Merlin Entertainments: General Discussion

[Bowser]

Not sure if this is the thread it was previously discussed in but I inadvertently tested the MAP booking system today.

Booked two pass holder tickets, one for me, one for my son.

Entered the park and scanned my wife’s card first, no problem so bookings evidently not linked.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Not sure if this is the thread it was previously discussed in but I inadvertently tested the MAP booking system today.

Booked two pass holder tickets, one for me, one for my son.

Entered the park and scanned my wife’s card first, no problem so bookings evidently not linked.

Today's not a sell out day / a fully booked day, so that doesn't actually prove anything beyond that there was availability.

It only wouldn't let your wife through if today was fully sold out, and she didn't have a booking.

She didn't have a booking, but it wasn't sold out, so it let her through. Yes, it's a Passholder day at Chessington World of Adventures, but that just means that general tickets aren't on sale. Passholder day didn't book out completely either, so capacity is there.

 

[Funcone]

I guess in the end time will tell. It’s a bit hard to spot patterns over the last few years because Covid’s been so disruptive. According to the TEA (Themed Entertainment Association), whose figures aren’t necessarily completely reliable, Merlin attractions had 67 million visitors in 2019 and 62 million visitors in 2023. These figures probably can be disputed, but the general view is that Merlin’s overall attendance has started declining, but it’s not necessarily a significant decline, yet. That’s despite new additions such as buying back The Orlando Eye and taking over the operations of Cadbury’s World.

https://aecom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2019-Theme-Index-web-1.pdf
https://aecom.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/reports/AECOM-Theme-Index-2023.pdf

Aside from Covid, it has also been a disruptive period with Nick Varney retiring, several other directors changing, and a re-structuring.

It’s too early to say if it’s a long term trend and I can see why people might feel optimistic about the new Legolands opening next year, and people might feel optimistic about these Peppa Pig mini theme parks. Aside from Six Flags going bankrupt, big attraction operators have generally done well. You could argue that people have been giving ominous predictions for Merlin for well over a decade and so far they’ve not amounted to anything.

Even allowing for Covid, it is certainly a change of pace where we’ve had 5 years of static or declining attendance which came after a period where the company grew very rapidly.

 

[Ash]

I think they all design in house but any big theming work is constructed third party.

So is that a yes or no for smaller stuff?

I ask as it seems MMM are scrapping all in house creation/construction abilities of theming items large and small.

 

[Dave]

So is that a yes or no for smaller stuff?

I ask as it seems MMM are scrapping all in house creation/construction abilities of theming items large and small.

No one knows for certain, I suspect EP might do some of their own stuff, Phantasia probably doesn’t as it has no spare space for construction but that’s just a guess.

 

[owenstreet7]

No one knows for certain, I suspect EP might do some of their own stuff, Phantasia probably doesn’t as it has no spare space for construction but that’s just a guess.

I believe Paultons outsource their theming as well.

I believe Merlin are unique that they have Merlin Magic Making and only Europa, Disney, Universal and possibly Efteling would have the potential to do in house theming.