• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Merlin Annual Pass 'Sale'

K

kydog1299

TS Member
So, Merlin have began their annual Boxing Day--> January sale today, and have been welcomed with a wave of complaints from the general public too.

Emailed to people roughly 1 week ago, the prices stated renewals were close to £90-£100 margin, which I think is very good. Today, during the 'sale' and the advertised 'best prices ever', the prices for a renewal are the SAME as buying a new pass in the sale, so they have shot up to £149 for Premium, and £119 for Standard.

This explains everything more clearly:

Email dated 20th December
hpf1t5q.jpg



'Sale' released today. I am unsure if it was a mistake, or they actually have done this on purpose, and are charging the same to renew as it is to buy a new pass.

dAZm8P7.jpg


our lowest prices
Click to expand...
 
I'm sure this is a mistake. It might be worth tweeting the MAP Twitter team to ask though, or find out if anyone has already.

:)
 
I doubt it's a mistake, they would've realised by now by all the complaints they have had.
 
Last edited:
So now they're charging more for the annual pass, so they'll probably have even more cutbacks next year.

Now debating whether to renew or not...

#OhMerlin
 
It isn't a pricing mistake. Although, I remember last year I seemed to get a cheaper renewal rate from an attraction (the London Eye), than from looking online (or at least, thats how it felt). I didn't realise that online they were charging the same amount for renewals and new passes, though.

Having said that, nobody should be surprised. This is Merlin, we are talking about. This is a company that joins price increases with less value on a regular basis.
 
Hmm...interesting. So they've always charged the same price for renewals and new passes online.

I definitely got mine for a cheaper price from the London Eye last year, so it could be the case that if you want a discount you need to go to one of the attractions. Which is great if you live next to a midway (like London), but sucks for everyone else.
 
Yup, last year the boxing day sale prices dropped the new pass prices to renewal prices.

For me though, the main annoyance is the massive hike compared to the e-mail kydog posted above, which was only received by some in the last few days. It's a massive increase in renewal prices, and the sale renewal prices at £119 and £149 are actually £10 cheaper than what the standard renewal prices are going to be for 2015 (£129 and £159). We will see local sales/offers in future where pass renewals are cheaper than that at the likes of the midway attractions, but I do think we've passed the sub £100 barrier now :(.
 
We could club together in groups of 3 - 5 and get the premium passes for £120 each. :p

Now I'm considering just getting an ATAP instead, but unsure as to whether they include free parking or not.
 
AT Annual Passes do include free parking :)

We shall see if this is true, but according to Merlin on Twitter 'these will be the lowest prices for 2015'. So the minimum price for premium renewals this year will be a massive £149, more likely £159 which is the standard price mentioned.
 
Craig said:
AT Annual Passes do include free parking :)
Click to expand...
They do? Oh, I'll get one of those instead then. I have no intention of visiting Thorpe, Chessie or LLW anyway, and am too far away from any of the midways.
 
The problem is all down to the devaluation of the Merlin Annual Pass.

This is entirely down to the ridiculous obsession with discounting. It is almost as if Merlin in the United Kingdom have an illness of which the main symptom is discounting.

Most theme park annual passes for the major resorts around Europe are roughly £150.00 for 12 months entry. The Merlin pass has, and still is, good value compared to most of these. Especially given the 20% discounts offered on purchases.

However, the perception of the customer base is not one of value. This is because Merlin have entirely shot themselves in the foot. Rather than merely increasing the pass price by around £5 each year (which is what happens at places like Disneyland Paris, Phantasialand, Europa-Park etc.) - the prices rise and fall faster than The Smiler goes over its airtime hills. As do the terms and conditions.

There is absolutely no way that Merlin should be offering these passes for under £100 - but they have no choice - the brand value has been devalued so much by the obsessive discounting that people are too used to 'getting it on the cheap'.

The only way out of this hole which they have dug themselves is a complete change of course. Forget BOGOF, forget whimsical "40% off" - get a long term strategy which actually makes people happy to fork out £150 for an annual pass, makes them constantly feel valued, loved and wanted - rather than pushing passes out for one price, then another, then another.

It is completely absurd.
 
As long as people keep handing over their money, Merlin will keep doing this.

Looks like a second year with no Nemy or Stealth fix for me then... :(
 
I often like to think of value for money with how many rides you get on at Merlin parks over the year / price you paid for the MAP, amd if it turns out at < a pound a ride, then you're onto a winner, especially when you compare how much you'd pay per ride if they were at a fairground. Major coasters would be at least £4 a pop.

Now obviously it's not all about the rides, and having a nice day out with family or friends, which makes the price more justifiable, but as @AstroDan says, Merlin parks are not of the same value as most major european parks and resorts due to their sheer greed.
 
It's not a sale at all as far as renewals are concerned. I paid less to renew my premium pass back in October this year, so the price has risen. Very poor and underhand tactics being used here, you don't seem to get anything for being a loyal customer anymore.
 
Isn't there a law that in order to call something a "sale" price, it has to have been sold at the non-discounted price for a certain ammount of time first?
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Isn't there a law that in order to call something a "sale" price, it has to have been sold at the non-discounted price for a certain ammount of time first?
Click to expand...
There should be, and to have the renewal price the same as the price of buying a new pass is yet another kick in the teeth to loyal customers. The price has risen, and is the same as buying a brand new one. This isn't a sale at all, and it's quite appalling.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Isn't there a law that in order to call something a "sale" price, it has to have been sold at the non-discounted price for a certain ammount of time first?
Click to expand...
I believe so, but I suspect that Merlin might have found a very sneaky way around it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top