Center Parcs’ hilariously honest review from holidaymakers, from the only ‘really decent’ activity to the ‘biggest extortion racket in British history’
“That’s how the week went downhill.”
So begins a holidaymaker’s hilariously ‘honest’ video review of a family stay at Center Parcs, which has gone viral on his Instagram account (@alexdodman), with over 114,000 likes and over 7,700 comments.
In the clip, Alex Dodman dryly explains the cost of all the activities he paid for and what he thought of them in terms of value for money.
And it’s not good news for Center Parcs, as Alex adds before revealing everything: ‘Stupidly enough, we have a lot booked to do.’
Alex Dodman’s ‘honest’ video review of Center Parcs’ Woburn Forest resort in Bedfordshire (above) has gone viral
Alex dryly explains the cost of all the activities he paid for and what he thought of them in terms of value for money. “Stupidly enough, we have a lot booked to do,” he says
Alex, from Saffron Walden, Essex, visited the Woburn Forest Resort in Bedfordshire last month with his partner and two children. He starts his review by showing the ‘fantastic date selection tool’ from the Center Parcs website.
He claims, “You can find out what it is school holidays for children when it [the price] jumps up with a grand. This way you know it’s time to book that magical family outing.’
He then checks into his “ridiculously expensive shed,” before listing the many activities the family has enjoyed.
First up was karting.
In the video, Alex reveals a “small concrete track” and go-karts that “use your own energy.”
First on the agenda was karting. Alex reveals a ‘small concrete track’ and go-karts that require you to ‘use your own energy’
The family tried soccer pool at the resort. “Don’t bother,” Alex says dryly
He sarcastically notes: ‘For the four of us it was only £41 for 20 minutes.’
Next on the list was football pool.
Alex reveals a giant pool table on the floor with footballs on it and says, “Yeah, don’t bother with kids. [It was] €14.50 for half an hour.
Going through the next round of activities, Alex says: Cupcake Decorating for Kids, £27 for two children for 45 minutes. S***.
‘Kids mini jet skis, £25 for two for nine minutes at 9.30am. S***.”
Then just a ray of sunshine. He describes Center Parcs’ interactive squash, which costs £18 for 45 minutes, as ‘actually decent’ and says it ‘destroys the kids’.
Alex describes Center Parcs’ interactive squash (left), which costs £18 for 45 minutes, as ‘actually decent’ and says it ‘destroys the kids’. According to Alex, badminton was also a valuable activity. He paid £18 for a 45 minute game
Next in the montage is a game of badminton, for which he paid £18 for 45 minutes. Alex says it’s “not bad, just find a good partner.”
But then more disappointments. His images show a room full of interactive lighting and a giant toy owl, which turns out to be the resort’s ‘Winter Quest’ activity.
The verdict? ‘[I paid] €49 for 20 minutes. I repeat, €49. Absolutely damn it,” Alex says.
He was also let down by the resort’s mini-jeeps. If his two children drove the 4×4 for 20 minutes, he said it would cost £49. Reports, he says, “I don’t even know where to start.”
Damp firecracker: Alex described resort’s mini jet skis as ‘s***’
Alex reveals that a ride in two mini jeeps costs £49 for 20 minutes. “I don’t even know where to start,” he says
‘Winter Quest’ featured interactive lighting and a giant owl. The activity came with a hefty price tag of £49 for 20 minutes
Alex then heads to Center Parcs’ Pottery Painting Studio, which he claims is ‘top notch’.
He says: ‘This has to be the biggest extortion racket in British history. At £18 to book for three, you’d think, ‘Yeah, not bad.’ But that’s just to get in.
‘Now they’ve got you, you’re in. Kids are buzzing. Time to buy some mass produced stuff to paint.
‘One mug, one train, one pot later, and I’ve lost 76 pounds.’
Alex describes Center Parcs’ Pottery Painting studio as ‘the biggest extortion racket in British history’
Alex reveals that it costs £18 to book the pottery but complains that this is just the entrance fee. He adds, “Now that they got you, you’re in.” Kids are buzzing. Time to buy some mass produced stuff to paint. One mug, one train, one pot later, and I’ve lost 76 pounds’
The total cost of the activities mentioned in Alex’s review is a whopping £335.50.
And “this isn’t even half of it,” he says.
Filming the resort’s supermarket revealing a jar of Dolmio’s Bolognese sauce worth £3.60, Alex says: ‘Food prices are high.’ He also claims there is a ‘dry robes pandemic’ as he films a stranger wearing a robe in a cafe at the resort.
Summarizing his week-long stay, he says, “Unless you can let your kids swim and cycle aimlessly all week. You’re f*****.’
His video sparked mixed reactions when posted on social media. Some Instagram users were quick to agree with Alex, with one describing Center Parcs as ‘daylight robbery’ and another wondering ‘why people pay so much attention to it’.
Alex claims: ‘Unless you can let your kids swim and cycle aimlessly all week. You’re f*****.’ His video sparked mixed reactions when posted on social media
User ‘azizaramjane’ commented: ‘Finally someone said it! At this rate you might be able to add a few thousand more and go all-inclusive at a five-star resort with guaranteed sun.”
Others, however, jumped to defend Center Parcs. User ‘mikedinni’ wrote: ‘Tthanks for this review. The more people who think it’s too expensive, the better. Keeps it nice and quiet for me. It costs £420 for five days in March.’
User ‘raddygriffinwood’ added: ‘Or just cycle around and use the pool for free. Share a lodge with extended family and it’s a lot cheaper. Nobody forces you to book a bunch of activities.’