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.

🏖️🏖️🏖️

Are you Amanda from Motherland? 😂

“Why on earth Butlins?” is a complete question on its own TBH.

@Happytap your kids will love it. Everything is included. It's such good value. I love it too because I don't have to entertain the kids. I get to relax. Beach, pool, shows. Don't listen to the snobs.

Butlins isn't camping! Lol. And you can have food included - they even offer a more expensive premium dining restaurant so you don't need to associate with the plebs ... Clearly very judgemental about a place you've never been too...

My kids are teens now but all say Butlins is their favourite holiday venue that they remember.

I like thee sound of seagulls in the morning on holiday. We go up north. I would not go to a holiday camp type thing. I went once as a child and once as an adult and that was enough.

I have two young kids, have never been and I’m so curious about Butlins . I’ve been told I would hate it but I think my kids would love it .

Seagull sounds are putting me off though 😆

Plenty of people on here are snooty about Centre Parcs too!

“Mama, I might not be three yet but I do insist on a five star hotel”

😂😂😂

My children are 7 and 5 and this is the first year we haven't taken them (apart from 2020). They love it. They enjoy the shows, the pool, the rides and the beach. It's not posh, the food is basic (we go for the dining plan as it's easier) but everything is close, you can have a pint while they play in the park and the children come home happy.

My children don't have the 5* bug though luckily, you tend not to catch that in Minehead.

One of the worst 4 days of my life! Kids loved it. Never again

Don't avoid it. My kids love it. It'd not really a break for me. If I'm honest it's exhausting. We go swimming, to a show and the funfair every day. My kids 2 and 3 1/2 are asking when they can go again.

Do you not just stay in a luxury villa and go out to restaurants for lunch and dinner?? I hate being stuck in a hotel room we only do full villas or lodges and eat out at local places

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 .

So your small children never asked to camp? How the fuck would they know about camping if they'd never been??

Jesus you're so hilarious, entitled and quite honestly lack any understanding!

We loved Butlins when our boys were between 4 and 12. The pool, the entertainment, the crazy golf, the all you can eat breakfast. To be fair, they'd destroy us if we tried to take them now, which is why we go to France instead, but with younger children it's brilliant 👏 😄

Currently at Bognor but haven't noticed any fake seagull noises. Not many real seagulls about either.

I was hesitant to book as I'd heard lots of snooty comments but we've had a great time on a Just for Tots break. We stayed in one of the hotels and got the dine around meal plan, so daily room cleaning and no cooking for me! Yes I'm exhausted as we're on the go all day, kids are 2 and 4, but they have loved the soft play, fair rides, pool and shows. There is a spa if you want that?

Some places could be cleaner/ smarter, but I came with very low expectations and consider it very good value for money. Will likely return as the site is very safe and kid friendly. I'd much prefer a holiday in Greece but current airport chaos is off putting, and I know my kids would eagerly come back to butlins.

We camped with the cubs as I was a cub leader , they both disliked it intensely but have had the experience . I don’t see how it’s lacking understanding , in my first post I said I assume that the OP had small children that had enjoyed Butlins even though she / he hadn’t , I know lots of children enjoy that kind of holiday - mine didn’t . In the same way mine didn’t enjoy holidays that were based around beaches / swimming pools so most of our holidays involved theme parks / museums / sight seeing . Not bragging or lacking understanding, it wouldn’t do for us all to like the same things .

Agree I took my boys twice to butlins ,the first time they were 1 and four the second time they were 3 and six theyv loved it and it definitely appeals to small children probably not to teens

We've been going to Butlins for the past 6 years between Christmas and new year. We stay in an apartment, have half board and nowt wrong with it at all

I am so sorry OP but 😂😂

Yes, it's for this reason. The one in Bognor is right by the beach and there are plenty of seagulls in Bognor which would make natural noise but by playing it, it keeps them away and from pooing everywhere and stealing food/causing havoc.

Oh also YANBU

But obviously those theme parks were surrounded by 4/5 hotels? How did your children explain to you that it had to be 4/5 hotels to go with the theme parks? Did they tantrum if they saw you booking a 3*? Did they refuse to do a trip advisor review?

God it's awful isn't it when your small children have such high expectations? You just cannot let them down with a 3* and a them park, it ruins the whole ambience for them.

I really feel for you!

to be fair i never wanted to camp as a kid done it once with girl guide bloody hated it

didnt go aborad till ten though we seemed to go to seaside b and bs which i thought was fun

My DC loved Butlins as a young child (Bognor tots breaks- close to family out of season). I loved it too because my child was having the best time having non-stop fun. She also loved 5 all inclusive, cheap city breaks, caravan parks and just having fun on tap. She remembers Butlins and the caravan parks as her best holidays because of the freedom and it being kid central. Very unusual to have a young child articulate a preference for 4/5 rather than back to back Mr Tumble/kids clubs/fairground rides and a fun pool. We also stayed in the Butlins hotel with themed rooms with a kid space and were allowed to leave to eat out/visit family etc- not some kind of self catering hell hole. Would not do an entire week though.

Have no idea why the bold bit, but you get the gist.