Cadbury World Review: Is It Worth The Price?

Are you a chocolate lover looking for a fun-packed day trip out? Is Cadbury chocolate your favourite confectionery? Then the infamous Cadbury World, just a short walk from Bournville Station, might just be the place for you. But is it worth the price of entry? By the end of this Cadbury World review, you'll have all the information you need to decide if the attraction is worth it for your next family outing.

I also documented our trip on my YouTube channel, check it out if you'd like to see the full attraction walkthrough.

What Is at Cadbury World Birmingham?

Cadbury World is an attraction in Bournville, Birmingham, where you can discover the amazing world of Cadbury. The factory tour begins with a journey through the origins of the cocoa bean to the history of Cadbury, where you'll learn about the company's humble beginnings and its evolution into one of the world's most beloved chocolate brands. As you make your way through the attraction, you can doodle in chocolate, have a go at chocolate tempering, ride on the Cadabra ride, and taste some liquid milk chocolate with your choice of two toppings. After this, you can take a look down Advertising Avenue, and then exit via The Cadbury Shop.

Outside of the main building, there's a chocolate adventure cinema experience, Africa Adventure Play Area, Freddo's Magic Show in the Entertainment Marquee, and the entrance to the Bournville Experience.

Cadbury World Review

We visited the attraction a few weeks ago (during the school summer holidays in August) and were left a little disappointed. We had an enjoyable time when we first visited in the February half-term, but this time we felt as if we were being rushed everywhere with no chance to really look at anything. Read on to see my full Cadbury World review!

Self-Guided Tour: A Rushed Experience?

Our time slot was at 9.30am, but because of the entry queues, we didn’t start the tour until 20 minutes later, and then we felt “herded” around the attraction. We especially felt pushed through the first part, the Aztec Jungle and Journey to Europe, missing most of the interactive screens and displays. The next part detailed the history of Cadbury, with two short videos on the origins of Cadbury. We then walked upstairs and had to queue for 25 minutes to doodle for strictly a minute in chocolate and then have another minute to temper chocolate. The last time we visited, there wasn’t a set time limit and you didn’t feel as rushed.

The queue for the magical Cadabra ride was thankfully a lot shorter (~15 minutes). The ride involves getting into a 'beanmobile' and riding through a land full of cocoa beans and familiar characters like Freddo Frog and the Mini Eggs Parrot. We were then guided back downstairs, where people were queuing to get their photos taken in front of green screens, where the photos can be edited onto fun, magical moments like surfing a chocolate bar or in a Flake bubble bath. We decided to skip this part as we had bought two photos back in February, and went to the chocolate tasting, which always goes down a “treat”. You get a delicious pot of warm melted Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate and can choose two toppings. When we were there, it was a choice of white chocolate buttons, dark chocolate buttons, mini marshmallows, fudge pieces, ginger bits, and jelly babies. I did enjoy watching the chocolatiers decorate the chocolate pumpkins and making chocolate lollies. I just wish we could see more of this. ⁣

We then headed to Advertising Avenue, which displays the iconic adverts over the years, including the iconic eyebrow dance advert and the Gorilla playing along to Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight. These were fun to see. We then proceeded to the interactive room "Purple Planet," where your kids can jump on projections of chocolate on the floor and have a go at growing their own cocoa tree. We did feel like this part of the attraction needs updating, but it does look like the attraction is making some changes, according to their website, "This zone may be closed when you visit while we work on something exciting."

And that was the end of the tour, as we were guided through to the shop which is "The World's Biggest Cadbury Shop." The shop had some great buys in - £5 for a slab of chocolate (850g), 3 for £3 on share bags of chocolate like Twirl, Buttons, etc. It also looks like Cadbury World is making changes to the shop as there were signs up in the shop apologising for the shop's current appearance, and that exciting changes are being made. I'd be interested to update my Cadbury World review following the updates.

Cadbury World Cafe

The cafe was pretty overpriced, but I suppose so are most attractions like this. It was £4.50 for two bottles of water, £5.80 for a kid’s sandwich meal deal, £9.95 for an adult’s panini meal deal, £5.50 for a hot dog, £4.15 for a sausage roll, and £5.75 for soup of the day.

African Adventure Play Area

The larger play area is up to three storeys high with tube slides, climbing zones, and rope bridges. This area is only suitable for children aged 5-14 years. There's a separate zone for under 5's, which Elijah enjoyed but the only access to the slide was by walking through netted bridges, which Elijah isn't keen on, and I don't think many under 3's would be. More toddler equipment would be much welcomed. There's also a small wheelchair-friendly play area.

The outside area has some picnic benches where you can sit and eat or watch your children play. Here's also where Cadbury characters make appearances throughout the day (on weekends and school holidays), and your children can have their photos taken with them. When we visited, we saw The Mini Eggs Parrot and Bertie Bassett.

Freddo's Magic Show

The show is on at intervals throughout the day in the Entertainment Marquee. It's a fun show for kids that lasts 15 minutes.

4D Chocolate Adventure

Experience an exciting adventure in the 4D cinema with Freddo and a whole host of Cadbury characters. Dive into a bowl of liquid Cadbury Dairy Milk, enjoy the thrilling Crunchie rollercoaster, and soar through the skies in a Cadbury Creme Egg airship. The motion seats allow you to immerse yourself in the adventurous journey.

The 4D cinema may not be suitable for those who are easily startled by loud music, periods of darkness, and sudden movement.

The Bournville Experience

The Bournville Experience focuses on the ethics of the Cadbury family and how the Bournville Village came to be built. Richard and George Cadbury actually founded Bournville Village, which is an interesting fact I didn't know previously. In this area, you can also see The Gill Cocks Collection, a collection of nearly 2,000 pieces of memorabilia dating as far back as the 1800s.

Is Cadbury World Worth the Price?

Current off-peak prices are £18.95 per adult and £15.50 per child (under 3's go free). These prices may vary (e.g., more expensive during peak times). I personally don't think the experience is worth the full price. For me, it felt as though we spent more time queuing inside the attraction more than anything. It made the whole indoor experience uncomfortable. The things we enjoyed last time (chocolate doodling and tempering, etc.) were restricted to one minute. I understand that the attraction has done this because of the school holidays and to ensure everyone gets a go, but it just takes away from the overall experience. Maybe we just visited on a bad day?

That being said, we only spent 3 hours there (and that was with the queuing), so I personally don't think that justifies the full price cost. But it will be interesting to see the attraction's updates it will be making over the next few months or so. If changes and improvements are made, I'll definitely revisit and update my Cadbury World review.

Cadbury World Discount

If you're planning on visiting, make sure to search for deals and discounts. If you travel by train to Bournville Station, you can get 20% off admission. Check out the National Rail website for more information. You can also purchase a combo ticket, where you can also visit SEA LIFE Birmingham, Legoland Discovery Centre, or Warwick Castle, at a reduced cost. The attraction sometimes offers Parent and Toddler tickets during term time which are good value, so definitely keep an eye out for those.

How Long Does It Take To Go Through Cadbury World?

Cadbury World state that the attraction takes 4 hours, which I think is fair. We visited from 9.30-12.30 but a lot of this time was, unfortunately, spent queueing. We could have maybe stayed longer in the outdoor areas but it was just too busy for us.

What Age Is Cadbury World Best For?

If you're wondering whether Cadbury World is for kids, the attraction is aimed at the whole family. Adults and older children will enjoy learning about the history of chocolate and the brand, the 4D cinema experience, and the Cadabra ride, and younger children may take more of an interest in the interactive elements, the magic show, chocolate tasting, and outdoor play areas. I'd probably take children when they're old enough to take in all of the information and interested in learning about how chocolate is made, and seeing the old advertisements and packaging, etc. Our son is nearly 4 and all he was really interested in was eating the chocolate and the outdoor play area.

Cadbury World Birmingham Tips

• To make the most of your visit, timing is key. Plan your trip Monday - Friday (if you can) to avoid the weekend rush. Avoid school holidays when the number of visitors is significantly higher.

• The outdoor play areas and Bournville Experience tend to be much quieter in the morning and an hour before closing.

• Make sure to look for discounts and offers before you visit and pre-book your visit online.

• Many people ask "Do you still get free chocolate at Cadbury World?" Yes, you do. You are given three chocolate bars each on arrival. You're asked if you'd like to purchase a small bag to put the chocolates in (£1), but if you spend over £20 in the shop, you get a complimentary small Cadbury bag anyway.

Conclusion

Cadbury World is an interesting attraction to visit, especially if you haven't been before and you're a big chocolate lover and want to discover a world of chocolate delights. It's a great way to learn about the history of chocolate and the Cadbury family. However, it's important to consider the factors mentioned in this Cadbury World review, such as ticket prices and potential crowds, to determine if it's worth a visit.

My overall feelings are a bit mixed. We did have an enjoyable time when we first visited but thought our recent visit was really let down by the overcrowding and queues. I also don't think the attraction, as it currently is, is worth the full cost. While we found the experience to be rushed, others have still enjoyed the attraction and the opportunity to indulge in all things chocolate. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and budget. I can't wait to see the changes the attraction is revealing soon, and would probably revisit with a view of updating my Cadbury World review.

I hope you have found my Cadbury World review useful. If you've visited the attraction before, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. As ever, feel free to check out other reviews on Tripadvisor.

If you'd like to find out more about the attraction, click here.