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Original poster

MORE Center Parcs questions

34 replies

roisin · 30/12/2004 21:54

I have read through loads of the archived material, but haven't found the answers to these questions of a paranoid first-timer:

(We are going to Oasis in 3 weeks' time)

  1. How many swimming towels do we need to take each? i.e. what sort of heating is in the 'huts' - can we easily get towels dry so that we can swim twice a day?

  2. We want to book the boys in for a kids club at 12 on the day we arrive, but the leaflets say the tickets and forms etc. will be left in our accommodation - which we won't get into until 3.30 ..?!

  3. It says we can use the pool from 2 pm on the day we arrive. How do they know we have arrived that day, rather than are leaving that day

  4. Are there lockers in the 'centre'? i.e. if you go swimming then for a meal, what do you do with your swimming gear? Or wet weather gear if it's lousy?

Thank you for your patience with my rather boring queries!

OP posts:
tiredemma · 31/12/2004 07:14

i can only answer for sherwood, but as they are the same group im sure the rules may be universal-

  1. we take two towels each, although the heating was very warm and would dry towels overnight definetly.
  2. phone the helpline, they may book you in over the phone.
  3. dont know this one, at sherwood you can use the pool from 10am but not check into your accom till 2pm, on leaving day you have to be out of your accom by 10am but may still use the pool for the rest of the day. 4.i didnt notice any lockers other than the swimming ones, but the way that the swimming centre was, it would be possible to put clothes in there and go for a meal.

have they not sent you an info pack? that has all answers in.
sorry i cant be more help. have a great time, we love cp in my family!!

Original poster
roisin · 31/12/2004 07:20

Thanks Tiredemma - that is very helpful.

Does anyone else know about how strict they are about access to the pool at Oasis on the day of arrival?

Thank you

OP posts:
sassy · 31/12/2004 08:31

R.e swiming towels, we always popped to launderette and stuck swimming togs in drier for 20 mins or so - fully dry and only cost about 60p a time!

foxinsocks · 31/12/2004 09:17

I've not been to Oasis but here are my answers based on the other parks....

  1. Normally aim for 2 each for the kids and one for us. The floor of the changing rooms are often ringing wet and the kids always drop theirs and get them soaking. You can adjust the heating in the villa and ours were normally OK 2 days later (use spare set in meantime)!
  2. I think you get your booked stuff when you arrive (at the arrival gate) so if you've prebooked that club and arrive before 12 they'll give you your tickets at the arrival lodge.
  3. I don't know how they know about the pool. I guess they could ask for your villa number but I doubt they ever check. It's normally very quiet on that changeover day.
  4. There are lockers in the swimming area for swimming stuff. I can't see any reason why you couldn't leave your stuff in there and go for a meal as long as you picked the stuff up before the pool closed!
Original poster
roisin · 31/12/2004 18:51

Thank you all for your help

OP posts:
louise1974 · 31/12/2004 22:42

Hi I go to oasis every yr and was last there 2 weeks ago.

  1. Central heating in accomadation is very good.
    You will easily be able to dry your towels on the radiators.
    2)Don't worry you don't need the "tickets" for any of the activities you have booked. These are simply receipts for you to keep. Just go to the kids club and give your name in they will give you a form to fill in there. Same goes for anything else you have pre booked. I have NEVER been asked for my "ticket".

  2. The simple answer to this is they don;t know.
    We always go straight to the baths when we arrive at 11am. There is no reception you simply just walk in.

  3. There are lockers in the baths. Just need a pound. You could easily leave your stuff in there whilst you had a meal or whatever in the butterfly centre.

Hope this helps. Iam sure youll love it there.
What is the name of your location??
We stayed in bilberry wood last time. But have also stayed in seven pines and lake beck.

louise1974 · 31/12/2004 22:48

Please don't worry at all about acsss to the pool on arrival day. There is no reception or counter or anything to get thru. You just walk into the locker changer area and then thru to the pool. I have no idea why they state in the brochure its only to be used after 2pm. But noone takes any notice.

louise1974 · 31/12/2004 22:52

Another tip. If you are booked in to see any shows ie.. cinderella. Get to the green room about 40 mins before its starts. They open the doors about 20 -30 mins before so you will be first in the que therefore first to be let in and right in the front row.

Original poster
roisin · 31/12/2004 23:11

Thanks for the tips louise, that's really very helpful.

We are staying in Foresters Lane, the ones very close to the centre. I guess that's good if it's wet and miserable, but we are hoping of course that it will be crisp and dry and beautiful!

OP posts:
KangaSantaMummy · 31/12/2004 23:26

I suppose the reason they put about the times for arrivals and departures at CP swimming pool is for safety

otherwise you could have twice as many in the pool at same time pool then too full

perhaps they have evacuation problems if too full

also not enough lockers or changing rooms

KangaSantaMummy · 31/12/2004 23:26

I suppose the reason they put about the times for arrivals and departures at CP swimming pool is for safety

otherwise you could have twice as many in the pool at same time pool then too full

perhaps they have evacuation problems if too full

also not enough lockers or changing rooms

KangaSantaMummy · 31/12/2004 23:27

oops

fairycakes · 01/01/2005 18:04

roisin - we are going to oasis in april, our dd will be 6 months, i cant wait, you will have to post here when you get back and let us know what it was like, how old are your children? i think dd is a bit young to be able to do anything, but i am still really looking forward to it - i have been to sherwood before, but never oasis xx

Original poster
roisin · 01/01/2005 18:13

Yes I will post back and let you know how we get on! Thanks for everyone's tips.

Fairycakes my boys are 5 and 7 - so a bit older than yours!

OP posts:
GoodKingWestCountryLass · 01/01/2005 23:20
  1. How many swimming towels do we need to take each? i.e. what sort of heating is in the 'huts' - can we easily get towels dry so that we can swim twice a day?

I hire towels when I am there. In the pool they are £2 p/day for a beach towel sized one.

  1. We want to book the boys in for a kids club at 12 on the day we arrive, but the leaflets say the tickets and forms etc. will be left in our accommodation - which we won't get into until 3.30 ..?! You can make a booking at one of the Information Desks/Booking Desks (there is one by the shop in the Plaza at Longleat).

  2. It says we can use the pool from 2 pm on the day we arrive. How do they know we have arrived that day, rather than are leaving that day.

They won't know IME.

  1. Are there lockers in the 'centre'? i.e. if you go swimming then for a meal, what do you do with your swimming gear? Or wet weather gear if it's lousy?

There are lockers, we used lockers and load up our buggy.

JiminyCricket · 03/01/2005 20:04

The pool at longleat is always heaving on changeover days - but no checks.

JiminyCricket · 03/01/2005 20:05

Oh, and the spa is really quiet on the first evening, so a good time to go there!

AbsoluteBeginner · 04/01/2005 10:38

I'm going at the weekend (to Oasis) -- with my 11 month old. Have been before, and loved it, but only as a carefree non-parent. Is it possible to transport an 11month old on one of their bike/trailer contraptions? What else is good for little ones (apart from the water, obviously).

spykid · 04/01/2005 10:44

AB, have been taking ds's to oasis since ds2 was 12 months. (4 years, so you can tell we love it!)
We used the tailer buggy contraption when they were little, you can hire it from the bike shop. Both ds's used it together when they were 1 and 3, and loved it. You can cycle in confidence as they are securely strapped in.
At that age, you might want to try the soft play at the sports plaza, and there are smoe really nice organised activities in the butterfly centre, if you stay and play with them. I think this year there was craft sessions, and dressing up etc.

woodpops · 04/01/2005 12:12

We're off on the 17th and I can't wait. Planning on hiring one of those bike contraptions but I'm also going to be taking lots of painkiller as I last rode a bike 3 years ago and felt like the saddle would have to be surgecly removed from my backside!!!! We always go in 1st thing in the morning as we only live ½ hour away. We've been going since 1986 and have never been questioned. I thought you could go in at any time on arrivals day whoops. As for towels I always take loads but never need that many. The heating is really good in the villas. Have a good time roisin

spykid · 04/01/2005 12:32

louise1974, we stayed in bilberry wood in dec, what did you think of the accomodation?
We loved it and have booked same lodge next year, kids thought their own on-suite and telly was the best!

morningpaper · 04/01/2005 12:57

The only thing I have to complain about - go to CP every year - is that there is NO consideration about toddler's toilet habits in the swimming area - no potty's or toilet seats. So when dd needed a wee last time, I had to take her out of the pool and tell her to piss on the floor of the toilets (she was 18 months FFS and wouldn't sit over a toilet unless she had a toilet seat). By about 4pm the toilets stank of wee and I can only assume that other parents did exactly the same thing.

I wrote a letter of complaint about this but got no response.

We are going at the end of the month and taking a fold-up toilet seat!

louise1974 · 04/01/2005 22:16

Spykid.. We loved bilberry wood too! It was very handy for the butterfly centre which was good cos it was very cold. We were no 79 Btw. The heating was very good and yes the bathrooms are so much nicer than the comfort lodges which is what we normally stay in.

The only problem though is it had no log fireplace. That would have been lovely.

fairycakes · 09/04/2005 22:53

roisin - how was your holiday? we are going to oasis whinfell next week, dd is 7 months - have you got any tips/advice?
hope you see this thread!!

Evesmama · 09/04/2005 22:58

wellies, waterproofs, buy from on site supermarket or take with you so you dont spend too much eating out(although not too bad, just keeps costs down), do plenty of walking..beautiful surroundings!
get a break fast baguette from pierre something- bistro in main centre(sorry its late, i tired!)
make full use of pool, its fantastic and try to get there for 10am when its quiet so you little one can relax first thing and most definatly....buy lots of the homemade fudge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hope you have a great time

oh and if there is anything you want to do when you get there..book now!!! or youll prob miss out!