Blackpool

[mandyque]

I wonder if anyone here can help me. We are going to Blackpool next month and as I'm on a limited budget, I'm always looking for money saving tips and tricks to entertain the kids. Does anyone have any ideas where I can get money off vouchers perhaps, any BOGOF offers, and, of course, disabled concessions.

 

I need some ideas of safe places to take my daughter too, she is a runner so I need to find some places where she can run off excess energy without getting lost or into trouble. Last time we went we spent every evening driving up and down looking at the lights which she loved

 

Any ideas?

[BuntyB]

Have you got somewhere to stay? Try this:

www.kensingtonfoundation.com

Shona.

[board]

I wonder if anyone here can help me. We are going to Blackpool next month and as I'm on a limited budget, I'm always looking for money saving tips and tricks to entertain the kids. Does anyone have any ideas where I can get money off vouchers perhaps, any BOGOF offers, and, of course, disabled concessions.

 

I need some ideas of safe places to take my daughter too, she is a runner so I need to find some places where she can run off excess energy without getting lost or into trouble. Last time we went we spent every evening driving up and down looking at the lights which she loved

 

Any ideas?

have a look at the( uk only money saving expert ) just typt that in and have a look hope this helps becouse i know if you go to sertin places the career can go free and allso you dont have to q like lego land they put a stamp on you had and you dont q hope this helps all the best jill

[lil_me]

Kensington Foundation is an amazing place we stayed there earlier this year.

 

Its well asking whereever you plan to go if carers/disabled get in free, I didn't do this last time but would if I went again.

 

I bought some vouchers off ebay very very cheaply which allowed for free child entry etc into the Sealife Centre, Tower (my son loved the circus and I thought he'd hate it, did have small meltdown when people were clapping) Waxworks, Pleasure Beach (we stayed in Beaver Creek which is the little kids bit) and others. I did have some left but I've hunted high and low tonight and can't find them or I would have sent you them.

Edited September 21, 2005 by lil_me

[misterfredrogers]

avoid big arcades on golden mile and if poss go either to st annes pier or Harts amusement arcade at Bispham where both have a huge selection of traditional twopence machines so a couple of pounds lasts quite awhile compared to the few minutes entertainment in main hub of blackpool.The Tabloid lights are at Bispham so a nice long evening stroll is cheap entertainment and as bispham generally quieter than pleasure beach area useful for my aspie.Go to poundland too and get 20 fluorescent glo sticks to make cheap necklaces rather than be ripped off by street venders vendors (gulp hope doesnt lead to mini obsession and mass collection of glosticks like my son ....hopefully gone as latest is car tax discs).for older kids past pleasure beach opposite huge glitter ball free blackpool illumination museum and energy conservation education at old solarium .Did i really write words free and blackpool next to each other ? The museum also had what must be cleanest toilets in blackpool Stanley Park seems fairly safe and tradional full of families and has a nice art deco style cafe and a small museum of its history as well as trampolines.There is a proper running track there but not sure if it for public use at all times ,There are also all weather pitchs there.The zoo,model village bus No 21 i think takes you there.We also enjoyed the circus but my son did find loud live band a bit much and strobe lightening annoying.

Have a good un!

Edited September 21, 2005 by misterfredrogers

[mandyque]

Thanks this is just what I was looking for We are staying in the Kensington Foundation hotel, we have Peter Rabbits Den, I'm looking forward to seeing the place it looks great, much better than the frozen caravan we stayed in a few years back <---me wearing a balaclava because it was so cold!

 

I remember there being a fantastic restaurant in Bispham too, we'll have to have dinner in there sometime while we are there, had a huge yellow sign with a chip shop next door and was really nice, reasonably priced and good food.

 

I will pop to Poundland for those glowsticks, she will like those, and we will probably drive through the lights every evening as she loved them last time.

 

Is there anywhere convenient to park, we have a blue badge but seem to remember having to go down all sorts of back streets to find somewhere to leave the car

[Sallya]

Mandy, I've got a book called Let's go with the Children, It's available for every county in the uk, and costs about �3. The website is

www.letsgowiththechildren.co.uk

lists of free placces, and places to go, prices and phone numbers so you can call in advance.

S

xxx

[lil_me]

I had a sneeky peek in Peter Rabbit's den when we stayed and its just a fab as the rest. We had the Bob the Builder Pad. There is parking straight behing the trust building so you won't have any problems there. We only use St Anne's for beach, amusements,icecream etc as it is quieter and there is disabled parking up there.

 

Stanley park is nice and the Zoo has just been altered, lot of work done to it and now has a Dinosaur Safari aswell, the Zoo also has disabled parking area.

 

Hope you have a fantastic time

[mandyque]

What's the accomodation like Lil Me? Are there cooking facilities in the apartments, any communal areas for us to spend time in or anything like that?

[lil_me]

No communal areas, but you don't really need it, the apartments are lovely. It is a fab place and the staff are fantastic.

 

Living room/ dining room kitchen area, kitchen had more cupboards than mine at home and has everything (except a washing machine and dishwasher) cooker, fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle, pans, all cutlery, corckery (inc plastics for the kids) , teatowels, dishcloths, cooking utensils, the lot,and usually a bit of tea and coffee and milk for a cuppa when you get there. Most of ours was Bob The Builder Themed There was a laundrette on the same road but we never used it. There is a COOP at the end of the road, newsagents etc up and down and dozens of takeaway places.

 

Did embarrass myself by setting the fire alarm off with the toaster on the first morning, learned to close the hall door and open the window after that

 

Living area (joined onto kitchen as one room) had a sofa and chair in ours, with a TV and Video, they provide a few videos but we took our own aswell. There is a welcome box in each room which has info on places to visit and even most rooms had an A-Z aswell.

 

Dining table and chairs.

 

2 bedrooms one with a double bed, one with bunks, the only uncomfortable bit was the waterproof sheets. You are asked to strip the beds when you leave, if there is more than 4 people they have guest beds. Wardrobes, drawers etc in bedrooms.

 

Bathroom with electric shower over the bath.

 

There is a school in front and behind but you only heard them for a short amount of time at lunch etc.

 

Anymore ? just ask and I'll try to answer them, we've only been once but my sons didn't want to leave.

Edited September 22, 2005 by lil_me

[mandyque]

Sounds fantastic, just what we need (apart from the dishwasher - I'll miss that! ) There is another single mum who I know going the same week so I was hoping that perhaps there might have been a play area or something but I'm sure we can spend time in each others apartments

[lil_me]

No play area unfrotunately. Our sons room was packed with Bob the Builder toys and other toys tho

Edited September 28, 2005 by lil_me