Regretting booking Butlins, words of wisdom needed!

[DogsBehavingWrongly]

I used to go to Butlins as a child in the 80s and I loved it! Us kids used to just set off in a morning on our own and have fun until bed time! So I booked it (Skegness) for my granddaughter - going in May.

Im really regretting it 😭 for a start the main reason I booked it was for the swimming pool … turns out most of it is closed yet they never told me that on booking!! Secondly you have to book all activities now … I’ve just gone to book stuff and most is “unavailable”

Then there’s the reviews 🤦‍♀️ do people really strut around drinking Stella and calling their kids little cunts??! It never used to be like this, what the hell happened ?!

Anyone who has been recently … please tell me she’ll enjoy it?! She’s 4

My daughter loved it. There is loads of free shows all day and night. We saw a fab traditional variety style magic show there, Was ace, centre parks doesnt have the beach. Centre park is overrated and overpriced.

I've been with my son a couple of times and to an adults only weekend. My son loved it and I didn't have any complaints. With regard to booking activities, you can only do it a week or two before your arrival date,so that may be why everything is showing as unavailable? You should get an email once you're able to book activities. Again, I never had any issues with getting my son booked in for things,even when I left it to the last minute. Hope you all have a lovely time.

VIP booking opens 31 days before you go . Normal booking 28 days before you go. Never wait for email. Booking opens at exactly 10.20 am

We go to Minehead every year and love it. There is lots that doesn't need booking, parks, bike hire, loads of free shows in the Skyline tent that don't need to be booked, 2 fairgrounds. Minehead has softplay too.Booking opens four weeks before and you get an email link but many of the paid for activities are usually availiable right up to the day before.

I've been to Minehead a few times with the kids and we've all loved it. It's cheap and cheerful but nothing wrong with that

My best friend and I took our children in the summer (first time there for us both) and had an absolute blast. That was Skegness. There is loads for the children to do, I didn’t see any worse parenting then anywhere else (and I live in a very middle class London bubble). We absolutely did go to the bars and it was just full of groups of friends and families having a nice time.

Restaurants were slow and hopeless but that’s my experience at CP too. Our accommodation (second from top category, can’t remember the name they gave it) was absolutely fine. Get a line skip pass for shows, so worth it not to queue. You’ll have a lovely time.

Agree that CP is over priced. Can absolutely recommend Forest holidays though for a very different and peaceful break.

OMG This is nearly 2 years old !!!!!!!!

Was the fairground closed when you went?

My neighbour went to Minehead last year with a toddler and her child still talks about the holiday. I wonder if you could change your booking. You could tell them the swimming pool is important.

We went to Butlins Skegness when ds was young on a The Sun £20 holiday, we lasted 2 days before we had to go home, the only meal we at out for was a Burger King & all 3 of us got food poisoning.

Have taken my grandkids and now GGD to Bognor and Minehead - they all loved it. I never saw people wandering about with cans of beer, hurling abuse at kids. Unlike in some bucket shops near me…🙄

Children love it. 👍

If it makes you feel better, we went to a different caravan park in Skegness for my sons rugby tour a couple of years ago. The one I was at was so bad I was looking at the Butlins wistfully.

If it helps OP, im quite snobby when it comes to holidays. But the kids get so much enjoyment out of Butlins that we go back most years. They have an absolute ball from the second we get there to the minute we leave. I dont overly take much notice of other people so don't recognise the behaviours you describe. We dont drink as a family and as the kids are small we are usually back in the chalet by about 7 so not in the pubs etc which I assume is when most of the antisocial behavior happens. That being said, we go to the Minehead one so can't comment on Skegness.

Did an 80s weekender there last year- what awesome fun - the place is an absolute dump

Been to bognor twice, the dc loved it. Wall to wall entertainment. Pool and flumes were great. Beach was lovely. Silver Chalet pretty well equipped in the kitchen and spacious for the 4 of us. Yes there is a certain demographic but they're fine, didn't impact our holiday.

We took our granddaughters to Peppa Pig World last summer, it was fantastic, thoroughly recommend. We stayed at Butlin's Bognor Regis for 5 days as it's relatively close to PPW and thought it would be fun. It would have been brilliant, but for the other holidaymakers there. The swimming pool was great, we all loved it, but there were soiled nappies left on the floor in the changing rooms, sanitary towels left behind toilets. The restaurants served decent food (Harvester style) but you had to sit amongst the previous diners' leftovers, mind where you stood for food debris on the carpet, clean the highchair before putting the 2 year old in (I always carry wipes.) I would never leave a table in a mess, people have no manners. The big indoor soft play area was great, but the section for little ones kept being invaded by feral kids much older, throwing the shapes around and jumping on the little ones, no parents to control them. The playground was good, but again ruined by thuggish kids blocking little ones' way on the climbing frame, twisting the swings in the air, generally being a nuisance. No parents in sight. The main entertainment area was huge, shows, mini funfair, arcade, restaurants & bars all in a massive marquee, but parents sat getting drunk while their kids ran wild.

Basically, the great British holiday still has the same components as it's always had, it's the not so great British public that has changed. It has nothing at all to do with low income Vs wealth, it's the mindset that has changed. Control your children, don't swear, don't get drunk when you're in charge of small children and babies in prams, clear up after yourselves, if bins are full find another one, be respectful to yourselves and others, be polite to staff and don't be rude (I can't believe that in some establishments now signs remind customers of this.)

There were three generations of us on holiday, we made the most of it but all said we wouldn't return any time soon. It's such a shame because on paper the holiday provides everything you could possibly want with a young family.

Standards have dropped so far in this country, you notice it everywhere you go. I don't know the answer, but I despair for my granddaughters' future.

Yes I’m wondering if OP survived Butlins! I never went again after we went about 20 years ago, left our sandy buckets and spades outside our chalet overnight - and they were gone by morning 😂

No but it was a couple of years ago now.