We had a great time at Alton Towers recently and before at Chessington World of Adventures. We all loved rides like ‘The Wicker Man’ and my son and I loved Galactica and Nemesis all at Alton Towers... See more
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We come extremely often to the number1 team park Alton Towers indeed.All though we have platinum passes, we have NO desire to go anywhere else.The staff are absolutely magical with us , they go out... See more
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We have used our passes several times now, including Legoland, Warwick Castle and several London attractions. It is easy to book and has saved us a lot of money.
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Expensive but the perks this year are much better, appreciate the free fast-track per visit, which helps as the queues are just ridiculous!!
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Unlock unforgettable in 2025 with a Merlin Annual Pass - the ultimate passport that unlocks epic days out at the UK’s biggest & best attractions! Get access to Britain’s most thrilling and awesome experiences, plus exclusive discounts and perks. Say YES to an EPIC season of fun! Merlin Annual Pass is your portal to incredible adventure, heart-racing rollercoasters, and so much more. With a Merlin Annual Pass, you can visit over 20 attractions including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, The LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort, The London Eye, and SEA LIFE Aquariums. You’ll never be bored during the holidays again, whether it’s a soggy Sunday, a wickedly fun Wednesday, or a terrific Tuesday filled with thrills. Grab your Pass for an epic adventure for the whole family!
Contact info
Arbor Building, 16th Floor 255 Blackfriars Road London , SE1 9AX, London, United Kingdom
- 01372 751411
- info@merlinannualpass.co.uk
- merlinannualpass.co.uk
3.8
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2K reviews
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I have been trying to purchase Merlin…
I have been trying to purchase Merlin Annual Passes for my family of three through my work's Rewards Gateway scheme for over two weeks now, and the whole experience has been incredibly frustrating.
Initially, the Rewards Gateway link to the Merlin website worked. I was able to select the passes, enter all the pass holder details, upload photos, and complete every step right up until payment. Every single time, however, the website failed when I clicked to pay. I repeated the entire process countless times, wasting a huge amount of time re-entering details and uploading photos.
A few days later, the problem became even worse. Now, whenever I access Merlin through the Rewards Gateway link, I receive the message: "Unable to load data required to view." This has been happening consistently for the past six days.
Rewards Gateway confirmed to me that Merlin is aware of the issue and is working on it. Today I also contacted Merlin directly, and the adviser confirmed the same thing. Unfortunately, they couldn't provide any timeframe for a fix and couldn't help me purchase the passes at the discounted rate because they said it must be done through the Rewards Gateway link.
At this point, I honestly struggle to believe that a genuine technical issue would take over two weeks to resolve, especially when it completely prevents customers from making a purchase. While I have no proof, it does make me wonder whether this is more than just a bug and whether Merlin has deliberately allowed the issue to continue during one of the busiest times of the year to limit the number of discounted annual passes being sold. If that isn't the case, the lack of urgency in resolving the problem certainly gives that impression.
For my family, the difference is almost £100. That saving is the only reason we were planning to buy the annual passes in the first place. Paying full price simply isn't something we can afford right now, so we've missed out entirely.
What makes this even more disappointing is seeing reports from other customers that Merlin has honoured discounted prices or refunded the difference for some employee benefit schemes, while those of us using Rewards Gateway have simply been told to wait indefinitely with no solution and no alternative way to purchase the passes. Whether there is a valid reason for this or not, it feels inconsistent and unfair from a customer's perspective.
Please don't advertise discounted annual passes through employee benefit schemes if customers are unable to buy them when they need them. You've wasted hours of my time with repeated booking attempts, entering the same details over and over again, only to be met with errors every time. The whole experience has been extremely disappointing, and sadly my family has now missed out because we simply cannot afford to pay the extra £100 for the passes.
July 8, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi G Buko,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're very sorry to hear about the difficulties you've encountered while trying to purchase your Merlin Annual Passes through the Rewards Gateway scheme. We appreciate how frustrating and disappointing this has been.
As you've been advised, we are aware of the issue affecting Rewards Gateway customers, and we would like to reassure you that this is a genuine technical issue. Our teams are working as quickly as possible to investigate and resolve the problem so customers can once again purchase their passes without experiencing these errors. At this stage, we do not want to provide a timeframe for resolution as we would not want to set expectations that we may be unable to meet or cause further disappointment. However, please be assured that resolving this issue remains a priority for our teams.
We recognise that these employee benefit schemes can provide significant savings for families, and we understand how disappointing it is when you are unable to access those discounts. We kindly ask for your patience and understanding while we work to resolve the issue.
While we appreciate your concerns regarding how other discount schemes may have been handled, we're unable to comment on or match offers that may have been provided in individual cases
Once again we are sorry for the frustration and inconvenience this situation has caused.
Kind regards,
It's very easy to use and book…
It's very easy to use and book attractions
July 5, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Chris,
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
I am pleased to hear you find our booking system easy to use, that is always the aim!
We can't wait to welcome you back to our attractions soon!
Kind regards,
I was tryng to book merlin annual pass…
I was tryng to book merlin annual pass through my work portal and due to merlin dumb team the site is currently crashed for every work portal. Customer service team is horrible and no help at all. They are doing descrimination and giving the difference back to blue light card people belongs to NHS. But totally refused to pay other work portals like reward gateways or perks to work. This is highly un professional that one of their colleagues agreed to pay the difference and given that in written to my NHS friend. But playing totally dumb with others and refusing to help at all. For the family of 5 or 6 its like 200 pounds extra to pay for essential pass. Very very unhappy with their behaviour.
July 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We appreciate how frustrating it is to encounter issues when trying to purchase a Merlin Annual Pass through Blue Light Card or any other employee benefits scheme.
We're sorry to hear that you felt our Customer Service team were not as helpful as you had expected. We can assure you that our advisors always strive to provide the best possible service and do everything they can to assist our guests. Unfortunately, in this instance, the technical issue is outside of their control.
Please be assured that the issue has been raised with the relevant team, who are working hard to resolve it as quickly as possible so that guests can purchase their passes without experiencing any further difficulties.
While we appreciate your concerns regarding how other discount schemes may have been handled, we're unable to comment on or match offers that may have been provided in individual cases
We understand that a Merlin Annual Pass is a significant purchase and that the Blue Light Card discount offers great savings. While we're currently unable to apply these discounts due to the ongoing technical issues, we kindly ask for your patience and understanding while we work to restore the service.
Thank you for your feedback, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this situation has caused.
Kind regards,
They can take any attractions off…
They can take any attractions off whenever they decide to. They removed all of the blackpool attractions off at the same time and made no apology. Not even 1 “bring a friend” ticket. They could take off all the london attractions next and if you have already signed up then theres nothing you can do about it
May 13, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Kirstie,
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
I'm sorry to hear that you feel this way. We can appreciate the frustration when any changes occur. Attraction availability can change over time in line with our terms and conditions, which all Passholders agree to when joining and although the Blackpool attractions were removed, we will always endeavour to give our Passholders as much notice as possible,,
On 4th June 2025, Blackpool Council announced that two buildings it owned would in future be managed by the Council’s wholly-owned tourism company, Blackpool Tourism Ltd. These arrangements replaced the management by Merlin Entertainments, who had operated the attractions in these buildings on the Council’s behalf since 2010.
We continued to manage and operate the attractions up to and including Thursday 31st July. After that, Blackpool Tourism Ltd commenced management and operation from Friday 1st August. Anyone who took out a new or renewed Merlin Annual Pass or a new Merlin Monthly Membership up to and including 31st July 2025 was also able to access these attractions until 31st December 2025, excluding any applicable restricted or closed dates.
However, we have continued to operate SEA LIFE Blackpool and The Gruffalo & Friends Clubhouse, in a building leased from Blackpool Council.
Once again we apologise for the way you feel and aprrecaite taking the time to leave feedback.
Kind regards,
Fantastic pass for a family!
Fantastic pass for a family with children! It saved us over £1000 for all the attractions we had booked for this summer holiday alone. We will definitely return to the Alton towers, Legoland and the Chessington world of adventures as my kids love them.
June 24, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Ka Ho,
Thank you for sharing your lovely feedback!
We're thrilled to hear how much you and your kids love the Merlin Pass, and it's incredible to hear that you've saved over £1,000 too! We can't wait to welcome you back to our attractions for even more unforgettable adventures and amazing family memories together.
Kind regards,
Fantastic value
Fantastic value. I can't believe how many amazing experiences I've had using the Merlin Annual Pass and I haven't ventured outside London yet.
Every venue I have been to has been incredible. Thankyou
July 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Ste,
Thank you for your lovely review!
It's great to hear that you feel our passes offer great value for money and delighted that you enjoyed your visits to our London attractions. We hope to welcome you to our other attractions soon so you can enjoy even more memorable days out.
Kind regards,
The good
The good - it’s easy to book days out via the portal.
The not so great - Having the Merlin essential pass means you don’t get any additional perks in theme parks all discounts. This is upsetting as essential pass holder have also spend a lot of money to purchase the pass.
July 1, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi JJ,
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
I'm pleased to hear that you find the booking process easy to navigate, that's exactly what we aim for!
However, I'm sorry to hear that you feel the Essential Pass doesn't offer enough benefits. We understand that choosing a Merlin Pass is an investment, and we truly appreciate every one of our Passholders. We are proud to offer a range of passes at different price points to suit different budgets. While our Platinum and Gold Passes include additional perks, the Essential Pass is designed to offer great value with access to our attractions at a lower cost.
We thank you once again and aprreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Kind regards,
The food was absolutely terrible
The food was absolutely terrible, we went to the pizza buffet which used to be similar to the buffet you get at Pizza Hut however they have lowered the quality and changed the drinks from being refillable fizzy drinks like Diet Coke to only being Squash, with no water available. My eldest child couldn't face any of the food and picked arround it where they normally would have eaten a lot more
July 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're very sorry to hear that your recent visit didn't meet your expectations.
It is disappointing to learn that you felt the quality of the food had declined and that the buffet offering was not what you were expecting. We strive to provide the best possible experience for all of our guests, so we're sorry to hear that we fell short on this occasion.
Your feedback will be shared with the relevant team so that your concerns can be reviewed
We value your feedback and hope you'll consider giving us another opportunity to provide you with the experience you expect and we strive for..
Kind regards,
Expensive but the perks this year are…
Expensive but the perks this year are much better, appreciate the free fast-track per visit, which helps as the queues are just ridiculous!!
June 30, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Chris,
Thank you for sharing your feedback
I'm so pleased to hear that you're enjoying the perks that come with the Platinum Pass! We're always reviewing our products to see how we can make your experience even better, so it's fantastic to hear you're making the most of the benefits, especially the one-shot Fastrack. We can't wait to welcome you back for more amazing days out!
Kind regards,
I have had a pass for a number of years…
I have had a pass for a number of years and moved from discovery pass to gold this year. I enjoy the Merlin parks and other attractions so I get lots of use out of my pass. That said this year I have been very underwhelmed with the theme parks especially. Operations and reliability are appalling and it is only highlighted further when visiting other theme parks who has mastered this. I visited Thorpe Park on a day operations were so poor, people were offered a return ticket - but no refund, apology or perk for Merlin pass holders!
Food is cheap quality and expensive. Also, ride access and fast tracks queues are poorly managed making the whole experience disappointing. It's a difficult balance as I want to support Merlin and the parks but honestly, I'm debating whether to renew my pass based after this year.
May 25, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Luke,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us.
I am pleased to hear that you have been a Merlin Annual Pass holder for many years and have enjoyed visiting so many of our attractions, making the most of your membership. However, I am sorry to learn how you have been feeling about your recent experiences.
We appreciate that it can be frustrating when unexpected circumstances result in delays or temporary ride closures. Please be assured that these decisions are never made lightly. The health and safety of our guests is always of the up most priority, and where necessary, we take the appropriate action to ensure everyone remains safe.
We also understand that a day out can be a significant expense, particularly for families, and we recognise that prices have increased over the years. Like many attractions, we regularly review our pricing to reflect the costs of operating our attractions. We also continually review the food and beverage options available across our attractions to ensure there is a range of choices to suit as many guests and budgets as possible, while maintaining the quality our guests expect. This is one of the reasons why discounts at our food and beverage outlets are included with two of our Annual Pass memberships, a benefit that many of our passholders greatly value.
Our teams work hard to manage all queues as effectively as possible, including Ride Access Pass and Fastrack queues, to help provide a smooth and enjoyable experience for all guests. Therefore, I am disappointed to hear that this was not reflected during your recent visits.
We do hope you continue your membership with us for the future and please feel free to call us on 01372 751411 Monday-Friday 9am-4pm to discuss your feedback further.
Kind regards,
Merlin used to be great
Merlin used to be great, but its really gone further and further down hill in recent years.
June 1, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Stuart,
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
We're sorry to hear you feel this way. We're continually working to improve our attractions and provide experiences that appeal to as many guests as possible. therefore this also means we're always working behind the scenes to introduce new and exciting additions, alongside maintaining and improving the experiences our guests already have.
Please may I ask you contact us at info@merlinannualpass.co.uk if you would like to discuss your feedback in further detail.
Thank you once again for sharing your feedback.
Kind regards,
Extremely good vaule for money!
I received a free Merlin pass when booking a short break at one of their attractions (Chessington.) It has been so easy to use, the booking system is really easy to navigate. On a trip to London recently for half term we visited London Eye (twice, my kids loved it) London Dungeons, Aquarium, Shrek Adventure and Madame Tussauds. All included in the pass, all brilliant! In the summer we are planning on doing Chessington again and Legoland and Alton Towers. What an amazing cost saving! Highly recommend.
May 25, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Amy,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback. We are delighted to hear that you were able to take advantage of the offer that included Merlin Passes with your hotel stay. It is fantastic to know that you have already made such great use of your pass in a short period of time
We hope you had a lovely stay at Chessington and look forward to you continuing to enjoy your pass across all of our attractions throughout the year.
Kind regards,
We had a great time at Alton Towers…
We had a great time at Alton Towers recently and before at Chessington World of Adventures. We all loved rides like ‘The Wicker Man’ and my son and I loved Galactica and Nemesis all at Alton Towers. We also loved the golf. The only downsides were the food which was overpriced and not great.
More attention to floral displays for us oldies, particularly around the main entrance area and picnic areas would be a welcome addition.
Chessington’s Jumanji rides up the game for older children and adults.
June 14, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Simon,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear that you and your family had such a great time with us and enjoyed your most recent visits to Alton Towers & Chessington. We're glad you love Wicker Man, Galactica and Nemesis, as well as the golf experience as much as we do!
We appreciate your comments regarding the food offerings and pricing, and we'll ensure your feedback is shared with the relevant teams. We also value your feedback about our garden areas as we know these details can make a real difference.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Kind regards,
Totally worth it
This is excellent way to enjoy all Merlin experiences especially if you live in around london . It’s bargain priced pass to explore all amazing adventures. Totally worth it. Try to get it on Black Friday deal to get some more discounts
June 21, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Sagarsinh,
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
It is wonderful to hear how much enjoyment you have had from your passes and we're so pleased that you have found excellent value for money in your Merlin Pass
We can't wait to welcome you back to one of our attractions soon to continue making more magical memories.
Kind regards,
Another great day as a family at Thorpe…
Another great day as a family at Thorpe park
June 13, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi John,
Thank you so much for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that you're making the most of your Merlin Pass and enjoying so many fantastic family days out.
We look forward to welcoming you back again soon and helping you create even more magical memories together!
Kind regards,
Loving our annual pass
Loving our annual pass! Great value for money and saved loads just from food and parking!
June 15, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Shanara,
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
It’s wonderful to hear that you’ve been getting so much enjoyment and value from your pass so far. We’re delighted that the benefits of being a Gold/Platinum Passholder are suiting you, and we’re proud to be able to offer these exclusive benefits to our guests.
We can’t wait to welcome you back to one of our attractions soon!
Kind regards,
Really easy to book from start to finish!!
Really easy to book events & days out. We've only had our passes for a couple of months & already used them to visit all the london attractions & 3 different Sea Life Centres. It's paid for itself already!!
We have an upcoming short trip to alton towers & have found the booking experience very smooth right from the start. I recently spoke to the help centre & a lovely lady named Kelly answered all my questions very efficiently & booked our table for breakfast while I was on the phone. Really kind & helpful
April 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. It’s wonderful to hear how much enjoyment you’re getting from your pass and that you consider it great value for money.
We’re delighted that you’ve found the booking system easy to use. that’s always the goal, so it’s great to know it’s working well for you.
It’s also lovely to hear that you had such a positive experience. I’ll be sure to pass your kind comments on to Kelly, who will be delighted to receive your feedback.
We look forward to welcoming you to Alton Towers Resort for your next visit soon.
Kind regards,
Great value if you like going out and about in the UK.
This pass is great if you have children and love travelling around the UK. We used it recently on a trip to Birmingham and visited Cadbury World, Legoland Discovery Centre, Sealife and Alton Towers.
Easy to book attractions.
So far this year we have been to the above plus Chessington, Legoland, Thorpe Park and Sealife Great Yarmouth.
We plan to use in the summer on a trip to London. It has saved us a lot of money.
May 28, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. I'm so pleased to hear that you and your family are making the most of your Merlin passes, and it's amazing how many attractions you've managed to visit this year.
We hope you continue creating unforgettable memories with your family, and we look forward to welcoming you to our London attractions this summer.
Kind regards,
Very easy to use the website and easy…
Very easy to use the website and easy to book.
June 14, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Ciaicovschi,
Thank you for your feedback,.
We’re pleased to hear that you have found the booking system easy to use and the website easy to navigate. That is always our goal, so it is great to know it is working well for you.
We look forward to welcoming you to one of our attractions soon!
Kind regards,
Reply from Merlin Annual Pass
Hi Mr Tailor,
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
It is lovely to hear how much you are enjoying your Merlin Pass, and we are very pleased that you are able to make good use of it. We hope this continues, and we look forward to welcoming you back to one of our attractions soon.
Kind regards,
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