Centre parcs tips needed please

[Jhumphreys]

Hello all

Apols if this has been covered in another thread - I did not seem to come up with much when I searched.

We are going to centre parcs in a couple of weeks (2.5 yo and 5 mth and my partner) and I want to make the most of our four days. I am looking for any tips for making the most of time there or anything that you wished that you had known before going.

Thank you for any advice - I would be very grateful

Julie

[Strawbs]

Watching with interest as we are headed there this weekend for the first time. We have prebooked activities for toddler Strawbs and arranged for a bed guard for him and a good hamper so we have the basics oh and early check in too so we aren't queuing with everyone else with two small children in the car x

[northdulmum]

I think mumsnet have a ton of threads on this

Have you tried there?

[Sarah9999]

We have been wih just a toddler and then toddler plus baby. Bring a sheet for the cot for the baby. The lodges are really well equipped and safe so you shouldn't need to bring anything else on that front, although I bring plastic spoons and sippy cups.

We always bring some food for dinners in case we dont eat out and a cool box with milk etc so we don't have to rush to the shop as soon as we get there. Saying that, the shop is really well stocked with including loads of baby stuff, Ella's/bibs/beakers so if you do forget anything major they'll probably have it.

Towels for swimming. I got a wetsuit for my 6month old so she could stay in the water as long as my 2.5yr old.

We got a bike with the trailer thingy that both girls loved but your 5mth old might not like it if not sitting that well yet.

It's great fun, especially if the children like the pool. Even if they don't there's playgrounds and woodland and a beach to explore.

When we went to longleat we went next door to the safari park which was ace, and discounted through centreparcs. In terms of booked activities we liked toddler football training and the pot painting.

Have a great time.

[Indiana]

On your first day the brochure tells you that you can access the parc at 10am and they tell you the pool at 2pm

However - you are able to access the pool after 10am too....which means you can have the quietest swim of your days there as everyone is leaving and those arriving think they have to wait til 2pm.

So - if you are arriving in the morning, pack a swim bag - head to the pool, then have some lunch and a look around before going back to get your car and bring to your lodge to unpack after 2/3pm.

We bought lots of M&S food/meals to cook in the evening as the kitchen's have limited utensils etc and we didn't want to spend all the time cooking

Our kids loved the pool, playgrounds and a bit of the nature/animal activities but don't overbook...

Also - if you want a spa treatment (spa is lovely) pre-book those as the time/treatment you want may be full.

Take a box set of DVDs and lots of wine for the evening!

[Jhumphreys]

Thanks for all of the messages and suggestions - really helpful and glad to hear that everyone who has been has enjoyed it! Have a lovely time there Strawbs! X

[alaska721]

If you are going to the Center Parcs at Longleat there is a Waitrose in nearby Warminster with plenty of parking. We stocked up on groceries and booze there several times.

[Mariamadeit]

We went recently too my children are 4 and 2 we all got up and were at the pool (changed etc) waiting for them to let us in which meant we got straight onto the things we wanted and it wasn't busy. After lunch both children had a sleep. We had a great time, have fun!

[Pickle]

We had a great week there a number of years ago now, at the time we had a 1 and 2.5 year old. Our days consisted mainly of swimming, riding on the bikes and outdoor playgrounds. I planned a few easy meals ahead of time and took basic stuff with me, but as others say, the supermarket there is well stocked. From memory the only paid activitie we did were a messy play session and teddy bears picnic.

It's worth booking a babysitter one evening so you can go "out".

Enjoy. I'd like to go again, but now that we are limited to school holidays I don't think it would be as nice - when you can go off peak it's much quieter and great not having hoards of older children around!

[pinkglitter]

Hi sorry to hijack but we were thinking of this but not too sure if ours are too young - 21 months and 2 months? and the older one isn't into water / swimming!! would it be wasted? x

[johnhinton]

we went to Elvedon in the summer and there was a large baby/toddler water fun area (not really a pool area, but the actual pool was great). Elevedon is relatively flat, which made cycling easier.

[Sa16]

Just been with all my family. Kids 5, 2.5, 1.5 . We had a great time. It depends what you're after but I wouldn't say you need to go mad booking activities as there is so much to do for free. My 2.5 year old niece loved paddling in the lake, the outdoor playgrounds, being on the back of the bike and swimming. My sister took her to the Messy play session which was actually a nice quiet hour for her after all the running about. There are a couple of nice options for activities too - soft tennis and mini bowling could be good. There was also a magic show I think which we missed. Have fun!

[Otta]

northdulmum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think mumsnet have a ton of threads on this

> Have you tried there?

They'll just tell you to take plenty of lube.

[bobby's bear]

Tee hee otta I was waiting for someone to reference the adult activities recommended!

[pilsbury]

Can I be cheeky and resurrect this thread... I'm looking to squeeze another break in before my oldest starts school. So would be 2 adults, a 4 year old and an (almost) 2 year old, probably over a weekend. Which resort do people recommend or are they all much the same? Is going at the weekend a different experience to midweek? Anyone been to the resorts in Northern Europe?

thanks x

[slh2009]

I've been to 4 UK center parcs but always midweek so can't comment on what it's like at the weekend.

Woburn is much smaller than the others with the facilities all close to each other in the center which makes it a bit easier to get about. I didn't even get on a bike although we had a house close to the centre. The pools are lovely, there's a baby/toddler pool and a pirate ship which my 4 yr old loved. The only thing I was a bit disappointed with was there was no wildlife wandering about that we've enjoyed in the other parcs. For a weekend I would say Woburn or Elveden as they are closest. Enjoy!

[yeknomyeknom]

When I did my research people said just pick the closest park to you as they are so similar. Mmwe went to woburn 3 wks ago midweek. Loved it. Have rebooked again already. You don't need a bike. In fact it's hilly so bikes are a drag. Don't pay extra to pick your lodge. It's small enough that everything is close to the centre. We bought all our food and brought it with us but the supermarket is great, huge selection, not as pricey as it could be. Yes more expensive than Tesco, but it's convenient and worth a bit more I think. Bring your own alcohol though as its well overpriced. If you want the cr?che you must prebook, it's fully booked all the time. We had the lodge with the jacuzzi, steam and sauna and games room which was ace but next time will go for the one without the steam and sauna that's a bit cheaper. It was lovely but we didn't have time to make the most of it. We put piles of monkey nuts outside our patio doors everyday and had ten plus squirrels and phaesants. There are some roadworks going on at woburn so give any lodges opposite the pool a miss. Have fun, I miss it.

[Mrs TP]

All on here seem to have pre-schoolers and so I am assuming are going in term time and not schools hols. However, if anyone is going in the school hols and wants to eat out in the evening then you need to pre-book your restaurants esp early evening slots when all the families are out and about. It's very rare to get a walk in slot at one of the restaurants in school hols.

We've been to Longleat a good few times and I find the on-site grocery shop quite reasonable and comparable with local London shops but I do try to take as many basics as I can tea, coffee, ketchup, salt, pepper, herbs, pasta, cereal etc and also my own sharp knife, corkscrew and matches (for bbq or indoor gas oven) and dishwasher tabs, washing up liquid - how prepared we are is varied depending on what else going on as we are getting ready to go but really you can buy just about anything you may need at the onsite shop.

[yeknomyeknom]

Woburn might be different. But we looked up on here and mumsnet all what to bring and had a sharp knife, extra toilet roll, dishwasher tabs etc etc. but when we got there is was all provided. There was literally nothing we needed to bring in that respect.

[pilsbury]

thanks all for the tips, i really appreciate that! we have booked to go to woburn for the first weekend of june - really lookng forward to it! we booked a lodge quite far out (as prefer the peace and quiet), so will probably hire bikes anyway (the hills don't really phase us as we're both keen cyclists, plus can't wait to get the kids in trailers!). will try and be ueber-prepared with the pre-shopping, but really helpful to know the on-site shop isn't too crazily priced. very excited :)

[Mellors]

I've just come back from Elveden - it was voted "best holiday ever" by my 8, 6 and 3 year olds :D

My top tip is to go in the morning of the first day, dump your car and go straight to the pool for swimming and lunch - its quieter as everyone else is leaving/arriving - then you get a full day there on day 1.

I also ordered a box of food from Hello Fresh for dinners (you get the exact amount for the recipes), so no need for taking stuff then bringing it home after. Shop was v good though.

Pre book for cr?che and spa, they were busy.

Take nice coffee if that's your bag (they have a cafetiere), and maybe some kids DVDs?

Can't think of anything else, but feel free to ask if you have any questions. We can't wait to go back, but damn the school holiday prices!

[pilsbury]

that's funny about being able to get to the pool so early on your first day (rather than waiting until after 2pm) - somebody else above said that, yet on the site they are quite clear that you can't do that -

"If you arrive and register between 10am and 3pm (3.30pm at Whinfell Forest), you will be directed to the Main Car Park, where you can leave your car and go off to enjoy the wide variety of bars, restaurants and sports and leisure facilities on the Village. Remember - you only pay for the activities you want to do. You can use the Subtropical Swimming Paradise from 2pm on your arrival day"

i'd deffo like to get there early before the crowds if possible! anyone done this at woburn?

[yeknomyeknom]

Re Woburn, once you are onsite, there is nothing to stop you doing anything. There is no reception at the pool. No one would know if you are a new guest or an old one as you don't pass anyone to get to he pool. Nothing to stop you just piling on in.

[pilsbury]

Nice one!

[buggie]

We were at Elvden last week too (missed opportunity for EDF meet up Mellors!!) Mon to Fri, & thought we'd do the opposite & hang round on the Fri, We got car packed & out to the car park and hit the pool first thing expecting it to be quieter but was busiest I'd seen it - guess it works better on Saturday's as it's the bigger change over day and if you can stick round until the afternoon.

Had a fab time though, and echo everyone's advice to book activities in advance, plus even onsite, use your phone app/own internet access as their booking points are really clunky & slow.

We booked our 4yr old onto the Pirates & Princesses party & was really impressed with it - she made a hairband, treasure map, got her face painted, and even drew her favourite thing to put as a message in a bottle, plus we got to go in & be told what they'd done & see them perform a song they'd learnt - v cute!