Bluebell Dairy Ice Cream Farm — Attraction in Erewash

3rd aug : This is hard rating and feedback to send however for the increase in peak price and also no summer pass option which did have 10% off which is only 10% but is helpfull in these times, buy one ticket free return is not better value when you factor all of this in,

Was American adventure theme was absoutley no atmosphere, despite being a weekend and school holidays was no music at all (only during foam party which was advertised as 30 mins 4 to 4.30 but was only 12 mins) apart from the cosmetic things wouldn't have known,

The wild ranch activities need supervision, equipment being used in wrong places, lack of instruction, even broken equipment such as tin cans and ropes, this could have been so much more, was just activities we had to organise with our children once found the equipment!!! Despite this being an advertised part event of the day,

Maize maze where is it?? Its advertised on website, on park map, despite looking all day, and asking limited staff around we couldn't find it and they couldn't show us, this was incredibly disappointing as love the main each year is is normally why come,

Kids did the bandits search, which was fun however had to search a significant amount of the farm which was ok but again advertised was a pot of gold at the end which was a sticker!!!!! Had 5 incredibly disappointed children at the end for all that effort and also a sticker is a "pot of gold" would a tiny packet of harribo's be too much to ask or a small lolly??

Planet a pot didn't even realise was what it was till nearer end, again no staff, pot was luck found 2 between 5!!! No water for plant soil luckily had some seeds in, so again had 3 disappointed children who couldn't do event,

Water wars was brilliant and fun, however I know the staff need to express the rules but the way she was saying them was rude in approach especially given the kids were listening could understand if wasnt, she needs to tone down her approach,

Bugs kids enjoyed and the lady was lovely and gave loads of facts but she can only do so much on her own!!

Foam party was best part and staff were brilliant and enthusiastic, Kids had fab time, main issue was as above shortened time then advertised,

All in all am really sorry to say, disappointing day given price of entry as described above, advertised events werent as seemed as most parent focused to do and interpret poor direction to do that which was clear where the equiptment was and being used, lack of staff hardly saw anyone throughout the day!!, unsupervised events/making them uninteractive despite them being apaet of the attraction of the event, no maize maze to be seen anywhere (even no closed one!!)

It was very quiet on the farm but this could have been so much more it's peak...

We've visited Santa at Bluebells previously and have thoroughly enjoyed it. We've also been regular visitors to the Halloween events which have been fantastic too and well worth the money. This year, despite it seeming extremely pricey at nearly £60 for two adults and a child, plus extra for "glasses", based on past experiences I thought it would be well worth it, especially given my daughter was eager to meet Santa as she missed out last year due to Covid.

I have to say that sadly it wasn't worth even half of that price.

When we saw Santa at Bluebells in 2019 we were treated to a magical trail through 3d lights and trees, a visit to the elf shop for sweets and drinks and a tractor-train ride ending at the North Pole, with log cabins and Christmas displays culminating in an individualised talk with Santa and a gift. Contrast with this year - an hour's sit-down tent experience consisting of CBeebies wannabes dressed as trees, penguins and snowmen, culminating in a monologue by Santa as the grand finale and a queue to collect a present from the far side of the tent.

I'm not saying I was expecting exactly the same experience as last time, but recruiting a load of Z-rated actors to "entertain" the kids for an hour is really no comparison to a magical Christmas train ride to the North Pole. Worse still, after patiently sitting through these "performances" my daughter did not even get to speak to Santa himself - the main reason we'd bought tickets in the first place. She left extremely disappointed and I'm sure she wasn't the only one.

Furthermore, given we'd paid extra for some glasses we at least expected some 3d light experience of some sort, but we didn't even receive the glasses we paid for. We wondered if maybe "glasses" meant "wine glasses" or something else but we left non-the wiser having received no glasses of any type whatsoever!

I would love for you to tell me how sitting in a tent for an hour enduring stage-school style am-dram is worth £60 of anyone's money. If your answer to this year's substandard offering is Covid, then it makes no sense that the outdoor tractor-train ride and outdoor Christmas village of two years ago be replaced by cramming families into tents. I'm sad to say I shall be looking for an alternative Christmas experience for my daughter next year and shall be recommending other people do the same. Such a shame as we've been regular visitors, and it pains me to leave a review such as this as I know that things must have been tricky during the pandemic, but ripping loyal customers off with a substandard offering is not the way to a...

We had a good day from the children point of view, plenty of animals to look at, playground and activity for them to play. Unfortunately there a few point that been mark down to cleanses and services. Upon arriving at the farm, there was a 5 mins wait which is understandable however myself and my daughter always go to the toilet first priority due to traveling. When first inspection, I felt a lack of cleanliness then when I went to loo, I noticed none of my toilet roll was available and ask my daughter for roll in the next three toilet. 11 out of 12 loo roll was empty the 12 was 1/4 to finish off. I felt I had to point out to reception. Few hour later my daughter needs a loo again, unfortunately none had been top up, I had notice other people had told staff about this. I felt like there was no one to attend to, no staff anywhere to ask except reception or cafe. Once I spoke to some, feel like there was no enthusiasm environment. Upon a cafe building, I went in and felt we enter in ice cream parlour, the board on wall is all ice cream and drink. There is nothing for foods menu but on the table that people using while eating a little rude to ask them. I also found waiting time a little longer and service plan behind is poor demonstrate. I also noticed while I waiting for the food to come out, that other people hot food waiting to be served is left unattended for bout 5 minutes cos there was nobody available to take them to the customer tables. When it finally came to my table it was rather cold side than hot serves. Upon leaving the cafe I was very disappointed to see only one bin by the entry that was over filling and no one attend to replace a new bin liner. Ice cream.. when we finally decide to have an ice cream, though attend to kiosk but only found out it was close and told me it in café or exit. At the end of the day a little lack of layout however the children seem to enjoy the fun usual up to 9/10 years old. Not a bad price and if you don't want to go to the farm you can go in the cafe for a coffee and grab tubs of icream...