I went to Butlins every year as child from being 6 years old to 16 years old. We went to Pwhelli for
the first year then Ayr in Scotland every year after than (both are now Haven Holiday camps).
I now have a family of my own with a little boy who is 2 (nearly 3) so as much as we love our sun holidays, feel that Butlins is more suitable and I hope he has as much fun as I did as a child. On this trip, we took my sister as well who has downs syndrome.
We have just come back from Skegness, where we did a Monday - Friday in a Silver apartment but with half board Premium Dining. We wanted an apartment rather than just a room so that we had a proper living room and Kitchen should we want to make snacks for lunch (as it happened we didn't need to). We went to Butlins last year also when my little boy was 1 and he didn't really join in as much and was terrified of the characters, but this year he had his picture taken with Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder and Thomas and the fat controller, he also loved the rides for under 5's in Bob's yard and the mini discos.
We made the mistake last year of going self catering and it cost us a fortune in food so decided that this year would be half board. We booked the premium dining option and our restaurant was the Yacht Club. The food was lovely and there was plenty of choice and the staff were polite and helpful. I have lisyted the below a diary of our week so you can see all the things available. Sometimes we found there were a couple of things on at the same time in different venues, so we struggled with that.
Monday - We arrived around 2.30pm at Butlins, and although you can check in then, the keys for accommodation are not activated until 4pm. Therefore we decided to have a wander around and went to the funfair. The main funfair has a couple of child rides, but it is mostly adult rides consisting of Dodgems, Mexican Hat, Umbrella and a few others. There is a family carousel, trampolines, jungle train but most children's rides (for under 5's) is in Bob's yard. There is quite a large soft play area in the arcade which has a baby bit, young children's and an area for older children too. Once we checked into our accommodation (silver apartment), we freshened up and headed to the Yacht Club for tea. (4pm-7pm). After tea, there are 2 under 5's disco's at Reds and Skyline Pavilion, which my little boy loved.
This was one of the nights that there were 2 shows on at the same time that we wanted to watch. One was a Tribute to Kylie Minogue and the other was an Abba Sing along. The Kylie show won so we headed
over to Reds to watch the show which was great.
Tuesday - Breakfast is served between 8am and 11am, so after breakfast we headed over to the Skyline Pavilion to watch the Little Big Club featuring Bob the Builder, Pingu among others. Then we went to Reds to watch the Loony Tunes Experience with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweetie Pie which my little boy had never watched before but does now. After lunch, we went swimming in the Splash Waterworld, which is really big and has a toddler area, so my little man loved that. After swimming, we headed back to the chalet top get freshened up before tea. After tea, we headed to the Skyline Pavilion for the under 5's disco and then the Skyline Gang in Celebration.
Wednesday - After breakfast today, we headed over to Kickabout Quay for the 0-5's play around which included basketball, tennis, football skills and other games. At 11am there was a soccer tots session which was great especially as my little boy goes to a club at home called
Little Kickers where they are taught football skills for 18 months to 4 years and this was very similar. At lunchtime, my husband took our little boy to Papa John's restaurant for lunch, while I went and got pampered at
The Spa.
Papa John's do a special all you can eat pizza, pasta and salad for £8.95 per adult and £3.95 per child at lunchtime. The Spa is lovely and I had a Garra Fish Foot spa which was £10 and a facial at £40.The only thing my sister had a hot stones back massage at £40. I find disappointing is that if you have any treatments, it doesn't include use of the Spa pool, sauna etc. If you want to use these facilities, the cost is an extra £16 for one and a half hour or £20 for 3 hours. I just think that it would be better if they discounted the rate if you are having Treatments. However the treatments are great and the spa is lovely.
In the afternoon, we took our little boy to Bob's yard for him to go on the rides which he loved. When he went on the lady bird ride, he kept shouting 'faster Gaston' (Gaston is the lady bird who barks on Ben and Holly's little Kingdom.) After tea, we headed to the Skyline Pavilion for the under 5's disco then the Skyline Gang meet and greet and the Redcoats Disco. My hubby wanted to see
The Beatles Experience which was on at Centre Stage. They were very good and even my little boy was still awake and was clapping while they were on.
Thursday - My little boy wanted to meet Fireman Sam, and there was a photo shoot with him at 1130, so after breakfast we went to Bob's Yard so that the little man could go on some rides until it was time for the photo shoot. We were a bit wary as to whether he would actually go and meet Fireman Sam as in the past, he has been terrified if characters came near him, even in July in Scotland he was scared of their mascots. We queued for about half an hour and when it was our turn, the redcoat asked him if he wanted to go on his own or with us and he said on his own. He actually loved it and went of his own accord which really shocked us. After the photo shoot, my little boy went swimming with his dad and as I couldn't be bothered going again, so I took my sister to the Skyline Pavilion as she wanted to watch the Skyline Gang cheerleading, and then the Redcoat Cheerleading. After swimming, my husband and little boy met us in the Skyline Pavilion for the
Thomas Skyline Adventure. After Thomas, it was the Skyline Gang in Junk Funk which my 2 year old put his hand up and volunteered himself to go up and do sime drumming. We had to take him away after his little gig as he wanted to go to the Bob the Builder Photo shoot. It's all go go go.
After tea, we headed over to the Skyline for the Tots disco and then queued up to get into the Centre Stage Theatre to watch the Redcoat Show 2011 - Celebrating 75 years of Butlins. Centre Stage is always busy and there is always a queue early on to get in. The redcoat show was great and because I went to Butlins from being a young child, it was funny to see how much Butlins had changed over the years. One memory I do have was Billy Butlin died while we were at Butlins in Ayr many years ago, I remember an announcement was made
at the time.
After the Redcoat show which my little boy really enjoyed (especially Billy Bear), he was saying he was tired and wanted to go to bed. (Too much excitement for one day), so my husband took him back to the chalet, while myself and my sister headed over to Reds for the
Beautiful World Show celebrating the music of Take That. They were excellent and sang old and new songs and everybody was up dancing.
Friday - Boo hoo, don't want to go home.
We decided to check out before breakfast as you need to be out of your accommodation before 10am. After breakfast, we went to the fun fair for one last thrill and took the little man to the toy shop. We left Butlins at around 1230pm after having lunch at Burger King. We wanted to book next year's holiday at the shop before we left but couldn't as we need to check we can have the time off first. I will be coming back next year whatever anyway and will be booking as soon as possible.
Although we have done a lot this week, there is so many things that we didn't get time to do and next year there will be even more stuff.
See you next year Butlins and thanks for a fab holiday x
