To ask whether Center Parcs would be worth it?

[FizzyOranges]

Posting for traffic!

Thinking of booking a 4 night mid week break in Feb (not in half tern) with LG who would be 15 months. She is crawling but not walking currently. She loves swimming which is why I'm thinking of it. I've never been to Center Parcs but heard the pool is good. Would it be good for a very little one though? I.e. if it's all really shallow where non swimmers can go it's a lot of kneeling in water for parent. As I'm holding her the whole time anyway I prefer being stood with water at least up to my waist

Other than swimming I guess we could do walks, maybe biking, maybe soft play.

Thinking of the Sherwood Forest one.

If you wouldn't do Center Parcs what would you do?

We took our DC to Centre Parcs for a winter break quite often when they were toddlers and we really enjoyed it. However, the prices seem to have shot up over the last few years- there used to be some fairly reasonable deals out of school holidays and not many alternatives with activities for toddlers etc. We used to spend a lot of time in the pool, then do a couple of toddler activities and use the playgrounds/nature trails etc. Having seen the prices now, and the fact that swimming slots are restricted, I think I'd look elsewhere. Other than walks in the woods and swimming, there is nothing included in a CP holiday and activities are very expensive for what they are (eg. even a few years ago we paid about £15 for a teddy bear's picnic which was basically just a group of other families having a walk round the block, a few nursery rhymes and a cheapy sandwich for DD)

So at Sherwood you have a big section in the STSP for tots that's about mid shin deep. It's got a slide etc.
Then a warm outdoor pool that's adult chest deep.
Then the sloping pool that has the waves every 15 mins which is very shallow at the edge for about 2-3m but goes to 6ft by the far wall where the wave machine is.
You really wouldn't be getting the benefit of the bigger flumes or the rapids etc. But same is true of Butlins.
There's no eve entertainment at CP. No chance to sit with a beer and watch your kids do a disco etc. And you pay for the nose for all the kids activities which only last 30 /45 mins. CP does have an excellent creche and there's chance to sneak off for adult time or the spa. Plus Sherwood has space for cycling around and strolling about in a pleasant forest environment. It has a country club feel. But Butlins is often near a beach for walks. The CP villas all have a fire and a lovely layout for cooking, eating and chilling.
CP is more about quiet enjoyment and Butlins is about fun. Which would you enjoy more?
I'm a CP fan. It suited us when kids were small. But it's not for everyone.

I love it but the only thing that makes it worth the money is the HOURS we spend in the pool. At 15 months, your child will get far far more for a hell of a lot less money at Haven.

I personally found ours got the most from it aged 7 upwards. It's very sporty/outdoorsy and not very toddler focused.

I've never been to CP but they're usually out of our budget for a holiday in school hols. However the aspects fans find enjoyable, we find are often available on campsites for half the price (bike riding, swimming pools, activities for young kids) but I appreciate these are probably not an available or attractive prospect in February!

Currently at CP. Pool is suited to older kids. There is a baby bit but she's not really got much from it. Our eldest is having the time of his life.

My family had lovely holidays at Center Parcs when the DC were toddlers. We still do even though they are now grown up.
We’ve always allowed lots of spending money and booked all the activities.

My adult dd still complains that we never took her to centre parcs.
I don’t like public pools though.

My advice is when travel is safe again go to Cap Ferret in SW France in summer.
It has sea, gorgeous beaches, sand dunes, woodland and safe cycling paths everywhere.
Camp sites with pool too.
Plus it’s warm and sunny.
Can’t be much dearer even with travel.
If God had invented centre parcs this would be it.

Sorry I meant to say our DD is 15 months.

I love CP! I'd save it for when she is walking though.

We went in 2020 with our 18 month old and loved it . We did a week and it was off peak so prices were reasonable (in comparison to peak). The pool is fantastic and they have a toddler splash pad and a baby pool ( Woburn) . By the end of the week our 18 month old was feeling brave enough to go down the toddler watersides on his own too .

When we weren’t at the pool ,we were spending time outside on our bikes or going for walks . You can sign up for activities everyday as well , which we did most days (baby music class , arts and crafts class, balance bike class etc ). It can get expensive though as the extra activities cost.

Overall it was a great, stress free trip and my toddler had a blast !

I’ve been to CP twice - Sherwood and Longleat - but wouldn’t take a toddler there. It’s very overpriced for what it is anyway and a toddler won’t get anyway from the pool that they wouldn’t get from your local council pool.

We’ve been to Butlins (Bognor Regis) a few times and I think it’s more suited to younger children, and the Just for Tots weeks even more so for your DC’s age. Honestly, we could have never seen ourselves go to Butlins and felt a bit snobby about it (we are not snobs usually!), but DC always have a fab time. I’d book the best accommodation you can afford - the first time we went we booked a Gold apartment and it was a bit basic and the block it was in wasn’t the nicest, so since then we only book the Ocean Hotel plus the dining plan. The Bognor one is next to a pebble beach which is fine if you’ve got beach shoes and DC just want a paddle etc.

Never been but was shocked (and dismayed 🤣) to read on MN that it doesn’t have a dome (never had a dome and that the dome was only a metaphor!) It’s just a holiday parc (small c.)

We've done Center Parcs twice - both were treats from my MIL. We went once when the kids were little, and the next time they were all aged over 8. I felt captive in the place, behind a barbed wire fence, and wasn't keen on the chain restaurants, which were all busy at the times we wanted to eat. Additional activities are all quite expensive - but I did enjoy the clay pigeon shooting I did whilst my MIL looked after the kids.

I don't have toddlers now, but if I did, I'd definitely be looking at the Butlins option!