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?

I can assure you it isn't just middle class people who go there.

OP - have you ever actually been to Butlins?

Caravan holidays are fucking AWFUL! Never again and yes been to both these hovels more than once - noisy, uncomfortable, crappy facilities, on top of each other, screaming kids, no privacy - awful awful places IMO

We love Centerparcs, usually Sherwood. Everything close by, lots of choices of activities. We sometimes cycle to Go Ape nearby for a more challenging and longer adventure activity. Great seasonal features too.

I would describe the restaurant options as ‘safe’ - there’s a lot of guests and they need to avoid over complicating things.

Lots of refurbishment going on at Sherwood too. Not just villas, but also surrounding infrastructure.

You sound very judgmental OP. Why are you obsessed with class?

It's definitely getting tired and dated. We prefer Elveden to Woburn. For us it's the only holiday that consistently works for our ND children. We only use to pay £300 but that's more like £400/500 now I don't think it's worth the price. They either need to put some money back into it or lower the prices. Although clearly enough people are paying to go. Perhaps they are also limited to what works for them who knows.

I've never once thought about class. I've always just assumed kids on holiday equals hard work so center parcs can be the closest thing to keeping it less stress. Something that remotely resembles a holiday when your looking after children particularly those with additional needs is hard to find. The food has never even crossed my mind.

Definitely don't try a haven holiday op I don't think it would be your cup of tea either 🙈

You're right, it's an awful place and hideously expensive for what it is. Definitely tacky in the extreme.

You do seem very over invested in class OP and have messaged about it constantly thought your messages. Who cares?

As a family we had never been to Butlins, or TBH even thought of it, but a couple of years ago a dd with little dcs joined a group of SiL’s friends and family at the Minehead one for a few days,

They were lucky enough to have very good beach weather, but she said afterwards that it was a brilliant place to take small children - they had a whale of a time. (Dd is not the type to be fussed about the type of bread or coffee!)

Only been to the Longleat one, but it was far from tacky!

Ive only been to the woburn one for the spa. I found it all stepford wife creepy. Identikit families on bikes, forced smiles. How people distinguished their 4x4 with roof rack from the others is beyond me.

but I expect it might be the sort of place that very much appeals to the lower middle class, whereas the upper middle class would never be seen dead there. (I think this division is often more cultural than money-based

This and "class" in the traditional is never ever money based. Its values, preferences, knowledge of certain cultural things (e.g cultural capital).

Some upper class types are actually quite poor, can barely afford the heating bills and drive around in a banger, plenty of working class people are well off indeed.

I only opened the thread to check that someone had referenced this.

Never been to Ribby Hall but my dsil and adult dn's love it.
Hope you enjoy it.

I’ve been on several centerparc breaks in the past, but not recently. Never ever noticed the class of people there. I found it perfect for families, but pretty expensive.

YANBU. We went once when ds had a medical condition that meant he couldn’t fly. We were appalled by the cost (terrible value) and were gonsmacked that people would pay that much when they could get a lovely holiday cottage for a fraction of the price. And the people…I’m choosing my words carefully. Not our kind of people…certainly not who I would associate with usually. My elderly DM struck up a conversation with someone in a queue at customer services about some lost property and the other guest said DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE. 😧 people pushing and shoving everywhere, no manners. in the “luxurious” adult spa people
had just dumped their apple cores, banana skins and rubbish everywhere. Made my rough and ready south east London David Lloyd look like an exclusive spa. Never again!

I think it is tacky for the money. I’d rather die than go to Butlins. There are lots of other similar Forest/chalet experiences for less money in surrounds that are vastly more chic.

For what it costs at centerparcs I would fly to Cap Ferret in sw France. It has trees, cycle paths, the sea, so no need for a pool and in summer it's usually warm.

insert comment about taking your time and prepping well beforehand in order to make sure its as comfortable and enjoyable as possible

I think anywhere catering for mass children has to be a little bit ‘tacky’. Beyond a certain point, end high just isn’t practical.

Of course middle class people go to Starbucks and Cafe Rouge. It’s just classed as ‘every day’ rather than a treat. Whereas for someone in a lower economic position, those places are a treat.

I think it is tacky for the money. I’d rather die than go to Butlins. There are lots of other similar Forest/chalet experiences for less money in surrounds that are vastly more chic.

In what world are rapids, tornado rides &
plastic slides ever going to be chic? But why would you choose a holiday for dc based on whether it's chic or not? 😆

You're coming out with some weird comments.

Firstly you don't seem to know what the word tacky means

Now nobody middle class (so about 30 million people or so in the uk) would ever go to Starbucks in their real life? 🤣

And the pool is begrudgingly "bigger than normal?" What is the "normal" youre comparing it to? There arent many big standard local leisure centres (or even david lloyds given your MC obsession!) with miltiple indoor and outdoor pools, slides, rapids, lazy river, cafe within the pool, etc.!

It's okay to say centre parcs wasn't what you expected/the height of luxury, you don't have to exaggerate and make bizarre comparisons.

Made my rough and ready south east London David Lloyd look like an exclusive spa

A rough & ready David Lloyd? 😆😆

We took dd and 2 friends to Filey caravan park 20 years ago as a teenage birthday break.
Absolutely grim.
Children barely minded by parents, smoking all over them and letting them run feral.
There should be a social worker on site imo.

@9uygjk We would probably fall into your category of " middle class " .
We dont actually care about holiday status. Our benchmarks are , do we enjoy it , did our DC enjoy it and now , do our GC enjoy it . We have had some great family times at CP .
We also love Cornwall , but personally think St Ives , while beautiful, is overcrowded and overpriced and full of people who think it's the place for the middle class .

I thought overrated when we went. We went to Sherwood and I thought it was tacky too OP. Accommodation was average at best- a bit cold and damp. Also loads of centre parcs vans driving around quite fast which made cycling less safe with young kids. I prefer to stay somewhere where you can actually leave the site to explore (without having to trek to the car). Maybe it’s better for tweens / teens where they can be a bit more independent.