Cadbury World- not so sweet!
We went to Cadbury World with our friends filled with anticipation and curiosity, but the experience turned out to be quite different from what I had imagined. Cadbury World is more of a museum, dedicated to the history and making of the Cadbury brand, albeit with some other bits thrown in. Cadbury world is NOT a theme park. It is NOT a factory tour. Do not expect an immersive and enriching experience or you will be left with a bittersweet aftertaste (like me). We spend more time driving to the venue than at the actual place itself and that says it all!
One of the highlights touted by Cadbury World is the opportunity to participate in chocolate-making activities. I found these activities to be underwhelming and lacking in creativity. All you get is one minute at doodling your name with chocolate (using a squeeze bottle) and another station where you are meant to try your hand at traditional chocolate tempering. Unfortunately, there is no guidance as to what to do. You get handed over two pieces of cutlery and a smidge of chocolate spread in front of you. If you have ever spread Nutella on the toast, then that is it. You can do that at home FOR FREE, without having to pay this much money to “experience it” at Cadbury World. The staff seemed disinterested and the whole “Have a go zone” felt rushed and automated.
There was also a chocolate tasting session later on, although our dwindling interest by that point diminished its impact. There was a tiny bit of chocolate given to us in a disposable cup and as someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy fudge or marshmallows (yes, I am weird), the “toppings” did not contribute to improving my mood. In the Chocolate Making zone, there was a demonstration by the staff. However, all they did was fill chocolate paste into an ice cube-like mold and take out another chocolate bar from the fridge to demonstrate the conversion process. It lacked the “wow” factor and failed to capture our interest. It would have been a lot more enjoyable to have truly hands-on experiences where visitors can actually engage with the chocolate-making process.
There is one indoor ride on site called Cadabra. We had to queue for about 20 minutes for it but we really shouldn’t have bothered. It was an uneventful mini car ride which Ay labelled as “suitable for babies”. It was cute though I must say.
We were looking forward to the 4D cinema experience. Unfortunately, by the time we came out of the main attraction, there were no more shows! Upon enquiry, we came to know that the 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema experience closes an hour after last admission to Cadbury World. If you are visiting in the afternoon like us, please make sure you check the last entry information and you visit the outside area (where the cinema is) before the main attraction if you need to. It would have been helpful if someone at the reception had informed us or if there were clear signboards displaying the show timings in the indoor and outdoor areas. Without prior research or guidance from previous visitors, you are bound to be left confused and bemused like us.
While Cadbury World aims to showcase the history and process of chocolate making, I also found the exhibits to be disappointingly superficial. The interactive displays felt more like flashy distractions rather than informative experiences. I was hoping for a deeper dive into the origins of cocoa or the intricacies of chocolate production. However, the content remained at a surface level, leaving me craving for a more engaging encounter.
Despite our overall disappointment, there were a few aspects that we did enjoy at Cadbury World. The cinema experience showcasing the chocolate-making process was good, with seats that moved to simulate the extraction of cocoa butter from cocoa pods and the various steps involved. There is an outdoor African Adventure play area, suitable for under 5s, where Ay played for a little bit.
My opinion:
The underwhelming chocolate-making activities and lack of genuine engagement, coupled with missing out on the 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema, led to my less-than-positive impression of Cadbury World (and thats putting it very mildly). It was a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT as far as our family was concerned. While the experience may still appeal to individuals seeking a light-hearted and casual chocolate-themed outing or die-hard fans of the Cadbury brand, Cadbury World overall failed to meet my expectations, appearing more like an elaborate advertisement for their products. I am easily pleased I think but to be honest, I did not find it worth the £18 admission fee. The only redeeming aspect was the complimentary chocolates given to each member of the party at the entrance (Wispa, Curly Wurly, and a Dairy Milk bar).
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Website: https://www.cadburyworld.co.uk/
Address: Linden Rd, Birmingham B30 1JR, United Kingdom
Your journey to Cadbury World may be affected by the Birmingham Clean Air Zone.
Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone covers all the roads within the A4540 Middleway Ring Road, but not the Middleway itself, check out the map here. A non-compliant vehicle driving in the Zone is required to pay once for the day, then may drive in the area without limit on that day. Find out if your vehicle will be charged here. Information is available on charges and how to pay at www.brumbreathes.co.uk.
All visitors over the age of 3, including adults, must purchase a ticket. Prices start from 18£ pp online
Parent and Toddler ticket (for under 5s) are available for £18.95 for one adult and one child aged 5 and under. Available Monday to Friday during term time. Tickets must be booked in advance at cadburyworld.co.uk to receive the Adult and Toddler ticket discount.
Different activities continue throughout the season. Please see website for more details
Parking at Cadbury World is free of charge. We arrived later in the day and had to wait about five minutes for a parking space to be free.
Toilets, Baby changing and breast feeding facilities on site.
Refreshments available on site
You can bring a picnic to enjoy at Cadbury World. There is plenty of picnic style seating outdoors to enjoy your food and drink but not indoors.
Buggy accessible. You can read more about our access facilities here.
Only assistance dogs allowed
What else is close by:
Legoland Discovery centre in Birmingham
National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham
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