A first-time visitor to Butlin's Ultimate 80s weekend at Minehead found the experience far more fun than expected, with live acts, tributes and packed entertainment.
The weekend was not what we expected - but in a good way. Anyone who has spent a family week at Butlin's will be aware of how great the resorts are for children - packed with events, entertainment and activities that make lasting memories. But the three sites - Minehead, Bognor and Skegness - also offer adult-only breaks, with a growing roster of themed weekends that attract thousands of people at a time.
Having never tried the adult weekends we set off to Minehead, unsure what to expect, but it can easily be summed up in one word - fun. Everyone there seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
A nervous start
I'd have to admit to being more than a little nervous about what to expect. This was an Ultimate 80s weekend, with a line-up that included Timmy Mallett and Agadoo-merchants Black Lace. And there were a couple of big headline acts that sounded like they should be fun - with Wet Wet Wet, Go West and Toyah topping the bill over the weekend.
After arriving, we checked into our West Lakes accommodation. One of the joys of Butlins is that you can choose where to stay depending on your needs and budget. You can opt for a comfort apartment with the basics or go right up through different grades to lakeside chalets and a full-on hotel.
After dinner (we had the dining plan so Butlins provides all your breakfast and evening meals with a lot of tasty options to choose from) we headed to the Skyline for the opening show - Timmy Mallett.
Live acts and tributes
While I'd been sceptical, it was great fun. The crowd was almost all in fancy dress and the 80s TV legend kept everyone entertained with a high-energy show packed with singing, laughs and multiple games of Mallett's Mallet. And then on to Reds for Black Lace - who kicked off with Superman, ended with Agadoo and put on a genuinely fun act in the middle - some classics, plenty of cheese and a few surprising medleys. The dance floor was full.
And after skipping out of Go West a couple of tracks in we rounded off the night watching tribute act Complete Madness - who put on a fantastic show, All the Madness classics, a few hits from the likes of The Specials and Bad Manners - this was the highlight so far. The entertainment stretched on into the early hours, with DJs playing 80s hits for an old-school club experience.
Saturday morning we headed to the pool for the Splash Waterworld pool party - a couple of hours of 80s tunes while enjoying the lazy river and waves. Feeling exercised and healthy, we headed for a bottomless brunch - burgers and pancakes with all the cocktails, beer and cider you could handle in three hours.
Packed schedule
It took a while to get going, but once those margaritas kicked in and the lights went down, everyone hit the dance floor for a midday disco. Again, you could just feel the fun in the room.
Saturday afternoon was a quiet one after that - there are activities you can opt in to like karting, karaoke and soul stroll or entertainment like Bingo Bango while the funfair opens for a few hours. We opted to catch a breath with a walk outside the resort along the beach in Minehead and down into the town.
In the evening, we camped out at another Butlins venue, Studio 36. With VIP wristbands we were able to get great seats and an exclusive dance floor area right at the front of the stage. After Junior Giscombe and Odyssey warmed everyone up Toyah was definitely the highlight of the evening - brilliant set, as crisp and powerful as ever.
We planned to stay for Wet Wet Wet, but after a while, we hopped across to watch the MJ Experience, a well-crafted Michael Jackson tribute that was a brilliant end to the evening. There was also a Queen tribute but there is so much packed into the weekends you won't be able to see everything.
Surprising highlights
Sunday afternoon seems like a weird time for entertainment - but here were some of the best shows of the weekend. Massaoke is a live band and singer with lyrics on a huge screen so the whole crowd can sing along - blasting out the greatest hits of the 80s. The Stand Up Comedy Allstars were genuinely funny and had everyone laughing - not an easy task in the middle of a Sunday when the crowd is more hungover than tipsy. And Making it Madonna was another really enjoyable tribute.
The entertainment carried on into the evening with 80s icon Sonia taking to the stage.
Overall - so much more fun than I expected. Everyone was just having a great time, people of all ages (over 18) laughing, dancing, and singing. I would caution that the bars can take a long time - we ended up queuing for more than half an hour twice - but Butlins does now have self-service machines which offer a range of drinks and if they have what you want you'll be back at your table in minutes.
And it's definitely worth remembering that the acts you may not be looking forward to could well turn out to be the real stars of the show. The joy is if you're not having as much fun as you want in one venue - there are three more venues with a different show just a few minutes' walk away.
As mentioned, we had the VIP wristbands and if you're thinking of upgrading they do have advantages - including VIP areas in the venues, access to events 15 minutes early and 10 per cent off food. The VIP area in Studio 36 is spot on, Reds is stage-side so you can get a good view of the action. Center Stage the VIP area was at the back of the venue so not perfect - but we were still able to get somewhere to sit and a good view. 15-minutes early access means you can get a seat and table at the front of the venue.
If you're planning on taking your own alcohol to save cash - it's worth knowing that you can't take your drink into any of the venues, or buy alcohol at the on site shop inside the venue after 5pm.
A Butlins weekender is great fun - much more fun than I expected. Everyone seemed to be having genuine fun with their friends and family - it brought back a lot of 80s memories - and we'll definitely be looking to do it again in the future.
Ultimate 80s Thriller Big Weekenders from £69
Butlin's offers a three-night Ultimate 80s Thriller Weekender exclusively for adults featuring Matt Goss, Jocelyn Brown and Martin Kemp (DJ set) plus many more from £69pp on 16 October 2026. Price is based on four sharing a two bedroom Standard Room in Minehead and includes access to live music venues and activities like bingo bango, pool parties and silent discos. Dining plans start from £25.95 per adult, per day. To find a break or book, visit www.butlins.com/bigweekenders
