| Archive for RCCGB FORUM Message Board for Members of the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain to discuss club events and all things theme park related. |
| smiler |
Price increase for merlin passWell here it is guys the new renewal prices and prices for the passes next year. The main coast of the whole pass is £150 from January the 1st. The argument on here this time last year was is people getting value for money but when mine runs out ill post how much I have saved over the year and already its paid its self 3 times over.http://www.annual-pass.com/buy_now/prices.asp?css=1 |
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| Magic |
OUCH!!!!!!!!!! Another year without an UK based annual pass for me then. It's as if they are trying to price it out of reach of the common user. I very much doubt I'd make 7 visits to a UK Merlin attraction*. Other than 1 or 2 visits to Thorpe for Saw I can't justify the steep price. Compared to a Cedar Fair or Six Flags ticket Merlin are insane.
Based on paying the usual discounted price of £21 I get through work for the parks. |
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| coastergraham |
I cant agree more, but what I have seen on some forums would suggest that coaster fans seem ok with this. Which does us all no favours as if parks think people are happy with the huge price hikes then why not do the same every year? Granted the Merlin pass is great value if you work out how much you would pay on a day by day basis, but up against Cedar Fair and Six Flags it and the BPB pass especially are total rip offs. Next year I think I would just get the Alton Towers pass as I dont get to Thorpe park enough, have no interest in Chessington and Legoland to make it worth the while at £150. In just 2 years the annual pass for Merlin has risen by 90% compared to the old tussards pass, granted you get Legoland and Sea Life, but to me that is a very, very steep price hike in a short space of time. |
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| Magic |
But you no longer get entry to the European parks like, Parc Asterix, Europa Park, Heide Park, Gardaland. So gaining a few Sea Life centres isn't that big a deal. Given the current economy you'd think they'd want to encourage more season pass holders as it's more likely to generate repeat visits, where they'll profit from the secondary spend. I suspect all parks will see a decline in visitors next year as people forgo the luxuries, so an affordable season pass will help to keep visitor numbers up and help maintain profits. I have no doubt that visitor numbers have an important roll when it comes to negotiating sponsorship deals for rides etc. higher visitor numbers means justifying higher advertising deals. At the moment with advertising rates declining and companies looking to reduce over heads in areas such as marketing, companies are likely to drop ride sponsorship deals, especially if less people are getting to see that sponsorship. |
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| nemesis scribe |
£150 is a ridiculous price 
Unless you live around the corner from one of these parks and / or you have loads of time / cash to spare then its hard to benefit from this. Plus in this current economic climate i.e credit crunch / recession not many can afford the travel costs, eating at the park etc even if you DO have a pass. Then add the increase in cost over the years for the pass and the fact european parks are no longer then . . . meh . . . No thanks Merlin. |
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| Rogue |
I think that completely prices a lot of people out of buying the pass, bearing in mind we would need 2 passes thats £300 before we even consider food, travelling costs etc.
I don't think we have even spent that much this year with park visits, we have always had "buy one get one free" vouchers. Does anyone know if Tesco are still doing the annual pass through clubcard points and how many points it will be? |
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| simon08 |
just had a look at the new prices, there isnt any mention of £150 for the pass. prices I saw are
indivdual - 122.34 family - 367.04 disabled - 122.34 (includes carer pass) renewals are 97.87 293.64 97.87 unless they are changing the prices come the first of Jan.. |
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| Boozytwin1 |
What about just for Alton?? Do they do a season pass just for Alton?? | ||||
| sueysue |
Alton Towers annual pass is listed at £64.60 if you book online
http://www.altontowers.com/pages/offers/alton-towers-annual-pass Sue |
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| smiler |
The new £150 charge is from the 1st of Jan states on the home page on there wevsite somehwere. |
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| smiler |
Also on thorpe parks website to
http://www.thorpepark.com/ticket-annualpasses.php |
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| stevencaine |
That's well expensive i know we use it too death but £150 yes i will be renewing mine | ||||
| simon08 |
just read it on thorpes page that it will be £150 from the 1st Jan, theres no mention of the new renewal price though |
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| STEALTHYBUTBAD |
Last year my annual pass cost me just £25. I got it for that price as my mum and dad used the points from doing shopping at tescos. I have also been told u can use nectar card points too to get them so there are alternatives to spending out £150 for a year  . Before anyone says it - i know not everyone has tesco club point cards or clubcards or nectar cards i was just offering an alternative
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| coaster-andy |
Tescos vouchers is what I have for us but I still need to find the amount it is for Thomas which for £150 is a killer but if we want to get out as a family I have to have the season passes as it works out cheaper in the long run.
I do think that in our current clime of credit crunch here and there it is a lot of money. |
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| STEALTHYBUTBAD |
just been told by mum that the prices for the annual pass is £32 per pass - not sure if that helps anyone out. | ||||
| bluea61 |
The renewals are listed as £100 now. I think it is a lot of money, and would have thought they would have frozen prices rather than increase them. I wouldn't be suprised if a few more people decide not to renew. | ||||
| smiler |
After last years massive argument on here saying that the passes aint worth the money etc then I decided to write down over the year all the time I have used my pass:
Thorpe park X5 £160 Thorpe park x1 £22 London eye X 8 £120 London dungeons X5 £105 Madame tussauds X 7 £175 Alton towers X13 £455 Legoland X1 £34 Chessington X1 £32 Warwick castle X1 £15 Sea life centre Birmingham X2 £30 Sea life centre weymouth X 2 £30 London sea life X1 £13 Sea life centre Blackpool X1 £13 Sea life centre Brighton X1 £12 Splash landings Save £3 crazy golf (Weymouth owed by Merlin) £5 Alton towers Car park x12 (Dan drove one) £48 Warwick castle car park £4 So with all those parks and car park savings the total is £1276 then take away the season pass price £85 so in the end I saved £1191. Who says thats not a bargin. Even at this years £100 if I did the same this year then I will still save over £1000. |
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| Auntie Murial |
Now we need to delete your message smiler, just incase a spy from Merlin is reading this forum and decides to increase the price of the pass even more based on your findings lol 
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| Rogue |
The pass has been more than worth it for you than smiler | ||||
| smiler |
Its the same with Nat and Vicci who both got theres in November. They have done madame tussauds £25 London dungeons £21 Sea life £13 London eye £15 so nearly £75 already and the main season aint started yet so good value in my eyes. | ||||
| Steven Burns |
I do love you mate for persuading Vicci to buy an annual pass. I don`t know what you did mate but now she gone coaster crazy and wants to get the moneys worth out of the card. I`m well chuffed lol Plus saves her money and gives us cheap days out isn't it
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| Rogue |
He's on commission from Merlin for the amount of annual passes he sells to people, lol 
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| Auntie Murial |
LOL I was thinking the same thing
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| bluea61 |
I bought mine from Smiler!! |
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| smiler |
Shhhh dont tell everyone
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| nemesis scribe |
After saying i wasnt going to get one . . .i did . . .because of smiler haha. I was very happy with my *cough cough 're-newel' price cough cough* 
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