As we hurtle towards better weather and school holidays, you might find yourself planning more activities for the family. But as every parent knows, finding things to do with kids can be an expensive endeavour, especially when you want to keep them entertained while they are out of school.
Trying to make ends meet over the school holidays can be hugely difficult, especially when research found that kids cost an extra £1,000 a week when they're not in school. So no wonder parents are keeping their eyes peeled for how to entertain the kids for less.
Well, with perfect timing, Merlin Entertainments, the name behind major attractions including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Cadbury World, is slashing the prices of its annual passes in its Wizards Wanted Sale. The sale starts on Monday 11 March and runs until Sunday 7 April, so you have a decent amount of time to be able to snap up passes for you and your family. The sale applies to all types of Merlin annual passes, including those where you pay the annual fee upfront, and those were you can pay monthly. Prices are per person.
- Platinum Merlin Annual Pass
- includes free parking, and £5 off Fast Track and Share the Fun Vouchers
- Go whenever you want (excluding paid events)
- Exclusive discounts
- Buy upfront - WAS £299, NOW £239, save £60
- Pay monthly - WAS £20.99 per month (plus £59 joining fee), NOW £20.99 per month (plus £29.99 joining fee)
- Gold Merlin Annual Pass
- Includes free parking and £5 off Fast Track Vouchers
- Fewer exclusion dates
- Exclusive discounts including 20 per cent off food and drink
- Buy upfront - WAS £239, NOW £189, save £50
- Pay monthly - WAS £15.99 per month (plus £49 joining fee) NOW £15.99 per month (plus £24.99 joining fee)
- Silver Merlin Annual Pass
- Excludes certain peak days and times, and the month of August
- Exclusive discounts including 10 per cent off food and drinks, and discounted friends and family tickets
- Buy upfront - WAS £169, NOW £129, save £40
- Pay monthly - WAS £10.99 per month (plus £39 joining fee) NOW £10.99 per month (plus £19.99 joining fee)
- Discover Merlin Annual Pass
- Off peak entry only
- Buy upfront - WAS £99, NOW £79, save £20
Find out more information and purchases your passes here.
And it's a good year to get yourself a pass as there are a few new attractions coming soon. Thorpe Park will see the opening of Hyperia, the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster, Nemesis Reborn will open at Alton Towers Resort and the new Minifigure Speedway will open at Easter at LEGOLAND Windsor. And there's more. In honour of Cadbury's 200th anniversary, it's opening a new Cadbury Chocolate Quest ride at Cadbury World, while a new medieval-inspired hotel will open at Warwick Castle in July.
As well as covering the cost of entry, the passes also entitled the holders to exclusive benefits and discounts which can help you to save even more money on a family day out. Benefits include up to 20% discount on food, drinks and retail (depending on the type of pass you have), up to 20% off short breaks at fun-filled themed Resort hotels with Merlin Holiday Club, as well as discounted entry for family and friends.
Jordan Middleton, Head of Merlin Annual Pass, commented on the sale: “2024 really is the year for us at Merlin Entertainments. With major new additions to the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Thorpe Park, Alton Towers Resort and Cadbury World, there truly is no better time than now to purchase a Merlin Annual Pass. With spring around the corner and sunny day trips on the horizon, you can treat the whole family to amazing but affordable days out.”
Which attractions are part of Merlin Entertainment?
There are a good range of attractions under the Merlin Entertainment umbrella, including those perfect for thrill-seekers, and those who prefer a less nerve-wracking experience. You can find out more about the attractions here.
- Alton Towers (Staffordshire)
- Chessington World of Adventures
- LEGOLAND Windsor
- The London Eye
- Thorpe Park (Surrey)
- SEA LIFE London
- National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham
- SEA LIFE Manchester
- SEA LIFE Blackpool
- SEA LIFE Brighton
- SEA LIFE Weymouth Adventure Park
- SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth
- SEA LIFE Sanctuary Hunstanton
- SEA LIFE Scarborough
- SEA LIFE Loch Lomond
- Warwick Castle
- The Blackpool Tower
- Madame Tussauds London
- Madame Tussauds Blackpool
- Shrek's Adventure! London
- LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham
- LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester
- The London Dungeon
- The Blackpool Tower Dungeon
- The York Dungeon
- The Edinburgh Dungeon
- The Bear Grylls Adventure (Birmingham)
- Peter Rabbit - Explore & Play (Blackpool)
- Cadbury World (Birmingham)
Is a Merlin Pass worth it?
A Merlin pass will only be worth it if you and your family are planning on visiting multiple attractions within the 12 months of your membership. If you only plan on visiting Alton Towers once a year, and no other attractions, then it is more cost-effective to pay for your one-off entry (especially if you find one of those buy one get one free vouchers for Merlin attractions that are regularly on certain types of Kelloggs cereal).
However, with the long list of Merlin Attractions across the country, if you plan on visiting multiple with the whole family, more than once a year, then an annual pass is a worthwhile investment, especially when you can also save on parking and get discounted food and drinks.
If you are heading out to an attraction with the kids, then it's worth checking their Rainy Day Guarantees if your excursion is ruined by inclement weather. You could also try this mum's ice lolly hack to save on snacks while out and about with the kids.
