Just booked Centre Parcs - any advise and hints?

[Hulababy]

We have booked to go for a week, week beginning Friday 15th December.

Have never stayed before, but have been in the Sherwood Forest one with a day pass earlier this year.

We have booked a new style Woodland Lodge at the Cumbria parc, and we are going with us, DD (age 6) and PILs.

Haven't prebooked anything else yet. DH ad DD will probably take their own bikes with them, but I will need to hire - how much does this cost on top?

Towels and linen are included, but what else will we need to tske?

And what other activities are worth doing, and how much are they?

Anything else we should know?

Have fun np. We get home Friday 19th December, wanted to be home for Christmas.

MrCheese - we have very good relationship with bth sets of parents; have been on holiday with both before. Never been a problem

i am going away over xmas to GET AWAY from my ILS! lol

have fun too hula i hope ti snows!

god yes
i dont want to go away with 60 year old
btu eahc to own i supose

Hi Hula, prob all been said now so may not be able to help..but we're going end of Nov, the lapland experience is on from 6th Nov..all the lodges around lake and boathouse have 'snow' on roof's, children can see santa and theres a fantastic panto on(we went same time alst year)

you will, or may already have got a email telling you what activities you can pre book, the christmas list isnt out yet, should be this week, things have gone up in price this year and TBH we are only doing santa, panto and teddy bears picnic as the last 3 times we've been we've ran round like headless chickens when what we should have been doing was enjoying the surroundings, it IS beautiful

the kitchens are fine to cook in and we are also staying in one of the new style woodland lodges, they are much more modern with plasma t'v's dvd players etc, but any of the lodges are lovely and confortable and well equipt IMHO.

were in whinfell are you staying??which area? have you got the map online so you cans ee were you'll be and whats around you? let me know i can point it out for you

like i say this will be our fourth time, we all love it, so if you need anything else just ask

General CP tip - do not put PFB in kids' club on a changeover day (Friday or Monday) because it will be empty (oops).

Whinfell specific tip - do not inadvertantly go over a Scottish schools long weekend, as the place will suddenly and inexplicably be full of Scottish people and you will spend value mental energy trying to figure out why.

The animal events at Whinfell are good (mammal magic, and one with birds), I think DD enjoyed them, and I've been boring people telling them how stupid owls really are ever since we went.

quick scan through, i DO enjoy the resteraunts, very good with children, lots of choice, we DO take some food/bits of our own but i have never found the parc market THAT expensive..you can all go in in the morning, then what i would do it wai till4pm to take the car through, you or who ever drives can take the care through, doesnt have to be all of you..we havea slw walk to lodge and get dp to meet us there with car and baggage, they give you your key cards when you arrive theyre just not activated till gone 3pm

oh and never had problem waiting to get into resteraunts or found them overly busy, same with swimming pool, lots get there for it opening at 10am but its that big you really wouldnt have prob with space

do they let you know in advance which area you are staying?

god it sounds a shit hole

you can chose the area you want either soecific lodge number or area and pay more, otherwise when you get your booking info a couple of weeks before it will say Lodge 3 Lake beck (for eg) at the top of letter.

ok thanks pink chick

We are going in a Woodland Lodge too - next week! They are much better equipped with dish washer etc, we didn't take anything extra. If you are used to waitrose then parc market will be fine. Also most of the restarants etc. have improved & a few new ones opened recently.
We usually do the early check-in for 99 quid. For this you get in an hour early beating the rush. It also includes 2 x bike hire, 2 day spa passes for first/last day and a welcome pack so you get your monies worth.
From 16 wks in advance you can log online and see all the activities, times and prices. We usually do 1 or 2 things per day and spend the rest of the time in the pool/outside. You will have a fab time.

welcome, i would love to go over new year but V.expensive (as is christmas)

once you know were you'll be go online and print off the map to see how far away /close you are

you haev to plan this" holiday" liek a military operation fgs
avoid the rush
why are you going?

its butlins isnt it

oh bugger off

its not butlins

tsk

large holiday camp
organised activities.
saps punters paying through nose

er xmas is not expensive

im going over xams and its cheaper - 5 days for orice fo 4 or summat

WE love CP, we go every year the week before xmas (sherwood)

well i am avoidlign tthe organised activities

i will be lying on sunbed whilst you have your hand up turkeys arse

i haevnt cooked an xmas meal for

erm

8 eyars

you lazy sod

ISnt it??..though xmas and n.year week WERE expensive?

how long are you going for pinkchick?

friday to monday, its always more expensive over weekend but as dd going into yr 1-2 now didnt want her having a full week off again