Cadbury World – Birmingham

I’m sure every, if not most nearly every, child loves chocolate and so a trip to Cadbury World (if you are local enough to Birmingham, UK) is a must!

We went a couple of years ago and, our then, 2-year-old wasn’t speaking very much, but his new word was chocolate (funny as our children don’t even have it that much!) so I had decided that he would just love a visit. Our near 4-year-old had been asking to go back too, since we visited 2 years previously in the summer holidays. One of the reasons we went is due to the Tesco clubcard vouchers for 2 adults, 1 child and 2 under 4 years, it came to £39 but we paid only £4 and the rest in vouchers (prices). The car park was free. There’s also the opportunity to buy a puzzle type book and crayons, or a bag or some other things at the paying desk.

In the foyer this time were also 2 chocolate beans – one spots and one stripes that you could have your photo taken with.

Last time we went there was an awfully long queue and we weren’t aware that we could book in advanced – even when using Tesco vouchers (0844 880 7667). You can also book online and save money too and appeared to cut queuing but I’m not familiar with this.

Apparently we went at the best time of year  (Start of September) as it’s all quiet after the school holidays and the schools aren’t visiting yet. The difference between this visit and the last one in the holidays was unbelievable – last time I queued for over an hour to get the tickets before queuing again to get in! – but this time there were several cashiers waiting for me :O) Also inside there was more room for the children and they were much more able to participate in things.

First you are given chocolate each – result – a Curly Wurly and a Crunchie this visit: The children were very happy (especially as we didn’t tell them they had to wait until after a meal to eat it!). This was particularly usefully (especially for the under 4s) as I don’t find the history of it particularly appealing to children – but maybe that’s just me and our children.

There were some shows to sit through, again about the history (of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk), which again I don’t think we’re all that exciting for the younger ones, but they were still chomping on their chocolate so very happy.

Pleased to say there are lots of bins and recycling bins for plastic bottles around. For older ones, or those  more interested in it, there is quiet a lot of attention to detail in the surrounding areas – such as how the shops would have looked back in the day.

There is a good bit when explaining what happens to the chocolate which makes the audience into the chocolate – and you are shaken about on a bench, and roasted etc – which was a bit more entertaining. Then there are machines that you can select videos to learn about different chocolates. Here you are not told that all the machines are the same and people tend to crowd round and try to move to each one – but you just need to select it on the screen,

When you get to the packaging and plant area it is a bit like being in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as you must keep the secrets lol – well no, not exactly, but there are no videos or cameras allowed. At this point (I think it was) you are each given a Cadbury’s dairy milk bar.

Then there is a Green Screen where you could get your photo taken on a different background and a ride – both of which the children enjoyed, and both photos can be purchased in a variety of formats.

There’s a bit where the children can write their name in chocolate.

and a demonstration of how chocolate used to be made by hand

This chocolate is reused so we weren’t allowed to eat it, so at the next station we were allowed to pick up a pot of melted chocolate with a spoon – very sweet and sticky (baby wipes came in VERY useful).

On display was some fancy chocolate – which could later be bought in the shop.

Then there was a section of past adverts in models – which we enjoyed.

And a music section.

Then there was a section that was very good for the kids as they got to interact with it.

Which then lead you on to the shop, which had great attention to detail including a Cadbury’s train going around it above your head. The shop was in two parts, the main and a factory part with “bargains”. I’m a bit tight and didn’t find it that much of a bargain. Although their drinking chocolate which is £2.99 in Morrisons was only about £1.59 so we did get some of that.

This was the end of the tour in the main building.

Down the other end was Essences (I think it’s called), a play area, and a show tent.

We were very lucky in that when we went Sooty (yes the REAL Sooty!!) was there.

I think the Essence (or whatever it was called) was just again about Dairy Milk – but it was that uninteresting I can’t even remember – apart from the fact you got to pick what to mix with melted chocolate and got it in a cup.

Then there was a fab new park that my kids could have played on for hours.

All in all we had a good day out. My youngest even slept all night and had a morning nap today – result.

I’m happy with the price I paid and what I got (especially as Sooty was there) but wouldn’t have paid the £39 for it.

This is not a sponsored post.