Sneaky Change to MAP Perks

Hi all,

I've not been posting much recently but I still read and stay in touch with a few of you, however tonight I felt like I needed to fire up the laptop for a mini rant!

I've just come back from Chessington, and in all honesty it was a really pretty positive trip, however I was sucker punched by one change. The Merlin Annual Pass food / drink / merch discount no longer applies to alcoholic drinks. Apparently this change came into force 'about two weeks ago' so my apoligies if it's already been reported elsewhere (If it has please delete this thread.)

For most this will be just another small Merlin cash grab, but I drink an awful lot and this will hit my wallet or force me to drink less on park (I made that last one up.)

It'll be a chessington rule - they actually allow you to have discount on offers nowadays, and must've decided to do this instead. You can still very much get discount elsewhere, at least I did have this week.

Edit: Just seen below. WHAAAT?!

Apparently not just a Chessie rule, someone has posted on FB that this has been removed at Towers too. Screw buying alcoholic drinks in Merlin parks from now on... a shame, as I used to enjoy a reasonably priced pint in Woodcutters or in Dragon Bar after a day on park.

Just to clarify, as far as I am aware this is not the case at Towers. A fair few people bought alcohol today at the hotels and on park and no-one mentioned not getting discount.

Sam said:

Apparently not just a Chessie rule, someone has posted on FB that this has been removed at Towers too. Screw buying alcoholic drinks in Merlin parks from now on... a shame, as I used to enjoy a reasonably priced pint in Woodcutters or in Dragon Bar after a day on park.

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No this rule isn't at Towers, you still get discount on alcoholic drinks.

Thanks Rob, that's good to know as I have a hotel stay booked for next month.

I questioned the member of staff and she said it was something to do with a law that's changed recently which means they can't discount booze... it sounded like BS at the time but assumed it was the line they had towed Merline wide, glad that's not the case!

Dave said:

Sam said:

Apparently not just a Chessie rule, someone has posted on FB that this has been removed at Towers too. Screw buying alcoholic drinks in Merlin parks from now on... a shame, as I used to enjoy a reasonably priced pint in Woodcutters or in Dragon Bar after a day on park.

Click to expand...

No this rule isn't at Towers, you still get discount on alcoholic drinks.

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Ahh, mis-read your post Dave, presumed you were posting after visiting Towers today.

Got AP discount on a jug of premixed coloured sugar syrup and vodka at Dragon Bar last week (you need to 'have a license' to mix cocktails), but couldn't get discount on a drinks capsule or ORPs. I've had discounts on both of those before, I don't know what the rules state and neither do any of the staff, apparently!

To be fair I think Merlin make up the rules on annual pass discount as they go along. As far as im aware you should be able to get discount on EVERYTHING (except for branded outlets, eg burger king).

Yet time and time again you hear people being told they can't get discount on photos (yet other people manage to), promotional items, alcohol, etc.

Merlin really do need to have policies in all parks, Merlin annual pass should work the same at all places, and not have different rules and polices for each park.

Now looking on the Merlin Annual pass website there is no mention of alcohol but the terms do say "he decision of the attraction management team is final." which basically means each theme park can do what the hell the like! It also says "The saving cannot be used in conjunction with other offers or sale/discounted items and is only applicable to full priced products." Yet I know for a fact you can get discount on offers at Alton Towers, eg 2 bottles of coke for £2.50 or 3 packets of sweets for £2. It is all rather confusing for annual pass holders.

In the 8 years I have held a pass, there has been discount on alcohol and promotions.

It has only ever been disapplied on medical items like Nurofen.

There *is* a change to the law due to come in whereby you cannot sell alcohol below the cost of VAT + Duty for whatever type of alcohol it is.

However it's been delayed and shouldn't effect MAPs as the alcohol prices aren't at cost levels like supermarkets are anyway!

I'm sure back even when I had a Tussaud's pass the rules stated no discount on alcohol in the T&Cs but you got the discount on alcohol at times anyway. The T&Cs seemed to change with Merlin and alcohol was no longer excluded, only tobacco and medicines etc.

On ride photo never used to have discount, only on photopass and refillable drinks never had any further discount either as annual pass holders can get the other sort of capsule.

There does seem to be a change recently at towers (no idea if its elsewhere), but you no longer get discount on promotional products, eg two bottles of coke for £2.50, two packets of crisps for £1. The tills seem to have had a update and the annual pass discount doesn't work anymore on them. Even if you buy other things at the same time you get discount on them but not the promotional things. The staff member we spoke to said it doesn't even let them on the till.

It must have happened quite recently as I have used annual pass earlier this season and got discount on the drinks when they were on offer.

I think that's always been the official policy but in the past the tills have always let it go. Damn them!

AstroDan said:

In the 8 years I have held a pass, there has been discount on alcohol and promotions.

It has only ever been disapplied on medical items like Nurofen.

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Also cigarettes but people shouldn't smoke at the end of the day

But the two things they don't do discount on are the two I need after a drink