Frequently asked questions

What is Merlin?
The Pass is called the "Merlin Annual Pass" because all the attractions included in the Pass are owned/operated by the Merlin Entertainments Group – the Worlds Second Largest attraction operator.

Which attractions are included with a Merlin Annual Pass?
Merlin Annual Passes allow entry to:
Alton Towers Resort Theme Park
Chessington World of Adventures Resort Theme Park
EDF Energy London Eye
LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort Theme Park
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester
Madame Tussauds London & Blackpool
SEA LIFE centres & Sanctuaries including London, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bray, Brighton, Great Yarmouth, Scarborough, Gweek, Hunstanton, Oban & opening Spring 2013 – SEA LIFE Manchester
The Dungeons, including London, York, Edinburgh and Blackpool
The Blackpool Tower attractions including Jungle Jims, the Blackpool Circus, Blackpool Ballroom, Blackpool Tower Eye
THORPE PARK
Warwick Castle

Please note the London Dungeon will be closing on the 31st January and be moving to County Hall, next to the London Eye and London Aquarium. It is due to reopen in March 2013.

Are there any dates I can't use my Pass or any other restrictions?
Premium Merlin Annual Passes don't have any restrictions (other than attraction opening calendars of course!)

The Premium Merlin Annual Pass includes:

• Free standard parking, subject to availability.
• No exclusions dates.

The following exclusions apply to Standard Merlin Annual Passes purchased before the 26th December 2012:

• No entry during the month of August at The EDF Energy London Eye, Madame Tussauds London, London Dungeon and SEA LIFE London Aquarium.
• NO entry to the EDF Energy London Eye on 14 February and 29 October to 31 October.
• A £5 special event fee will apply during Fright Nights at THORPE PARK and may apply to other special events.
• No entry 29th to 31st October at The London Dungeon.
• Parking is not included.

The Merlin Annual Pass is not valid for entry to our secondary attractions including the Alton Towers water park and extraordinary golf.

Do you get any extra benefits with a Merlin Annual Pass?
As well as entry to our attractions, a Merlin Annual Pass will entitle you to the following Passholder Perks:

• Up to 20% off in our shops
• 20% off in our restaurants
• Discounted stays at our resort hotels
• And lots more!

What's the difference between the Standard and Premium Merlin Annual Pass?
You can find full information on each Pass type here.

How long is my Pass valid for?
Your Merlin Annual Pass is valid for 12 months from the date of collection, not your date of purchase.

Is my Pass valid for entry to Merlin attractions outside the UK?
Both Standard and Premium Merlin Annual Passes are valid at our UK attractions only.

However we do provide discounted entry to some of our Merlin overseas attractions, click here for more information.

Can I use my Merlin Annual Pass to get into the Castle Dungeon or Merlin Dragon Tower at Warwick Castle?
Unfortunately the Castle Dungeon and Merlin Dragon Tower are not included with a Standard Merlin Annual Pass. Premium Annual Passes do provide access however tickets are limited so we advise that you get yours at the Warwick Castle as early in the day as possible

Will you be adding any attractions to the Pass in the future?
The attractions included in the Merlin Annual Pass are owned or operated by the Merlin Entertainments Group, attractions which we do not own or operate will not be included in the Merlin Annual Pass.

The SEA LIFE centre Manchester will be opening in Spring 2013 and will be included in the Merlin Annual Pass once open.

Does the Pass provide free or discounted entry?
Your entry fee to all UK Merlin attractions is included with a Merlin Annual Pass. This enables you to gain access to the included attractions when you want, how ever many times you want (subject to operating calendars and some exclusions for Standard Passholders).

Need more information? Please call our friendly customer service team who will be happy to help on 08444 77 44 44

How much are Merlin Annual Passes?
You can find more information regarding prices here

How can I buy a Pass?
You can purchase a Merlin Annual Pass in the following ways:

• At one of our attractions
• Online via our website or one of our attraction websites
• By calling 08444 77 44 44 (lines are open from 9am to 5pm daily)

Can I upgrade my Standard Merlin Annual Pass to a Premium Merlin Annual Pass?
Yes, you can do this in person at the attraction where your pass was originally issued for an upgrade fee of £40pp. Upgrades only apply to the remaining time left on your current Pass.

What is a family Merlin Annual Pass?
A family Merlin Annual Pass can contain either 3, 4 or 5 people. Of those included on a family Pass, a maximum of three may be aged 12 years or older.

If you have a family of 6 or more, you can purchase a combination of family and/or individual Passes to suit your needs.

Need more information? Please call our friendly customer service team who will be happy to help on 08444 77 44 44

When can I renew? faqs
You can renew your Merlin Annual Pass:

Any time during its validity
Up to 6 weeks after your expiration date.

How do I renew?
You can renew via:

Visiting one of our attractions
Online
Via phone

More information regarding renewals, including prices can be found here.

Can I renew my attraction specific Pass, into a Merlin Annual Pass?
Yes , you can do this at any UK attraction, online or via phone. When you collect your new Merlin Annual Passes from your chosen attraction, simply take your original attraction specific Pass with you in order to show that you qualify for the renewal rate.

Need more information? Please call our friendly customer service team who will be happy to help on 08444 77 44 44

Can I upgrade a Standard Merlin Annual Pass into a Premium Merlin Annual Pass?
A. Yes, you may upgrade the remaining time left on your Standard Merlin Annual Pass into a Premium Merlin Annual Pass for a flat fee of £40pp at any time during your 12 month validity period. You will need to visit your home attraction (the attraction where you originally purchased your Standard Merlin Annual Pass) to carry out the upgrade.

Can I upgrade a single attraction Annual Pass (such as a LEGOLAND® Annual Pass) into a Merlin Annual Pass?
A. Yes, we will be able to upgrade the remaining time left on your pass into a Merlin Annual Pass. Simply visit the attraction where your single attraction Annual Pass is valid and they will be able to deduct the cost you paid for the attraction specific Pass from the price of a new Merlin Annual Pass. Note that your Merlin Annual Pass will expire on the same day as your single attraction Annual Pass.

I have pre-purchased a one-day attraction ticket. Can I upgrade that into a Merlin Annual Pass?
A. Yes, you will need to visit the Annual Pass office at the attraction when you visit. They will be able to deduct the price you paid for your ticket from the cost of a new Merlin Annual Pass. Upgrades from one-day tickets can only happen on the date of visiting, so make sure you upgrade before you leave the attraction.

Need more information? Please call our friendly customer service team who will be happy to help on 08444 77 44 44

What do I do if my details change?
Don't worry, next time you visit your home attraction, pop into their admissions department and they will happily update our records for you.

I have paid for my Passes or day tickets for my friends or family members but I haven't received my confirmation?
Please call 08444 77 44 44 in order to have your confirmation resent.

My Pass isn't working properly, what should I do?
You can get your Pass reissued free of charge at your home attraction the next time you visit.

What do I do if I lose my Annual Pass or it gets stolen?
You will need to visit your home attraction where the admissions team will look you up on their system and print you off a new card.
Please note that an administration fee applies of £10 for each card that is reprinted.

If your Pass has been stolen and you have a crime reference number, we can waive the administration fee for you at our discretion.

If you are unable to get to your issuing attraction please call our customer service team 08444 77 44 44 and they will be happy to assist.

I need to provide proof of purchase for the Pass I had reissued to claim back the money from my insurance?
Other than your receipt of payment we do not have proof of purchase we can issue.

Please provide the receipt you would have been issued when you had your Pass reprinted to your insurance company.

I've found a Pass, what should I do with it?
Please email us the persons name and date of birth, then simply cut the card up as we will cancel it on our systems if we haven't already done so.

I'm pregnant, can I have my Pass refunded?
All our Passes are non refundable however we can freeze you and your family's Passes until after your baby has been born and you have had up to three months of recovery, please contact us on 08444 77 44 44 to arrange this.

I would like free parking, how can I get this?
You can purchase a Premium Merlin Annual Pass, you can choose to purchase just one if you are buying a family Pass and this will give you free parking for one car however please note the other Standard Passes will have the entry exclusions to some attractions during some periods, for full information on exclusions click here.

The Premium Passholder will need to be present to take advantage of the complimentary parking offer.

I would like a refund for my Passes
As stated in our terms and conditions which are agreed to at the time of purchase and redemption our Passes are non refundable.

What is my "home attraction"?
Your home attraction is where you had your Pass issued. They hold your record and in order to upgrade your Pass or have a Pass reissued you will need to revisit this attraction so please make sure you have your Pass issued at the location that is closest to you.

Will you provide a Merlin Annual Pass to support our charity or as a raffle prize etc.
We do not provide Merlin Annual Passes to support charities or as raffle prizes, the Merlin Entertainments Group has its own in-house charity, Merlin's Magic Wand, which we directly support. More information about Merlin's Magic Wand can be found here.

I don't seem to be receiving my monthly update email. Help!
Firstly, don't worry. This could be for a number of reasons:

• you may find that the email is getting delivered into your bulk, or junk mail folder so please take a look there first. If this is the case, please add our email address to your favorites or approved list to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
• we may not have your email address correct, or we may not have it at all. To rectify this, simply sign up to the eNewsletter again here.
• you may have unsubscribed accidentally. Simply sign up again to begin receiving eNewsletters.

I’d like to give feedback/discuss a matter, who should I contact?
If your issue or feedback is regarding an experience you had at one of our attractions please contact them directly. Here is a list of useful email addresses:

• LEGOLAND Windsor Resort: customer.services@LEGOLAND.co.uk
• THORPE PARK: Guest.Services@thorpe-park.co.uk
• Warwick Castle: customer.information@warwick-castle.com
• Madame Tussauds London: guest.experience@madame-tussauds.com
• Alton Towers Resort Theme Park: annual.pass@alton-towers.com
• Chessington World of Adventures: adventurers.services@chessington.co.uk
• The EDF Energy London Eye: LE.merlinpass@londoneye.com
• SEA LIFE Centres: enquiries@merlinentertainments.biz
• The Dungeons: For contact details see The Dungeons website.
• The Blackpool Tower: theblackpooltower@merlinentertainments.biz

Can I add people to my family pass?
Unfortunately this is not possible once the Passes have been issued however you can add family members when you renew.

Can someone else use my Merlin Annual Pass?
A Merlin Annual Pass can only be used by the named & photographed holder. Pass sharing is not permitted and will result in permanent confiscation without compensation.
Please view the terms and conditions of use for full details.

I am a foster parent. Do you offer a Pass which can be shared?
We do not offer a Merlin Annual Pass which can be shared. However, we do offer discounts for family Passes.

If my child will turn 12 during the life of our family Pass, are they still classed as an adult?
The age of the child at the time of purchase is what we recognise. If your child is currently 11 and will turn 12 during the life of your Passes they are still classed as a child until you come to renew.

From what age should I buy my child a Merlin Annual Pass?
There is no set age a child requires a Merlin Annual Pass from.

However we do provide the following guidance:

• If your child is 3 years or over at the time of purchasing your Passes OR will turn 3 during the life of your Passes we recommend you purchase a Pass for them, this is because children aged 3 or over are required to pay admission when entering LEGOLAND® Windsor, SEA LIFE centres & Sanctuaries (including the London Aquarium) and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester.
• If your child is 0.9 metre tall or over at the time of purchasing your Passes OR will you think will reach 0.9 metre tall during the life of your Passes we recommend you purchase a Pass for them, this is because children 0.9 metre tall and over are required to pay admission when entering Chessington World of Adventures and THORPE PARK.

All my family members are over 12 which Pass should I purchase?
If there are 3 or more in your party, the cheapest option will be a family of 3 pass, plus the remaining as individuals.

I'm disabled or my family member is disabled, do you provide assistance?
If you or another member in your group is disabled and will become/is already a Passholder you can find out all the information you need right here.

I want to exchange my Tesco Clubcard token for a Merlin Annual Pass, how can I do this?
Simply take your token along to one of our attractions.

I used Tesco Clubcard or Nectar Points to purchase my Merlin Annual Pass, what type of Pass does this entitle me to?
If you have points to redeem against a Merlin Annual Pass you will receive a Standard Individual Merlin Annual Pass. You can choose to upgrade to a Premium Pass when you exchange your voucher or at any point during the life of your Pass for £40pp. Please note you will need to return to your home attraction in order to upgrade.

What do I need to take with me when having my Pass issued?
All you need is yourself! We will take a photo of you when you arrive and no proof of identification is needed.

If I cannot get to an attraction to have my Pass issued what can I do?
You can give your booking reference to a family member or friend along with a clear colour photo of you, your full name and date of birth and they can take it along to an attraction for you to have your Pass issued.

If you are part of a family Pass your family members can have the Pass issued on your behalf by taking a clear colour photo of you with them, your full name and date of birth.

All family Passes must be issued at the same time.

How long do I have to collect my Pass from my chosen attraction?
You have 6 months to collect any new or renewed Passes from your chosen attraction.

Can I buy a Pass that isn't assigned to a person but is assigned to a company?
No. All Merlin Annual Passes must be issued to a person.

Need more information? Please call our friendly customer service team who will be happy to help on 08444 77 44 44