At 5am on the morning we were leaving for our family holiday, I was woken up by my excited five-year-old screaming 'BUTLIN'S!!!!!!' – I was instantly transported back to being a child and doing the very exact same thing to my parents, who I now need to apologise to.
Butlin's was a huge part of my childhood summers as a young girl, in fact one of my happiest first memories is winning a dancing competition wearing a rather fetching pair of pink wellington boots and being presented with a tiny trophy by a superstar red coat.
And I have to say, I had hyped up the four day stay in Skegness for the resort's 90th birthday to my three-year-old and his brother so the promise of rollercoasters, ice creams, discos and go-karting meant excitement levels were at a fever pitch.
At a glance, what's not to like about a cheap and cheerful weekend away – and it was full circle as we packed up the car with the kids, who had temporarily stopped screaming 'Butlins' at a deafening volume in my husband's ears, and headed to the flagship resort.
For those living under a rock, a Butlin's break is a rite of passage for most UK families – free fairground rides, incredible pools, jaw-dropping shows, discos – it's basically a whirlwind on the senses for kids and adults alike.
And as we drove through the gate to the resort I wondered just how different my sons' experience of the Butlin's experience would be to mine all those years ago.
Turns out, it's a mixed bag – gone are the rickety chalets and there wasn't a donkey in sight – also, the obvious 2026 additions are in place – free WiFi, a QR code for your drinks and a rather intriguing pour your own pint machine (more on this later).
We opted for the all-inclusive drinks package, a stay in the new Maple Lodges and Early Access VIP to the shows – which was incredibly useful, especially with young children.
Arriving at the park you instantly see the magical fairground and the iconic Skyline Pavilion – we went to the wrong entrance but were happily directed across the road to our lodge.
Staying at the Maple Lodge is a far cry from my memories of a crowded chalet where the noise of the disco reverberated through the walls, making my young self resent being in bed as all my new mates sang Agadoo. Situated just an underground passage away from the main park, the three bedroom lodge was clean, quiet and even came with a dishwasher (and tablets!), sponges and a tea towel – all things I conveniently forget when on holiday. Both kids were buzzing with their rooms and it was both far enough away and close enough to the park which meant bedtime wasn't an ordeal.
The lodge boasted a fully equipped kitchen but we opted for a Premium Dining package for our weekend stay, which I think is a must for a traditional Butlin's stay. Food-wise, the choice has massively expanded since my days at the holiday camp – of course, you can still stick to the family favourites of pasta, roast meats, curries and the ice cream station made both Oscar and Nathaniel's eyes turn into saucers.
Modern day touches really impressed me, this included a live station where a chef rustled up burgers or wraps in front of your eyes while at breakfast, chef Ken – who had worked at the park longer than I had hot dinners – whipped up the best omelette I had ever eaten. Also, if you opt for the all inclusive drinks package you can even have a Prosecco with your meal from the restaurant bar – a new touch my rather jealous mum insisted never existed in her day.
But by far the biggest difference to my after-dinner activity of bingo playing, although the evening disco does offer this, were the shows.
Nathaniel, 5, and Oscar, 3, loved the Masked Singer and Maximum Pro Wrestling shows, not only were the production values incredible, the kids and adults were transfixed by the format – I would love to tell you more but I don't want to spoil them for anyone who goes – safe to say the kids were shouting 'take it off' for hours afterwards. I did get some odd looks in the camp supermarket so that was quickly canned.
It was so helpful to have early access as these shows get really busy, so to ensure you have a good seat my tip is go early and get settled. To beat the queues for the bar, Butlin's have also creatively come up with an automatic pint pouring machine, again, something my rather jealous dad was smarting about not existing in his time. Basically, it does what it says on the tin, you show your over 18 QR code to the security nearby, and pop your plastic cup under a spout and bingo – a perfect pint is poured.
And, it wouldn't be Butlin's if there wasn't the disco – or as it's now called Night With The Reds. This took me way back – and for Butlin's OGs, yes the music is still the same – but expect a sprinkling of KPop Demon Hunters. Nathaniel loved this and like me, was enamoured with the Red Coats who were top notch entertainers.
But, with any holiday, comes the sticking points. I really learnt you now have to plan your day as queues can be an issue and a warning to mums and dads – to get anywhere you need to walk through an arcade – which set the kids eyes alight and lots of these machines take contactless so be warned! And be prepared for those who don't quite make the height requirement for the go karting to be very, very upset.
Booking early is essential for activities like bowling – my advice is book on your way to breakfast to avoid a grumpy 5-year-old Dom Barrett wannabe.
Also, we booked into soft play which was disappointing compared to the rest of the very modern park, so I would swerve this activity and head to the Skypark which I have to say the kids could have spent hours in, it took endless bribery to get them to leave. The state-of-art playground has a huge slide for older kids, walkways and mini trampolines.
We didn't get to check out the swimming pool sadly as the queues were just too long for our youngsters but I have promised next time. Also, another tip is buy vouchers for the paid for fairground rides – saves fumbling with cash.
For all the, very welcome, differences – one thing remains as magical as ever – the Red Coats. Super-friendly, entertaining and helpful, these guys really make your holiday, with my eldest even asking me how you can become one or a pro wrestler.
When I told my kids I was writing a review on their stay and could they sum it up, Oscar opted for 'fun' – whereas Nathaniel simply said: 'When can we go again mum?' Something I'm told I too uttered all those years ago.
