Butlins bognor with our 2 year old

[Cluelessfirstimer]

After some great advice from here, we have booked butlins for my DS's birthday next month (2)

I'm actually SO excited for this haha. My MIL lives in Spain and wad badgering us to go there but I thought DS would prefer butlins if I'm honest

We have booked a new apartment there (DP wanted this over the hotel) with dining included.

I've come here again to ask - what are musts for his age? The entertainment list is out already and there is so much. There for 4 nights.
Also anything of interest in the area outside? We will probably try to an afternoon in the area (if there is... can't say I know much about bognor!)

We are there for his actual birthday so would it be easy for us to grab cakes/ balloons there? I know they have a shop but no idea what it would sell

Have you downloaded the Butlin's app? You need it to book stuff, quite a lot of the activities are book in advance. We went last year when the kids were 1 and 4 and will be back again in August when they're 2 and 5! They both loved it last year.

As for outside Butlin's there is a nearby beach but we didn't bother with anything else

Also not sure if it varies from hotel to hotel but we stayed in shoreline and just a head up the breakfast doesn't start until 8am. If your kid is an early riser this is going to feel like you're waiting for an eternity 🤣come prepared with whatever will get you through!

Yes have the app! There is just so much i didn't know what was a must to book haha!

So glad to hear you had a great time. I'm so excited for it.

Will definitely check breakfast times. Lucky our DS is usually up around 7.30 so think wr might be OK... but I'll definitely be bringing snacks/fruit to get him by if needed

Also yea wasn't sure on other nearby stuff. Looking at the list I think there will probably be enough to keep us busy onsite. Maybe a quick beach trip though.

We went to Bournemouth for his 1st birthday so it's a bit of a tradition to visit the beach (weather depending

Our youngest enjoyed the peppa pig show. We never made it to the pool!

Is your kid ok with noise? The main central area with the arcades / soft play is where they also have a stage that shows the brainiac science experiment shows. This means every so often there are quite loud bangs and booms! Our kids were ok with this but some might not be.

Thank you! I saw the Peppard pig show on there so will definitely book - he loves that.

Hes... 50/50 with noise. Sometimes fine sometimes it's a bit much. So will be a see how it goes with that.

I was saying to DP we must do the pool but he actually said we may not make it so interesting you say that

Peppa pig - sorry for typos - stupid phone and getting DS to bed

I can honestly say the we had a better time at butlins than we did in Spain last year when my son was 2! We did go to minehead butlins.
There was 4 weeks between the holidays.
Spain cost a small fortune. Butlins under 100 for tots week
Buttlins we were out of the apartment from 8am until 8pm...it was literally a place to sleep.
We had so much fun as a family, our son loved it which meant we did too... he still regularly asks about the shows, parks etc.

We went at Easter although my children are abit older. Peppa pig show and the panto are brilliant. The pj masks show was good aswell. Definitely try to get down to the pool, we found around 11 was the best time to get in without queuing. Your little one might be abit young but the wrestling night at reds, if it on, is amazing.

There is a beach train just out the front, £5 to ride along the beach front. Bognor Town is 15 min walk with usual high street shops.

The shop on site is like a co-op, I don't remember seeing cakes and balloons but I wasn't specifically looking for them so there might be. There was a fad when we were there where all the kids had to have a ball on string that attached to there wrist, they are in the shop. We spent 2 days trying to find them as the must have holiday accessory!

We've been a lot so I hope the following helps!

He will love it :)

There's a little blue train if u follow the exit towards the day entrance I think £1.50 each way goes to the beach- he will love that my 2 year old did! A short trip and back waving at everyone or stop at the beach and have some ice cream!

I would take your own balloons and cake - shop is ok but limited

The swimming area can be really wet and a little dirty the changing rooms take a mat to put him down on

The apartments are fine but not really that equipped so take your own stuff fairy liquid etc and some anti bac wipes

Book everything you can on the app once it opens

Sometimes you have to que for things so things to keep him entertained while waiting (short Que)

Take snacks for him as cheaper then buying but the kids meals in restaurants are good

Do you have to pre-book the pool? We are going at the end of summer and that's the only thing my DCs want to do- not interested in the evening entertainment.

No don't have to pre book pool x

The pool is amazing if your child likes water. We always go every day when we are there.

Such amazing advice thank you so much everyone!

Thanks.

Check if they do a "quiet time" morning session in the pool for younger kids: they did when we last went to Butlins.

Pace yourself with the activities and allow for downtime, especially his naps.

It's worth taking antibacterial wipes for the apartments; the cleaners give it the once over, but they can still sometimes be a bit grubby.

We’ve done Bognor when mine were 1 and 4 and 2 and 5 and had a great time. They loved the pool and we went every day. PJ masks and the dinosaur show were also great. They enjoyed the little inside fairground rides and the soft play a lot too. Plus the ice cream machine in the restaurants 🤣

Bognor is quite a big town (it's actually got a manned police station which is rare in Sussex these days), there's a park near butlins with a miniature railway in it. The park is quite nice.
west wittering beach is good although crazy popular. Chichester is about 20 minutes away but probably not very interesting for a toddler. the butlins resort isn't massive, it's not like centerparcs where you can't leave easily, you can walk into the town centre in 5 minutes. There's a Tesco superstore where youwill be able to pick up all you need for birthday celebrations.

Check for bed bugs when you arrive!