A chance to take my kid to Butlin’s for just 85p? Of course I immediately booked!
Normally I’ve only seen this offer available on weekdays during term time, but this time I noticed there were weekend dates too, so I jumped at the chance. The child ticket offer is usually £1, but thanks to the Government’s temporary VAT reduction on family attractions, it had dropped to just 85p.
As Bognor Regis is the closest Butlin’s resort to London, that’s where we headed, although the same offer is also available at Butlin’s Minehead and Butlin’s Skegness.
If you can grab one of these discounted day passes, I genuinely think it’s worth doing.
What does a Butlin’s day pass include?
There’s plenty included with your day pass, making it easy to spend a full day at the resort.
Your day pass includes:
- Unlimited rides on the Traditional Fairground and Little Stars Fairground.
- Access to Splash Waterworld, including the swimming pools, flumes and rapids (ride restrictions apply).
- Live daytime entertainment inside the Skyline Pavilion. Headline acts and shows in Centre Stage, Studio 36 and Reds are not included.
- Access to the soft play areas (subject to availability).
- Outdoor playgrounds.
- The arcades (games are chargeable).
- Access to the bars and restaurants.
- Meet and greet opportunities with Butlin’s characters (subject to availability).
- Access to PLAYXPERIENCE at Bognor Regis, where you can purchase immersive activities.
- Additional bookable activities, which can be booked in advance or while you’re at the resort, subject to availability.
How much did our Butlin’s Bognor Regis day trip cost?
Here’s exactly what we spent.
- Adult entry: £19
- Child entry: 85p
- Parking: £14.60 for the day (plus a 20p RingGo booking fee if paying through the app)
- Food and drink: Around £14. We packed snacks but still grabbed some hot food because you can’t visit the seaside without treating yourself!
- Arcade games: £20. I gave myself a strict spending limit before we went in.
Total spent: £68.45
If you’re travelling by train, Bognor Regis station is around a 15 minute walk from the resort, or approximately a £6 taxi ride. We decided to drive so we could leave our swimming bags in the boot.
My honest review
We genuinely had a really fun day.
The kid loved Splash Waterworld, enjoyed the fairground rides and spent far too much time trying to win prizes in the arcades. There was more than enough to keep us busy throughout the day.
However, if I’m being completely honest, I do think parts of the resort are looking quite tired.
The newer attractions, particularly the new soft play, PLAYXPERIENCE, laser tag and virtual reality activities, all look fantastic and feel modern. It’s clear Butlin’s has started investing in certain areas.
Unfortunately, I think the older sections now stand out even more. The main entertainment complex and arcade area feel quite run down and could really benefit from a major refurbishment. The outdoor fairground is still lovely, but it also feels like it’s due for an update.
Because we paid just 85p for the kid’s ticket, I thought it represented brilliant value for money. If we’d paid full price, I think I probably would have expected more considering the condition of some parts of the resort.
We haven’t stayed overnight for several years, so I can’t comment on the accommodation from personal experience. However, whenever I see recent posts on social media, many people still mention that the accommodation feels dated. It’s a shame because Butlin’s really is a fun place to visit and there’s so much potential. I just think the resort is ready for a much bigger refurbishment to bring everything up to the same standard as the newer attractions.
Would we go back?
Definitely, especially if the 85p or £1 child ticket offer comes back.
For less than £1, it’s an easy decision and makes for a brilliant family day out. Between the swimming pool, rides, entertainment and being right next to the beach, there’s plenty to fill a whole day.
If you spot one of these heavily discounted day pass offers, I’d recommend snapping it up while you can. It offers excellent value and we had a genuinely enjoyable day.
