The Center Parcs Experience

redlead

I really like the look of it and would love to go but the prices just look crazy.

facehugger99

One day a thread will be created that doesn't descend into the usual Traveller-bash froth.

Hoboo

Mr.S wrote: »

4,000+ bookings already is fairly impressive for something that hasn't opened yet tbh. I'd say it will do just fine.

The corporate market will lap it up as well.

Still kind of funny that it's Longford of all places though!

I'm not getting the corporate market interest? In what capacity?

gordongekko

Hoboo wrote: »

I'm not getting the corporate market interest? In what capacity?

Team building ****e

Spanish Eyes

facehugger99 wrote: »

One day a thread will be created that doesn't descend into the usual Traveller-bash froth.

Just shows how many do not want to encounter them anywhere ever. Surely?

Spanish Eyes

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

I hope it's full of them.

Would you like them next door to you at the moment? Be honest now.

Graham

redlead wrote: »

I really like the look of it and would love to go but the prices just look crazy.

I had a quick scan through pricing a few days ago.

I don't think it's ever going to be in the bargain break territory but I did come across 4 day breaks for 2 staring at €299. Less than €40/night pps.

Spanish Eyes

gordongekko wrote: »

Team building ****e

I successfuly avoided EVERY team building cr@p event for years. But it's great craic for many. My heart sank every time I saw such and such event for a Team Building Event. Meh. I never had so many infections at the time. LOL.

Didn't do me any harm to avoid it in the end. Maybe they thought I wasn't a herd follower or something like that! Doesn't matter now... who cares. Do what you feel comfortable with.

But there certainly is pressure to partake in these idiotic corporate get togethers.

vargoo

Graham wrote: »

I had a quick scan through pricing a few days ago.

I don't think it's ever going to be in the bargain break territory but I did come across 4 day breaks for 2 staring at €299. Less than €40/night pps.

Say when otherwise you are just pissing people off!

Middle of the week, middle of winter.

OldMrBrennan83

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Would you like them next door to you at the moment? Be honest now.

Like rats, they're never far.

Mod

Banned

Graham

vargoo wrote: »

Say when otherwise you are just pissing people off!

Middle of the week, middle of winter.

Off-peak, can't say I memorised the specifics.

Safe to say you won't find many specials during the school holidays

bluestone

JupiterKid wrote: »

Looks very impressive. So have any boardsies booked a break in CenterParcs Longford for the opening season?

Looking for early reports back...

I worked there during the construction so have a free stay there in July . Should be good but I couldn’t see myself paying normal charges being quoted

JupiterKid

It is pretty sad that posters feel the need to diss anything and everything, but alas that is AH... I would think CenterParcs Longford forest will be a big success.

Yes it's expensive, and riciculously so during school holidays, but as someone else opined people and especially families will go there for short breaks in addition to their main summer holiday.

Loving the poster's tongue in cheek comment that the transiton from Electric Picnic to Centre Parcs - EP to CP - is worthy of a David McWilliams article. The haunts of the late thirtysomething generation when not behind their desks in business parks or in their comuterland abodes...

ToddyDoody

I wonder will they employ peppy teenage staff, some of whom may want to blow their brains out after sufficient amount of time.

Plumbthedepths

ToddyDoody wrote:

I wonder will they employ peppy teenage staff, some of whom may want to blow their brains out after sufficient amount of time.

90 per cent of the jobs are minimum wage but CP does not like to hire students so the peppy teenagers maybe absent.

flas

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

Bypass, whatever.

So the by pass, that is a constant flow of traffic with never any traffic jams, you have a problem with that?

flas

InTheShadows wrote: »

Just looked at the price list/menus etc.. for this place. You have got to be kidding me it's Longford for christ sake??

This is absolute bs.. And what I love, Longford, along the Shannon is a postcard picturesque place, lovely villages and restaurants, its literally the best of the country, the hidden heartlands, and its ignored, more fool you

nice_guy80

bigpink wrote: »

Well till they get first influx of travellers

There's enough of them in Longford already. And growing.

The negativity of so many posters to something that will be positive for probably one of the most under developed and forgotten about counties in Ireland is staggering

uck51js9zml2yt

kenmc wrote: »

1.11 to the pound on revolut , so a euro. £25.99 is E28.90, vs 29.99 on the menu. And that's just one item, doubt it's the only one, and doubt there'll be anything cheaper either.

Vat on food here. None in UK that I can see.

pwurple

meeeeh wrote: »

That's not my point. My point is that sniggering about english breakfast in Sata Ponsa is a bit misplaced if you choose to holiday in an identikit holiday village. I have no objection to it but let's not pretend it's more worthy, explores Ireland and irish culture and similar nonsense.

Well, you’re not locked into it? I have been to a centerparcs , i assume it is the same model here.

This isn’t Kelly’s resort in the south east where it’s all Inclusive, eat your way through a week. You pay for food at centerparcs, and it is self catering, so you can leave the place and find more interesting places around in the evening after swimming or cycling all day if you like. Or use groceries, have picnics etc.

It’s an activity holiday, you can make it as locally interesting as you like, or hide out in it like a bunker. Once you tack All Inclusive on, what you say would make sense... because you are financially incentivized to stay put, but it’s not the case here. (Unless I missed something... it’s not is it?)

fits

I seriously doubt people will leave the resort in evenings. We have no plan to anyway. The car free few days is part of attraction for me. I don’t think we will eat in restaurants much either.

harr

The problem being the majority of people who will holiday in CP won’t see anything of Longford only for the drive in and and out which is a pity , most will park the car up for the week and stay. The mentality being that they paid premium for the stay and why would they want to explore further afield. This is probably a huge opportunity for Longford to get tourists out and let visitors know what they can see outside the gates of CP, but you can be sure the owners of CP want people staying and spending.
Does anyone know if it’s possible/allowed to get a weeks shopping delivered to the unit you are staying in? It would be a great idea for some local supermarkets to start offering this service.

theteal

We’re booked in for Sept. Not my choice. Meeting with in-laws. We’ve looked into the ones over here before and they’re pricey too, decent for a good sized group with pets in tow. Anyway, I’m still struggling to look past the fact I’ve to fork out for a flight, rental car and the rest for a holiday in Longford (not that I’m expecting to see much of it)

Toto Wolfcastle

harr wrote: »

Does anyone know if it’s possible/allowed to get a weeks shopping delivered to the unit you are staying in? It would be a great idea for some local supermarkets to start offering this service.

Morrisons has been trialling grocery delivery to Center Parcs in the U.K. this year so it’s definitely something they’re open to.

Peatys

flas wrote: »

So the by pass, that is a constant flow of traffic with never any traffic jams, you have a problem with that?

I've worked in Abbott's, so would be using that bypass at peak hours.. never much of a build up. 6 or 7 cars waiting their turn at the roundabouts

RoscommonTom

i cant believe fellas are paying that much for a holiday in longford of all the places when you can go out foreign for the same price, fools and there money as the fella says

meeeeh

pwurple wrote: »

Well, you’re not locked into it? I have been to a centerparcs , i assume it is the same model here.

This isn’t Kelly’s resort in the south east where it’s all Inclusive, eat your way through a week. You pay for food at centerparcs, and it is self catering, so you can leave the place and find more interesting places around in the evening after swimming or cycling all day if you like. Or use groceries, have picnics etc.

It’s an activity holiday, you can make it as locally interesting as you like, or hide out in it like a bunker. Once you tack All Inclusive on, what you say would make sense... because you are financially incentivized to stay put, but it’s not the case here. (Unless I missed something... it’s not is it?)

In other words exactly the same as most resorts in Spain or wherever.

Del.Monte

RoscommonTom wrote: »

i cant believe fellas are paying that much for a holiday in longford of all the places when you can go out foreign for the same price, fools and there money as the fella says

Are you jealous that it wasn't built in Tulsk or some other ****hole in your own county?

Darc19

I don't know how I got pulled into this thread,

But 20 years ago, I'd have taken a sun holiday over center parcs.
Now after been on enough sun/tourist holidays I prefer a little more nature, relaxation and chilling out. (I'm old 50+)

Currently I would despise any Cruise ship holiday. But in 15 years time, it might be something that I could like.


As for the Ep / Cp link. I'm doing both

In ep I have taken a luxury yurt and it's costing €1100 for the four nights (add tickets, food, drinks) - bloody expensive, especially as I have no interest in the main acts, but I reckon it will be worth it.

And likewise, a €500 all inclusive week in Spain would now be my idea of hell, and if offered it free, I'd decline.

Cal4567

Center Parcs advertises itself as a middle class higher end product, hence the cost which keeps the riff raff out who anyway just want to spend less and go to the Med to spend most of their time in an 'Irish' bar.

We have a solid middle class who will lap this up. They'll be a continous motorcade of 4 x 4s leaving the leafier parts of the southside. Their first question will be 'Where's Longford?'

This is it

Cal4567 wrote: »

Center Parcs advertises itself as a middle class higher end product, hence the cost which keeps the riff raff out who anyway just want to spend less and go to the Med to spend most of their time in an 'Irish' bar.

We have a solid middle class who will lap this up. They'll be a continous motorcade of 4 x 4s leaving the leafier parts of the southside. Their first question will be 'Where's Longford?'

Couldn't afford the sat nav package in the 4x4

Muahahaha

suicide_circus wrote: »

just looked at a few menus for the longford centre parcs. 20 fcuking euro for a thai green curry.

20 ****ing euro.

No.

Yeah the food is pretty pricey, would imagine feeding a family of four would cost the best part of €100. I wonder will Centre Parks allow local take away businesses up the road in Ballymahon to deliver to peoples chalets?

Anyway this place wouldnt be for me just solely on the basis that summer holidays mean walking out of the airport and getting hit with a wall of heat and sunshine. Being able to dine outside at night, sandals and shorts for your whole stay are important bits of a summer holiday. If we had a heatwave in the way we did last summer I might consider it but the way this summer is going no way would I fancy being down in Longford for a week of rain, I need my sunshine and warm days. Another factor is a holiday is not just a break from work, its a break from Ireland for a bit. I'd much prefer holiday in a different country & culture with different places to see, different food to the same old fare you get here, etc.

Dexter2019

RoscommonTom wrote: »

i cant believe fellas are paying that much for a holiday in longford of all the places when you can go out foreign for the same price, fools and there money as the fella says

Its nit a holiday in longford, it's a holiday in centre parcs.

suicide_circus

might be a good alternative for families with kids who freak out on planes

AndrewJRenko

fits wrote: »

I seriously doubt people will leave the resort in evenings. We have no plan to anyway. The car free few days is part of attraction for me. I don’t think we will eat in restaurants much either.

Did I read something about them not allowing the cars to move, except for arrival and departure days?

AndrewJRenko

ToddyDoody wrote: »

I wonder will they employ peppy teenage staff, some of whom may want to blow their brains out after sufficient amount of time.

https://comb.io/7sa02g

Fan of Netflix

It's not really about Longford is it, it's about the resort itself. Nobody suggesting going on holidays to Granard ffs. It sounds a bit pricey and not for me but a good idea for families to bring the kids, outdoor activity etc. I always went on family holidays on Ireland as a child, nothing wrong with it. Sure look at the amount of tourists we get from abroad.

Fan of Netflix

RoscommonTom wrote: »

i cant believe fellas are paying that much for a holiday in longford of all the places when you can go out foreign for the same price, fools and there money as the fella says

You're a Roscommon man, not sure you can look down on Longford Tom!

Oasis1974

Fan of Netflix wrote: »

It's not really about Longford is it, it's about the resort itself. Nobody suggesting going on holidays to Granard ffs. It sounds a bit pricey and not for me but a good idea for families to bring the kids, outdoor activity etc. I always went on family holidays on Ireland as a child, nothing wrong with it. Sure look at the amount of tourists we get from abroad.

No good to you if it pees down for most of the week or two. And if there fleecing you of your money better off staying at home.

judeboy101

Just heard they doing day trips now.

Cloudio9

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Did I read something about them not allowing the cars to move, except for arrival and departure days?

You're only allowed bring your car in to your accommodation on the two moving days. It's car free the rest of the time which is lovely as everyone is just walking/cycling safely around the forest.

You're free to walk to the car park and head out any time you want. Went to the UK and did that a few times for supermarket shopping as the onsite shop is small.

BarryD2

harr wrote: »

The problem being the majority of people who will holiday in CP won’t see anything of Longford only for the drive in and and out which is a pity , most will park the car up for the week and stay. The mentality being that they paid premium for the stay and why would they want to explore further afield.

I suspect that will probably be about right for most of the visitors. Be interesting to see if Ballymahon gets much of a spin off, I suppose the staff will have to live and shop in the area.

Mr.S wrote: »

One of the biggest earners for Center Parks during off-peak times is businesses using it for team building weekends etc.

Which will put other providers of same service under pressure.

All in all, if it works then CP will make a tidy profit but how much extra will accrue to the local/ regional economy remains to be seen.

Fan of Netflix

Oasis1974 wrote: »

No good to you if it pees down for most of the week or two. And if there fleecing you of your money better off staying at home.

I will support the venture, it's creating thousands of jobs in an employment blackspot. Think people are being unnecessarily critical when it's only opening and they haven't attended. I'm sure we'll see how things are going in 6 months to see if it's a success.

If you sat at home every day it rained in Ireland you'd never leave the house. The weather in Ireland is ****e but can't do much about that. If we had weather like last summer though it would be a different story.

salmocab

BarryD2 wrote: »

Which will put other providers of same service under pressure.

All in all, if it works then CP will make a tidy profit but how much extra will accrue to the local/ regional economy remains to be seen.

On the two points here the first is true of a lot businesses opening in a area. Pubs restaurants shops etc

On the second if the area was to get absolutely nothing else it’s getting jobs that it wouldn’t otherwise. Yes low paid but still jobs that wouldn’t have existed.

Muahahaha

BarryD2 wrote: »

I suspect that will probably be about right for most of the visitors. Be interesting to see if Ballymahon gets much of a spin off, I suppose the staff will have to live and shop in the area..

The spin off is already happening, there was an article a couple of months back that said the average 3 bed house in Ballymahon was €100k last year and now investors have purchased loads of houses and its gone up to €140k-€150k.

Would imagine the towns pubs/restaurants will do well out of it too, some residents are bound to take the five minute drive down the road and check it out. Plus at €20 a Thai curry in Centre Parks I'm sure some people will go looking for better value.

Cloudio9

Local businesses will benefit. People will head out for groceries, as no one eats in the restaurants every day. All the accommodation has outdoor areas for doing a barbecue.

There's a common theme here that people who have visited these parks in the UK are nearly universally positive about the experience and people who have never been are cynical.

I was pleasantly surprised when I went and kids loved it.

suicide_circus

it already has 54 google reviews with a 4 star rating...hasn't opened yet...hmmmm

salmocab

suicide_circus wrote: »

it already has 54 google reviews with a 4 star rating...hasn't opened yet...hmmmm

Just had a look at that if you read the reviews it’s a lot of looking forward to this or else it’s too expensive. The 4 stars are averaged. There are a few lovely place really enjoyed it but they could be just people commenting on the wrong one.

enricoh

Muahahaha wrote: »

The spin off is already happening, there was an article a couple of months back that said the average 3 bed house in Ballymahon was €100k last year and now investors have purchased loads of houses and its gone up to €140k-€150k.

Would imagine the towns pubs/restaurants will do well out of it too, some residents are bound to take the five minute drive down the road and check it out. Plus at €20 a Thai curry in Centre Parks I'm sure some people will go looking for better value.

Yeah, ballymahon is a big enough town, I'd say there will be a few cafes n restaurants reopening on the back of this. Plenty of pubs in it too.
Have relations down in portmagee (next stop skellig Michael) and the place is transformed after it being on star wars.

suicide_circus

salmocab wrote: »

Just had a look at that if you read the reviews it’s a lot of looking forward to this or else it’s too expensive. The 4 stars are averaged. There are a few lovely place really enjoyed it but they could be just people commenting on the wrong one.

theyre ruining the reliability of google reviews!