Center Parcs virgins what do we need to know?

[Sallypuss]

We've booked Elveden for a weekend next month, more to see what everyone raves about. What do we need to take (was planning to take some groceries) and can you give us your top tips? TIA

Off the top of my head (just back from CP last week)

Take loads of towels as you'll be in and out of the pool.
Take you own groceries as the shop is expensive.
Don't sign up to too many paid activities as there is loads to keep you busy for free.

Take wellies, doesn't matter what time of the year we go we always need wellies!

Thanks nilgirl, other than the pool and walking in the woods what else is free?

Take bikes if you have them as Elvedon is nice and flat. Also good play parks for free!

prepare to be hugely underwhelmed

or do a search in the archives

someone will hilariously mention anal sex

Maybe two sets of swimming costumes if you plan to use the pool a lot. And get there when it opens (the pool I mean, I think its 10am) as it can get v busy.

We go to CP at Longleat - and always take some birdseed (and an old frisbee for a bowl) with us - we had a very "Disney" wake up on the first morning last October - 2 ducks, a rabbit, 3 squirrels and many, many little birds and a woodpecker.... followed half an hour later by a couple of deer!!

Wellies always good - and if you chew gum take some with you - they do not sell any.

If you want to eat out at early young-family times get on line and prebook - if you leave it til you get there you may be out of luck!

20p pieces, take lots of them for the spin drier for swimming costumes in the pool changing, also £1 coins for the people drier (I don't do this, I just dry myself with a towel, but DH and DC's like it) we go to Whinfell and you don't need £1 for the pool lockers anymore as everything is controlled by your parc bracelet apart from the above.

Dishwasher tablets, they will leave 2/3 in the lodge but I always need 1 more. Also toilet rolls, there will be 1 in each toilet which will run out the day before you are due to leave.

Really don't know why people go to these places. Took our kids once to what turned out to be a very expensive and quite ordinary villa (compared to holiday cottages we'd rented before).

If you don't want to go swimming all day, you're in for a very expensive time.

Completely underwhelming. Book a cottage in a nice country area and you will have a far better time. Overcrowded, expensive, poor food, activities booked up.

I

Take your own kitchen knives. They only supply crap blunt ones to force you to eat out!! Take washing up liquid/dishwasher tabs.
Take loo rolls.
Take colourful plastic bags to put over your bike seats to keep them dry if it rains, and so you can find your bikes again easily, as some bike parks are huge and we are always 'losing' our bikes there.
Take your own bikes and bike locks if you can - expensive to hire.
Yes - agree - take your own groceries incl tea/coffee/booze. Supermarket is expensive and there's not much choice, it's a BASTARD trying to get a load of shopping home to your villa on a bike.
Elveden = good. Nice and flat.
Longleat = death by hill cycling!
BIGGEST TIP - WRITE DOWN WHERE YOU PARKED YOUR CAR. Very easy to forget after a few days!

Totally agree Slipshod - although friends of ours go year after year.

Even our kids didn't like it, so saved a fortune next time and went to a cottage and did so every year until they were too old to go on family holidays/

dont expect to be able to use the bbq all year round

Hello, we love centerparcs! Consider getting a priority pass if you are thinking if hiring a bike - as the pass includes two free bike hires, early entry for your car and some great groceries ready and waiting for you in your cottage.

Get there early and park up in the car park - take your swimming stuff into the park with you then collect bikes first - take the bikes into the centre area and have some lunch & swimming! In the afternoon, cycle to your chalet then daddy can go get the car whilst family settles in.

Don't book too many activities as you will be busy in the pool or playground!

Relax & have fun!

Xxx

The supermarket delivers if you spend over £25!

Dammit, I came on this thread SPECIFICALLY to be the first to mention anal sex, and PervCat beat me to it.

Remember you need to take EVERYTHING - bin liners, toilet roll, soap, dishwasher tabs, tea towels, kitchen roll, condiments, salt &pepper, in addition to normal toiletries etc.

Sorry did not mean to offend. Daddy or mummy or other adult can go get the car of course - just abbreviating as on phone and typing with one finger. Hope this clarifies.

Thanks for tips. Looks like CP divides opinion. ..DH has been online this morning seeing if we'd spend the same money atvthe Four Seasons! Intrigued by the references to anal sex though. ..

I discovered on two separate CP holidays that I was pregnant.

You are only allowed to burn this kind of log in the fireplaces. They are cheaper in morrisons/asda.

Book everything in advance including restaurants. The activities are very expensive, but very well run as well.

Don't forget matches.

Don't rush to move your car when the barriers open at 3pm. Give it an hour and you will whizz round, rather than sitting in the grid lock.

I was going to suggest packing swimming stuff separately too so you can swim before you check into your villa, they say you're not allowed in the pool till the afternoon of your first day but nobody checks
Take some cheap bread for the ducks

We love it. Not sure we would rent a cottage for a week in oct or feb half term. It would need to have lots to do around it without the need to get in the car. I don't know many cottages like that though I'm happy to be corrected. I wouldn't go as a summer holiday though.
For us it's just relaxing. The older ones do the tree walking and rope swing stuff and the little ones are happy to play in the soft play whilst we have a coffee. Lots if swimming which they all love, outdoor play parks for most kids under 12. Nature walks etc which my eldest loved. As they get older they grow into new activities.
For us it's just a very relaxing way to spend half term.

Sorry, take dishwasher tabs, a sharp knife and a tea towel. If you arrive before 3, don't rush to get your car at 3. Wait til the rush dies down. We've been to all your but sherwood is our fab. Elveden is great for cycling though esp when kids are under 5.

We've just got back from Elveden. We had a great time.
What you bring depends on the type of accommodation you stay in.
We stayed in an executive lodge and were provided with washing up liquid, dishwasher tabs, towels and loo rolls. Plus maid service every day to make up your rooms.
I found that they would leave extra loo rolls etc if you left them a message on the chalk board.

We just brought groceries for breakfast and afternoon snacks, and ate out at lunch and evenings. The trip before, we brought food for the BBQ. Depends if you want to cook or not.

It can get expensive if you book a lot of activities, but if there is something you'd like to do, pre book online as spaces go quite quickly, especially in half term.

Do bring your own pool towels as these are provided at £2 each. Also some paper towels as there's none in the kitchen or the shop there.

Clothes-wise- bring jeans, trainers etc. waterproofs for rainy days.

It's great for the kids and nice to wake up to the sounds of the forest. We love it, but whether you do depends on what you're expectations are.

Hope you have a great time.