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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to book an 80s weekend at Butlins for next year?

29 replies

Summerslam · 14/09/2022 17:38

DH and I used to go to a lot of nostalgia festivals but we are getting too old and knackered and personally, the thought of portaloos makes me feel nauseous.

I've just seen an advert for a 3 night break at Butlins in Skegness, featuring several 80's acts. It's about the same price as a festival, but you get a room with a bathroom, not a leaky tent, plus you can add dining and there's various stuff going on there too, not just music - swimming, bowling etc

However, I have never been to Butlins and I've never done one of these weekends before. Is it worth the money? Is it imperative to wear fancy dress?
Or should we just resign ourselves to being over the hill and stick to watching YouTube?

OP posts:
SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows · 14/09/2022 17:45

I haven’t been but know people that have & it was an absolute blast apparently! Go for it OP!

Cheeseandlobster · 14/09/2022 17:51

Ooh yes they are so much fun!! Definitely do it!

TheSoapyFrog · 14/09/2022 17:53

If I could someone to look after the kids for that long, I'd definitely go. I know a few people who go every year and have an absolute blast.

Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2022 17:55

I used to work with someone who went every year and said it was brilliant! Go for it, what's the worst that could happen?

JaneJeffer · 14/09/2022 17:59

Sounds great!

Reggiebo · 14/09/2022 18:00

Absolutely fabulous. Lots of acts on. Fancy dress if you want or not ..up to you. Plenty of fun. Definitely get a dinning plan. Premium is best. All you can eat. If there are just 2 then a room is fine.

Reggiebo · 14/09/2022 18:04

Join the Butlins big weekend FB groups. Lots of info and pics

Ahwig · 14/09/2022 18:07

I’m going to a 70’s one this weekend for the 3rd time. It’s absolutely brilliant. Fancy dress is not compulsory and in fact we haven’t done it but lots of people do and it makes people watching really interesting. Everyone is your age so that’s good and everyone is so friendly. We pay for the top of the range apartment as my days of slumming it are well behind me and the apartment is lovely. We don’t pay for their catering though, preferring to eat in before the evening show starts or go to their pretty good fish and chip restaurant.

Unglamorousgranny · 14/09/2022 18:17

Been to many of these weekends - 70's, 80's, 90's, Shiine, Ibiza, ska. All great! Food is fine too, lots of it & plenty of choice. We think it's worth having the food package. You know you've paid & haven't got to worry how much you're spending on eating out.
Chalets are OK, not luxury, but they do for a long weekend. There's a few all male/all female groups who are clearly in the "what happens in Butlins stays in Butlins" camp & out for a good time 🤣
You don't have to dress up, it's not the law. Friday night there are some that do, some that don't. Saturday night seems to be the night when most go for it with dressing up & having a good time. Sunday is still busy but not as much as Saturday & a handful of people start heading home on the Sunday, presumably for work on Monday.
Dressing up is a good laugh, it gets people joining in. My husband went as Adam Ant one year, I did his make up for him. He had so much female attention I felt like reminding them he wasn't the real Adam Ant! After 20 years of marriage it made his night & boosted his ego bless him

WhereYouLeftIt · 14/09/2022 18:18

Haven't done it myself but someone I know raved about it. Had a great time, thought the rooms were good, enjoyed the whole thing.

Unglamorousgranny · 14/09/2022 18:22

And you're not too old either! There's loads of older people who would have been young in the 80's & would remember it first time round. You also get youngsters who enjoy the music & fancy dress too. It's a mixed bag & anything goes

Siameasy · 14/09/2022 18:22

I’m mid 40s and I go with my friends. It’s great fun and there are all ages there.

Anotherpubber · 14/09/2022 18:25

I went to one as part of a 40th with some other women. It was good fun but loads of married men looking to cop off. Plenty of married women obliging too!

DancingBudgie · 14/09/2022 18:34

Butlins eighties weekends are great.
It's a brilliant atmosphere with no trouble that I've seen when I've gone to them.
Everyone just wants to have a good time, a laugh and ' relive our youth '.
Go for it op.

APJ1 · 14/09/2022 18:59

I went to an 80s weekend at their Minehead site a few years ago. I'd felt a bit apprenhensive about going but I loved it! It was heaving but everyone was just really fun and friendly.

MinnieMountain · 14/09/2022 19:02

If I could tolerate the massive hangover, I’d love to go to another one.

Hibye23289 · 14/09/2022 19:06

Go they are amazing!!!! Most people do dress up but you dont have to. I have done 80s and 90s and was arranging to go next year today with some people only they now cant make the dates!! Go!!

Original poster
Summerslam · 14/09/2022 19:42

Anotherpubber · 14/09/2022 18:25

I went to one as part of a 40th with some other women. It was good fun but loads of married men looking to cop off. Plenty of married women obliging too!

I'll be going with DH so there will be none of that😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Summerslam · 14/09/2022 20:03

Thank you to everyone who replied - maybe see some of you at Butlins, Skeggy next year?

I'm going to book a room and the all inclusive dining, I'll pass on the bottomless brunch, and I shall have a think about fancy dress.

OP posts:
HouseofHolbein · 14/09/2022 20:50

I'm going to a bootleg weekend at minehead in January. Silent disco bottomless brunch and tribute bands sounds like heaven to me 🤣🤣

5 of us going aged between 45 and 53 (me). Apparently we aren't doing the food package because eating is cheating 🤣🤣

Can't wait 😜

Lcb123 · 14/09/2022 20:53

I went to 90s weekend at Butlins Minehead it was so much fun. It’s really good value for money. There was a big range of ages!

SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows · 14/09/2022 22:53

Just wondering about Minehead as I have heard of a lot of occasions where people got norovirus. Hopefully they have cleaned up their act now!

EmeraldShamrock1 · 14/09/2022 22:54

It sounds like a lot of fun.

Penguinsaregreat · 14/09/2022 23:00

I know someone who has been lots of times. One of the women makes all their fancy dress outfits they have a great time.

MrsToothyBitch · 15/09/2022 07:01

Do it! My last housemate went to a few Butlins big weekends/80s/90s weekends with friends. Her gang always had a lovely time! Booked nice rooms, enjoyed the events and availed themselves of the other things you could do and used a combi of restaurant meals and shopping they'd brought along. They did some but not all fancy dress I think. Always looked fab!

My housemate was newly single after an awful breakup, too and I think these really cheered her up and boosted her confidence. She actually met her new partner there- he turned out to be local to us so they moved in together when our lease was up & have a beautiful baby Dd now!