[mattlondon]

You are trapped in centre parks and they control the prices for everything. On a normal holiday you have choice of where to eat or what activities to do etc. You don't get that at center parca - it is like a stationary cruise ship where you can only leave when they allow it.

[notahacker]

But it's a trap you've chosen to walk into, when there are literally millions of alternative ways to spend your holidays that don't involve staying on a company's private estate whose main attraction is a wide range of chargeable activities which it's the only provider of in the area. As with activity prices on cruises the natural response isn't "gollygosh how did you survive?" it's "if that sort of thing bothers you why did you pick that holiday?". As the rest of the article goes on to clarify, it isn't even like the operators are actually making a killing when you consider the amount of investment involved in buying woodland and waterslides (and that the half-term surge prices for accommodation are the bookends for months of low occupancy).

Plus if you really hate their catering prices, there's nothing stopping you driving to the cafe or supermarket in the next village and bringing your own bikes

[roenxi]

Well, yes. That does appear to be what the people are paying for. The point here seems to be a sort of naturalist luxury experience in a carefully over-managed environment. I see this as similar to getting on the cruise ship and then being surprised that there isn't an independent marketplace on board.

If someone goes to a luxury accommodation experience and then become perturbed at being charged luxury prices, that seems to be a problem with their expectations.

[Plasmoid2000ad]

Not really. You can walk to your car, hop in and drive out anytime. They just have security to check who is coming and going, not to stop anyone.

Better still, you can cycle out with their rental bike no problem. Thetford is a nice cycle from Elveden... though the rental bikes maybe aren't the best for those sort of distances.