Merlin Pass: Our Review

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Is the Merlin Pass Worth It?

It really depends. Does your family love theme parks and the other bits and bobs Merlin offers? Will you go often enough to make it “worth it”? And which pass actually suits you?

Every year I look at the Merlin offers, crunch the numbers for our family, and the initial cost seems like a lot, so I talk myself out of it. In reality, I’m never quite sure how often we’d actually use it. Then a family trip comes along, someone suggests a theme park, and by the end of the year we’ve spent more than we would have done with a pass (the Essential one, anyway).

Do I need discounts on merch and food? Not really. Would it be nice to have a pass that includes free parking? Absolutely, yes. Parking costs add up shockingly fast, and that’s before you factor in the trek from the car park to the actual entrance.

Last year we stayed at Legoland and Chessington’s resorts, which included theme park entry. So when I found out in December that they’d been handing out leaflets with QR codes for a discounted Merlin Pass (up to four per leaflet) just after our visit, I was gutted. I’m part of a Merlin Facebook group where people share offers, tips and info, and members were hunting for spare QR codes from people who hadn’t used theirs or had leaflets going spare. At first I didn’t quite grasp the fuss, but once I did, I wanted one badly. I tried and tried and tried.

Eventually, it came down to the evening before the offer ended, sometime in December, with barely any time left. Every code posted was snapped up before I could even process it. Then, about thirty minutes before the deadline, someone messaged me with a spare QR code. I was so grateful, but the clock was ticking and I was stressing as I rushed to process it in time. I made the payment, it went through, and then right on the stroke of midnight, within the minute, it was refunded and the price shot back up. I was gutted, to say the least.

I messaged Merlin on Facebook, sent a screenshot and explained what had happened. Thankfully, the person replying was lovely. They told me to go ahead and pay full price, then email a reference code to request a refund for the difference. I wasn’t celebrating just yet. I’d told the group I would keep them posted, and once the refund actually landed, I let everyone know. I was thrilled, because I’d managed to get it for £54 per pass (Essential only). Incredible value.

Since then we’ve visited Cadbury World more than a few times, taken in Warwick Castle, and we’re hoping to fit in a few more theme parks with the kids this summer and autumn. The excluded dates aren’t too restrictive, and being a home ed family, we’re not tied to school holidays or weekends anyway, although my husband’s new job means he has a lot less time off these days.

So far, I’d say we’ve already had our money’s worth, especially when you consider how much you’d pay per person, per visit, at full price.

The only real downside is parking. It can sting a bit, and unless you pay extra or have a disabled badge, it’s quite a walk to most attractions.

So, is it worth it? In our case, I’d say yes. Though I’m honestly not sure I’d have forked out full price for it, especially as we already have a Direct Debit with the National Trust, and there’s only so much you can spend on days out!