Center Parcs Changes Check-in Time: New Rules for Guests from October.

Center Parcs Changes Arrival Times for Guests

According to The Sun: The company Center Parcs has announced significant changes to the arrival times for its holiday resorts, which have sparked varying reactions among visitors.

The holiday giant has decided to introduce staggered arrival times for different types of holiday homes to reduce congestion on the premises.

Center Parcs hopes that these changes will also increase the availability of parking spaces near the holiday homes, especially on days when an active check-in takes place – Fridays and Mondays.

Currently, most guests arrive at their holiday homes around 4:00 PM on their first vacation day, after parking their cars in the lot, which leads to queues.

From September 29, the arrival times will become more varied to avoid a rush at 4:00 PM.

According to the new rules, access to Treehouses will be possible from 1:00 PM, while check-in for Forest Lodges, hotels, and apartments will be available from 3:00 PM.

The arrival time for Exclusive Lodges remains unchanged at 2:00 PM, while it remains unchanged for Woodland Lodges at 4:00 PM.

Guests can arrive on site from 10:00 AM on the arrival day and park in the parking lot while utilizing various resort services.

However, guests should avoid trying to access their holiday homes before they are available. Families will receive a notification at the Arrival Centre when the barrier to their holiday homes is opened.

“I see positive aspects in this, but it now means that cars will be driving over the site from 1:00 PM or earlier when many families are trying to enjoy their stay before they can get into their holiday homes.”

Some Center Parcs fans doubt whether the situation will actually change, possibly even making the arrival days more stressful.

“We have already taken advantage of the early check-in at Elveden. We joined the already existing queue and had to wait our turn. No advantage...”

Nevertheless, others noted that the cheapest holiday homes have later arrival times, and observed: “The more you pay – the earlier you can check in, but they charge a fee for early check-in!”

Still, others reacted positively to the changes, pointing out that this is likely to help reduce the “crazy crowds” at check-in time at the holiday homes.

Representatives from Center Parcs have not commented on the expressed concerns but stated on their website: “We are always looking for ways to make your check-in easier and to make your stay more relaxed from the moment you arrive. The introduction of staggered arrival times depending on the type of holiday home will help reduce traffic in the parking lot and village, improve parking availability, and enable you to check in more quickly.”

New rules are also being introduced affecting guests visiting the popular Subtropical Swimming Paradise.

The resort has announced that its swimming pools will open an hour earlier – from 9:00 AM instead of 10:00 AM, so that visitors can dive into the water earlier.

However, Center Parcs has also pointed out that it will close the pool at 8:00 PM, as fewer guests go swimming in the evenings.

Additionally, new “quiet hours” will be implemented from 9:00 to 10:00 AM on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. This is for those who may find the noise in the pools too loud. During quiet hours, the wave machine will be turned off, no loud music will be played, and slides and attractions will be closed.

These changes will take effect on October 10, 2025.

The changes to the arrival times at Center Parcs are the result of efforts to enhance the experience for guests and reduce the influx of cars on the holiday grounds. However, the public reaction to these innovations has been mixed. In the future, the implementation of the mentioned updates is expected, which are to take effect next October.