Are the systems the same at all attractions though? In the past, Merlin have not really been very good at joined-up thinking.
I'm not quite local enough to make it worth trying to get into towers without a pre-book as a proof of concept, though I have previously been able to get into other Merlin attractions by using my pass when it shouldn't have let me (fao Merlin revenue protection people - I did have a valid bring a friend ticket, it was purely a test out of curiosity)
No insider knowledge with this one, so I can only speculate based on correlating anecdotal evidence (and all the caveats those entail), and a technical understanding of how it *should* work.
Last week I was helping
@Matt.GC, by providing screenshots of the booking flow for the Alton Towers app. I happen to have a new phone and a blank virgin Alton Towers app. I booked our Scarefest tickets through the new Merlin Passholder Hub Pre-Book Portal (needs a new name), and then added the booking to the Alton Towers app. Doing so also happened to import every single pre-book I'd ever made, old MAPs, old ATAPs and every Fastrack booking I'd made for Alton Towers.
When I've pre-booked an attraction, through the new Passholder Hub, I get the customary "We're looking forward to seeing you" email a few days before. I also have got the "What did you think?" email a few days after. On the one occasion I forgot to cancel our pre-book, and didn't attend, I didn't get the followup email. This last point would suggest that the system is aware of you visiting or not, at least for marketing information.
From what I can gather, making a pre-book on the new Passholder Hub, sends your booking info to the attraction's ticket / booking system. The key identifier for everything, of course, is your email address. This is why, when setting up the Alton Towers app the other day, everything pulled through for me.
Previously the Passholder Hub was a direct link to the attraction's booking system, which generated a new ticket for you, as mentioned. Your pass basically redeemed a free entry ticket. This gave the passholder, essentially, two tickets to use. The booking ticket, and the pass. Now the system just uses your pass as the ticket number, and spits it back at you in the booking email.
Provided that there is availability, the gates will always open and let you through with your MAP/ATAP (pre-book or not). If there's not availability, and you don't have a pre-book, it won't let you through.
This should be very easy for someone willing to test tbh. Next quiet day you visit simply try it, if it doesn't work then you can book your actual ticket on your phone on the spot and feign forgetfulness if questioned.
I've forgotten myself on several occasions and had to book outside (we have one Carer MAP so there's no physical or digital card meaning we always need a booking to get in).
Would recommend our heroic volunteer does not attempt this today.
Edit: I stand corrected, I do have a digital Carer pass!
The only sure fire way of testing this is to visit an attraction on a day which is sold out, and booking slots aren't available on the Portal, and scan your pass. It ought not to let you through; of course this will be a wasted journey. If there are slots available for you to book on the portal it will always let you through, so wouldn't prove anything or answer the original question.
