The Merlin Annual Pass

The Annual Pass includes 28 attractions UK wide.

Attractions and theme parks close to London:

• LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
• Thorpe Park
• Chessington World of Adventures
• London Eye
• The London Dungeon
• SEA LIFE London Aquarium
• Madame Tussauds London
• Shrek’s Adventure! London
• London Eye River Cruise

Attractions and theme parks outside London:

• Alton Towers
• Warwick Castle
• LEGOLAND Discovery Centres
• Madame Tussauds Blackpool
• The Dungeons
• Blackpool Tower
• Peter Rabbit Explore & Play
• Cadbury World
• Chessington World of Adventures
• National Sea Centre Birmingham
• Sea Life (Various City’s)
• LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham & LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester
• The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Edinburgh Dungeon, York Dungeon

A Merlin Pass for a family of four for a full year will set you back a few hundred pounds; therefore, it’s important to consider this investment thoughtfully before ultimately determining if the savings from the discounts are, in fact, worthwhile for you.

Merlin Annual Pass – Discovery, Silver, Gold or Platinum?

Choosing the right type of Merlin Annual Pass really depends on how much flexibility you want. The key distinction between the least expensive pass and the pricier ones is the availability options.

Restrictions on when you can use your Merlin Annual Pass

There are different grades of pass including the Discovery, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

The main difference you need to be aware of between the passes is the restrictions on which days you are able to use your pass. This is essentially what your choices come down to.

Discovery Annual Pass

The most affordable Discovery Pass, for example, does not allow you to use it on certain Saturdays and Sundays. Additionally, it is not valid during school or bank holidays. Essentially, it’s not usable during peak times.

• Over 200 days entry into UK attractions
• Off-peak entry only – restrictions apply
• Smallest price annual pass – cheapest entry on all attractions

Silver Annual Pass

The Silver Pass – the next band up – allows over 300 days of entry; therefore, it includes some school holidays. However, it is notable that there is no entry during the entire August summer holidays.

If you are thinking to attend any of the seasonal events they host, such as Halloween and Christmas, then, consequently, these passes would not be suitable for you.

• Over 300 days entry into UK attractions
• Peak entry available – with exception of some exclusions and whole month of August

Gold Annual Pass

When you have the Gold Pass, there are only a handful of dates throughout the year when, unfortunately you can’t visit Merlin attractions. Specifically, these exceptions typically occur on certain Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

• Over 340 days entry
• Option to pay monthly or annually
• FREE car parking at the Theme Parks and Warwick Castle
• Discounts on food and drink
• Discounts on Merlin hotel visits
• Money off fast track tickets

Platinum Annual Pass

The Platinum Pass is perfect for true adventure enthusiasts seeking the best access available. However, it does come with an additional cost of about £60 per person beyond the Gold Pass price. Furthermore, Just keep in mind that you’d need to visit at least ten times in order for it to be a worthwhile investment.

All of the above plus:

• 364 days entry
• No exclusion dates, except paid events
• Share the fun vouchers – money off entry for friends and family

The Merlin Annual Pass website has calendars for each of the passes with the dates of availability and exclusions. Consequently, you can see at a glance whether the dates will work for you.

Other considerations

Car parking is not part of the Discovery Pass or the Silver Pass at theme parks and Warwick Castle. Additionally, you will miss out on the complimentary items, for instance, lanyards and discount vouchers.

If you believe you can navigate these limitations and, furthermore, prefer to save the £50 per person on the price difference between these two passes, then, consequently, one of these options could be a good fit for you.

It is important to know that just having a Merlin Annual Pass doesn’t give you priority and does not guarantee you entry to a park on a certain day. You still need to book your tickets in advance before you go online and book far enough in advance for your chosen date if you want to make sure they haven’t sold out.

How much will I save will a Merlin Annual Pass?

A savings calculator on the official website allows you to estimate how many times each year you might visit the attractions and how much money could save based on this.

As a general guide, it is reckoned that you would need to visit at least four attractions in the calendar year to break even (on the cheaper passes). Clearly you would want more money saving than this so at least five visits would be recommended, with at least two of these needing to be the more expensive theme park entries.

If you only visited the more affordable attractions like the London Eye, the Dungeons, or Madame Tussauds a single time, a pass would not be worth purchasing.

Real savings come from any of the four major theme parks – Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, LEGOLAND Windsor and Thorpe Park.

How do I apply for a Merlin Annual Pass?

To apply simply go to the Merlin Annual Pass website select which type of pass you wish to purchase, and then enter your personal details such as name, address and contact details as well as a recent photograph which is required in order to complete your registration.

There is currently no option to purchase a family pass – all passes are the same price, whether adult or child. Children under three do not require their own pass – they go free.

The terms and conditions for the Discovery Pass include specific days when entry with your pass is not permitted.

All Merlin Annual Pass-holders now receive a digital pass. This will be e-mailed to you and is ready to use instantly once your purchase is complete.

Gold and Platinum Pass-holders will receive their physical passes and privilege packs (including lanyard, pop badge and vouchers) in the post within 30 days.

There is an option to pay monthly for all Merlin Annual Passes.

Additional benefits to the Merlin Annual Pass?

If you value flexibility and are excited about the Halloween events, you might want to think about the Gold Merlin Annual Pass.

For some, both Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights and Alton Towers’ Scarefest are not to be missed. The parks stay open until 10pm, and experiencing the rides in the dark adds a unique thrill; paired with terrifying mazes and plenty of eerie entertainment!

The cheapest pass of all – the Discovery Pass – does not include any of the ‘frills’ of the more expensive passes. Therefore discounts on food and drinks, merchandise, hotels and other experiences are not available on the Merlin Discovery Pass.

Discounts with Silver, Gold and Platinum passes only

• Friends and Family discounts – up to 50% off when the Merlin pass-holder attends with the group. Merlin Pass-holders must pre-book their entry via the attraction’s website in advance. We strongly recommend doing this prior to purchasing your Friends and Family tickets.
• Between 10-20% off shopping and dining depending on type of pass
• FREE parking at Theme Parks and Warwick Castle with Gold & Platinum passes
• Up to 20% off hotel stays with Merlin Holiday Club
• £5 off fast-track vouchers
• Loads of extra perks & available on the Merlin Annual Pass website