The Center Parcs Experience

I am too, but maybe coming from a different angle.

I'm finding the begrudging coming from the Lanzarote type side.

I just think the holidays are for different folks.

Anyone I know who visited CenterParcs had nothing negative to say of it.

The Center Parcs people will not be the Lanzarote people and vice versa.

Who cares where anyone goes on holidays.

Slightly disagree with this. We've been to Centre Parcs twice now & loved it. Was it a bit pricey, yes but it was what we wanted at the time. We've also been to Tenerife & Lanzarote on holidays those years too but that was because we wanted some sun. To say the Centre Parcs people will not be the Lanzarote people is actually quite narrow minded.

That said, coming on a post about Centre Parcs to solely say "it's overpriced but I'm here in x location on holidays for half the price" isn't really helpful either. I think the reason Centre Parcs is thoroughly popular at the moment is because of not having to deal with the airport to get there. Dump everything in the car & go.

Problem for most of the whingers is that there's no **** Oirish bar for them to piss away their time like they flock to when abroad.

Yes, the pools are great, but you've to get on a ferry and feel nauseous for 18-22 hours, drive another 5 hours on the other side, and the same on the return. We've done that "holiday" a few times, and swore after the last one we would never step foot on a ferry again. The travelling is a nightmare. Or, you fly, and hire a car for a bazillion euro. There's a place for every holiday people want to take, but I'm definitely over that travel.

C'mere, anyone who is in CP at the moment, I have a question. Is the pool-side pizza back yet? When we went for a weekend earlier this year it was still missing, not reinstated post-covid. we have booked a trip later this year, in autumn.

I’d take any of the hols CP, lanzarote, or camping in France but for a short weekend away out of season I find CP brilliant

we have never flown with the children and I’m not very keen to at moment either

Anyone who thinks it’s only middle class families at centre parcs will get a bit of a shock I think.

I’m afraid by my calculations you are worse as you have done both, and paid for a decent resort in lanzarote so obviously have a “middle class chip” on your shoulder,😂😂 now if you had got the week in lanzarote for €300 and paid for Cp in saved butter vouchers it’d be ok! But you’d have to preach how it was the only way you’d go….or at least that’s how it seems to work

No-one actually said they wanted this, but you're right, it's a healthy mix of backgrounds

Just back from a CP holiday, and I must say it was excellent. Expensive yes, but also excellent.

I had a notion in my head what it would be like, and it exceeded my expectations.

And more importantly, the kids loved it. They said it was their best holiday yet. We did 3 Spanish campsites for 3 years before covid.

Don't get me wrong, they were fantastic holidays too, kids had a ball. But I'm just so glad we were able to drive to this year's holiday rather than run a potential gauntlet of issues with flying. Of course we might have travelled ok, but it's a much longer journey to get you to Spain and home, and kids don't enjoy such travel.

We are already talking about booking CP again for next year. And I am more than happy to do Spain or France again. But suspect OH will pick CP every time.

And finally regarding the cost, as expensive as CP is, I think you get what you pay for. The chalet was top class, and let's be honest trying to live in a 25 x 11ft metal box for 7 or 14 days isn't much craic. And thinking back, I was never close to having a foreign campsite holiday for half the price of what we paid for CP. Nowhere near it.

And didn't see one midge all week.

100% bring your own bikes. You can rent them there but by bringing your own you have the freedom to move around the site from the moment you drive in to the moment you drive out without the hassle of having to wait to pick up rented bikes and then drop them back early on the last day.

P.s. you could walk around it. Many people do. But bikes are definitely better. A 15/20 minute walk will be just a 5 minute bike ride.

Would say if you have easy access to a bike rack, then bring them, especially if your cabin is further away from the swimming pool and restaurants. Not crucial but nice to have

Is it possible to book early check in or late check out? I couldn't find any information from googling (which makes me assume no)

Our toddler needs to nap around midday, it's a shame to have to leave early in the morning so he can get his nap, rather than being able to do it in the lodge then spending the rest of the day in the park. Same on arrival where we'd have to leave after his nap instead of spending the morning there.

(He doesn't sleep in his buggy or anywhere other than in a cot)

It’s very accessible. I’m not sure if anywhere on site is more than a 15 minute walk to activities but you can pay to get a house closer to centre. We had a super close house last time and didn’t pay for it. Didn’t need bikes at all.

Has anyone gone in the winter? We're considering going in January when they have forest illuminations on, but not sure if it's worth it. The heated pool will be great of course as will a bunch of the indoor activities, but a lot of outdoor stuff that's a big part of the centerparcs experience would be off the table with the weather.

Well worth it in January. It’s gorgeous.

Currently booking some activities for a trip to Center Parcs next March. Neither the Sports Bar or Hucks Grill appear as options to reserve for food - what's the story there? They were both open when we went this February

….

Is the pool still limiting the amount of time you can spend in it and the amount of times you can go?

They check you in in the car so you’d have to make one child hide, if you were caught that’s the end of the holiday be very difficult to explain to the kids that thats that and you are heading home. I’m sure some have got away with it but it’s a big risk. It’s not like a hotel where people are milling around in reception, you’d be pulling up in 2 different cars and they’d be checking you in off the list.