Got a Butlins Bargain!!

blue_monkey_2

matt987106 wrote: »

I am very tempted by DVC, i keep on getting e.mails from the timeshare company ( or whatever they are called ) and we love OKW and VWL ( so both resale )
we allmost purchased when the $ was 2 for 1 ( 2 and 1/2 years ago ) i couldnt find the right contract though ( 125 points )
I havent looked for a while as the free DDP helps me in my thoughts of " saving money " :rotfl::rotfl:

We have never done DLP, i am worried it will not measure up to WDW

I know what you mean. We are not in DVC but, while tempted, I am not sure we would go there enough to jusitfy it. We are with another company and we bank the weeks but it means we can go elsewhere, the fees are minimal for what we get. We bought in many moons ago now.

I do know what you mean about DDP though as we did it for a week at WDW last time with OKW as it was better than using a week, we thought we would save that for BLT. I did feel a lot of the character meals were really over-rated though and we probably would not go again. Loved the food at Olivias but was not that swayed by Kidani so it depends what you like.

You have to go to DLP knowing it is not WDW. it is perfect for a small break and get a Disney fix. My kids are getting odler and it is just not possible to fit the breaks to Orlando in with quiet times now. However, there are rides at DLp that are far superior to WDW such as BTM and Crushes Coaster. R&R Coaster has a smaller height in DLP than WDW too so this is why we are going .

blue_monkey_2

rolleypolleypud wrote: »

What is the weather like there in November? We went a couple of years ago in June and are hoping to go back next year but I would love to be there for the christmas stuff at disney.
I don't mind if its not hot but don't really want hat and mittens weather either just a nice happy medium?

Sorry to hijack your thread op:o

Ha, don't apologise. I could talk disney until your ears fall off. I know some people hate the thought of it but we LOVE the whole Disney thing. We took DS into see the Walt Disney story and he was transfixed, he even asked to go in 2 more times. It was strange, this quiet little place amost the bustle of HS.

Anyhow, we have just come back from a Nov trip - we went 24th Oct for 3 weeks. If you go around the 29th Oct you can be there for Halloween and then as it goes into Xmas too so you can go to the Halloween party and the Xmas party where they have special parades (extra money though of course). Christmas starts about a week later and you get to see the Osborne Family Lights (google it) which are absolutely worth it.

October this time was unusually hot - so hot in fact the kids could not wear their fancy dress costumes except for photos! November turned chilly, fleeces all day and long trousers needed some day times and certainly by the evening. I was quite disappointed and hated losing the sun. So we are going back in May this time We never go anywhere when it is hot usually as we hate the heat...... :rotfl: I am looking forward to being able to go swimming at the end of the day again

It was very quiet too, once Halloween had passed, it was lovely.

Dontknowanymore

blue_monkey wrote: »

No, you pay per unit - and units are 4, 6 or 7 - sometimes you can get 8 or 10 but there are not many units. You can get the prices if you look online. So we can stay in a 6 person unit but you pay the price of 6 people.

So the poster would have just been better telling them - the person would not have had to pay as they had already paid - unknowingly.

It is sad to say that we are premier club members.

And for my 40th this year, some girly friends and I are going for a Big Weekend, no hubbies, no kids, Spa during the day, dancing the night away at night. And we CANNOT wait!!! :T Did I say NO KIDS!! ON site at all!! :T However, it is going to be weird.

Oh the big weekenders are a right bloody laugh, and the best part is, NO CHILDREN! :j:rotfl:
I'm going to arrange something with some friends for late September x

I looked at Butlins for the holidays this year but it's just too expensive for me to afford on my own, so instead I am going to book a weeks stay on a caravan park 5 mins away from Butlins bognor then go there for the day with the kids, it's £400 for the week at the site we are going to which for the summer holidays I don't think is too bad.

blue_monkey_2

Our local authority has said 'no holidays' now but people still take them. Unofficially they allow you 10 days authorised and this is what we took last year.

I would not do it in their older school year, neither would I if they were very behind in their school work, but in the year and level they are at now, then yes I would to go overseas as you cannot do much in a week in the US. This week they have not done anything on the curriculem but other things instead - apparently, the chocolate room was a great success (my kids are banned from sweets this week - so they got them at school instead anyway).

Now I apologise because you've started me on a tangent now. I don;t want to turn it into an argument for against time off as every school has their own policy. However.....

One of the weeks my son was not at school because we was on holiday, they actually had NO teacher as she was not there and there was no supply. They had a variation of TA's for the week - and sometimes the parent helpers were left on their own.....

They send them home at the drop of a hat for 'looking peaky'. My DD told them she felt sick and they send her home so now she says it to get the afternoon off. They call and expect me to pick her up because 'she is not looking very well'. 5 minutes later she is fine when she gets home and is watching TV.

Last year she missed her school trip as she said she had a tummy ache (she always gets this through nerves when doing something different) they said 'have you got diarreah (sp)?' and she said yes so they sent her home - they called me urgently and said she had really bad diareah and I rushed over expecting to find her in a bad way - she was sitting on a chair swining her legs waiting for me. FGS, she has never had S&D and would not even know what it was if she had it anyway. So they sent her home and she missed the school trip (which I did not get refunded) because they put words into her mouth.

Last week they send DS home as he told them he had been sick and then got an extra 2 days off. Personally, I think they should wait to see eihter tears or actually vomit.

It has actually got to the point now ehre some parents are saying 'have they actually been ill' and the school says 'no' and the parent says 'call me again when they are ill' and funny enough they are right as rain a few minutes later. Why have I not got the bottle to say no?

So, deep breath stop ranting, I think that if they are happy for them to be off school because they 'look peaky' they should let them have time for holidays off too but set an maximum amount of days. Sitting at home watching CBBC because they have feigned illness is hardly constructive is it? My DS and DD have been sent home loads of times this year.

blue_monkey_2

Dontknowanymore wrote: »

Oh the big weekenders are a right bloody laugh, and the best part is, NO CHILDREN! :j:rotfl:
I'm going to arrange something with some friends for late September x

Can you tell me some more about Big Weekends pleeeeease. Usually it has stuff for kids during the day in the Skyline - do they have adult stuff instead? Is it loads of drunk teens or is there is a mixture of people that go. I'd love to know more.

Dontknowanymore

blue_monkey wrote: »

Can you tell me some more about Big Weekends pleeeeease. Usually it has stuff for kids during the day in the Skyline - do they have adult stuff instead? Is it loads of drunk teens or is there is a mixture of people that go. I'd love to know more.

No there is loads of people of different ages,from our age (18-21) up to pensioners, there were stag parties, hen parties, people there for birthdays as we were.

TBH I can't really remeber much about the days as I spent most of it stupidly hungover but the evening entertainment was great, they have a few bars and club houses.
We went when it was soul and motown weekend, and I loved it, if I can get on an 80's one that would be fabby!

I'm sure they have plenty going on during the day for adults, seriously, go you will have a good laugh if nothing else!

Dontknowanymore

Ooh I just found a holiday at the park I want to go for, £227 for the last week in August which means DS1 will miss the first day back at school which is a friday so IMO pointless anyway

matt987106

blue_monkey wrote: »

I know what you mean. We are not in DVC but, while tempted, I am not sure we would go there enough to jusitfy it. We are with another company and we bank the weeks but it means we can go elsewhere, the fees are minimal for what we get. We bought in many moons ago now.

We would most prob get the use out of it, esp if we got 100 - 125 points, enough for WDW every 2 years

Hilton vacation club looks nice aswell

though we really love staying on-site, so the hilton wouldnt really work

who have you got your timeshare with that lets you swap with DVC

blue_monkey wrote: »

I do know what you mean about DDP though as we did it for a week at WDW last time with OKW as it was better than using a week, we thought we would save that for BLT. I did feel a lot of the character meals were really over-rated though and we probably would not go again. Loved the food at Olivias but was not that swayed by Kidani so it depends what you like.

We thought that Olivias was a little uninspiring, we are all Veggie and they didnt have much option, thus on the flip side, Boma at AKV is great as they have loads of Veggie stuff

blue_monkey_2

matt987106 wrote: »

We would most prob get the use out of it, esp if we got 100 - 125 points, enough for WDW every 2 years
Have a look on The Dibb, there is a board where people are selling their DVC points - you might find that is more useful without the commitment.

Hilton vacation club looks nice aswell
We stayed at the one opposite Seaworld so SW, Aquatica and Dc were within walking siatnce, Outlets were on the Iride either way. Hotel itself was fantastic and (being so close to Disney aside) I'd compare it as offering the same sort of things. Daytime entertainment, they had a kids club, restaurant (which was cheap!!). We did a split stay and spent 2 weeks Disney and 1 week I Drive.

though we really love staying on-site, so the hilton wouldnt really work

who have you got your timeshare with that lets you swap with DVC

We are in Destinations with Club la Costa and we bank with RCI - we have a week rather than points. RCI offer both the points and weeks options (there is a code after the name of the DVC unit - I cannot remember wwithout logging in and looking) check out the site though. We get a week a year, we bank them and go every year and they sometimes do 2 for 1 in the USA. Butlins Blue Skies used to bank with RCI too ironically, I think they stopped doing it and now they offer the units on their own site instead. 3k for a week at Blue Skies in the summer. Ouch!!

We thought that Olivias was a little uninspiring, we are all Veggie and they didnt have much option, thus on the flip side, Boma at AKV is great as they have loads of Veggie stuff

Ah I see, we are not veggie and the meat we had was really nice (sorry). Was not sure at first because there were some bad reviews but the food was lovely. We went because we did not need reservations and it was just handy after the parks.

blue_monkey_2

Dontknowanymore wrote: »

No there is loads of people of different ages,from our age (18-21) up to pensioners, there were stag parties, hen parties, people there for birthdays as we were.

TBH I can't really remeber much about the days as I spent most of it stupidly hungover but the evening entertainment was great, they have a few bars and club houses.
We went when it was soul and motown weekend, and I loved it, if I can get on an 80's one that would be fabby!

I'm sure they have plenty going on during the day for adults, seriously, go you will have a good laugh if nothing else!

LOL, thanks. I don;t really drink anymore tbh, just ging for a weekend away from the kids after summer holidays!! Glad to know it's not just teens. We are going to the 90's weekend (I would prefer 60's though) and they have S Club Party - used to be S Club 7 but now there is only 3 of them. :rotfl: Should be a laugh though.