Cadbury World has been given an extra sprinkle of Christmas magic.
The popular family attraction near Birmingham is hosting special festive weekends from now until December 23.
I’d never been to Cadbury World and, to be honest, had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be a great family attraction with the obvious special added ingredient...chocolate.
It’s never far away and even before you enter the exhibition a Santa-dressed member of staff gave a welcoming smile before thrusting a handful of Crunchie bars and Curly Wurlies into outstretched arms. In our case, they were put away for another time but judging by the empty wrappers in the nearby bin others weren’t so patient!
The main exhibition, which is split into a number of different zones, traces the history of chocolate and Cadbury itself, as well as offering the chance to make and play with chocolate.
My two boys - aged six and four - loved the interactive sections, especially the packaging section and the demonstrations. The younger one found his attention wandering during some of the film sessions but they didn’t last long and gave lots of interesting facts and figures for the older children and adults alike. The movie sections were really well presented and make sure you take time to look at the holographic-effect display cabinets.
Cadabra was well worth the slight wait and was an entertaining family ride with lots to see and enjoy.
Throughout the exhibition there were some nice little nods to Cadbury’s past, a nostalgic trip down memory lane for the adults with television adverts and posters from years gone by. The recreation of the now famous drum-playing gorilla was definitely a hit.
And the little tubs of warm, pure Dairy Milk chocolate were heaven for chocoholics.
Outside, there is the opportunity for children to burn off any excess energy with a great adventure playground split into two sections.
The special Christmas weekends include a pantomime performance of Aladdin, which was a thoroughly enjoyable half-an-hour and the kids loved it. The cast did wonders with a small stage!
And no festive weekend would be complete without a trip to the main man himself, Father Christmas. The grotto was great and Santa was very friendly and welcoming. The obligatory group photograph was turned into a bauble for the tree, at a reasonable cost, and is now hanging proudly at home.
The whole visit can be done in a morning or afternoon and was a really enjoyable family outing. Thoroughly recommended.
For more information, opening times and more information, log on to Cadbury World’s website - www.cadburyworld.co.uk
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