Bognor Regis - Day trip/Day Visitors (Butlins (Bognor Regis))

Member Name: nickyt

Product:	Butlins (Bognor Regis)
Date:	05/04/06 (6012 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pool complex good and included in price.

Disadvantages: No parking for day visitors - Plus other costs once you are in the park.

Easter 2006 - School holidays - to be fair no my favourite time for visiting attractions - but I still have to entertain my 10 year old son so it has to be done.

Firstly arrived and it has to be one of the only theme parks/child adventure parks I have been to where there is no parking on site for day visitors. Bognor Regis have a new on site hotel so I guess thats where all the parking has gone. I arrived with no change, I had visited the day vistors website for Bognor Butlins before my trip and it makes no reference to no parking for day visitors! Not knowing the area well, I had little choice but to park in the council car park opposite the entrance for day visitors. The cost of this for over four hours is £6! I had not prepared for this and I had no change. So firstly leave kid in car run across the road and ask Butlins to change my £10 which they did. Then £6 into the parking metre..OUCH! I have sent an email to Butlins to say this should be included on their website.

Also I thought once I had paid my entrance fee that would be all. I was greatly mistaken there are many extra's. GO-Carts, slot machines etc. My son wanted to have a go on one of hold on rope ladders that twist around, to try and ring the bell at the top (Same thing is free in Drusilla's Zoo Park). Butlins charge £1 for one go - most kids fell off after 10 seconds! £2 for three goes. WOW what a con! But not wanting to be a spoil sport I parted for my cash! Another OUCH!

Fairground 3 or 4 things, rather dated horse carousel, couple of spinning top rides, very very dated bumper cars. A a small ship that rotates. Go - carts extra, and to be honest didnt really spend much time there.

The Aqua park is good - but like most things had to queue to get in 40 minutes (and the queue was the low when I went earlier in the day it was snaking around the arcade!), and then had to queue for most rides once inside. 30 minutes in one queue. You have to pay 30p which is non refundable for lockers. Packed out. Finding a changing room - blimey thought there might be a punch up! Basically the doors open both sides. ie two doors to enter the cubicle, front and back, therefore unknowingly people waiting on both sides! I have to say I after queueing to get in the water park, I abandoned my attempt to try and get a changing cubicle and did the old beachside trick of wrapping my towel around me in the locker area! Not very lady like. Thankfully when getting out of the pool we struck lucky (maybe at some one elses expensive on the other side of the door!) and got a cubicle to get dressed in.

Of course there are other activities going on Archery for example - but given how busy it was we didnt attempt to find out how long the wait would be. I guess v v long if at all possible on a day trip. A wooden fort play area, soft play area inside, and entertainment inside if your kids like listening to high pitched screaming over the microphone with two people on stage frantically waving their arms around (and there were kids taking part - but it didnt hold my 10 year olds attention for 10 seconds).

For a day trip - I would definately say - possibly one of the worse I have had.

Summary: Not a cheap day out - No parking for day visitors