Bear Grylls Adventure Birmingham and LDC Birmingham

[Danny]

I know the Manchester one has also started closing at 13:00 on off-peak periods, as the centre became virtually dead in the afternoon. We'd often have guests commenting how nice and quiet it was, until the after school lots started turning up at 16:00 until it closed at 18:00.

I can see why they're doing it from a financial perspective, but they'll have been subjected to a backlash from the guests who made the most of the 16:00 - 18:00 slots.

The 10:30 entry cap is utterly bizarre.

In the grand scheme of things, people have slowly realised that LDC's are a rip off compared to what they offer. In the words of many guests, it's a "glorified soft play centre". The concept needs to be revitalised.

In Bear Grylls news, pass holders can finally use their passes to gain access to some of the experiences without having to pay:

 

[jon81uk]

I would guess that part of the issue with LDC is they didn't really make any money from passholders visiting, but the price isn't right for what is offered for day guests.

 

[Funcone]

It sounds like Danny's worked for the LDC in Manchester, so he'll know a lot more than I do. Presumably the fact that adults have to be accompanied by children greatly limits the audience for visiting during term time. I understand why they have this rule, but if everyone over 18 could visit during school hours, then that's quite a big pool of people. If you have to be accompanied by someone under 5, then that's ruling out a lot of people. Particularly as anyone under 2 isn't going to get a lot out of it, so really they're only targeting an age band of 2-3 years. The birth rate is quite low these days, so there probably aren't loads of children aged 2-5 to fill the place up.

 

[Matt N]

I’ll admit that does sound like a very strange policy… half an hour is a very limited window for entry. Surely that will just create huge crowds outside the entrance between 10 and 10:30? And what’s wrong with people entering between 10:30 and 1 if they only want to visit for an hour or two? I probably shouldn’t question it, as I’m sure Merlin have a very reasonable rationale behind making the decision, but I’ll admit it does seem like an intriguing move from my outsider’s perspective… why wouldn’t there be families with pre-schoolers who’d want to visit in the afternoon, or maybe families with kids in reception who might want to visit as an after-school treat?

Although I guess they’re probably still very conscious of controlling crowds due to COVID, therefore having everyone enter at the same time is probably a good idea in that regard.

However, I’ll preface my post above by saying that I admit that I know very little about the LDCs in general, so that might be perfect for the format. Is it one of those things where you’re taken on a guided tour lasting a set amount of time? (Given the LDCs are midways, I guess that wouldn’t be too surprising)

Building upon that, can I actually ask; if anyone wouldn’t mind answering, what actually are the Legoland Discovery Centres? What sort of thing do they actually entail?

My first guess based on the name and the fact that I know they have trackless dark rides within them was some sort of mini indoor Legoland theme park. Kind of like one of those little FECs with a coaster or two and a few other small rides (although I know the LDCs don’t have coasters), but in the Legoland format. However, the very low maximum age surprises me (the full-size Legolands target up to age 12), and makes me think that any remotely substantial theme park offering would be out of the question…

Do excuse my ignorance; I don’t know as much about the midways as I do about the RTPs and Legoland theme parks, and I’d say I know less about the LDCs than I do about your average midway!

 

[Thameslink Rail]

Building upon that, can I actually ask; if anyone wouldn’t mind answering, what actually are the Legoland Discovery Centres? What sort of thing do they actually entail?

My first guess based on the name and the fact that I know they have trackless dark rides within them was some sort of mini indoor Legoland theme park. Kind of like one of those little FECs with a coaster or two and a few other small rides (although I know the LDCs don’t have coasters), but in the Legoland format. However, the very low maximum age surprises me (the full-size Legolands target up to age 12), and makes me think that any remotely substantial theme park offering would be out of the question…

Do excuse my ignorance; I don’t know as much about the midways as I do about the RTPs and Legoland theme parks, and I’d say I know less about the LDCs than I do about your average midway!

Imagine an indoor Legoland theme park, it has a Miniland, plenty of building space, an interactive Dark Ride, 4D cinema, a Zamperla Magic Bikes and a soft play area. I went when I was 9 (to the Manchester one) and it already felt a bit young for me.

 

[Matt N]

Imagine an indoor Legoland theme park, it has a Miniland, plenty of building space, an interactive Dark Ride, 4D cinema, a Zamperla Magic Bikes and a soft play area. I went when I was 9 (to the Manchester one) and it already felt a bit young for me.

So my initial hunch wasn’t too far wrong, then!

I wonder why the attractions aren’t getting more visitors?

Also, how come the LDCs only allow kids 5 and under? According to Merlin, they target kids ages 3-12, and a “child” is classed as anyone under 17…

 

[Funcone]

It's not that they only allow in children under 5, but the discussion was about the fact that they're very quiet on school days and now close at 13:30. The children over 5 are going to be in school, and since they don't allow in adults without a child, it means every visitors has to be under 5 or accompanying a child under 5. If it's suitable for the 3s and over, and people start school before they're 5, then unless there's an inset day, or a school trip, it's a very small pool of people who can visit on a school day. I don't think them being very quiet during term time necessarily means they're unsuccessful overall, so long as they're still busy at weekends and school holidays.

 

[jon81uk]

So my initial hunch wasn’t too far wrong, then!

I wonder why the attractions aren’t getting more visitors?

Also, how come the LDCs only allow kids 5 and under? According to Merlin, they target kids ages 3-12, and a “child” is classed as anyone under 17…

They allow children of all ages to enter. But adults must be accompanied by a child.
Monday to Friday 5-18 year olds are in schools.
Hence the comments that most of the time the main audience is aged 2-5.

This is the problem with many attractions aimed at children, during term time, its probably not worth operating at all.

 

[Matt N]

They allow children of all ages to enter. But adults must be accompanied by a child.
Monday to Friday 5-18 year olds are in schools.
Hence the comments that most of the time the main audience is aged 2-5.

This is the problem with many attractions aimed at children, during term time, its probably not worth operating at all.

It's not that they only allow in children under 5, but the discussion was about the fact that they're very quiet on school days and now close at 13:30. The children over 5 are going to be in school, and since they don't allow in adults without a child, it means every visitors has to be under 5 or accompanying a child under 5. If it's suitable for the 3s and over, and people start school before they're 5, then unless there's an inset day, or a school trip, it's a very small pool of people who can visit on a school day. I don't think them being very quiet during term time necessarily means they're unsuccessful overall, so long as they're still busy at weekends and school holidays.

Ah, sorry; I thought people were saying that only kids under 5 and those accompanying them were allowed in… that makes more sense!

 

[djtruefitt]

Great news about bear grylls, I did the high ropes a few years back when it was new and had some good deals on (back when you were also forced to do all the other rubbish at the same time). So it’s nice now to see the basic activities are included for pass holders. I can only guess it’s not been that busy or popular, so now opening it to pass holders will make it busier and I guess they will hope these pass holders buy food and drink and then May do some of the paid added extras, such as the skydiving etc.

 

[jon81uk]

Yeah I expect the thinking is that if passholders get the basics for free they are more likely to pay for the other experiences.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Email update from the Merlin Annual Pass Team with the following announcement, concerning the closure of The Bear Grylls Adventure.

Dear Goose

After six years in operation, The Bear Grylls Adventure will close at the beginning of December and will therefore no longer be included as part of your Merlin Annual Pass. This has been a very difficult decision and one that was made only after careful consideration. Our priority now is looking after our team members and animals throughout this transition.

Over the coming weeks, we will continue to provide world-class animal care as we prepare to transfer our animals to suitable new homes, including to our nearby aquarium the National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham and other UK SEA LIFE sites. Our team of welfare specialists at SEA LIFE will oversee the transition process to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible.

We are proud of the positive impact The Bear Grylls Adventure has had on thousands of children and families that have visited over the last six years, showing guests first-hand the power of immersive activity in escaping the ordinary, and how adventure is for everyone. We want to thank our amazing team and guests, including you our Passholders, who have made this time so memorable.

FAQs

Why are you closing The Bear Grylls Adventure?

The decision to close the attraction has not been taken lightly. It was made after carefully reviewing the data, examining all other viable options, and considering the strategic investments we want to continue making in our other attractions in the UK and globally. The site is closing due to commercial challenges. A contributing factor included the temporary closure during the pandemic which had a lasting financial impact on the attraction. This is the right commercial decision which enables us to prioritise our other Midlands-based attractions.

Will you be closing/removing other attractions from my Pass?

This decision affects this attraction only. Our focus remains on Merlin’s ‘Gateway City’ strategy which includes significant new investments in the Midlands region. In 2024 alone, we are set to complete two ambitious projects with a total £25 million investment, including the recently opened Cadbury Chocolate Quest ride at Cadbury World and a new 60-room medieval themed hotel at Warwick Castle. Our focus therefore will be on continuing to grow our sites which will deliver both jobs and growth to the city and wider region.

Can I get a refund as you’re removing an attraction from my Pass?

Per Clause 4 of your Merlin Annual Pass terms and conditions, unless you have exercised your right to cancel your Pass within 14 days of purchase, the full value or any part of the value of your Pass will not be refunded nor will any compensation be payable if any of the Attractions become unavailable or if any or part of the Attractions (or any part of any of the Attractions) are temporarily or permanently closed or removed from the Merlin Annual Pass scheme.

I have a booking to visit between now and early December, what will happen?

If you already have a booking to visit the Bear Grylls Adventure before early December, the above announcement does not affect you and we look forward to welcoming you for an EPIC day out with us!

What if I have a ticket after the closing date?

To change or cancel your booking please visit the Merlin Annual Pass Portal at PRE-BOOK PORTAL

What if I don’t have a booking yet but was planning on visiting before the attraction closes?

As the present time we are not accepting any further bookings as we look to accommodate those guests who already have a booking. If slots become available these will be available via the Merlin Annual Pass Portal, however you will not be able to make new bookings for The Bear Grylls Adventure in the meantime.

What will happen to the staff?

Meaningful support and consultation will take place with The Bear Grylls Adventure employees over the next few weeks. This includes numerous meetings, touchpoints and 1-2-1 discussions with those affected to offer individual advice and full HR support, such as on roles and opportunities at other attractions across the Merlin group, including at our other Birmingham attractions.

The closure won’t happen immediately, and our top priority is to look after our team and the animals in our care as we prepare for this transition.

What will happen to the staff?

We continue to provide world-class animal care as we transfer our animals to suitable new homes, including to our nearby aquarium the National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham and other UK SEA LIFE sites. Our team of welfare specialists at SEA LIFE will oversee the transition process to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible.

For more information, please visit Adventure Centre in Birmingham or contact our friendly Contact Centre team here if you’d like to chat through anything with us.

As always, we cannot wait to welcome you to another of our fantastic attractions for more EPIC adventures soon.

Many Thanks,

The Merlin Annual Pass Team