Center Parks... Restrictions on first day?

[Patienceofatoddler]

Center Parks question..

Reading the 'What to do when you arrive' page online it says you can use the pool from 14:00?!?

Had me a tad baffled -

Is there anything stopping you using it before then if you arrive in the morning?

Or is it just your bands won't work for a locker?

Was hoping to arrive and head straight to the pool

you cant use the facilities until you have checked in and you cant check in usually until 2pm. we turned up early thinking we would get in and make the most of it and ended up waiting for hours in the car park.

We arrive early (11ish - no queues to get in), park up, go take a wander around find the nearest loo , go have pancake house lunch, send the kids off to the playground whilst we sit with drink til the pancakes are at least partially digested.

Then we go to the pool, have a swim, pick up some munchies from the shop and head off to cabin 3ish. Open up, spread seed on patio for the wildlife, send DH and kids off for the car whilst I get the kettle on... and sit and eat chocolate til they return bliss.

I thought you could use the pool before check in, but you wouldn't have a wrist band for locker. sure I've done this in the past at Woburn. What's to stop you strolling in? No-one on the door of pool

It's so that people checking out can go for a swim before they leave. If two whole batches of guests were in there at once it would be outwith safety limits.

You can swim before- you just can’t access your room. We always get there early. I thought you could arrive from 10?

The web site page says you can use the pool from 10am onwards. as well as hire bikes, booked activities and use the eating places.
www.centerparcs.co.uk/discover-center-parcs/short-family-breaks/what-to-do-on-arrival.html
Are you talking about the UK parks?

You can arrive from 10am (although if you arrive earlier they still let you in). No-one really abides by the 2pm swimming rule (which is why the pool is always packed by 11am on changeover days) but we often go and do some pottery painting first and head to the pool after lunch (much nicer as it's quieter and you miss all the madness of people queuing in their cars to get out of the car park). We then saunter to the villa 4.30/5pm while DH goes and gets the car.

I don't think the lockers/wristbands are time sensitive. We always need an extra one from guest services (£2 refundable deposit) anyway.

The website does not say you can use the pool from 10am...

you're welcome to arrive as early as 10am to get your break started sooner. Explore the village, enjoy the facilities and slip seamlessly into your holiday mode. You could even hit the pool in the afternoon, with access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise available from 2pm onwards on the day of your arrival.

Beyond If you click on the link I put above it clearly says you can use the pool from 10am!

You get your locker wristband upon arrival so there’s nothing to stop you using it, and the pool, from 10am.

Don't they close the Whinfell one for cleaning on changeover days?

Beyond If you click on the link I put above it clearly says you can use the pool from 10am!

Nope - the quoted text was from the link you put. It says it under the heading "if you arrive between 10am and 3pm" so is a bit misleading , but the quoted text is there in black and white.

This is weird - I cannot see that text anywhere on that page. Mine clearly says that you can use the pool from 10 am.!!

I went to Woburn at Easter and got my bands as we went through the check in. They worked in pool straightaway. Although ds would t swim as rules said not until 2 (he's autistic!)

We got wristbands as we drove in at ten. They weren’t time sensitive and worked fine on the lockers. I had a quick scan around to check ours weren’t a different colour to the people already there but all was fine.
I know if everyone broke the rules there would be chaos on changeover day but we didn’t realise and when you’ve promised a four year old swimming it would have been a looooong 4 hours

Thanks all - Yes it's UK we are going to.

Elvedon.

You can arrived from 10am but online says only use pool from 14:00 (Although the website is somewhat misleading as you have to read smaller print to see that).

I know they check you in as you arrive and I'm sure we will arrive early and avoid most the queues. (Hopefully).

Was just curious if anyone knew if there were any physical reasons why you can't use the pool before
14:00 as I know from past visits you can literally walk in

It's cheeky I know.

@Allosaurusroar that's great to know and what I suspected

Previously I've just gone for Spa weekends / with adults so barely went in the pool whereas I know my 3.5 year old will be so excited to go swimming.

I've been to elvedon and don't remember any reason why you couldn't just go in anyway!

They do tend to close large areas of the pool/ the slides on the change over mornings.