holidays....

A question about : holidays....

Can i ask where you all holiday?
I've been saving to hopefully take my girls to eurodisney next year. An acquaintance has booked for next year Ј1300 for two nights. Im not sure if its the going rate but it seems extortionate for two nights. Dh has said for that price we could probably have a week abroad and he would prefer that.
It just got me thinking, i had fantastic holidays as a child. They were all in caravans, cheap and cheerful. I didn't go abroad until i was 19.
Do you think its more a case of the parents feel they should be taking children to experience all these things?
We usually go to cent#r parcs which is more expensive than a caravan but ive yet to find a cheaper cottage/lodge.
Hope that makes sense?!

Best answers:

• Kids are pretty much happy anywhere there might be water, sand, play equipment/fun fair, other kids to play with and the chance to stay up late occasionally. You said yourself the simpler holidays you had as a child were great. Mine too - it's the simple things you remember.
  I think there's more pressure to 'have a great time' if you go somewhere like disneyland because of the cost, trying to cram in as much as possible for your money. I'd rather go somewhere cheaper, not have loads of travelling and everyone be relaxed and happy for a week.
• You can do Paris disney a LOT cheaper than that! Center Parcs is a lot of fun and you can get some good deals.
• Hiya,
  We have 3 children (now 14,11 and 9) and when they were younger we used to holiday in rural France each year - mainly rented a gite self-catering. This was good for us as we live in Kent, so not too far for us to travel to get the Eurotunnel. We always drove as it was easier with all the carp needed for the three children. On a couple of these holidays we did Di$ney for the day.
  A couple of years ago we went to Norfolk - rented a cottage and spent the week at local attractions (Yarmouth pleasure beach, NT properties etc.) and they loved it.
  Since DH got a promotion we have been to Florida, skiing and last year had 2 weeks in Massachusetts/New Hampshire. All great holidays albeit expensive.
  The holiday the children talk about the most is Norfolk !!! and this year we are going back again. No you can't guarantee the weather unlike abroad, but simple picnics, walks, running about and climbing trees are just as much fun as Mickey
  Coxy
• No way, no how would I spend Ј1300 for 2 days at Disneyland Paris for my main family holiday. You can do it so much cheaper earlier in the year, there are always plenty of offers from Jan to end March.
  We have done DLP, the most we've spent is probably in the region of Ј300-Ј400 max and while it is a great place to experience I don't think it's worth spending Ј1000's to go in the summer when it's at it's busiest.
  For summer holidays we always rent villas/apartments/cottages etc., we've had some lovely low cost holidays in France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Greece, all on a budget comparable to the amount your friend is spending to go to DLP.
  We don't do bucket & spade holidays and have always chosen destinations that offer plenty of culture and places of interest as well as beach/pool, I can honestly say that all my children have enjoyed every single holiday we've had.
• Peachyprice - interesting about the price. I don't mind wrapping up and would rather go when its quieter.
  Thank you for your opinions.
• We tend to go to pontins each year, by the beach and have lots of family fun. We are going to london next year as the boys want to experience the changing of the guard, the thames and the big city!
  We went to disneyland paris last year with our two children as this was our honeymoon (instead of presents we had money to fund this)and we had a wonderful time. We would like to go back again but it would take alot of saving.
  We dont like the idea of a holiday sitting around a pool as we would all get bored. Who knows in 10 years this may change.
• Paying Ј1200 to go to DLP is extortionate. We've been twice, and i'm in no rush to go back, i really didn't enjoy it. We've been to Florida several times and DLP just doesn't compare. If you've not been to Disney in Florida you'll probably enjoy it, but i hated it.
  The two holidays my daughter talks about (apart from Florida which can't be topped really) are one to Wild Duck Caravan park in Gt Yarmouth when she was 4 and a holiday we had 2 years ago to www.featherdownfarm.co.uk in Dolphinholme. It was like going back in time, no electricity, no mobile signal, cooking on a wood burning stove using eggs we'd collected from the hens 5 minutes earlier, listening to the rain on the tent roof all snuggled up in bed. It was absolutely brilliant, it was Ј500 for the week (school holidays) and worth every single penny.
• I think disney land is something you have to do at least once - whilst the kids were the right age, and I would def spend as much as it cost to go.
  I do see what your husband is saying and I'd agree with him...if it wasnt disney land.
• We did CP from youngest being 1, but in those days discount codes were available and once eldest entered school system, we used to take advantage of inset days. In more recent years CP became difficult for the relative with mobility issues who came with us and we changed to Butlins instead, until we realised we could no longer meet the needs of everyone and me and hubby still have a break too.
  In between times we often holidayed in France in a cottage/farmhouse booking through something like 'Welcome Cottages' and put in a day trip to Disneyland Paris. A few times we stopped in a caravan or lodge on a camp site in France via somewhere like 'Canvas Holidays'.
  Last year, we went to Duinrell in Holland, booking directly with them for a Mon-Fri break and then did a few days in Spain in August, booked after it rained every single day for a few days last summer.
• Our favourite family holidays are with Thomson Al Fresco staying in their mobile homes in Europe. This year will be our 6th with them so that speaks volumes!
  We often stay in France and drive there but the best park we have ever stayed in was just outside of Venice called Marina di Venezia and it was spectacular!