Center parks - a bit tacky?

[9uygjk]

Just back from our first trip to center parks. Went to the one in Woburn and honestly I just thought it was a bit tacky. Apparently it's middle class Butlins but is it? Maybe am being particularly picky but I still thought it was a bit like Butlins. Is it just me?

Agreed . Kids don’t like crowds, organised group activities or cycling? Take them to centre parks ! Said no one ever

To clarify my kids like cycling but not on bikes without gears when it's so hilly. Woburn's pool at least in the summer is really really busy - they love swimming, my eight year old is in a swimming club. On paper it should have been perfect, in practice, it wasnt.

What's bravery got to do with travelling a long way with your DC? Whether that's going to be viable or remotely enjoyable for anyone is dependent on the character of the DC and their enjoyment or not of travel, the convenience, the cost etc. Not sure why you're implying that someone who chooses a short journey over the hassle of being the sole caretaker and entertainer on a long trip lacks courage, or is overly dependent on their husband.

Thank you. Actually it was Dcs who didn't want to go far. We had already done six hours to Cornwall earlier in the summer and they didnt want another long journey.

I think people who are defensive over centre parcs (2nd thread in 2 days) is because they know it’s a massive rip off even if you go in the depths of January in term time armed with a slow cooker and a jar of Nescafé. No one likes feeling or admitting that they’re being ripped off.

I went to the one in the Lake District. The food was disgusting and overpriced. The supermarket was shite and the bakery in there was the worse I’ve even been to. There were cars and centre parcs vehicles driving everywhere because the most expensive accommodation had their own parking. The activities were extortionate. The staff were meh. And everyone had the face on because it’s not that good and you’ve all paid a fortune and you resent it’s rammed full of other people because you’ve spent so much.

I think the clientele is people who for whatever reason can’t fly for a week in Spain, but have the same amount of money to spend on a break.

Wow you’re scathing!😂

im a clientele of CP. Not because i cannot fly to Spain for a week . Its because I dont want to. Prefer to pay a lot for CP to avoid sun lounger, sand and grubby fingers in the all inclusive.

But they’re not defensive threads. They’re started by Center Parcs critics. And the criticisms generally come with a big helping of snootiness.

If you don’t like CP don’t go. I don’t go anymore because the family’s older. But I’d go again if it suited.

I’ve been on much shitter and worse value holidays in Europe. Particularly in France.

Never been to centre parks but love Butlins. I'm middle class because I'm neither rich or poor

These threads always have too much overthinking just enjoy your holiday

I go to CP 2-3 times a year. I also go on another 4-5 ‘holidays’ outside of the UK, so nothing to do with not being able to get on a plane to Spain.

The level of criticism and sneering about a holiday that lots of people do (evidence by the fact it’s always so busy!) is very bizarre.

I hate the idea of going to Cornwall or Barcelona but for thousands of others it’s their ideal holiday. I don’t sneer because it’s not my vibe.

Tell me your kids are nightmares to travel with without telling me 🙈 the journey is part of the fun. Don’t like the locally convenient options, don’t go then. Travel further to somewhere you do like

No, as it happens they were fine. We flew long haul from when they were tiny, no problems. However I understand that was sheer good fortune and not an act of heroism on my part. Luck they enjoyed it, when some DC really don't. I've seen plenty of parents working very hard to keep DC happy on planes and trains, to no avail and completely understand why they'd prefer to restrict journey times.

I went straight there as well 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

Objectively it is terrible value for money in the uk - whether you’ve saved up all year or you’re a millionaire on your tenth holiday you are being ripped off. I’ve been to one in France and it wasn’t cheap but it was cheaper and it was loads better. The activities were better, the pool was better, the food was better, the shop was better, the playgrounds were better, the indoor play was better, the accommodation was about the same. I dunno, people spend money on all sorts of shite, I suppose centre parcs is no different.

And Gail’s is up north these days and it’s very average so I guess it will be at centre parcs in a decade or so 😁

Objectively, I’d say that getting to Woburn, Elveden or Sherwood Forest is a fuck sight easier for most people than getting to France.

And I’ve had disappointing holidays in France. Subjectively speaking, of course.

The worst was at a Pierre et Vacance where everything was shit. Wasn’t cheap either. We left early.

My adult DS goes each year with a bunch of friends, they have great fun and pay around £125 each for accommodation on a Monday to Friday break. How is he being ripped off?

but once you've actually paid for your accommodation all of those things are completely optional? Restaurants/supermarkets/activities etc. You don't need to go to any of them if you don't want to.

I don't get people who have clearly managed to drive however many miles to get to CP but couldn't be arsed to pop into one of the hundreds of supermarkets on the way, and then are surprised that a small supermarket with a captive market is on the pricier side? You can even leave and come back if you want to get a few things/takeaway, as long as you're prepared to walk/cycle from the car park.

Similarly you can leave and do activities if you HAVE to be doing extra stuff every minute of the day and the ones there are too expensive for you. Although personally I don't think they're that different - at the example list here www.centerparcs.co.uk/discover-center-parcs/activities/example-activity-prices/whinfell-forest-pricing-guide.html it's 14.50 for a double kayak hire whereas that's 30 pound at my local reservoir. There are different types of treetops things but the most expensive is from 42 pounds compared to 59 pound at go ape. 6-9 quid for adventure golf sounds pretty similar to local ones too.

Whatever accommodation we’ve had over the years, the beds have been comfortable, the water has been hot, it’s been peaceful, and few cars make it pleasant to walk about. We take some essentials but who cares if we don’t eat healthily a couple of times. DGC have been there over the years from tots to teens, and always enjoyed themselves. And these are children who’ve had lots of different holidays, in the UK and abroad.

For those who’ve tried it once and didn’t like it, fair enough. For me it holds some really good memories of time spent with family.

That’s all very well, but how many people did you hear speaking French on your trips to Center Parcs? Because a holiday’s not a holiday unless you can practise your prep school French on a bored supermarket cashier in Toulouse or wherever.

I’ve noticed that the Euro holiday snobs even pull cat’s bum faces if you say you’re going to America for a holiday. I imagine it’s the lack of medieval cathedrals to drag their children round.

All those educational opportunities the DGC could have had, and missed! I don’t think it’s impacted them too much. Oldest DGD can visit the mediaeval cathedral in Durham at her leisure later this year when she starts at uni there.

It is literally bonkers that people will vehemently argue centre parcs in the uk isn’t expensive for what it is. It is, it really is. I spent the money and it was overpriced. I can’t go outside of term time I have school age dc. I don’t want to bring my slow cooker and self cater every meal in a place with about ten restaurants, I am on holiday. I don’t want to spend £50 per person on a small rope course you are allowed to do once - it was £35 in Centre parcs in France, in an actual wood and you got 2.5 hours. The whole point is with the amount you are paying you are meant to be able to be there are not need to schelp out in the car to find an Aldi or bring everything with you. What is the point of it otherwise?

Honestly maybe I went to centre parcs in a parallel universe or something as the one I went to last year was crap and overpriced and a massive disappointment. Maybe if I’d not been to the much better one in France a couple of years earlier then I wouldn’t have seen it for the shite it is. I assumed (wrongly I suppose) that it’s a chain where I guess it’s really a franchise and is totally different in different countries.

Anyway I prefer Butlins in the uk so I will leave you all to your centre parcs and at least we won’t meet choking down the worst vanilla slices on planet earth with a £5 post mix Diet Coke 😁

I’m a working class woman who sadly could not have DC so basically wrong demographic for CP, you would say OP lol.

All I have to say is I can not stand dirty pools as described by pp they make me feel sick.
I struggle to go in the pool at the leisure centre / on holiday. Pools have to be very clean. We had a nice regularly cleaned pool at a small villa I stayed in Lanzarote and I was happy.

I like fresh coffee it’s nice. And fresh bread. Starbucks is ok but Caffè Nero is better. What’s Gail’s?

I would probably enjoy a 90s weekend at Butlins, and I like St.Ives as it’s pretty.

If I went to France I would stay in an apartment or a gite not a campsite.

I expect the places I pay to stay in to be immaculately clean to my standards. As part of my job i actually clean hospital rooms. So I know what I am talking about.

I don’t mind children being around if they are well behaved. One of my friends (also working class) - basically you can take her daughter anywhere. Another friend - upper middle class - her children are wild, you cannot even sit in a coffee shop with them for 10 minutes. But they are nice kids at heart just very naughty. It’s a shame.

I think it’s ridiculous saying places are for this class or that class. If you can afford it, you can go there.

Is this satire?

Why are you so obsessed with class? And what the fuck do you think middle class means?

Not parking outside the lodges are a key part of the stay. Not sure how you missed that.

I guess I missed it because I don't drive, we don't own a car and most people don't where we live in London. Bikes yes that's a thing, cars not so much.

That's hilarious. Florence is one of my favourite cities in the world (and no, I haven't encouraged my 11-YO kid to read Dante). Our US holidays have been among my absolute favouites. NYC and Boston are full of culture - just a different culture. I love ME for its wildlife and beautiful scenery and intend to go to Yellowstone hopefully next year.

We've only been to Center Parcs twice - Whinfell both times purely for its proximity to red squirrels which you can spot there more easily than just about anywhere else, including Brownsea Island. We'd have paid for that privilege alone. As far as CP is concerned we now feel we've been there, done that and are not in a hurry to go back. But the snobbery is ridiculous.

You sound a bit like you have a sour grapes attitude about it all, no idea why? We’ve been at least 10 times over the years and never had reason to criticise. Oh well you can’t please everybody