Center parcs

[DorothyL]

If you paid for early arrival, what time can you check in?

It's only an hour earlier, so access to the villa is 2pm instead of 3pm.

Regardless of that, you can arrive onsite from 10am anyway so we've never bothered with it.

We don't bother with it. Pack swim stuff seperately and head to pool when you get there. Check in to villa later.

It's not worth it in my opinion, it's only an hour. We normally get there for 10/11 get a coffee, go swimming then have a late lunch. By the time you've done that it's normally time to check in. Be aware that Whinfell check in isn't till 3.30pm.

Great advice, thanks

We quite often go in the pool around 3pm, it's always quieter because everyone's driving to the villas We then walk to the villa around 5pm while DH goes and gets the car.

If you go for a swim, and then get the keys at the main lodge rather than gate lodge, you can walk to the house with DCs and swim gear (and bottle of milk, teabags etc from parc market if you want), and head in while OH goes to get the car and sit in the slowly moving queue of cars to drive up.

Meanwhile, you have the swim gear out drying on heated towel rails, ice in freezer for the G&T later, milk in fridge and a cup of tea in your hand (maybe even a biscuit if you're really planning ahead!) while the DCs explore the house.

This is getting better and better! So go swimming at lunchtime?

We like to book a cabana at the pool as well to chill out after swimming