The Center Parcs Experience

griffin100 · 22-09-2019 6:57pm

wally79 wrote: »

Why? When you register for your stay they take the ages of all kids involved so it would be simple for them to implement

I’m not saying the onus is on them now I’m saying it should be put on them and other service providers. Serious numbers of school kids there missing out on their education

There were thousands of school days lost in Carlow last week due to the ploughing. Loads of schools were shut for up to 3 days. I’d be more concerned about shutting schools down to facilitate a money making venture for a small number of individuals rather than a few parents taking their kids out of school for a cheap holiday. That said I don’t agree with taking kids out of school for holidays during term.

TargetWidow · 22-09-2019 7:08pm

Friend of mine just did a weekend there, it was stupidly expensive she said. Your 500 or 600 euro basically pays only for the lodge. Then each activity you do has to be paid for and you have to feed yourselves too (she said the shops went crazy expensive because they have you like fish in a barrel). Ended up costing her over €1200 all in.
I did a Eurocamp holiday in Duinrell this summer with my own kids. Huge amusement park included with the accommodation, and cheap entry to the water park. Flights were €420, Eurocamp was €450 and we fed ourselves and did spending money with another €500. Had an amazing week for €1400. Wouldn't fancy paying the same for a weekend in Longford.

Edgware · 22-09-2019 7:22pm

my3cents wrote: »

In the UK they make it simple. If you take your kids out of school to go on a family holiday they fine you much simpler.

In Ireland the family doctor will provide a cert to say little Mary had the mumps or gonorrohea to get over any fine

pwurple · 22-09-2019 7:51pm

wally79 wrote: »

Why? When you register for your stay they take the ages of all kids involved so it would be simple for them to implement

I’m not saying the onus is on them now I’m saying it should be put on them and other service providers. Serious numbers of school kids there missing out on their education

It is just impractical. The school my kids go to shift all the holidays by a week from the other schools in the area. The holiday days are not set in stone, each school decides their own. How or why would any place even bother to look up the dates of every school in the country.

wally79 · 22-09-2019 8:33pm

TargetWidow wrote: »

Friend of mine just did a weekend there, it was stupidly expensive she said. Your 500 or 600 euro basically pays only for the lodge. Then each activity you do has to be paid for and you have to feed yourselves too (she said the shops went crazy expensive because they have you like fish in a barrel). Ended up costing her over €1200 all in.
I did a Eurocamp holiday in Duinrell this summer with my own kids. Huge amusement park included with the accommodation, and cheap entry to the water park. Flights were €420, Eurocamp was €450 and we fed ourselves and did spending money with another €500. Had an amazing week for €1400. Wouldn't fancy paying the same for a weekend in Longford.

As we didn’t have to get flights We brought groceries with us. Cost feck all to feed ourselves for the 5 days.
Was an hour down the road so we left at 10am and we’re in the pool by 11:30.
Pool and slides etc are free with no hard selling on any activities
Didn’t spend near 1200

Darc19 · 22-09-2019 10:21pm

TargetWidow wrote: »

Friend of mine just did a weekend there, it was stupidly expensive she said. Your 500 or 600 euro basically pays only for the lodge. Then each activity you do has to be paid for and you have to feed yourselves too (she said the shops went crazy expensive because they have you like fish in a barrel). Ended up costing her over €1200 all in.
I did a Eurocamp holiday in Duinrell this summer with my own kids. Huge amusement park included with the accommodation, and cheap entry to the water park. Flights were €420, Eurocamp was €450 and we fed ourselves and did spending money with another €500. Had an amazing week for €1400. Wouldn't fancy paying the same for a weekend in Longford.

I suggest your friend should learn how to say no to his/her kids.

But isn't eurocamp primarily mobile homes / caravans.

Sort of like comparing a Travelodge with a 4 / 5 star hotel.

General reviews of eurocamp accommodation are quite poor, but locations seem to be good.

However it's akin to Bundoran - nowt wrong with Bundoran, (great golf course) but a different market

listermint · 22-09-2019 10:25pm

TargetWidow wrote: »

Friend of mine just did a weekend there, it was stupidly expensive she said. Your 500 or 600 euro basically pays only for the lodge. Then each activity you do has to be paid for and you have to feed yourselves too (she said the shops went crazy expensive because they have you like fish in a barrel). Ended up costing her over €1200 all in.
I did a Eurocamp holiday in Duinrell this summer with my own kids. Huge amusement park included with the accommodation, and cheap entry to the water park. Flights were €420, Eurocamp was €450 and we fed ourselves and did spending money with another €500. Had an amazing week for €1400. Wouldn't fancy paying the same for a weekend in Longford.

So your friends holiday was cheaper than yours , she didn't have to take a flight to another country to go to a caravan park. Which generally people drive to.

Hmm

Fair enough.

astrofool · 22-09-2019 11:32pm

pwurple wrote: »

It is just impractical. The school my kids go to shift all the holidays by a week from the other schools in the area. The holiday days are not set in stone, each school decides their own. How or why would any place even bother to look up the dates of every school in the country.

Schools should shift their holidays to prevent the price hikes that occur, no reason they can't start back a week earlier or later, stop moving Easter around to suit the church, only xmas is fairly static after that.

elperello · 23-09-2019 12:18am

astrofool wrote: »

Schools should shift their holidays to prevent the price hikes that occur, no reason they can't start back a week earlier or later, stop moving Easter around to suit the church, only xmas is fairly static after that.

I suppose eventually we will have Spring Break set at the same time each year.
For now Easter is a church holiday set by the church.

23-09-2019 12:23am

Is it a big thing these days for kids to miss school? I said to my nephew last week that he might get a day off school and he looked a bit horrified.

We always took days off for the Ploughing, or picking stones (child labour law may have been updated in the intervening years) or just generally being a bit ill. Sometimes you'd go in for the rolla and come out at small break. Going on holiday during term might have been an extravagance but nothing I remember causing concern for anyone.

Just curious. Not critical, am wondering if the mentality has changed... Seems it must have.

Monokne · 23-09-2019 11:45pm

My in laws had their 50th wedding anniversary last week and asked us a long time ago if we'd go on a family holiday to celebrate - we went for a week long cruise in the mediterranean from 15th to 22nd September. This was booked about a year before my daughter started school so never occurred to us that she'd be missing school.

Anyway, the school were totally fine with it. Teacher asking her about the holiday when she saw her this morning and then having her tell her classmates about it too.

bigpink · 24-09-2019 12:53am

Thought pulling kids out for holidays would be frowned upon especially at the start of the year

Foweva Awone · 24-09-2019 4:10am

bigpink wrote: »

Thought pulling kids out for holidays would be frowned upon especially at the start of the year

In fairness the problem isn't with families taking kids out for a one-off holiday maybe once during the year. A much bigger problem is the kids who regularly miss one, two days a week because the parents aren't bothered bringing them in.

My mum was a teacher, generally if kids were taken out for a planned holiday, the parents discussed it with her in advance and made arrangements to catch the kids up with any important homework or any new concepts covered in their absence. Much less disruptive than kids whose parents just didn't care, who had regular unplanned absences throughout the year.

Shuukaido · 26-09-2019 11:49am

I'm heading to Center Parcs in a couple of weeks and, as we don't drive, we will take the train to Longford and then probably catch a taxi to the park entrance.

Any other suggestions for transport from Longford town? I checked with Farrelly's and they are quoting 60 per single trip, so I belive a taxi would be cheaper than that.

Graham · 26-09-2019 12:08pm

Edgeworthstown train station is closer to Center Parcs, same train line.

Shuukaido · 26-09-2019 12:19pm

Graham wrote: »

Edgeworthstown train station is closer to Center Parcs, same train line.

Great, thanks for the suggestion! It's one stop earlier than Longford, so at least I can use the same tickets

Another question: I've read in the tripadvisor comments that there is a big queue of cars for check-in at around 3pm. Do you think we could skip that because we are just walking in?

Neyite · 26-09-2019 12:40pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Is it a big thing these days for kids to miss school? I said to my nephew last week that he might get a day off school and he looked a bit horrified.

We always took days off for the Ploughing, or picking stones (child labour law may have been updated in the intervening years) or just generally being a bit ill. Sometimes you'd go in for the rolla and come out at small break. Going on holiday during term might have been an extravagance but nothing I remember causing concern for anyone.

Just curious. Not critical, am wondering if the mentality has changed... Seems it must have.

Your auld lad was softer than mine.

School attendance was insisted upon unless we were at deaths door and all the stone picking and farm work was done after school and on weekends.
In our local school the roll system is computerised now and can't be changed after input. So if you've a morning appointment with the Dr. then you are marked as absent for the whole day, even if you are back at your desk 10 mins after roll call. 20 days sick a year will trigger an automatic referral to Tusla. Which isn't of great concern if there are certified medical grounds but more of a red flag if it's random days off for no reason.

The school would be grand with taking a few term days for the tail end of a holiday but it's more about them having gaps in their learning I think.

wally79 · 26-09-2019 12:53pm

Shuukaido wrote: »

Great, thanks for the suggestion! It's one stop earlier than Longford, so at least I can use the same tickets

Another question: I've read in the tripadvisor comments that there is a big queue of cars for check-in at around 3pm. Do you think we could skip that because we are just walking in?

Will the taxi be dropping you to the car park?

The queue is to get there. AFAIK You will still need to get your armbands from the hut there so whether people will be happy with you walking up and cutting in depends on them.

Just so you are aware it is a bit of a walk from the actual gate to the car park if carrying all your stuff

bear1 · 26-09-2019 1:09pm

Can't find for the life of me any info on a day pass to the park.
Can someone confirm how much it would cost for 1 adult and 1 student just for the pool?

awec · 26-09-2019 1:13pm

bear1 wrote: »

Can't find for the life of me any info on a day pass to the park.
Can someone confirm how much it would cost for 1 adult and 1 student just for the pool?

They don't allow this.

People who are staying there can order visitor passes for people to come visit them for the day, but you can't just stroll in as a member of the public to use the pool or whatever.

bear1 · 26-09-2019 1:22pm

awec wrote: »

They don't allow this.

People who are staying there can order visitor passes for people to come visit them for the day, but you can't just stroll in as a member of the public to use the pool or whatever.

Ah so it's not like the one in Berlin where you buy a day pass?

Darc19 · 26-09-2019 9:58pm

You can book a spa session and that includes pool use.

Edit - no access to the sub tropical pool for day spa

bear1 · 27-09-2019 8:01am

Think that's a bit of a missed opportunity. Not everyone has time or the resources to spend 100s of euro just to go inside for a few days.
There should be an option where you can avail of a day pass.

AlphabetCards · 27-09-2019 8:11am

Proper order tbh, the place would be flooded with louts on day trips. It's a family spot for decent holiday, not a city break.

bear1 · 27-09-2019 8:13am

AlphabetCards wrote: »

Proper order tbh, the place would be flooded with louts on day trips. It's a family spot for decent holiday, not a city break.

I get that but if I want to take my family for the day then I've no choice but to book lodges.

pwurple · 27-09-2019 8:36am

bear1 wrote: »

Think that's a bit of a missed opportunity. Not everyone has time or the resources to spend 100s of euro just to go inside for a few days.
There should be an option where you can avail of a day pass.

I think that's how places like trabolgan ended up being complete kips to be honest, allowing the cash only day pass.

salmocab · 27-09-2019 9:04am

bear1 wrote: »

I get that but if I want to take my family for the day then I've no choice but to book lodges.

I’d imagine that’s very much the point. I’m sure they have thought of day passes and decided against for a good reason. It’s a successful business and they seem to know what they are doing.

Supertoucher · 27-09-2019 10:17am

salmocab wrote: »

I’d imagine that’s very much the point. I’m sure they have thought of day passes and decided against for a good reason. It’s a successful business and they seem to know what they are doing.

Exactly, allowing day trips would completely torpedo the current business model, and I don't think the pool complex is big enough to cope in all honesty.

Oafley Jones · 27-09-2019 10:21am

Supertoucher wrote: »

Exactly, allowing day trips would completely torpedo the current business model, and I don't think the pool complex is big enough to cope in all honesty.

The pool complex has a fair bit of expansion capacity built it. It’s the same as English sites with double the number of houses. I do think it would be a mistake to allow day guest in there.

Sunny Dayz · 27-09-2019 10:35am

bear1 wrote: »

Can't find for the life of me any info on a day pass to the park.
Can someone confirm how much it would cost for 1 adult and 1 student just for the pool?

You can only get a day pass if you know someone already staying in the resort. They book it in under their account and I think there's a limited number available each day. They are costly, €50 something per adult and €30 something per child. They can stay the whole day up to midnight, can use the pool, eat onsite and access your lodge. Not sure if they can be booked into doing activities or hiring bikes.

The Center Parcs Experience

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