Merlin Annual Pass 2014/2015

labyrinth84

Hi everyone,

Alot of you may know there has been uproar after Merlin's 'Sale' actually meant a price increase on their annual passes...

Apparently, their 'sale' is a reduction on next years prices....? I've never heard anything like it!

I'd been holding out for the Boxing Day Merlin 'Sale', as I'd noticed over the years they'd been reduced to half price....just my luck that when it comes to ordering myself, the prices go up!

It's basically cost me an extra £100 for my family pass (2 adults, 3 children). I was originally going to save that £100 by settling for the Standard Pass, but after Merlin's money grabbing I've paid the prices of Premium Passes....without the Premium perks

I very nearly didn't bother purchasing. The principle of it all left me seething....but a year entry into many attractions for £99 per person is still a good deal.

Apparently, Merlin are now honouring current passholders the old renewal price IF they still have the email with past prices on. You need to ring Merlin ASAP. (Good luck to current passholders! Glad you've managed to make Merlin see sense!)

For people like me who are new to the Merlin Pass, if you use Topcashback or Quidco, Sealife centres currently have a 10% cash back offer. I've just purchased my Standard family pass for £495.00 so should receive £49.50 back from Topcashback.

Hope this helps!

labyrinth84

* cash back £41.66, so presume its based on the amount spend on passes excluding VAT.

EAB2

Presumably most sensible Merlin Pass holders renew in January as over the last few years the sale really has been that - 50% off. In Jan 2011 I got a £144 pass for just £72 which was great.

But this is no longer the bargain it was. In fact the renewal price is not even reduced for a family ticket - £99 whether you do it now or later in the year.

This is the same price as new customers, so obviously loyalty means nothing to Merlin any more.

New prices

Renewal prices

In fact, does anyone have a contact at trading standards, because this sale is not genuine. According to the compare passes page this is a 'sale', but they have increased the prices this week to calculate their discount. You just cannot cross out a price that has never been charged to make the discount look bigger!

labyrinth84

Agree with you completely!

Upon complaints, Merlin attempted to justify this by saying it is a sale on their 2015 prices. Surely that is not allowed! Up until Boxing Day, the prices were cheaper than the 'sale'.

As the passes were a special gift from Santa, as I bet many passes were, I was over a barrel and still had to purchase.

At this time of year, families just don't have a spare £100 to put towards something that has suddenly gone up.

Completely unethical move by merlin! Ive not yet picked my passes up but already know I'll never be buying them again.

fred246

We got the Merlin passes a few years ago. There was a 4 for 3 offer and our youngest was free. So £330 for five of us. We really hammered it and used it all year. We went to Legoland Windsor on a snowy day. We were leaving at 6pm when a member of staff came over and apologized that the rides opened late and would we like some free tickets. I thought we have the annual pass so not needed. However the wife jumped in "5 please". She gave us 5 worth £35 each. Then we walked to the Exit and a member of staff apologized again and gave us another 5 tickets. The wife used them as presents for the next year, so overall not a bad deal.

freccle

I totally agree with all comments. It wouldn't have been so bad if they had honoured the 2014 prices and at least given a warning that prices would increase in 2015. I'm sure they'd have made far more money than they'll make from the increases because I for one am not renewing. I'll try some of the smaller parks like Flamingoland, Drayton Manor etc and i'll be collecting every Sun Perks token I can and in the meantime I'm checking out holiday Pirates and can manage to get a week in Spain for 4 of the 5 of of us (one has to stay to look after the dogs lol) for less than the cost of renewing the passes

freccle

Surely for it to be classed as a sale, the passes must have been on sale at the higher price previously? Ditto "reduced". How can they vbe reduced if they've never been on sale at the higher price? Anyone know the legalities?

Argon0

So has anyone had any joy pointing any of this out to Merlin?

I was about to renew, and have noticed the renewal prices are 20% higher than last year's first buy price - with Inflation at an "all time low" how do they justify this?

paul2louise

Our passes have another month on them, I took them out in the jan sale and picked them up and activated them in blackpool last feb. But I am horrified at the price increases, so glad we made use of them this year while DS is still preschool. He starts in September so it just doesn't make sense to pay these inflated prices. Stick with our local theme park twinlakes and wheelgate park

sew109

Our tickets expire in April but my daughters in Feb apparently the only people who got th £93 renewal (for premium) were those whose renewals were within 8 weeks of Dec 26th. I tried to renew on 28th and found out that prices had gone up and then sent the email in and spoke to them on the phne to no avail. I heard that others had more success but it may have something to do with me slagging them off on Facebook and Twitter anyeay I renewed 3 out of the 5 of ours my Mum did not use hers last years so did not renew hers.

What they did was scummy puttng prices up on 26/12 with no warning and then saying that their year ended on the 26/12. We normally get a few photos and drinks and food through the year not 1 penny extra will go in their tills from me and to my wifes embarassment I will return to using their baby food heating micowaves for ready meals