On Sunday, I FINALLY got to live out one of my childhood fantasies and go to a chocolate factory...and not just any old chocolate factory....
Oh no....
I went to Cadbury World!!
And it was AMAZING!!!!
Where?
Cadbury World is in Bournville, Birmingham, in England!
Description
Cadbury World is a chocolate factory and exhibition, detailing the production of chocolate, and the history of the Cadbury brand. The factory is set in quite a large grounds, where there are outdoor attractions and facilities. Bournville is a town, which was initially established by Cadbury, for all its workers, so that's attached to Cadbury World too.
Opening Times
Cadbury World is open for most of the year (it is shut for a few weeks in January.) Opening times vary depending on the day and the time of year. The earliest Cadbury World opens is 9am, and it stays open until the afternoon (again, times vary!) It's worth ringing up, or checking the website before you visit to make sure you know the exact times!
Cost
Adult: £14.75
Child: £10.75 (ages 4-15)
Concessions (Senior/Students): £11.10
Under 4's: Free
Family Ticket: £45/£53...depending on the number of adults vs children
Parking
Parking is free!! Yippeeee!!! And there is quite a decent sized car park, with lots of spaces, and an overflow section (it gets very, very busy!)
Child Friendly
Well, this is a bit of a silly heading....it's a chocolate factory!! There are LOTS of things for children - samples, interactive attractions and rides, games, educational bits and bobs....the only thing that children may not be AS interested in is all the history of chocolate and cocoa, but in the "adult-y" bits, there are models and lots of things to look at that don't require reading!
Pros
Chocolate!!!
Okay, aside from that, Cadbury World is a family fun day out...there is something for everybody, and it's generally a happy, cheery place. If you were with children, you could happily spend the afternoon in the adventure playground after looking round the factory. When we went, there was lots going on...family shows, a fancy dress competition...it's very inclusive...
...and if you're lucky you get free samples!
The shop is also very reasonable in their pricing. I picked up a HUGE bag of mis-shapes for just under £3!!
Cons
It gets very, very busy!! Mama Ginger and I arrived for the 9.50am slot, and when we came out of the factory, the lobby was absolutely CRAMMED full of people. We could barely move!
You also need to pre-book to guarantee you can get in. You couldn't just decide one weekend to go to Cadbury World. You might be disappointed, and have some unhappy children (and adults), if you find you can't get in.
There is also no bag holding area. We got caught behind two women wheeling suitcases...yes...SUITCASES, around a very narrow part of the exhibition, and it was really annoying!
Final Thoughts
I have wanted to go to Cadbury World since I was a child and a boy in my class at school went and brought in a pencil sharpener to school from here!
I was not disappointed...not even being a 25 year old. I had such a good time! Admittedly, I did get carried away with the chocolate eating, but aside from that, I think Cadbury World is great and I'd definitely go back.
I can imagine that in the summer the amount put on for families increases, but considering that we only went on a weekend, I was really impressed.
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