Camping in the New Forest is no longer the height of adventure for Cubs.
Learning survival skills and embarking on a big old hike with a compass in one hand and map in the other was for so long the pinnacle of a Scouting weekend. Now, though, tents and fires are making way for the bright lights of Disneyland Paris.
For £650 per child, Cubs are putting on coach trips to France for a two-night stay of Mickey Mouse, rollercoasters and ‘developing life skills’.
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Plans to take youngsters across the channel to the theme park are part of a collaboration between the Scouts and Disney which promises badges up for grabs, The Daily Telegraph reports.
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Sandwiched between Beavers and Scouts, Cubs offers kids aged between eight and 10 the opportunity to “Race down a river. Tell stories by torchlight. Fall asleep beneath the stars.”
The Scouts website adds: “Alongside your Pack, you’ll spend plenty of time in the great outdoors. Together, you might build a den in your local park, or create an edible raft out of sweets, or go on a moonlit hike through your hometown.”
Since starting out with 12 original activity-based badges like woodwork, Cubs can now work towards 54, including the likes of digital citizen and world faiths.
Humberside Scouts are among those organising a huge two-day, 150-Cub trip to Disneyland Paris in February 2026, for which parents are being asked to fork out up to £650.
1st Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, are offering their youngsters three nights at Disney for around £600 per person which includes the luxury of an “executive coach” with a drinks machine, reclining seats and a DVD player.
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The £540 package offered by Peterborough Cubs includes a T-shirt meanwhile Avon Cubs are putting their visit on for £460 per person. Several more Cub groups around the country have also laid out plans.
A surprised parent wrote on Mumsnet: “It sounds like great fun, but on the other hand (and perhaps I’m being a bit naive here) I’m a little surprised at the cost and the purpose of the trip, especially for primary aged kids. I thought Cubs would be all about outdoor activities or community oriented stuff.”
One X user responded to the news simply bleating: “Utter nonsense.”
Another scathed: “Good Heavens! Well we certainly wouldn’t want them learning about useful things or even ‘real life’ for that matter!”
A slightly less incensed Telegraph reader commented: “Interesting shift, hope the kids still get to enjoy the outdoors too!”
A Scouts spokesperson said: “All residential experiences away from home provide an opportunity for young people to learn how to be resilient and self-reliant. Going on camp in the UK or undertaking an international trip, gives young people the opportunity to develop key life skills.”
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