quite possibly no one knows yet. Merlin with be kind and move the passes to next year due to having to prebook to get in. The other thing that could happen is the passes are unfrozen and then you need to preorder tickets.
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2020: General Discussion
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quite possibly no one knows yet. Merlin with be kind and move the passes to next year due to having to prebook to get in. The other thing that could happen is the passes are unfrozen and then you need to preorder tickets.
I'm referring to the Alton Towers specific passesso fingers crossed they'll be moved to next year or a partial refund will be offered. With them being season passes, it surely wouldn't work if they carried months over.
no way they would refund. They will just add the months onto next year so you’ll have a pass for x amount of months the park has been shut.
imanautie
TS Member
I suspect the reason they say "contact us" for attraction specific passes is because they want to try begging people to move passes to next year but will refund if that's not suitable for whatever reason.
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If they can try and avoid the refund by god they will. Same with the hotel bookings they kinda know now they don’t think they can do any events this year. But they won’t announce it till a few weeks before hand to avoid people cancelling bookings. Obviously moving the booking is better suiting for them.
Alsty
TS Member
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They could consider doing a discount for next year's pass. The more of the season they're closed this year the more of a discount they'll give for next year. That would make more business sense than a refund.
At the moment companies really want to hold onto their cash, and who can blame them.
At the moment companies really want to hold onto their cash, and who can blame them.
Islander
TS Member
It's a tricky one, 'cause really, there's no way these closures can be blamed on Merlin, at all - it's of course through no fault of their own that people haven't been able to use their passes. So why should they look at refunds or extensions? I have a National Trust membership, and at the moment they're not looking to extend or refund memberships due to the time their properties have been closed.
But... it's not exactly great customer service to do neither.
But... it's not exactly great customer service to do neither.
imanautie
TS Member
Possibly but the non UK RTPs do seem to have more independence with some matters then the UK ones.
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BarryZola
TS Member
I'm pretty sure that Merlin/AT would refund you if you really wanted to get a refund.
In theory, a person could have bought the pass with the view to using it for this season only. Maybe said person could be working/studying abroad next year or any number of logical reasons why an extension into next season would be of absolutely no use. A threat of legal action as you have not been able to use the pass that you've paid for in the time-frame that you bought it for would I think bring about the desired results. You'd hope that you wouldn't need to threaten litigation before they offered you a refund though.
In theory, a person could have bought the pass with the view to using it for this season only. Maybe said person could be working/studying abroad next year or any number of logical reasons why an extension into next season would be of absolutely no use. A threat of legal action as you have not been able to use the pass that you've paid for in the time-frame that you bought it for would I think bring about the desired results. You'd hope that you wouldn't need to threaten litigation before they offered you a refund though.
BarryZola
TS Member
National Trust have offered a 3 month payment break to be used at the moment if you pay by direct debit. I'm currently taking advantage of it. You have to email them and then they'll email back to confirm it. I believe I had an email from them which took me to an official page with the relevant email address to contact. Not sure what's available if you've paid up front as for some reason I went direct debit this year (must have been an offer for going direct debit or something).
They’ve got a page now, type in number and postcode and they’ll apply it. They were forced into though by negative posts on socials and rightly so, they gave in to public pressure.
https://secure.nationaltrust.org.uk/discount/annual
https://secure.nationaltrust.org.uk/payment-break/monthly-direct-debit
I opted to continue to pay for my national trust and not take the break. These charities need all the funding they can get at the moment given no one is spending in the properties. As for Merlin.... If me not getting a refund means Alton stays in business so I can visit it next year then I'd rather not get my money back.
Same with holiday companies, get a credit note rather than refund so the companies can stay in business.
Same with holiday companies, get a credit note rather than refund so the companies can stay in business.
imanautie
TS Member
Unfortunately the logic of bank runs is possibly going to take effect with a few companies.
Edit: runs not rules
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Steve74
TS Member
I've thought this way too but my pass expired 3 days before lockdown so I'm not paying anything anyway. Genuine question though: when everything Merlin opens again, will you not claim passholder discount on purchases or free parking to help with the recovery of the attractions?
But in order to get those discounts, free parking etc you have to buy the product first which gives you access to it. So you are helping the recovery.
Not helping the recovery would be not buying the pass full stop / not visiting.
RicketyCricket
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It's not fair to be guilt tripped out of getting your money back for a service that has not been provided.
Look at the airlines. I've had £50 flights cancelled which isn't a problem, happy to exchange for vouchers. But people are being conned out of very expensive holidays.
Look at the airlines. I've had £50 flights cancelled which isn't a problem, happy to exchange for vouchers. But people are being conned out of very expensive holidays.
A very expensive holiday is a different matter and using the word conned I think is a bit unfair. No one is conning anyone and the service would have been provided if it were not for this ruddy virus.
The last time there was a global pandemic was over 100 years ago. No one was prepared for this. Holiday companies in many cases pay upfront themselves for flights and hotels, then over the course of the year from bookings they reclaim their money back so its not a clear cut case of people getting a refund the same day unfortunately. Plus, hundreds of thousands of people are trying to get in touch with these companies to ask for refunds or credit notes so the customer support teams cannot cope.
People who want refunds are getting them but it may take up to 90 days in some cases to get the money back. I have flights booked myself in June with Easyjet but im not chasing them for my money back at the moment, i'll wait for them to contact me and see what happens, but I dont feel conned in any way!
The last time there was a global pandemic was over 100 years ago. No one was prepared for this. Holiday companies in many cases pay upfront themselves for flights and hotels, then over the course of the year from bookings they reclaim their money back so its not a clear cut case of people getting a refund the same day unfortunately. Plus, hundreds of thousands of people are trying to get in touch with these companies to ask for refunds or credit notes so the customer support teams cannot cope.
People who want refunds are getting them but it may take up to 90 days in some cases to get the money back. I have flights booked myself in June with Easyjet but im not chasing them for my money back at the moment, i'll wait for them to contact me and see what happens, but I dont feel conned in any way!
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