To wonder why on earth Butlin's

[AveAtqueVale]

...have speakers dotted around that play seagull noises? The place is riddled with real-life noisy seagulls. It's like they're trying to create a 'fake seaside' vibe despite actually being by the seaside.

I've been here a week, home tomorrow thank fuck and have been left with many questions, not least what possessed me to pay actual money to come here, but the fake seagulls are definitely top of the list.

YABU = It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do: the dulcet tones of seagulls are a quintessential part of English seaside holidays and it is simply not worth the risk the real ones might fall silent for even a minute.
YANBU = Yes, that is utterly batshit.

🏖️🏖️🏖️

YABU to go to Butlins. I would pay not to have to go. Sorry! 😉

Just strange.

Maybe it’s to deter the real gulls and therefore stop them being pests in actual Butlins?

Have you got small children that have enjoyed it , I think that’s the point of Butlins . Fortunately even when my children were small they had 4/5* hotel taste .

That's got to be the most hilarious stealth brag ever on MN!

Mine were more tent on a campsite kinda kids!

I believe they do it to put real seagulls off, happy to be corrected if this isn’t the case!

Have you ever been?
Granted its not everyone's cup of tea ,but kids seem to love it .

I imagine because that's where you took them on holidays !

Oh god I was just about to book a just for tots break for my kids!!

would you say avoid?!

From a quick Google search "The difference between a 3 star hotel and 4 star hotel is the availability of activities and level of care from the staff. While 3 star hotels offer some fitness selections like a pool and gym, a 4 star hotel provides options such as multiple pools, spas, and fitness classes."

I'm surprised your children have been keen on fitness classes and spas from a young age, what wonderfully boring adults they will make!

It depends what you want in a holiday its a geared up for children and there is loads to do ,and I think just for tots tends to be quieter, people are very snobby about butlins if you like holiday park type holidays it's definitely one of the better ones .

😂😂😂

I've not long been to butlins and didn't notice any seagull noises 🤔 or seagulls for that matter so can't be that obviously annoying.

I quite enjoyed it tbh, was ideal for a 6 and 4 year old. Will be returning next year circumstances depending.

Tots absolutely love it. Definitely go - ignore the snobs. My dds have been to 5* hotels but when they were wee they definitely preferred Butlins.

People are so snobby about Butlins. Sneering at it alongside instant coffee and UPVC front doors.

My kids prefer it to Center Parcs and it’s a fraction of the cost. Yes it’s a bit basic but the entertainment is good and constant, they can be busy from dawn to dusk. It is kids paradise. I tolerate it because I’d really rather be riding my bike around the countryside and going back to a lodge with a dishwasher but for kids it is brilliant.

@Happytap
I took mine to Butlins about three years in a row. They're too old now but the just for tots weeks are brilliant and the kids loved it.
You do have to close your eyes and ears a little to some of the other guests (sorry, I know that's snobby, but you do) but go with an open mind and embrace it for what it is, and I promise the kids will have a fabulous time

I've been to Butlins many times and never noticed fake seagull noises, which one was it?
Butlins is brilliant for small kids, loads to do to keep them busy and it's always felt very safe to me, no traffic to worry about for a start, it's also good value for money.

It's great for kids and nice and easy for parents as there is lots to keep them entertained. My children really love it we go to the Bognor one and it always seems fine.
I am a single parent so for me we go there because it's easy- lots of entertainments and things to do all in one place. They love the fairground and pool and youngest loved the shows

I had been a total Butlins snob despite never having been there. Then last year we went for a Christmas special weekend and we all had a brilliant time. Kids are 10, 9 and 9. Entertainment was amazing, especially the panto, lots of jokes for all ages. We probably paid similar for 3 nights with entertainment as we would pay for a single panto show for the 5 of us at a theatre. We booked for the same thing again this year before we'd even left. I am happy to say I was wrong about Butlins!
No idea about the seagull noises, don't think I noticed them. And not sure I'd want a summer holiday there, but I'm sure the kids would, there is so much for them to do!

When DD was 5/6 she couldn't decide if she liked Butlins or Disney World more 😁

She's 10 now but would probably still enjoy it, the swimming pools are always really.Good fun

I loved taking my dd to Butlins. She thought it was brilliant! It's not really for the adults.

Oh it’s hell on earth for adults. But if you have young kids, they will bloody love it. Took mine there a lot when they were little and they enjoyed it far more than Center parcs or holidaying abroad.

To be fair, I agree with your kids.

I'd much prefer Butlins where nobody is judging you to the stuck up nonsense that is Center Parcs. But horses for courses, what makes a good holiday is a personal thing.

Not a stealth brag at all , they were never kids that wanted to camp and I don’t self cater for more than breakfast when I’m on holiday . Most of our family holidays when they were small were at Disney ( Paris and Orlando ) so they were more used to hotels .

My local Sainsbury's plays bird noises, pretty sure it's to scare the actual birds away