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Merlin Annual Pass offers and questions

I do wonder if it'll be more bolt on. For example a basic pass that gives you entry to one park, then add additional parks and perks (free parking, entry during August, entry before 2pm etc) for additional cost.
 
So Merlin's solution is to allow pass holder afternoon bookings, just want pass holders wanted, to travel 3 to 5 + hours for an hour or two in the park to enjoy an hour or two of queuing just to go on one ride :rolleyes:
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Seems fairly reasonable to me? They have clearly calculated that a certain number of guests are leaving the parks a few hours before closing time, leaving unused capacity that could be filled.

Why not introduce another ticket option to give more people the chance to visit? Lots of Passholders live close to the attractions so they can pop over for the afternoon/evening.
 
AT86 said:
Seems fairly reasonable to me?
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Really? :confused:

I think Merlin is taking the Pee here. Like you said, great news for the locals, but most Merlin pass holders are a good 3 to 5 hours plus away, not worth driving all that way just for a day trip that is going to last an hour or two :rolleyes:
 
I was surprised they didn’t do AM / PM prebook with the knowledge people leave during the day. I’ve never spent a full day in a Merlin park apart from Fireworks - arrive for opening and leave around 1pm.
 
RoyJess said:
Read the facebook comments, I live a good 4.5 hours away driving (longer if driving during peak time traffic)
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I don’t have Facebook these days so can’t see the comments but I can imagine. There has always been a vocal minority of Passholders than winge about anything and everything, so this will also get the same treatment.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying Merlin have been treating Passholders particularly well this year, but the introduction of this after 4pm ticket will certainly mean many Passholders who previously couldn’t visit on these days can now do so.

I think they should have actually introduced these evening tickets for late night opening dates some time back. That way local Passholders could have booked these leaving more full day ticket for those travelling further.

The idea that most Passholders live 3+ hours from an attraction doesn’t stack up though, I suspect this is actually the minority of Passholders, with most people living much closer, hence the reason for buying the passes in the first place.
 
AT86 said:
The idea that most Passholders live 3+ hours from an attraction doesn’t stack up though, I suspect this is actually the minority of Passholders, with most people living much closer, hence the reason for buying the passes in the first place.
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My closest Merlin attraction is one hour away, actually I've two Merlin attractions near me, both of which are Sealife centres, as for themeparks, the closest is Chessington but due to the M25 traffic, Alton is actually the quickest to get to.

It really doesn't matter whether you live locally to a theme park or not, having limited access to the parks, or afternoon entry is not what people signed up for when they purchased a pass.

I know that the pandemic is not Merlin fault either, and the restrictions is the governments guidelines/rules, but Merlin (and other non Merlin attractions) should have taken a step back and gave people the option to suspend their pass membership until this pandemic is over instead of continuing to sell more pass's despite all pass holders pre-booking slots are at full capacity.
 
I am surprised it’s taken 6 months for them to stop selling new passes, when very few of the current pass holders can get entry. Same applies to the season passes.
 
They'll probably attempt some patronising offers to try to placate upset passholders from this point forward but I'm afraid the damage is already done for many people, and now the word is out.
 
Annoyingly the only way to solve the problem was to create a scene. Merlin would have done better to have solved the problem when it first arrived instead of leaving it.
Also, Matt Allwright was hilarious!
 
If I remember correctly, Merlin was on Watchdog ten years ago during the wasp infestation only that time they actually bothered to go in for an interview!
 
Thameslink Rail said:
If I remember correctly, Merlin was on Watchdog ten years ago during the wasp infestation only that time they actually bothered to go in for an interview!
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Nobody goes in for an interview these days, it's like politicians, a fob off statement is preferred these days.

Having said that though, i live about 90 minutes from Alton and would go for 4 hours. I usually go in the morning when i go and i'm out by 3pm, so it doesn't make much difference to me
 
I don't know if the timing of Merlin email that I recived today had anything to do with Watchdog, but I still think their offering is too little too late. It still not what pass holder signed up for.

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Mikw said:
Nobody goes in for an interview these days, it's like politicians, a fob off statement is preferred these days.

Having said that though, i live about 90 minutes from Alton and would go for 4 hours. I usually go in the morning when i go and i'm out by 3pm, so it doesn't make much difference to me
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Last year if a company boss refused to do an interview, Watchdog had a "chicken of the week slot" where they would instead show off a breed of chicken!
 
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