot of people are complaining about not being able to book in swim slots, shows, activities etc. That said, most seem to be able to queue on the day.

Livpool · 28/06/2021 21:08

YANBU- it is for children. A colleague of mine took his daughter a couple of years ago and loved it.

Why be snobby about it?'

CassandraTrotter · 28/06/2021 21:09

I have gone every year since my dd was a baby. Obviously not last year. And since they've upped the price massively, not this year. My children love it and it is an easy holiday for me to take them alone. We usually do skegness but last time we did minehead and loved it.

It's an easy break to have with children as there is entertainment from breakfast to bedtime.

FunMcCool · 28/06/2021 21:10

Your friend is a snob

twilightermummy · 28/06/2021 21:11

Butlins is fantastic! We do go abroad every year still and to other places in the UK for the culture aspect but, we’ve done Butlins once/twice a year for 8 years. It’s great for kids (exhausting though!)

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 28/06/2021 21:15

Also, I wouldn’t call it chavvy - it’s just normal people, not fighting drunks or Wayne and waynetta.

PersianStar · 28/06/2021 21:16

We just got back from Minehead on Friday with a 2.5 year old and a 8 month old…. Toddler had the absolute time of her life with all the rides, arcade, swimming and just general fun there. Everyone who worked on site was so friendly and stopped to chat to her or wave. Beach straight across the road.
Yes covid has had a massive impact but the staff are there to make sure you have a brilliant time.
I booked in January and got an extremely cheap deal just because I thought she deserved some fun after being stuck at home with me for a year. OH was completely snobby about it so I said if he didn’t want to come, I’d take her by myself…. Way home he asks if we’re booking for next year! And believe me he’s hard to please.

PersianStar · 28/06/2021 21:18

And you just get all walks of life there. I may have a snobby OH but I’m as chavvy and “council estate”as they come Grin
live and let live, everyone is there for the same reason which is mainly to let their DC have a fun time

Kendodd · 28/06/2021 21:20

I took my kids once when they were little, they loved it. I thought it was shit. It wasn't for me though, it was a treat for them. I think Mr Tumble is shit as well but I'd still have taken my children to see him because they'd love it.

Ju11tne · 28/06/2021 21:24

I recently went with my child and I thought the restaurants were poor they closed early and they were not enough Ice cream parlours around on site and the one they had shut at 5. I think it's OK but I don't think I would go again. We went off site to restaurants and we went to the beach which was a lovely afternoon.

Places like butlins involve you spending money in the arcades and activies in order to make it a fun holiday. I think Butlins is aimed at children under 7 mainly I noticed a lot of tots during my stay.

The pool is nice though. I much prefer an all-inclusive holiday abroad usually.

RoseMartha · 28/06/2021 21:25

Every time I have looked the prices are steep
Been for a day pass for the kids a few years and that was enough for me.

101spacehoppers · 28/06/2021 21:26

We took the kids to Bognor last year, during Covid. They're 4 and 7 and had a great time. The pool has real wow, and the slides are just right- the 4yo was able to go on all of them and they love waterslides. We went to a couple of the shows which were kind of endearingly slightly rubbish and they thought the fairground was fab.

I would say we thought the food was awful- had the premium dining and it wasn't great at all. If we went again I'd get the nicest apartment and buy easy self catering stuff. 3 nights was enough mind, I couldn't manage 2 weeks. Its kind of rough round the edges but really fine.

Starlightstarbright1 · 28/06/2021 21:30

There is a lot of snobbery about Butlins.

We went half term . There are issues currently about booking activities- we were lucky and booked as soon as email came through.

We ended up in silver accommodation, we have previously been in cheapest- was definitely worth paying the extra. The beds were so much better and my Ds was in a separate room.

Entertainment was amazing.

thenewduchessofhastings · 28/06/2021 21:33

Outside of Covid restrictions it's brilliant;the pool at Skegness and Minehead are like indoor water parks there is even a water ride where you sit in a raft and you go down a water rollercoaster thingy.

The fair,playgrounds,indoor soft play plus lots of shows are included in the price and last time we went to minehead we used there onsite cinema which is quite cheap and was showing current in cinema films.

We've not used the dining packages yet but we're off in 2 weeks to stay in a gold apartment with a dining package;my only concern is the stories I'm hearing of people not being able to use certain facilities because of the booking system due to covid but every holiday park is having to get people to book.

Your kids will absolutely have a blast and my kids have the fondest memories of the stuff for younger ones when they were younger.

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