Why do so many people dislike Centre Parcs so much?

[coulditbeme2323]

Following on from the thread about over rated things, CP came up again and again.

I feel I am in the minority on MN, but in real life it runs anywhere between 95-100% capacity.

Of course people are entitled to their opinion and if you dislike it you dislike it, but honestly what do people find so awful about it?

My kids are so easy on a long train journey. They will watch a film, read a book, play cards with us. It is a dream.

Put them in a car and it's just a disaster! It's too hot, I feel sick, I need the toilet etc on a constant loop. I think they feel constrained.

And it doesn't help that we hate driving as well so we are tired and fed up by the end of a long drive.

We have been going to CP every year near enough for 10 years. I have 3 autistic children and they adore it, it's like their second home.

They don't do city breaks or holidays which involve museums or sight seeing, tried that and it was a disaster.

We've done all inclusive abroad before and that didn't really work because they enjoy swimming but not all day every day.

They love the structure and the familiarity of CP and the different activities they can do. We've tried other places, such as Haven and Butlins, but it's just not the same.

Not once in all of the times we've been has anyone come down with a stomach bug or similar.

I agree it's stupidly expensive but it works for our family so we pay it. I'm not a pretentious middle class parent or whatever else. I just like to give my kids a holiday I know they will enjoy and will be least stressful for them.

When (and where) I went, there definitely wasn’t any braying, it was more shouting and screeching!!

I think I’d much prefer dealing with all that from the pub rather than Starbucks!!

Makes total sense. And they obviously have a product that enough people find value in.

Re; the washing machine thing. What's the point of going somewhere you have to bring dirty laundry back with you? And take so much it has to last a week? If I'm off work I've got masses of time to chuck a load of laundry on, easier than catching up when I get home.

Completely agree. Every ad I've seen has trumpeted the lovely woodland and nature.

They're like Forestry Commission plantations- WTAF?!

I don’t see the point of going on holiday to worry about doing my washing.

If you go aboard do you send it all off to be washed?

Exactly.

We would never do all those activies with friends otherwise. One trip we did swimming, tree nets, mini golf, curling, a treasure hunt, bowling and the parks plus eating together. If we did that at home it would take weeks of planning.

Yes the prices can be steep in holidays but tbh so are air bnbs in Cornwall! Where there is nothing to do if it rains.

Also apart one from place, I haven’t ever been to a swimming pool like it anywhere in England.

We love going abroad but it’s equally as expensive in the summer hols and sometimes it’s just nice to pack up the car and be there in a couple of hours. And not have to drive anywhere when you arrive!

That would be most peoples holidays to Greece/Spain etc then!

It's not just the cost of the cabin. When I go on holiday I'll be buggered if I'm cooking for the family and DH wouldn't either. So we eat out. The restaurants at Centre Parcs are £££ and the activities are also so expensive. £30 for cupcake decorating and £18 for 45 minutes playing badminton and indoor climbing is £30. Over a week it mounts up so much! We spent a fortune over a Monday to Friday break with our two teen DC much more than we'd have spent had we gone abroad. And the weather was terrible 😖The pool is amazing though!

Because it's Butlins, without the sense of fun, and with a massive dose of self-satisfaction....

Re; the washing machine thing. What's the point of going somewhere you have to bring dirty laundry back with you? And take so much it has to last a week? If I'm off work I've got masses of time to chuck a load of laundry on, easier than catching up when I get home.

Millions of people go on holiday & do not wash their clothes whilst away….

The absolute insanity of the prices.

Fairly sure most people bring back their laundry with them?

I used to, but one year we were camping and it chucked it down the whole week and we ran out of clothes on day 4. Found a local launderette and dropped off a load for a service wash as we went out for the day and collected washed, dried and ironed clothes on the way back. It was a game changer and I've done it on every week long holiday since. Has massively improved the holiday come down not having loads of washing to do when you get back.

Butlins is better.

TBF I do my washing when I can, like u say...game changer!
In South Africa they even packed it all back into suitcases, after washing and ironing etc 😁😁😁

But I know loads of people do it all at home after.

We also all had terrible stomach bugs last time we went and won’t be returning!

I've never been to CP or Butlins and am now in Australia*, but I sincerely hope Centre Parcs are reading this thread.

• Yes, we did the theme parks on the Gold Coast one year, working out that we'd have to do it once so get it over with, considering DD's age at the time. It was fun, but we were never tempted to repeat it.
• Now I think of it, we also visited a native animal farm where crocodiles and emus are raised. And you can eat them in the cafe. Yes, crocodile does taste like chicken.

I do this when abroad too. I find a local laundry service. They pick it up, wash, dry, iron and neatly fold in tissue in most places. It never costs much and whatever it costs is worth not having to come home to laundry!

I wouldn’t consider doing it all myself whilst on holiday though!

We stayed somewhere that had a washer-dryer. Made it very easy.

Was basically going to say this so it was nailed in the first post for me. I wanted to go until I saw the prices and realised we could go on an AI abroad for less.

It’s just so overpriced for what it is. It was about 2.5k for a week when I looked and it didn’t include food or travel obviously as the AI did plus you had to pay extra for pretty much every single activity which was the real stinger.

It is a nature break for people who don't actually like nature.

The activities, restaurants, shops, bars, pool, is just stimulation overload. That's not nature....

Also you have to really really love people to go there, because you are surrounded all the time. It's like a cruise that never leaves port.

What hotels do you stay at with a washing machine?

I like CP and I also like real nature.