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Butlins or Center Parcs

Hi ladies,

Hope everyone and their lo's are doing good.

I've not been on here for ages but thought i would ask you all your opinions as i'm struggling with where i think is best to go on mini holiday this year.

My oh wants to go to butlins and i've looked at it on the internet and it looks fab, although i've never been and i've kind of got this impression, which i'm sure isn't right, that its a bit grotty and dirty.

On the other hand i've been to centre parcs a few times when i was younger and loved it but i'm not sure how much there would be for little jack to do (he'll be about 20 months when we go).

Wondered if anyone had been to either with their lo's and what you thought.

Opinions would be grately appreciated.

Thanks ladies

x x x

Replies

  • If you've got kids then Butlins is brilliant!!! Its not like it used to be and the chalets are so much nicer than years ago. There is so much for the kids to do the food is better now too.

    I like Centre Parcs too, but I suppose it depends on what budget you have..... I find Butlins a hell of a lot cheaper than Centre Parcs so it depends what you want to pay
  • We used to go to butlins back in the day (when it was grotty) and i LOVED it!!! I can't wait to take Lucy to Butlins once she's a little older as there is sooooo much for kiddies to do.

    I've been to centre parks too, when i was a little older and i loved that too. I love swimming and we spent all of our time in the gorgeous pools. And cycling. And walking. Loved it!

    I don't envy your decision, sorry to not be of any help!! Hee hee!
  • I think Center Parcs is 'nicer', but Butlins probably has more for a toddler to do, and I think it is much cheaper. I think Butlins has improved a lot from it;s grotty image, I find it a bit rowdy to be honest, but kids seem to like that, it certainly doesn't bother them - my cousin's 3 kids used to ask to go all the time, and I have to say when we went in for the day they did seem to be loving it! If it's a holiday for lo you're after, Butlins is probably your best bet - although I do love Center Parcs, after the swimming and animal spotting I'm not sure you'd find a lot for him to do.
  • Hi ladies,

    Thanks for your replies, it seems like my initial thoughts were correct in that although centre parcs is probably the 'nicer' option it is more expensive and not as much for lo to do.

    I'm just being a bit of a snob really because we are going to week after we get married and i'm a bit embarassed to say i'm going on honeymood to butlins! ha ha - suppose once you have the littles ones this is what you must do though, as long as jack enjoys it we will anyway.x x
  • Hi just wondered if you had considered other options than the two mentioned because we are going to Forest Holidays place at the beginning of Feb and it looks good for young families...who like the outdoors etc. Onsite there isn't loads as there would be at say Butlins but we are planning days out to the Sealife centre at Scarborough and you can get the Steam train to Whitby from the nearest town so we are going to do that as well. There is a play area and other on site facilities and their other sites have different onsite activities etc. Pricewise they are quite reasonable our holiday is paid for by hubby's work as he worked damn hard before xmas on a project for them and it went really well so they wanted to thank him, we are having one of their silver birch cabins with a few extras which they have paid for so its a little more expensive that what we would have gone for but our friends are going to one in Scotland at the end of Feb and are paying ??250 for 7 day break.

    Anyway sorry if thats no use to you at all but just thought I'd mention it.

    Anneka x

    [Modified by: ILOVEMYGEEK2 on January 14, 2010 01:52 PM]

  • hi i used to go to pontins when i was younger and i loved it ,however i guess it has changed ...i didnt even know butlins still existed :lol: i thought it was haven that took over :lol: shows how with it i am ....well we have been abroad with ds twice before dd was born then last year we couldnt go becuase dd was so little so we went to haven for the weekend and ds has never stopped talking about it ,he absolutly loved it .....it was hard work for me and oh cos we just sat watching the kids stuff in the evening but honestly i loved how much ds enjoyed it so much i have just booked another weekend there in march ...a top caravan for 3 nights ??100 for the 4 of us ....id love to go to centre parks but we simply cant afford it and sometimes its cheaper to go abroad so od look into the prices ...also what ilmg said ive head fab reviews about xxxxx
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