When is the cheapest time to go to Center Parcs?

Scrolling through the prices on the Center Parcs website, you can quickly see the cheapest time to go to Center Parcs is A) during term time, and B) during the week. Surprisingly – or not! – weekends tend to be more expensive, despite the shorter amount of days (5 days vs 4).

For families with school-age children, this can make Center Parcs breaks much more expensive, so here are a few ways you can help bring costs down and find a cheaper Center Parcs holiday, whether or not you have kids.

Tip 1: Choose term-time weekdays (if you can!)

If you’re travelling without school-age kids (or if you can take your children out of school!) this will always be the cheapest time to go to Center Parcs.

Not only are the weekdays *usually* cheaper, you also get a longer trip for your money (5 days, Mon-Fri vs 4 days for Fri-Mon).

Tip 2: Look for teacher training days (if you need to)

If you’re stuck planning around school holidays, look for teacher training days and other days off that might be specific to your school, or your local area. Sometimes these few days can make a huge difference on price!

Tip 3: Winter vs Summer

Weather also plays a huge part in the price of your trip – Center Parcs breaks are generally cheaper in the colder, winter months (although you can never guarantee good weather, even in the summer!)

Despite the colder weather, a trip to Center Parcs in winter can still be great. There are still plenty of warm, indoor activities – and of course you’ll probably spend most of your time in the pool, which is indoor and heated anyway!

There are also some special winter lights events, which can turn a cold, dark, damp trip into a much more magical experience. In November-December, Center Parcs runs its Winter Wonderland, followed by its Winter Forest Lights in January-February.

Of course, the dates around Christmas and New Years are usually much more expensive, but avoid those, and you can get some great deals in early-December, January and February.

Tip 4: Book in advance

According to most advice, you can get better deals and better prices if you book in advance. If you’ve recently been to Center Parcs, you can even price-match your break using the “Come Back Soon” offer, which means Center Parcs will match the cheaper price of your break if you see it for less after you’ve booked.

Tip 5: Or look out for last-minute deals

These are much less likely during the school holidays or other peak times, but it’s always worth looking out for!

We found a last-minute 3-bedroom lodge at Sherwood Forest for £649 on 12 July (price found on 11 July 2024) on the Center Parcs “Last Minute Breaks” page. Depending on availability, these prices do seem to reduce as you get closer to the date, so always worth a look if you can!

How much can you save?

Following all these tips, we found a mid-week, term-time trip in January for as little as £429 for a 2-bedroom lodge, compared to £1449 for the same trip in the middle of August. That’s a saving of £1020!

(Prices correct as of 23/05/2024)

Don’t forget the extra deals

We’ve already mentioned the “Come Back Soon” offer, but Center Parcs do sometimes release other deals, too. In July 2024, they announced the new “Young Family Offer“, which offers a £35 discount (and 2 free day passes) to families with children under 5 (read more here). And there might be other similar deals in the future, too. Definitely one to keep an eye on!