CENTER Parcs has been blasted for offering a 45-minute Christmas activity – which costs an extra £300 per family.
The “Twilight Elf Visit” involves two members of staff in elf costumes visiting a family in their lodge for less than an hour.
Parents have slammed Center Parcs for its pricey new Christmas experience
The visitors will tell stories and share “festive surprises” and “magical moments”, including making a wish for Santa, posing with the elves and receiving keepsakes including a festive ribbon and bauble.
The activity is now available to book in November and December across all locations – but for a very steep price.
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For one child, the cost is around £300 while for two it’s £350, with the price rising by £50 for every extra child – up to £550 for six kids.
It’s not clear if these prices will change as Christmas approaches.
One said on a Facebook post: “Wow. That’s crazy money.”
Another added: “It’s only 45 mins! It’s a shocking price.”
A third moaned: “What in the name of Scrooge is this? Surely those prices can’t be correct?”
But some families said they would go for it, with one explaining: “Ooh my child (adhd/autistic) would have ADORED this as they loved the elves etc and we’d have happily paid it as they struggled in most settings.
“I think it sounds great!”
The activity description states: “When dusk begins to settle over the forest, a very special Christmas adventure awaits.
Two elves come to the lodgesThe park has revealed the other Christmas events returning this yearCredit: Center ParcsWinter Wonderland is also returningCredit: centerparcs
“Gather in the comfort of your lodge as two magical elves arrive with an enchanting tale to tell.
“Through personalised storytelling, festive surprises and magical moments, you’ll discover the secret connection between the forest and the North Pole, and the important role Christmas wishes play in keeping that magic alive.
“Together, you’ll create a special Christmas wish, enjoy thoughtful keepsakes and share magical moments designed to capture the wonder and belief of the season.
“With personalised touches throughout, it’s a truly memorable way to spend an evening together, creating festive family moments you’ll treasure for years to come.”
The cost comes on top of the holiday itself – we’ve found four-night stays on December 7 for £779, in a basic Woodland Lodge in Sherwood Forest (or £859 for Longleat).
Center Parcs has also revealed the return of its Winter Wonderland from November 6 until January 4.
Taking place every Wednesday and Saturday at 5pm, Santa’s Parade sees his sleigh glide through the village accompanied by a festive cast of entertainers.
Meanwhile, the Enchanted Light Garden invites guests into twinkling light displays, where storybook characters come to life daily from 4pm to 9pm.
Children can also enjoy Elf Playtime, collect their Elf Explorer Passport, and dance along at the Elf Disc.
Lee Carpenter, Head of Leisure at Center Parcs, said: “We’re passionate about creating memorable experiences for families, especially during the festive season.
“As we look ahead to Winter Wonderland this year, we want to continue building on our incredible offers to create something truly immersive and unique, and the Twilight Elf experience brings that vision to life.
“Together with the return of guest favourites and a selection of newly enhanced activities, it offers even more opportunities for families to embrace the magic of Christmas and enjoy a festive break they’ll never forget.”
CENTER Parcs has become the first holiday operator to begin the roll out of new sensory libraries at all of its villages to cater for families with neurodivergent children.
Collaborating with specialist SEN consultancy SENNIES, it has officially opened its sensory library at its Elveden Forest village, where families will be allowed to borrow items for free during their stay.
Center Parcs has become the first holiday operator to begin the roll out of new sensory librariesCredit: SWNSCollaborating with specialist SEN consultancy SENNIES, it has officially opened its sensory library at its Elveden Forest villageCredit: SWNS
Products such as noise-reducing ear defenders, wipe-clean boards, calming lights, fidget toys, feelings wheels, visual timers and pop tubes will be available for families to choose from.
The short break provider plans to roll out libraries at all of its villages by 2028.
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It follows research of 500 parents and legal guardians of neurodivergent children and those with additional needs, which revealed 80 per cent take a destination’s ability to meet their child’s individual needs into account when deciding where to go.
A further 80 per cent said busy or crowded environments can be challenging for their child, with 75 per cent sometimes avoiding activities or facilities entirely because they prove overwhelming.
Georgia Sargeant, CEO and founder at SENNIES, speaking in partnership with Center Parcs, said: “No two neurodivergent children are the same, so there is no single adjustment that works for every family.
“What matters is choice, a considered range of options from sensory resources and communication aids through to support for self-regulation and co-regulation, so a family can pick what works for their child that day.
“This library turns families’ feedback into practical support and shows how holiday providers can respond meaningfully to changing needs.”
The decision to launch the library comes as 44 per cent of parents polled said many holiday providers don’t offer adequate provisions for their children.
With 70 per cent agreeing further support is needed for neurodivergent children and kids with additional needs.
It emerged 72 per cent of mums and dads bring sensory equipment or comfort items from home on every or most trips.
And 68 per cent said access to sensory and accessibility aids at their destination would improve the holiday experience for their child.
While a further 68 per cent also said if they could obtain a variety of sensory items to loan for the duration of their getaway, it would help their family feel more supported.
Department for Education figures show more than 1.8 million pupils in England now have special educational needs – this is an increase of 5.2 per cent in a year.
And it has seen NHS assessment waitlists reach more than 240,000.
While the Children’s Commissioner’s latest annual briefing found children’s referrals, involving suspected autism, rose 47 per cent in a single year.
And neurodevelopmental referrals increased by 24 per cent.
Richie Williams, village director at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, said: “The number of families looking for more thoughtful, practical support is growing.
“This pilot is the beginning of a journey, and we will listen closely to families using it and learn from their feedback as we consider what comes next and a future rollout to other villages.”
The family holiday park has become the first holiday operator to begin rolling out sensory libraries across all of its villages, offering free-to-borrow sensory aids for families with neurodivergent children
Elveden Forest is the first of the Center Parcs villages to have a sensory library(Image: Cameron Fillery)
Center Parcs has become the first holiday operator to begin the roll out of newsensory libraries across all of its villages, catering for families with neurodivergent children.
Working alongside specialist SEN consultancy SENNIES, the family resort has officially unveiled its sensory library at its Elveden Forest village, where families can borrow items free of charge during their stay. The short break provider intends to roll out the libraries across all of its villages by 2028.
Items such as noise-reducing ear defenders, wipe-clean boards, calming lights, fidget toys, feelings wheels, visual timers and pop tubes will be on offer for families to select from.
Georgia Sargeant, CEO and founder at SENNIES, speaking in partnership with Center Parcs, said: “No two neurodivergent children are the same, so there is no single adjustment that works for every family.
“What matters is choice, a considered range of options from sensory resources and communication aids through to support for self-regulation and co-regulation, so a family can pick what works for their child that day.
“This library turns families’ feedback into practical support and shows how holiday providers can respond meaningfully to changing needs.”
The decision to launch the library follows a survey of 500 parents and legal guardians of neurodivergent children and those with additional needs, which found that 44% believe many holiday providers fail to offer sufficient provisions for their children.
For 80%, busy or crowded environments can prove challenging for their child, while 75% sometimes avoid activities or facilities altogether because they are overwhelming.
Almost two thirds (68%) said that access to sensory and accessibility aids at their chosen destination would enhance the holiday experience for their child.
Similarly, 68% also indicated that if they could borrow sensory items for the duration of their break, it would help their family feel more supported. Currently, 72% of parents bring sensory equipment or comfort items from home on every or most trips.
Department for Education figures reveal that more than 1.8 million pupils in England now have special educational needs – an increase of 5.2% in a year. This has resulted in NHS assessment waiting lists reaching more than 240,000.
Meanwhile, the Children’s Commissioner’s latest annual briefing discovered that children’s referrals involving suspected autism rose 47% in a single year, while neurodevelopmental referrals increased by 24%.
Richie Williams, village director at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, said: “The number of families looking for more thoughtful, practical support is growing.
“This pilot is the beginning of a journey, and we will listen closely to families using it and learn from their feedback as we consider what comes next and a future rollout to other villages.”
Philip White, a software engineer from Cornwall, has invented a way of bringing those costs down when it comes to booking a family holiday at one of Center Parcs six sites
Philip White’s widget could help you save costs(Image: Supplied)
A dad has invented a tool that helps Center Parcs customers claim back £100s, even after they’re already booked and paid.
Center Parcs is one of the UK’s most beloved holiday parks. It runs six holiday villages throughout the country. It is especially popular for short getaways in its car-free woodland settings, which are perfect for kids to explore while parents relax in the hot tubs and saunas.
While few would question how good Center Parcs’ offering is, it regularly comes in for criticism on price. The holiday park chain ranked close to the bottom in Which?’s latest holiday park survey, almost entirely because of price.
“It’s extraordinarily expensive, at more than twice the price of budget rival Haven. Activities cost even more on top, and you need to secure your preferred slots weeks in advance. The two-star rating for value for money is the joint lowest in our survey. You could save a fortune by choosing a better-rated rival,” the Which? survey noted.
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Philip White, a software engineer from Cornwall, has invented a way of bringing those costs down.
“It started because we were on a family Center Parcs holiday. It was a great time. One of my relations booked straight away for a year later,” Philip told The Mirror. Center Parcs offers guests £50 off if they book again within 30 days of a stay.
As prices may rise or fall throughout the year, booking early can leave you out of pocket, despite the cash back. Which is why Center Parcs offers a ‘price promise’. “Our price promise means that if you see the same break offered for sale at a lower price at any time before you arrive for your break, you will be eligible for a refund of the price difference or a reduction in cost to meet the new price,” its website explains.
Rather than spending his time checking the Center Parcs website in the months before his family’s next stay, Philip created a widget that does the work for you. All you need to do is enter your name and booking details, and it will tell you if there’s been a price drop. Then you can claim the difference back from Center Parcs.
“If you notice the cost drops, they refund the difference against your stay. But they don’t do that for you automatically; you have to manually check it all the time. I tried to automate it on my own. We caught the specific lodge we were trying to get dropped by £150, which was a good saving, especially with the cost of living,” Philip said.
Another feature of Philip’s widget helps guests bag slots on popular activities. “When we were there, a lot of the popular activities for our toddlers were booked out. With Parc Watch, can also check when new bookings open up.”
In the majority of categories in the Which? survey, Center Parcs scored impressively. The company received four stars for activities, entertainment and facilities, alongside quality of accommodation and cleanliness. It secured three stars for customer service and food and drink.
However, its low position in the table, fifth from bottom, came from its value for money rating of merely two stars. It ranked as the third most costly among all the holiday parks in the survey. Even positive assessments of the parks frequently reference the cost. One recent review of Center Parcs Woburn Forest noted: “Amazing place to holiday. Personally, I felt the prices of things on-site were a little high, and that was even going outside of term-time; however, you cannot fault the fun and wonder of being at these parks.”
The UK’s best and worst holiday parks
(Name of resort, overall customer score)
Potters Resorts – 83%
Hoburne Holidays – 81%
Darwin Escapes – 80%
Landal Parks – 80%
Waterside Holiday Group – 80%
Shorefield Holidays – 76%
Away Resorts – 75%
Bluestone Wales – 75%
Park Leisure UK – 75%
Highland Holidays – 74%
Lyons Holiday Parks – 74%
Largo Leisure – 73%
Park Holidays UK – 73%
Warner Coastal Villages – 73%
Forest Holidays – 72%
John Fowler Holidays – 72%
Center Parcs – 69%
Haven Holidays – 68%
Parkdean Resorts – 68%
Butlin’s – 63%
Pontins – 61%
Based on a survey of 2,221 Which? Connect panel members and general public conducted in February and March 2026.
BOOKING a weatherproof autumn break with luxurious lodges, woodland spas and tropical indoor waterparks doesn’t have to be expensive.
We’ve tracked down the UK’s ultimate budget-friendly staycations this autumn to save your rainy weekends – from less than £3pp per night.
You won’t be stuck for things to do on rainy days with these weatherproof UK holidaysCredit: GettyFinlake Resort & Spa offers unique lodge stays and activities that feel like a dupe for Center Parcs
From clever Center Parcs dupes in stunning forests, to mega family holiday parks with tropical pool complexes, these sites guarantee a great time even when the British weather turns grim.
Whether you want to float along a lazy river while rain taps against the window, or enjoy a drink in a private hot tub under the pine trees, we’ve found some unbeatable breaks for the cheapest rates this autumn.
Finlake Resort & Spa
Finlake Resort and Spa offers luxury wooden lodge stays in the forestCredit: Supplied
Set across 130 acres of Devonshire woodland, Finlake gives you the premium forest village feel of Center Parcs – but for far less money.
Fill your days with an action-packed itinerary of axe-throwing, Segways, laser tag, den building, horse riding and more. Activities start from £7, and there are plenty of free options, too.
When rainy days hit, Finlake Falls is your best friend. This indoor waterpark boasts a spacious indoor pool heated to 30C with a ‘beach style’ entrance for little ones, where they can gently wade into shallow waters.
For older kids and young-at-heart adults, there’s high-speed waterslides and flumes – plus activities like Seascooters, where you can twist and glide through the water holding onto a propeller.
Similar to Center Parcs, there’s also a woodland spa here, the Sirona Spa, where you can enjoy a soothing massage or Elemis skincare treatments.
The holiday resort is only two miles from Dartmoor National Park, where you can spot wild ponies, and three miles from Canonteign Falls – a breathtaking waterfall with a friendly gift shop and cafe nearby.
Four people can spend a week in Scandinavian-style woodland cabin with a log burner from £265 this autumn, working out at £9.46pp per night. A luxury woodland lodge won’t cost you much more, with a week from £305.
In contrast, we found a seven-night October break at Center Parcs Longleat Forest in their cheapest accommodation for £1,458. That’s a saving of £1,193.
Bluestone National Park Resort, Wales
Bluestone National Park Resort in Wales is a fantastic rural retreat
If you’re wanting a luxury woodland break this autumn that won’t break the bank, book in at Bluestone National Park Resort in Pembrokeshire.
The crown jewel of Bluestone is the Blue Lagoon Water Park, a massive, heated, subtropical indoor pool complex that is completely free for guests.
The subtropical waterpark has a huge wave machine, four twisting, high-speed flumes, a lazy river and even warm, bubbling spa pools to retreat to.
Little ones can make a splash in Nippers Cove, a shallow pool with its own mini waterslide, water cannons and indoor rockpools.
You might even find mermaids and pirates at the waterpark during themed events.
Outside of the pool, you can try an indoor zipline, take an electric bike tour through the woods, tackle a climbing wall or even have a go at bushcraft skills including fire lighting and outdoor cooking.
As for accommodation, you can stay in everything from a stylish apartment, to a cosy pastel-coloured cottage, to a mega six-bedroom wooden lodge.
We found a three-night break in a silver lodge sleeping four for £420, working out at £35pp per night.
Highfield Grange, Essex
Parkdean Resorts Highfield Grange recently received a £5million upgrade
This newly-upgraded Essex holiday park reopened in spring of this year, packed with £5million worth of shiny new activities.
Parkdean has pumped serious money into weather-proofing this park, with new Bear Grylls escape rooms, an expanded soft play area, and even an indoor Chocolate Factory where families can create their own concoctions.
Another new addition is the Hat Tricks Sports Bar, where you can spend rainy afternoons indoors playing shuffleboard, darts, pool and mini golf.
To cut costs, there’s also an all-inclusive food and drinks package, starting from £25 per day for adults and £10 per day for kids.
This includes three meals a day plus unlimited soft drinks and Costa Coffee, so you and the kids can cosy up with a hot chocolate whenever you please.
This park is only 10 minutes’ drive from Clacton-on-Sea, where you can stroll quiet beaches on dog walks or take a trip to the amusements without the frantic summer crowds.
We found a deal for a two-night break in a Bronze Caravan sleeping up to six for £99. That works out at £8.25pp per night.
Haven Hafan y Mor
Hafan y Mor is home to a huge indoor water complex, perfect for rainy days
Hafan y Mor is one of Haven’s biggest holiday parks, and is one of the top-rated, too, as a three-time winner of the AA 5-Platinum Star award.
On dry days, head to the Dragon Lakes Adventure Village for mini 4×4 off-roading, high ropes courses, and to battle it out at a NERF training camp.
Inside, Splashaway Bay is one of the biggest and best holiday park pool complexes in the UK, with a lazy river, giant tipping buckets and a four-lane waterslide.
For food and drink you can grab a bite from Chopstix, Slim Chickens, and family restaurant The Coast House Bar and Grill.
As for getting out and about, you can take a breezy beach walk just steps from the park or take a 10-minute drive to the pretty seaside town of Criccieth, where you can explore a historic 13th-centurycastle.
We found a deal for a four night stay in October for six people in a Bronze Caravan for £69 total, which works out at a tiny £2.88pp per night.
Vauxhall, Great Yarmouth
Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth has plenty of indoor attractions and activitiesCredit: Parkdean Resorts
Vauxhall Holiday Park is another that has recently undergone a £5million mega-revamp, and it may just be one of the best UK parks when it comes to rainy day activities.
Kids can spend hours in the massive Tropical Waterworld, complete with slides and a splash zone, or burn off energy tackling the indoorsoft play.
If you visit in October you’ll see the park go all-out for Halloween with spooky ghost walks, costume contests and creative craft workshops – plus the Parkdean chain-wide Monster Ball party.
The fairground indoor golf is a real highlight here, with a sparkly-new course decorated with swirls and pinstripes just as colourful as the sticks of rock and sweets sold on Great Yarmouth‘s Pier.
Twinning with Highfield Grange, this site also has a new Hat Tricks Sports Bar – but you can also hang out in the site’s other two entertainment venues, and take part in quizzes, bingo or rock and roll nights.
You can book a three night stay for four people in a Bronze Caravan this October for £135, which works out at £11.25pp per night.
Parkdean Resorts Warmwell
Parkdean Resorts Warmwell is a peaceful park, with wooden lodge accommodation and a large lakeCredit: Refer to Source
Parkdean’s Warmwell Resort in Dorset is a lodge-only park, meaning that you won’t find static caravans here – just cosy wooden lodges that are perfect for autumn.
Tucked away among the trees, these cabins offer instant access to the lake for swimming and fishing. And if you want to dial up the luxury, you can book a stay with a private hot tub.
You can even practice your skiing at this Dorset holiday park, with a 110-metre dry ski slope which you can tackle via skis, snowboard or sledge.
If the weather plays up, you can whizz around in the massive indoor roller rink, spend spare change in the amusements or warm up in the heated indoor pool – and yes it has a waterslide.
Autumn stays here are all about throwing on a coat, tearing through the woodland trails on biks, and returning to a cosy, heated lodge afterwards.
You can book a three-night stay in a superior lodge sleeping eight for £266 this October, working out at £11.08pp per night.
Potters Resort has been crowned the UK’s best holiday park by Which? readers – and the all-inclusive family favourite has a location just over an hour from Cambridge
Potters Resorts was named as the best-rated UK holiday park by Which?(Image: Potters Resorts)
Britain’s best holiday park is an all-inclusive gem that costs a little more but offers a lot.
There are plent of excellent holiday parks across the UK, from the cheap and cheerful Butlin’s and Park Dean, to the more upmarket Center Parcs and Bluestone. However, they have all missed out on being named the best in the UK.
Potters Resort has topped the Which? holiday park rankings, with its Norfolk and Essex sites winning a customer score of 83%.
Stays start from £88 per person per night, which is higher than most comparable holiday parks, yet guests have still awarded the resort 4/5 for value. It is worth noting that Potters is the only holiday park in Britain to offer a truly all-inclusive experience, with four meals a day included alongside a wide selection of drinks – from wines and beers to G&Ts.
The resort keeps guests busy throughout the day with a packed programme of activities. Whether you fancy a go on the rally karts, a session in virtual reality, a spin at the silent disco or a splash in the water at Five Lakes, there is something to suit every taste and age group. Wellness enthusiasts are also well catered for, with Pilates, yoga, Nordic walking and birdwatching all part of the package at no extra cost.
Come the evening, the entertainment steps up a gear. Resident show Musical Icons takes to the stage nightly, performing tributes to iconic acts spanning the Motown era, Carole King, ABBA, the Bee Gees and beyond, with a showstopping Bohemian Rhapsody finale rounding off proceedings.
“After opening its doors in the 1920s, family-run Potters claims to be the first-ever holiday park, and its all-inclusive model still sets it apart. The nightly rate at its two parks – in Essex and Norfolk – may be higher than rivals, but you stay in suites or bungalow-style accommodation (there isn’t a caravan in sight) and all food and drink (which is excellent) is thrown in. It was the only park to clinch the full five stars for its entertainment and activities (also included), which range from birdwatching to go-karting.
“Guests loved that they could soak in the spa and play all the rounds of pitch ‘n’ putt without worrying about their final bill spiralling out of control. ‘Great entertainment, all staff helpful and polite, good food and plenty of it,’ one happy customer remarked. Forget everything you think you know about holiday parks, as Potters’ attentive service and first-class facilities will wow you – with no sneaky extra charges later on.”
The Mirror’s Mikey Smith paid a visit to Potters with his family and had a brilliant time.
“Imagine the good old British ‘holiday camp’ atmosphere – family fun by the sea, with nightly entertainment and everything you need on-site – but brought bang up to date, with comfortable rooms and high quality amenities. And then imagine it borrowed a few ideas from luxury cruise ships. Then you’re getting somewhere near what Potters is,” Mikey wrote.
“For many, the phrase ‘all-inclusive resort’ conjures images of lukewarm buffets, piled high with chips and pizza slices, perhaps the occasional chicken nugget and long benches of weird-looking salad. Not so at Potters. Each lunchtime and evening menu offers three or four restaurant-quality starter and main options. During my stay I had a buttery, flaky Sea Bass fillet, some deliciously crispy deep fried Halloumi and a perfectly cooked chicken breast with mushroom and thyme sauce.
“None of them would trouble a Michelin star – but they’d give any of the foodie pubs near me a solid run for their money. And that’s before we come to the carvery, which is served every evening with a different roast meat.”
Mike Scott, managing director of Potters, said: “To be named the UK’s Best Holiday Parks and Resorts by Which? readers is a fantastic achievement. To have topped the list in three consecutive surveys since 2022 is something we’re immensely proud of, especially among so many well-known UK break providers. Recognition from Which? means so much because it reflects the honest opinions and experiences of guests. It tells people what it’s really like to stay with us and makes this achievement all the more special.
“As a family-owned business, we can’t compete with the household names on marketing budgets, and we don’t try to. Instead, we focus on giving every guest an exceptional experience. Our breaks are fully inclusive, so we’re not constantly trying to upsell or charge guests for every little extra. It means our guests can simply relax and have fun, while our team can focus entirely on looking after them and making their stay memorable.
“This recognition reinforces what we’ve always believed: Potters Resorts offers the best breaks in the UK. And, of course, a huge thank you must go to our amazing team and our lovely guests, who together have made Potters such a special place.”
The UK’s best and worst holiday parks
(Name of resort, overall customer score)
Potters Resorts – 83%
Hoburne Holidays – 81%
Darwin Escapes – 80%
Landal Parks – 80%
Waterside Holiday Group – 80%
Shorefield Holidays – 76%
Away Resorts – 75%
Bluestone Wales – 75%
Park Leisure UK – 75%
Highland Holidays – 74%
Lyons Holiday Parks – 74%
Largo Leisure – 73%
Park Holidays UK – 73%
Warner Coastal Villages – 73%
Forest Holidays – 72%
John Fowler Holidays – 72%
Center Parcs – 69%
Haven Holidays – 68%
Parkdean Resorts – 68%
Butlin’s – 63%
Pontins – 61%
The rankings are drawn from a survey of 2,221 Which? Connect panel members and members of the general public, conducted in February and March 2026.
If the Ber months are your favourite, then enjoy them with an autumnal staycation. These holiday parks will be offering lots of themed fun in October and beyond including Halloween celebrations
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Butlin’s will have themed Halloween shows(Image: Butlin’s)
While parents have only just waved the kids back to school, we all know how quickly October half term sneaks up on us, and if you’re looking to book a staycation, now is the time.
Holiday parks across the UK will be offering special October half-term breaks, including themed activities and entertainment, so here’s a breakdown of what some of the major brands will be doing for the spookiest month.
Butlin’s – from £205
Butlin’s will be offering a range of Spooktober breaks midweek through October and during half term, which kick off with a welcome party that’s “full of Halloween hits and spooky surprises”. Its fairgrounds are being turned into Scaregrounds, with fog machines, atmospheric lights, and lots of scary monsters lurking in dark corners, while some rides will operate after dark for extra thrills.
The evening entertainment, usually known as Nights at Reds, will become Frights at Reds, billed as: “Think spine-tingling singalongs, killer party dances, ghoulish games, DJ sets that’ll raise the dead, and our brand-new Eerily Silent Disco.” There will also be daytime activities, and of course, you get access to Butlin’s waterparks and all the other fun things you’d expect from its breaks.
Haven is offering a range of Halloween breaks across its parks for October 2026, including half-term dates, with parks offering a variety of spooky entertainment and activities, depending on location and date.
You can enjoy a Halloween Parade at selected parks, and the usual Haven entertainment with a cute autumn edge, such as a Halloween version of the Seaside Squad Let’s Dance show. Once you’ve booked your break, you can add extras such as pumpkin carving, Halloween Make a Bear, or themed slime workshops.
Center Parcs’ lodges are the perfect backdrop for an autumn break, and its parks will also be offering a range of Halloween activities for those visiting during half term. Parents can book their kids into a Halloween Bash, a party that includes games and crafts, or fun sessions such as broomstick making.
You can also enjoy the crisp autumn weather with a forest stroll, or enjoy the parks’ playgrounds, and of course, there’s the subtropical swimming paradises, which are always popular with families visiting Center Parcs.
Parkdean will be running Halloween activities in 59 of its parks from October 2 to November 1, promising “live entertainment and thrilling activities”. Depending on the date you visit and the park, you could enjoy a Creepy Disco, watch a Halloween-themed show, Disturbia, or take part in a kid-friendly ghost walk.
Kids can take part in pumpkin crafts, Halloween-themed slime workshops, sand art, or pottery, and some parks will host a Monster Ball with competitions, fancy-dress, live performances, and more.