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Merlin slashes annual pass cost to £99 ahead of Easter school holidays
Daily mirror | March 2, 2026 10:39 AM CST

If you’re already wondering how to keep the kids entertained for the Easterholidays, as well as the looming six week school holidays, then this deal might help you out.

Merlin, who own over 20 UK attractions including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and LEGOLAND Windsor has slashed the cost of the Merlin Annual Pass, meaning familiescan now enjoy a year of theme park fun from just £99 per person.

The spring sale, which launched today and runs until March 29, offers discounts on Merlin’s three annual pass types.

The Essential Merlin Annual Pass is the cheapest option, with the price cut from £139 to £99 in the sale. This pass offers 339 days of unlimited entry to Merlin attractions, with some restrictions on bank holidays and summer weekends. An availability calendar shows which dates are restricted for certain passes.

The Gold pass, which includes extra perks such as free parkingand up to 20% off shops and restaurants in each of the attractions, has been cut from £239 to £189. There’s also a Platinum pass with no date restrictions, four Bring a Friend tickets a year, and a free one-shot Fastrack per visit. This usually costs £299 and is £249 in the spring sale.

You can also opt for a monthly membership, with the cost of a Gold membership reduced from £19.99 to £16.99 a month, and the Platinum level reduced from £24.99 to £20.99 monthly if you sign up during the sale period.

If your family are fans of a particular theme park, or you only plan to go to a local attraction, then some Merlin parks also offer their own annual passes. For example, Alton Towers' annual pass starts at just £64 a year, the same price as a yearly pass for Chessington World of Adventures. However, it's worth considering whether you want to limit yourself to one place or if you'd prefer to have lots of options for days out.

Tesco shoppers can also use Clubcard points to get into many Merlin attractions. For example, 50p worth of Clubcard vouchers can be exchanged for £1 to spend on Thorpe Park tickets. If you're a Blue Light Card holder there are also a number of theme park deals to be snapped up during the year, including Member Days where cardholders enjoy discounted entry, smaller crowds, and free parking.

Annual passholders will be able to enjoy new attractions in 2026 including Alton Towers’ Bluey The Ride: Here Come the Grannies, which opens March 28. Spring 2026 will also see the opening of the World of PAW Patrol in Chessington, while over in LEGOLAND® Windsor, the resort will have a year of celebrations to make its 30th anniversary.

If your family are fans of a particular theme park, or you only plan to go to a local attraction, then some Merlin parks also offer their own annual passes. For example, Alton Towers' annual pass starts at just £64 a year, the same price as a yearly pass for Chessington World of Adventures. However, it's worth considering whether you want to limit yourself to one place or if you'd prefer to have lots of options for days out.

Tesco shoppers can also use Clubcard points to get into many Merlin attractions. For example, 50p worth of Clubcard vouchers can be exchanged for £1 to spend on Thorpe Park tickets. If you're a Blue Light Card holder there are also a number of theme park deals to be snapped up during the year, including Member Days where cardholders enjoy discounted entry, smaller crowds, and free parking.

• Alton Towers reveals opening date for new Bluey ride in 2026 ahead of school holidays

• Quintessential English town is like stepping back in time

Full list of attractions where the Merlin Annual Pass can be used
  • Alton Towers Resort
  • Chessington World Of Adventures Resort
  • LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
  • The London Eye
  • Thorpe Park
  • SEA LIFE London
  • National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham
  • SEA LIFE Manchester
  • SEA LIFE Blackpool
  • SEA LIFE Brighton
  • SEA LIFE Weymouth Adventure Park
  • SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth
  • SEA LIFE Sanctuary Hunstanton
  • SEA LIFE Scarborough
  • SEA LIFE Loch Lomond
  • Warwick Castle
  • Madame Tussauds London
  • Shrek's Adventure! London
  • LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham
  • LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester
  • The London Dungeon
  • The York Dungeon
  • The Edinburgh Dungeon
  • Cadbury World

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