Our Break to Butlins Minehead Part 3 – More fun with our little ones!

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Earlier this week I wrote about the fun we had as a family in Butlins Minehead, but there were of course far too many photos for just the one post- cue Part 3 of our adventure to the sunny(ish) South West! 

I talked before about the fabulous time both Freddie and Sasha had at the dedicated under 5’s fairground, but we also really enjoyed our time at the main fairground- both adults and children alike! Here are some snaps of our lovely Wednesday evening there (Wednesday is later night opening until 8pm, so loads of post-dinner fun to be had):

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As I mentioned previously, going on an inter-generational family holiday is great from the perspective that you can all have a go on some rides, whilst taking it in turns to mind the children (or go on some rides with them!). F really surprised us all by being a right daredevil, and having a go on the adult swing ride (above) on a double seat with one of us adults, and also an umbrella ride that went round and round, and up high in the sky (I can’t think of a good name for it). For a usually fairly cautious child this was a bit of a revelation, and we were delighted at how much fun he was having!

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On the umbrella ride with Nanny as the sun was setting (they are far right of the photo). I’m not sure Nanny was quite so keen on this ride as Freddie was, but he insisted she ride with him!

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A snap of them again in the blue carriage!

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In the fairground there was still plenty for Sasha to do, and she ended up loving the mini trampolines, as well the horse carousel that she bravely rode on her own for the first time.142177

Adam and Grandad took competitiveness to new heights, and enjoyed a couple of sessions on the go-karts, Grandad coming up trumps in the first race, only for Ad to beat him the next day in the re-match! 

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During our stay I have to give kudos for the troopers that are our little ones (and my husband!). Poor F was poorly with a temperature at the start of our stay, with only Calpol pepping him up, and then Sasha and Ad got sick towards the end, again, with the purple stuff and Neurofen keeping them going. We actually still managed to do almost everything we wanted to do, which is amazing really, all things considering. Thank goodness for buggies where naps can be taken when needed, and thank the lord for Calpol!

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On one of the mornings Adam and I took the children to Soccer Tots, an activity they’d both previously enjoyed in Bognor Butlins last October. 

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Again, the staff were great, and Freddie, now that bit older, is starting to get ‘into’ football and really enjoyed himself. I love this shot of my little budding Beckham! 

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Madam decided that she wasn’t quite as keen this time, and chose to hang out with me on the sidelines and watch her brother. I love her little thoughtful face here!

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Someone else was really chuffed to get their second medal at the end of the session though! These classes are great, and because they take place almost every morning, are never overcrowded. I would definitely recommend them for burning off some energy at the start of the day!

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I touched on briefly in my last post about the fact that we had a Premium Meal plan for our stay, and that I think it’s worth every penny. The choice at breakfast was AMAZING (cooked, fresh omelettes, fresh fruit, pastries, BLTs cooked to order, cereal, yoghurts, pancakes cooked to order… I could go on!). For dinner there was a huge variety of meals to choose from that changed daily, plus a pasta bar, Chinese food station, salad bar, a roast dinner station, and the most tempting array of desserts going. I wouldn’t hesitate to go Premium again. Sasha here is enjoying her beans on toast breakfast, a favourite meal of hers at any time of day! Despite the gorgeous cuisine on offer, some 3 year olds are just easily pleased 😉

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Even though we had a premium meal plan that was top-notch, we decided to forgo our last evening meal in favour of The Diner. Having eaten in the Bognor restaurant before, we knew the burgers, and even more so, the milkshakes, were INCREDIBLE! 

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We let both children have a few slurps of ours, as honestly, they are HUGE and very rich. They went down a treat!186

I was very proud of how well our little lady did- it was at this meal that she started to feel unwell, and ended up eating most of her meal in a tray in her buggy 🙁

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Me and my boy! <3 (Can’t beat the shiny, make up free look 😉 )

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The menu at The Diner is vast, and portions are very generous, so our tip is to sample a bit of everything between you all, but don’t over order! 

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…and after you’ve eaten, there’s nothing like running it all off with a trip to one of the many playgrounds in the resort! 

During our stay we also made the most of other facilities, such as the Splash Waterworld and The Outdoor Paddling Pool, which the children (and us) loved, but I obviously couldn’t film at these. 

So what was my opinion of Butlins Minehead overall?

I can honestly say that whilst I enjoyed my time at Bognor, and the facilities and eateries are practically identical, I feel Minehead has now really won us over, predominately because of the BRILLIANT new chalet accommodation that actually made staying in with little ones on an evening a pleasure. They really are the business (and you can read what we thought of them HERE). 

The resort is spotlessly clean, and yet again, the staff were all so helpful and friendly, which is something that Butlins really gets right when it comes to nurturing its brand. Everyone who works there genuinely seems like they want to be there and do the best job they can. 

I can hand on heart say that any snobbery and bad preconceptions I had about Butlins have gone, and it really is a fantastic place to bring children, both young and older ones. I can see why so many loyal families come again year after year!

So I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Butlins for making us ambassadors for 2014-2015, we’ve had the BEST time.

Whoever takes over the reins will be a lucky blogger indeed!

 

As Ambassadors for Butlins we were given a 4 night, term time stay and premium dining plan in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions my own.

 

 

 

 

 

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2 Comments

  1. Katie G
    March 14, 2016 / 12:12 am

    I’m really glad you enjoyed your stay at Butlins Minehead. I worked there myself for nearly 4 years and met my husband there. The staff really do have an amazing experience working and living there (even when the pay is basic!) and i think that reflects upon the guests 🙂 It may be expensive but its a fab few days. My s-i-l and the 3 boys went at half term, my little nephew has since decided he wants to become a sound engineer when he is older, which is what my husband did 🙂

    • Becky
      Author
      March 14, 2016 / 1:52 pm

      Oh it’s so nice to hear from someone who’s been so involved with Butlins, and enjoyed their time there! 🙂 We had a fantastic couple of breaks, I couldn’t recommend them enough!

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