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2021: Opening date & Tickets Onsale
- Thread starter AT86
- Start date
Rob
TS Team
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- Steel Vengeance
djtruefitt
TS Team
I do wonder if park season passes will be gone. They are usually advertised during the end of the season, but of course we’ve had nothing this year, but I guess Merlin won’t have a clue what will happen by March, so may just make decisions in the new year depending what’s happening with COVID and restrictions. I guess they plan to relaunch the merlin pass in January, but again that could be delayed with all things considered.
O
Orange Ribena
They should dump passes for 2021 as they aren't likely to be able to offer the access they will be selling unless the pass is "unlimited" entry after 4pm on Wednesdays.
Have to agree, there should be no new pass sales until the covid situation is clear - Merlin also need to repair the damage to existing pass holders. While extending passes is appreciated what they need to do is look at the booking system if we are still under some level of social distance restrictions next year.
jon81uk
TS Member
My guess would be some knew Merlin annual pass offering with multiple tiers of entry restrictions and the current all-access premium pass will significantly increase in price to encourage people to buy the lower tier more restrictive passes.
I don't see single park annual/season passes being offered as much, at least to start with.
Maybe there will be more discounting on day tickets such as email offers, or offering last minute booking at a lower price.
It will be interesting to see how many annual passholders decide not to renew. Although I expect they are hoping the handful of new additions (Gangsta Granny at AT, Croc Drop at CWoA and the flying theatre at Legoland) will encourage people to return.
I don't see single park annual/season passes being offered as much, at least to start with.
Maybe there will be more discounting on day tickets such as email offers, or offering last minute booking at a lower price.
It will be interesting to see how many annual passholders decide not to renew. Although I expect they are hoping the handful of new additions (Gangsta Granny at AT, Croc Drop at CWoA and the flying theatre at Legoland) will encourage people to return.
O
Orange Ribena
They can offer passes at what ever prices they like, the issue is actually being able to fulfil what they promise. If they promise unlimited access for whatever price people should be able to book any day they want unlike the current situation. Its not like last year when it you could say it was sprung on them. They would be going into next year well aware there could be major restrictions on numbers.
I've already cancelled my Merlin pass and won't be getting one again in the foresable future. The issue is that the booking system stinks and you can't get what you have paid for. It would be fool hardly to pay a pretty price at the moment for say unlimited access only to make the booking system still be rationed.
I don't think the UK does dark rides well so not fussed about Gangsta Grannie. The only new addition that appeals to me is the flying theatre at Legoland.
jon81uk
TS Member
Yep this is why I think any sales of an "unlimited" pass would be expensive and or limited quantity to cut down on the number of people buying them so they can try to manage the bookings better.
But there may be a lower priced term-time weekday only pass or something to get people in on the quieter days.
I don't agree, i think that will killl visitor numbers on quiet days.
Despite al the problems it was quite possible for season pass holders to get good value this year, i got over 10 visits, and 3 of those on peak Saturdays, and the Park didn't even open until July.
O
Orange Ribena
If they want to offer passes for access to after 2 on weekdays whatever but to offer it to include weekends is dishonest as they know fine well many people could not book during the weekends due to restrictions.
I had no problems getting into BPB at the weekends with a pass but AT and other Merlin parks were a nightmare. Offering a pass they cannot fulfil the conditions of will just annoy more people.
I had no problems getting into BPB at the weekends with a pass but AT and other Merlin parks were a nightmare. Offering a pass they cannot fulfil the conditions of will just annoy more people.
O
Orange Ribena
Well then they shouldn't be selling passes they can't accommodate as they advertise going forward.
yoursilentface
TS Member
I didn't have a problem booking entry for my family at AT this year...just took a bit of planning in advance that's all
We didn't go over the top though...one visit per month,although stayed at the chained oak a couple of times so 2 days each time
Yeah you can't just decide to go on the day or the night before anymore but i think they've been given a hard time tbh about it...its not been an easy situation for anybody has it
We didn't go over the top though...one visit per month,although stayed at the chained oak a couple of times so 2 days each time
Yeah you can't just decide to go on the day or the night before anymore but i think they've been given a hard time tbh about it...its not been an easy situation for anybody has it
O
Orange Ribena
Sure, its not easy but they help themselves for themselves or the passholder with the system they set. Regardless, that was 2020 when it was surprise to them. This year everyone is well aware that there is likely to be continual restrictions going forward so to sell passes for unrestricted access when they know its likely they won't be able to provide it is frankly rather sketchy.
pluk
TS Member
This keeps coming up. Why would quite day visitor numbers being 'killed' bother the park in the slightest if those visitors are generating little to no income on a visit.
When overall numbers are restricted by limited capacity, as they are now, ticket buying guest space is much more valuable than dirt cheap pass places.
People used to complain that the park was closed on off peak days. but the cheap season pass has seen it open up more and more on those quiet days, and these guests pay for food, merch, parking. sometimes fast track e.t.c, it makes it worth them opening.
We're talking about people here who go on a weekly basis. Now how many of these would go every week if they couldn't buy a cheap season pass?
It's common sense to suggest that much less, and then you have the problem of the park being open for less days, and people always complain about that. It also means more clamour for tickets on busy days, which reduces the guest experience with longer waits, and also leads to other season pass holder complaining they can't book in on busy days.
The way it is now spreads the load.
jon81uk
TS Member
no the pandemic and therefore the restrictions on the number of visitors per day has caused them to open on more days this year.
people who visit every single week on a bargain basement pass cost the park more money than they bring in.
Best way of reducing the load on busy days would be more block out dates.
pluk
TS Member
Bit of a false history there I think. The park always had an open season with an opening and closing date while remaining open all the dates in the middle. Pre widespread and mobile internet there had to be a presumption of being open with no way of communicating a complicated calendar to visitors from all over the country.
Mid season closed dates is something of a modern phenomenon, and I wouldn't mind betting they are driven by a lack of profitability mid week due to the current discount (via voucher and annual pass) pricing structure.
Those days can be profitable if people are actually paying to go and the proposition of a visit is an attractive enough proposition. If you are relying on dirty upselling like unnecessary carpark charges or engineering queues for fastrack sales on quiet days you are doing something very very wrong. If that worked as a business model there'd be no such thing as an entrance ticket. Those days now need to be profitable with limited capacity all season long...
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