Butlins Skegness Tips

Lip_Stick

Hi all

I've booked a short 4 night break to Butlins for in a couple of weeks time. I'm really looking forward because I'm hoping my 4yr old will have the time of his life. Me on the other hand, will probably be losing my sanity by the end of it, with all the happy clappy red coats lol. Anyway, I'm going with my mum and dad in standard self-catering apartment.

Has anyone got any tips about best places to eat? Will mostly be cooking ourselves but would like to eat out occasionally. Also do they have snack places to get ds something small to eat for lunch (he's not a big eater).

How much spending money do you think is reasonable? Ds will probably want to go on the crazy golf which is a couple of quid I think but I think that's the only paid for thing I'll be doing unless someone knows of something else paid for, that a 4 yr old would really enjoy.

Is there plenty to do if it's raining that'll be free?

Is the nursery free? and how long can you leave a child there for?

Someone recommended I take a good frying pan lol, so will be doing that! Anything else that might come in handy in the apartments?

TIA

hugsjk70

Hi, in answer to your question and as with holiday camp's buying your meals on site is expensive, a mile down the road you have Ingoldmells with plenty of entertainment and some good places to eat, I reccommend the Hollywood , but there are plenty there including Mac D.
Ken

hyltonlad

hi we are butlins veterans we allways go self catering here are my tips.
go into skegness theres a morrisons get your shopping there.
buy bottled water and cans of pop to drink when you are on the camp during the day( you sre not allowed to take your own in reds and centre stage)
plan your days so you see everything you want.
get to the fair early the rides are empty.
if you want to see the shows in reds and centre stage get in the que about an hour before it starts rotate who is standing lol.
if it rain the swimming pool gets packed.once again get in early.
we often eat in the sun and moon on site.
the red coats are all nice and are not in your face all the the time.
if you need to know anything else just ask or have a look on here http://www.butlinsmemories.com/forums/index.php or here https://www.facebook.com/butlins?ref=ts
hyltonlad

IphoneBuyer

We visited another and we saved lots of money by going outside of the park and picking up essential items from the local supemarket. Everything is a little bit more pricey on site so for the 30 mins it takes to do a little shop it is worthwhile.

If you are planning on going for a meal one of the nights you are there you will see.

marywooyeah

there is a really good value resturant in skeg itself called the boathouse or the marinehouse or something like that where carvery is £3.99! we went there a couple of times if we found there was a bit of a lull in the entertainment we'd head into skeg for a bit.
the only thing which is annoying about the entertainment at butlins is sometimes the kids shows are the same ones repeated so they are the same word for word.

meki_j

Hi,

Couple of things that i can suggest, buy your son a butlins drink container, cant remember the exact name for it, you will see it as soon as you walk into any club etc, blue or pink iirc. Anyways, after the first drink, you can either just buy refills, or do as we did last time, fill it with squash and keep going back the chalet to refill it, can be a bit of a pain if you in one of the further away chalets, but will save a fortune, never had the drink checked when entering any of the clubs.

Sun and Moon is reasonable, and decent food tbh,

Expect your son to be a bit clingy the first day or two maybe, but once he gets the hang of butlins, there will be no stopping him.

Buy your shopping in the town, or before you go, just depends on how much space you have.

If raining, you have swimming pool, indoor kids fair which 4 year old should still like (I think its in skeggy, definately in Minehead.). Plus all the days entertainment is indoors, the guide will tell you whats on where.

Spending money is difficult, all depends what the weather is like and what he wants to do. Most of the stuff is free, obviously you have to pay for the 10 pin bowling, facepainting, crazy golf, etc. If he likes the arcades, they still have the 2p machines, so a couple of quid will keep him busy for an hour.

They have a spar, bakery, burger king, coffee shop, so there is enough places to pick up snacks for him through the day.

Lip_Stick

Thanks for the replies.

I live close to a supermarket so will go there before we set off. Will also check out Skegness too, definitely on the last day with having to leave at 12. We're about an hour and half away (I think) so will have plenty of time on Friday.

Thanks for the tip about the drinks container. Hmm wonder if I could get away with one for myself filled with beer. haha I'll pick up plenty of small bottles of coke from Home Bargains too, for during the day.

Hopefully ds will have the time of his life. I took him to Turkey a couple of months ago and the hotel had hardly any children, so don't think he enjoyed it very much. Asking to go home was a big hint that he'd had enough lol.

I'll probably take about £50 spending for me and ds then. Don't want to go ott since I've only just paid off the last holiday lol.

Thanks again for the replies, and ty Hyltonlad for the link to the website.

lesalanos

We always try to get there early (11ish) on arrival day and go swimming straight away before checking in. The pool always seems quieter on swapover days. Also with going s/c the rides and everything else will be quieter when the half board are having their meals.

We always stay for the day on the last day too. It says that you can stay till 12 but we stay and watch some of the night entertainment too. Again the pool will be quieter on this day.

have a great time

Lip_Stick

lesalanos wrote: »

We always try to get there early (11ish) on arrival day and go swimming straight away before checking in. The pool always seems quieter on swapover days. Also with going s/c the rides and everything else will be quieter when the half board are having their meals.

We always stay for the day on the last day too. It says that you can stay till 12 but we stay and watch some of the night entertainment too. Again the pool will be quieter on this day.

have a great time

Thanks for the useful info. Will remember that about the rides being quieter. Don't they check when you depart then? Will ds still be able to get entrance to things on the last day? No wrist bands to let them know?

meki_j

They dont check when you depart, the only thing they do is make sure you are out of your chalet by 10am, but apart from that you are pretty much free to do whatever you want. You just hand your keycard in at the exit on the way home.

You willl get entrance to whatever you want, remember, other people will be coming as you are leaving.

Only time I have seen wristbands at butlins is for the adult weekends.

Lip_Stick

meki_j wrote: »

They dont check when you depart, the only thing they do is make sure you are out of your chalet by 10am, but apart from that you are pretty much free to do whatever you want. You just hand your keycard in at the exit on the way home.

You willl get entrance to whatever you want, remember, other people will be coming as you are leaving.

Only time I have seen wristbands at butlins is for the adult weekends.

Cheers, won't be rushing off then if there's still stuff to do.