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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Duxford Autumn Air Show - anyone ever been?

12 replies

mckenzie · 09/10/2004 12:35

I'm planning on taking 3 year old DS to this tomorrow (on my own as DH is away) and just wondered if anyone has ever been with a similar age child and can answer a few questions?

Would I be best off taking a picnic? Downside is I'll have to carry it but if the food there is going to be rubbish and expensive then I guess it'll be worth the effort.

Will I need the pushchair? I'm sure that i read somewhere that the area is quite vast and a train runs around/through the area.

Is it a nightmare getting parked at the beginning and then horrible queuing to get out at the end?

Fingers crossed someone on Mumsnet today has been

OP posts:

Original poster

mckenzie · 09/10/2004 15:43

bump

OP posts:

JanH · 09/10/2004 15:52

Hi, mckenzie - I'll be interested to see if you get any useful answers because I put Duxford events into the What's On listings in Primary Times for Beds (I know it's actually in Cambs but Beds activities are a bit restricted so I have to stretch it a bit!) so it would be nice to know that it is a good family day out.

This is Duxford's visitor information page - if nobody else has been maybe you could just ring up and ask?

There is also the East of England autumn show on tomorrow, that's at Alwalton (wherever that is...). Primary Times website is here for future ref, you can look up activities in all the areas it covers - they are supposed to be mostly for 4-11 year olds but not exclusively.

Hope you both have a nice day out whatever you do!

mrsflowerpot · 09/10/2004 15:57

I grew up a couple of miles from Duxford - have only been as an older kid myself and once as a child-free adult, but it is a good day out. Am planning to take ds (who's 3.5) next time we go to see my parents, funnily enough.

It is a big site, there is lots to do and see. I must admit I've never been to one of the airshows (we used to get too good a view from the back garden ), but they do get very very busy and the traffic is heavy (as a 'local' you avoid the roads near it on the day). They are spectacular though, so if your ds is interested and not too bothered by crowds, then I'm sure you'd have a great day out. Really don't know what to advise about food, except that it will be very busy so there'll possibly be queues. Have a good time - let us know what it's like)

iota · 09/10/2004 17:19

We've been a couple of times with our 2 ds's. Definitely take the pushchair, both for ds to sit in and to carry coats drinks etc.

I would also recommend a picnic as it adds to the fun and avoids queuing. Take something to sit on as well (picnic rug). The food is usually OK chip vans, pig roasts, baguettes etc, but we prefer to take the picnic.

Check out the location of the toilets

We've never found parking to be too much of a problem as they are very well organised, but some of it is a fair walk from the action, so you will find the pushchair v useful

HTH

Original poster

mckenzie · 09/10/2004 17:21

thanks everyone. I'll take your advice Iota and go with the picnic and the pushchair.
Now I just need to hope that the weather stays dry. Fingers crossed.

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iota · 09/10/2004 17:21

and if teh Harrier is there it is very very noisy especially when it does tricks like bowing to the crowd- ds1 (5) found it too loud and I had to put my handds over his ears

Original poster

mckenzie · 09/10/2004 17:24

thanks for the warning.
Now shall I tell DS tonight or wait until the morning? Perhaps the morning might be best incase the heavens open in the morning and I have to go for plan B.

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iota · 09/10/2004 17:27

Mckenzie - have just had a look at the website - apparently there are 3 cafes where you can eat - just thinking you might want to be inside in this cold weather rather than picnic - we always go in the summer so have never been to the cafes

Original poster

mckenzie · 09/10/2004 17:33

thanks again iota. Juts checked the website again. I think i'll still go with the picnic option expecially as i'll have the pushchair to dump the bag on. We can always go into the restaurant/cafe for a drink if we need to get warm althoguh DS never ever seems to get cold and I have my own central hetaing at the moment (20 weeks pregnant) so we should be okay.
I'm guessing though that it's going to be all very open and so a tad windy. An extra layer me thinks. The flying doesn't start until 1.30pm but am I right in thinking they'll be plent for us to see and do before then?

OP posts:

iota · 09/10/2004 17:42

There's loads to see - lots of hangers with aircraft in - the American one is huge, you can go into a Concorde in one at the other end of the site from the American hanger. Also lots of aircraft parked outside. Have a look at the website for more info.

Also when weve been on show days they have lots of stalls selling models, memorabilia, picture of aircraft, folding chairs, flying jackets, military clothing etc etc etc.

Dh is a bit of an aeroplane nut, so we have to do Duxford regularly (even in our pre-kids days)

Original poster

mckenzie · 10/10/2004 20:10

just filing my Duxford report!
DS was so so excited when we got there but unfortunately it was a day of disappointment for him.
First we saw the Space simulator but DS couldn't understand why this thing looked and sounded like a rocket but didn't actually take off.
Then we went onto a big plane that takes the parachutist. DS very excited again, sitting in their seats, doing up the huge seat belt but then we had to get off and DS didn't understand why we didn't take off and fly somewhere. Then to see Concorde, the thing he'd been waiting for but again, he got so upset because it turns out he thoguht he was going to go for a flight in Concorde, not just look at it in the hanger.
And so it continued until I gave up and we came home, back to my sisters house where he rushed in telling everybody very excitedly where he'd been and what he'd seen so even thoguh we had so many tears etc, he obviously did enjoy it and I would definitely take him again when he's a bit older and when I will have the forethought to explain that we wont be going up in any of the planes!
and thanks for the tip re the picnic iota. The food queues were very long and the food was very expensive (I paid £1.80 for the smallest coffee).

OP posts:

JanH · 10/10/2004 20:32

I'm glad DS had a sort-of nice day, mckenzie - thanks for your report! Well done for taking him on your own and for sticking with it. You must have been really pleased when he sounded so excited afterwards, I'm sure he will remember the excitement rather than the disappointment.

When our kids were small we always took picnics wherever we were going, it's so much cheaper and you can be pretty sure they'll eat what you've brought (and if they don't it's not a huge loss). You can splash out on icecreams and souvenirs with what you save on food.

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