Center Parcs Christmas Extra's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alibo]

We have booked to take our little ones to Sherwood Forest on a winter wonderland break,and have just received our booking confirmation letter.I have to say although we were aware that "activities" are extra i am stunned at what they are charging!! Also at no point on the christmas section of the website does it make clear any of the costs relating to the christmas activities. In the terms and conditions somewhere there is a sentance that says what is included "as listed in the information provided to you", but you don't get this information until after you've booked!! It has a lovely list of all the christmas things taking place at each park, but at no point in the booking process does it indicate that NOTHING is included. I have not even added up the cost of these activities for 3 adult and 3 children :

Pantomime £8.95 per PERSON
Santa Visit £8.50 per child
Carriage Ride £9.00 per person, and each child must be accompanied by a paying adult!
Ghost Walk £12.50 per adult, 8.00 per child
Pony Rides £4.00 per child
Princess and Pirate Party £10.00 per child
Stocking Making £7.50 per child
Christmas List Writing £7.00 per child!!!??

And thats just some of it!! An absolute rip off... What do you think?

. What a con!

we go every year and apart from the panto ( which is always fantastic) and santa visit- we do not involve ourselves in activities.

The pool is free, we go for bike rides, childrens play area etc.

its our 8th year of going just before xmas, you dont have to fork out. We dont and still have agreat time.

CP has come full circle!!

We used to go the week before Christmas when it was cheap and you wouldn't have even known Christmas was imminent. It was great.

Appreciate you don't have to do the christmas activities, but we could ride bikes and go to play areas anywhere!!
We have decided to do the carriage ride to santa's woodland and the panto, and leave everything else. Even that has come in at £133 for the six of us. My main point with center parcs is that at some point before you book there should be a page of "extra"s, especially for all these christmas things at those prices, so that at least you have that information! Its the only website I have used for holidays/trips etc where you do not get asked "do you want to add this extra on for "x" amount before your final booking page.

I am going in Dec and was warned to be savvy about the extras. It has cost us £56 just to book bikes! Our Lo is only 2 and so will be happy with walks, the soft play which I think is free and the pool. We have booked santa and that is all.

It IS a rip off but if you are careful then should be OK. A friend who went also advises not topping up your shopping at their shop either. She said that by the time you add in logs, crisps and wine for little treats, before you know it you've spent a small fortune!

You dont need the extra activities you will still have a great time ! All we pay for is the bike hire, sometimes we do crazy golf or bowling but the rest of the time we enjoy the bike rides, swimming etc. We are always busy and shattered when we get home.

We've just done a week at Whinfell and did the pony ride to Santa & Santa's grotto plus panto. That was plenty - spent the rest of the time biking, swimming etc. The decorations everywhere were fab and we all had a great time. Panto wasn't great but the kids loved it. I agree that all the extras are a license to print money but if you're selective about what you do it can be OK.

Thanks for posting liath. What kind of accommodation were you in and what did you think of it?

Well, the pantomime is a bargain compared to what we are paying (twice the price).

Is there an element of childcare built into some of the activities or do you have to stay with your children whilst thay make their stockings ?

know exactly what you mean about the costs

we are going for 5 days at new year and the events on new year are astronomical £54 per adult for a buffet and disco which is a lot although I know new years things are expensive everywhere, its the £20 for 3 year old dd that really pissed me off.

therefore we are booking a normal restauant for earlier on NYE and then having a cosy evening back at the villa

apart from bikes and maybe one more meal out we wont be paying for lot of extras, they are a rip off, when you have already paid £900 for the privilage of just staying there for 5 days

ooops £45 for NYE, still £20 per child

wow £23 for entrance to a new years eve party, no food, no drink included!

Fifitot, we were in an executive lodge which TBH wasn't worth it as the decor was a bit tired and the sauna wasn't even working! My sister stayed in comfort lodge which was very nice & looked as if it had been recently renovated so I'm going to save my £££ and stay in comfort lodges from now on I think.

We stayed in a woodland lodge which was lovely, nicer decor than the comfort, dishwasher and towels were provided. Comfort is fine though we have always been in those before. Its nice to have one with water at the back so you get the ducks and swans coming up to the patio doors all the time.