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Have Merlin lost the plot???

I should also add that this is the “Essential” tier, which grants practically nothing aside from entry and has quite a few exclusion dates.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe it grants around 300 days of entry, with weekends over summer being excluded alongside the usual suspects.
 
Matt N said:
I should also add that this is the “Essential” tier, which grants practically nothing aside from entry and has quite a few exclusion dates.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe it grants around 300 days of entry, with weekends over summer being excluded alongside the usual suspects.
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The Discovery Pass offered 200 dates and retailed for £99.

The Essential pass offers 339 days of visits. The Gold Pass used to offer around 340 days of visits, usually a bit over.

Saturdays in August are blacked out for the Essential pass, as well as Bank Holidays, but that's surprisingly it (Fireworks too, obvs). Sundays in August are fine.

I can see many families buying a single Gold Pass, to enable the discount and the free parking, and then having Essential Passes for everyone else. Especially at £79 a throw.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
The Discovery Pass offered 200 dates and retailed for £99.

The Essential pass offers 339 days of visits. The Gold Pass used to offer around 340 days of visits, usually a bit over.

Saturdays in August are blacked out for the Essential pass, as well as Bank Holidays, but that's surprisingly it (Fireworks too, obvs). Sundays in August are fine.

I can see many families buying a single Gold Pass, to enable the discount and the free parking, and then having Essential Passes for everyone else. Especially at £79 a throw.
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I've never understood why Merlin do not do a family pass for (say) 4 people and your last sentence could pretty much make up a decent family pass, for perks and price: ≃ £440 or ≃ £36pm is quite a good deal to be honest (based on these sale prices). Tweak the benefits a bit and I reckon that could be popular. I often think when talking to friends about passes that 4 x passes for a family always sounds more expensive than one total price for 4 people, even if there wouldn't be much difference in the pricing!
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
I can see many families buying a single Gold Pass, to enable the discount and the free parking, and then having Essential Passes for everyone else. Especially at £79 a throw.
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What we used to do. But seriously, the annual pass is only value if you're going >2 times, and then you're talking less than £25/visit. Merlin might as well drop their trousers and bend over...

As for blackout dates, who even goes at super-peak times?? Id rather gouge my eyes out with the sharp end of a chicken McNugget!
 
Smiley said:
As for blackout dates, who even goes at super-peak times??
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1. Lots of people, that’s why it’s deemed “super peak”. Look at Halloween, likely the busiest weekend of the year for participating parks.

2. Other Bank holidays can be surprisingly quiet due to a combination of this mentality and so many visitors having exclusion based MAP. I fondly recall visiting Chessington on an exclusion date and doing 5 laps of Mandrill Mayhem the year it opened.
 
It’s worth remembering that lots of people can only go at peak times. If you’re a family with children (or if you work in a profession such as teaching, for that matter), you can only really attend during weekends and holidays.

Granted, that doesn’t mean you have to attend on a weekend during August or October, but it does still mean you can’t go on the quiet weekdays in September.
 
Matt N said:
It’s worth remembering that lots of people can only go at peak times. If you’re a family with children (or if you work in a profession such as teaching, for that matter), you can only really attend during weekends and holidays.

Granted, that doesn’t mean you have to attend on a weekend during August or October, but it does still mean you can’t go on the quiet weekdays in September.
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Exactly this. My daughter has just started as a primary school teacher and as we both like going to theme parks together (Towers mostly), we are now restricted to weekends and holidays only. It's not too bad regarding the opening weekend, Scarefest or Fireworks as we've always done those on the weekends but any other time we are now limited to set days through the season. Not all of us are lucky enough to pick and choose a quiet day whenever we want, just like many thousands of people are not lucky enough to visit parks in Europe or America - although some vloggers and commentators seem to think you're not normal if you don't visit parks abroad!
 
I hate to be the naughty person here, but it was once well known and sort of celebrated...the good old fashioned method of weekday termtime attendance...and I have shouted it loudly down the phone to many in trying to get them to attend...

"Throw a sickie you flipping fool,"

Morals are so twentieth century.
 
I have actually worn a magnificent "Groucho" 'tache, glasses and eyebrows for a full day on the Beach for such reasons.

There is also a ride photo of a mysterious tall bloke with a paper bag over his head riding the Big One, and another of me riding Infusion while reading the Guardian...covering my face.

All ended up on the work noticeboard.
 
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Matt N said:
It’s worth remembering that lots of people can only go at peak times. If you’re a family with children (or if you work in a profession such as teaching, for that matter), you can only really attend during weekends and holidays.

Granted, that doesn’t mean you have to attend on a weekend during August or October, but it does still mean you can’t go on the quiet weekdays in September.
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When I was young we’d almost exclusively visit theme parks on bank holidays. They were a special treat, not something you’d casually do for the day on a weekend. I’d imagine that’s still the case for many and as enthusiasts it’s easy to forget.

Journeys took longer back then too of course so more of the parks either required an overnight stay (thus significantly increasing the cost) or needed a recovery day for poor tired parents/grandparents.
 
First time I've ever bought a pass. Got the Essential Pass for £79 and very happy with the range of dates available. I hate going during peak times anyway, and would rather take a weekday off or use my spare Sundays to go and visit the attractions.

Thanks for those who mentioned it here otherwise I'd have never have known.
 
Ash said:
Are any fireworks dates included with the £79 pass? Is it possible to upgrade?
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No the only pass to include fireworks dates is the Platinum. You can usually get in on a fireworks day by paying for an upgrade ticket - this year it was £25 per day. You can upgrade for a similar if not the same price for any other blocked date too I believe.
 
AT86 said:
Sale is now over, cheapest pass is back to £139.
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How often are the sales? We expire this week and as we will be unlikely to visit there’s no point renewing till Spring but then we will be outside the renewal price window.
 
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