Merlin annual pass - forgotten card - charged full price ticket

tincat

Myself, boyfriend and 2 kids have merlin passes, initially bought at Legoland. I took the kids to chessington the other day, and accidentally took my boyfriends card instead of mine. I'd also bought an extra child ticket, booked the previous day for one of my kids friends, which was linked to my merlin pass (they used my address etc to pre-book it).

We collected the child ticket, and then got in line for the pass holders when I realised I had the wrong card. I went to the annual pass office and at first the lady said I would have to replace the card for £10.

I asked her to reconsider as that was a lot for just forgetting the card. She then said that if it was the first time forgetting, they could do it for free. It was. But then a supervisor came over and said that I would have to buy a full price ticket because the card was issued at legoland, and they weren't allowed to phone through to check that I was the right person.

I had plenty of ID on me, (drivers, student card, credit card, debit card etc, but none of this was good enough).

I offered to phone through to legoland myself, but they wouldn't do this either. After a lot of pleading, they eventually let me buy a full price child ticket instead of an adult ticket (£27 instead of £37), I think only because other people behind me also thought it was ridiculous that the computerised system couldn't look up my card.

I had to buy the ticket as I had 3 kids with me who were so excited about the day, and I put a good face on it, but my day was completely soured and the more I think about it the more annoyed I get.

I have told a couple of people about this, and they reckon that the supervisor must have been having a bad day and that it is crazy to have to buy a full ticket. Do any of you think that this is worth taking further to try and recoup the £27?

All of our merlin passes were bought with my debit card which I had with me but this didn't count either apparently.

Pollycat

This is covered in their T&Cs here:
http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/help_advice/terms_conditions.asp?css=1

specifically #19 (reproduced below):

19. Entry to an Attraction by use of an Annual Pass will not be permitted in the event that a valid Annual Pass cannot be presented for any reason, including, but not being limited to, the Annual Pass being lost, stolen or forgotten. Failure to present a valid Annual Pass will result in a charge of the “on the day” admission rate applicable to the relevant Attraction, which will be non-refundable. Re-entry to the same Attraction on the same day requires a hand stamp.

The first woman you spoke you clearly didn't understand/know the rules for pass holders who had forgotten their passes.
The supervisor wasn't having a 'bad day', she was just doing her job.
The bit in red shows that they actually let you off with a reduced rate anyway.

I don't think you have any reason to be annoyed (other than with yourself for forgetting your pass).

I don't think you have a cat-in-hell's chance of getting your money refunded, but it might just be worth the cost of a stamp and a bit of time to write a letter asking.

BUT - as you are clearly appealing to their better nature, word any letter you send very carefully.

Lots of places operate the same policy - no pass, you pay - I know National Trust do.

tomwakefield

I think the reason you need to bring the pass is, not just to prove you have one, but to prevent abuse. Otherwise a large party could split into 2 smaller groups, one retaining the pass and using that for free entry, the other claiming to have forgotten it and proving they have one on the computer system, and get free entry that way.

silvertabby_2

I forgot mine and my son's pass when visiting Legoland last month, during an inset day. I had to wait in a long queue and was asked to pay £10 each to replace the card, when I explained that they were at home the assistant said ok confirmed we were who we said we were and gave us a temporary day pass each, we did buy our annual pass at Legoland origionally so maybe that was why we were able to this? However now each time I go anywhere connected to the merlin pass I carefully check that I have all passes with me! I would send an e-mail to Chessington for them to consider, they can only say no and you haven't lost anything other than a couple of minutes to write the e-mail. Good luck.