Updated: 23rd March 2020 at 14:20
Further to recent updates from the Government on the response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, we have taken the very difficult decision to close all of our attractions. While we have been looking forward to welcoming Passholders this Spring, we believe that this decision is the right thing to protect the health and wellbeing of our employees and guests.
We want to reassure all Merlin Annual Passholders that we will be extending Passes and for our Passholders on our Merlin Membership, we will be suspending monthly payments, to account for the closures.
Please review the FAQs below to find out more and who to contact if you need further assistance.
Questions relating to Merlin Annual Pass
Q: I’ve bought a Merlin Annual Pass gift voucher. Will the validity of this be extended?
A: If you have purchased a Merlin Annual Pass gift voucher, please email info@merlinannualpass.co.uk for further information. Our customer service team will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.
Q: My Merlin Annual Pass(es) were recently due for renewal. I’ve renewed them online and am due to collect from an attraction within 8 weeks. With the recent events of COVID-19, I can’t travel to an attraction as they are closed. Will I lose out on my renewal rate / get a refund?
A: If you have already renewed your Merlin Annual Passes, you have until 30th September 2020 to collect your Merlin Annual Passes from an attraction. We won’t be offering refunds on Passes already purchased. Your 12 months on your Merlin Annual Pass will start from the date that you collect it. We will be reviewing this in the coming months in line with Government advice about COVID-19.
Q: My Merlin Annual Pass(es) are due for renewal. I need to renew online or at an attraction within the next 8 weeks. With COVID-19, I’m not able to visit an attraction to collect my Merlin Annual Passes as they are closed. Is it possible to extend my renewal rate offer?
A: If you are due for renewal, as per the terms and conditions you have 8 weeks to take advantage of the renewal rate – as our attractions are closed you will need to renew online at https://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/compare-passes/renewal-passes. You will have until 30th September 2020 to collect your Merlin Annual Passes from an attraction. Your 12 months on your Merlin Annual Pass will start from the date that you collect it. We will be reviewing this in the coming months in line with Government advice about COVID-19.
Q: Now that your attractions have closed, I’m not able to use my Merlin Annual Pass. I’ve already paid upfront for the year. Can I have a refund?
A: As our attractions are closed, we will be extending your Merlin Annual Passes to account for the period of time that our attractions are closed. We’ll be taking care of this for you, so there’s no need to get in touch with our customer service team. Your existing Passes will be automatically extended in our ticketing system – so once our attractions reopen, your Passes will scan as normal at the ticket barriers. You are not required to have your Merlin Annual Pass cards reprinted. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer refunds to customers who have paid for the Merlin Annual Pass as this is a non-refundable product (see clause 6 in our terms and conditions www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/terms).
Q: You’ve agreed to add free months to my Merlin Annual Pass. How many free months will I receive?
A: The number of months added to your Merlin Annual Passes will be based on the duration of the attraction closures.
For example:
- We will add 1 month extra for a 2 – 4 week closure
- We will add 2 months extra for a 5 – 8 week closure
- We will add 3 months extra for a 9 – 12 week closure
You do not need to contact our customer service team to get the extra months added to your Pass(es).
Q: My Merlin Annual Pass expires whilst your attractions are closed. Will you be extending my Pass?
A: Yes, we will be extending your Pass if it expires during the period that our attractions are closed – as we recognise that you have not been able to take advantage of the last few weeks of your Pass(es).
- If your Pass expires in the next 2 – 4 weeks, we will automatically add 1 month extra from when we reopen our UK attractions
- If your Pass expires in the next 4 – 8 weeks, we will automatically add 2 months extra from when we reopen our UK attractions
- If your Pass expires in the next 9 – 12 weeks, we will automatically add 3 months extra from when we reopen our UK attractions
You do not need to contact our customer service team to ensure your Pass(es) will be revalidated.
Q: I’ve renewed my Merlin Annual Pass or bought a new Merlin Annual Pass within the last 14 days. Can you offer a refund if I haven’t visited anywhere?
A: If you have renewed, you will have until 30th September 2020 to collect. If you have just purchased a new Merlin Annual Pass, we’ll be extending the validity to account for the period of time that the attractions are closed.
Q: I have a Merlin Annual Pass. I have an underlying health condition. Please can I freeze my Merlin Annual Pass?
A: We understand this is a very uncertain time, especially for those aged 70 or over and for those with underlying health conditions. To protect our customers and our staff members, Merlin Entertainments has taken the decision to close its attractions. If you have a Merlin Annual Pass, we will be automatically extending your Pass(es) for the duration of time that our attractions are closed.
Questions relating to Merlin Monthly Membership
Q: Now that all your attractions have closed, I’m not able to use my Merlin Membership. Can I cancel my Membership?
A: As our attractions are closed we will be ensuring our Merlin Members are not paying monthly for the period of time that our attractions are closed. We will be automatically freezing your Membership from the 1st April and payments will be suspended until our attractions re-open. Unfortunately as this is a 12-month contract we’re unable to cancel your Membership (see clause 27.2 in our terms and conditions https://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/information/membershipterms)
Q: I have a Merlin Monthly Membership. I have an underlying health condition. Please can I freeze my Membership?
A: We take the health and safety of our Passholders very seriously. We’ll be suspending payments for the duration of time that our attractions are closed. Due to the nature of our Membership product, we’re unable to freeze Memberships on a case-by-case basis – however, we will be pausing payments for all of our Members whilst the attractions are closed.
Q: I can’t currently purchase a Merlin Monthly Membership. When will this be available?
A: We’ve taken the decision to pause sales for our Merlin Monthly Membership whilst we temporarily suspend our existing members’ monthly payments. Once our attractions reopen, Membership will go back on sale again.
Q: Why are you pausing sales on Merlin Monthly Membership but not Merlin Annual Passes?
A: Our Membership product begins from the moment that you complete your purchase, so we have removed the Membership product from sale temporarily. We are focussing our efforts on ensuring that existing Merlin Members accounts are paused whilst our attractions are closed. Once the attractions reopen, we will be reviewing this.
Q: My payment for Merlin Monthly Membership has come out since your attractions started to close. Will I get a refund for this payment?
A: Unfortunately in this fast moving situation we’re unable to refund payments already taken during March and suspend payments for the rest of March. The payment for March is to cover your access to the attractions which were open during this month.
Many of our attractions have been open during March, including Shrek’s Adventure!, SEA LIFE, Dungeons, London Eye, Madame Tussauds, Chessington Zoo and our LEGOLAND Discovery Centres.
We understand that you’ve not been able to access our attractions for the remaining 12 days of March. So, to recognise your loyalty, we are offering a generous compensation package (in the form of pausing payments) for the period that our attractions are temporarily closed.
Please be assured that monthly payments will be suspended from 1st April.
- If we are closed for 2 – 4 weeks, you will not be charged for April’s payment (1 month’s payment)
- If we are closed for 5 – 8 weeks, you will not be charged for April and May’s payment (2 months’ payments)
- If we are closed for 9 – 12 weeks, you will not be charged for April, May and June’s payment (3 months’ payments)
For example, if our attractions are closed for a 5 week period (21st March - 25th April), no payments will be taken for April and May.
Questions relating to Merlin Attractions
Q: I have already booked my Share the Fun vouchers, but your attractions are now closed. Will I get new Share the Fun vouchers?
We will not be issuing new Share the Fun vouchers, however, if you have booked and paid for a ticket to visit between 20th March and 25th April 2020, your ticket will be valid for use on any date up to and including 31st December 2020. Please note, for our Resort Theme Parks (Thorpe Park, LEGOLAND Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers) tickets can only be revalidated to a date within the standard operating calendar and tickets are not valid on special events including Halloween and Christmas.
No action is required and you do not need to contact us to arrange your future visit, simply arrive at the attraction and present your booking confirmation and tickets at our admissions kiosks and the team will provide you with a valid entry ticket for that day.
We will review the situation in due course to decide whether to extend this approach beyond 25th April 2020.
Q: I’ve booked a short break through Merlin Holiday Club. Will I receive a refund / option to book at a later date?
Please get in touch with the attraction that you’re due to stay at as they’ll be able to advise further on this. Details can be found on their websites.
Q: What if the attractions are not able to open for several months. What will happen to my Merlin Annual Pass / Merlin Monthly Membership?
The plans we’ve put into place – to pause monthly payments and extend Merlin Annual Passes - will continue until our attractions reopen. We will continue to monitor advice from the Government over the coming weeks.
Q: I’ve got a question about something else e.g. V.I.P experiences, DigiPasses etc. Who should I contact?
If you are enquiring about a product or service provided by one of our attractions, please contact the attraction – details can be found on their websites. If you have an enquiry about the DigiPass product, please contact Picsolve directly https://www.picsolve.com/#/guest-services/siteSelect
Q: Why are our attraction and hotels closed?
A: The decision to attractions temporarily is based on the latest guidance from the Government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Q: When will attractions reopen?
A: Our attractions will remain closed until further notice. We are in contact with the relevant authorities and will work to reopen our attractions to Passholders as soon as it’s appropriate to do so. Our attractions will be contacting guests with bookings to stay at ours Resort between today (19th March 2020) and 25th April to advise them on how to rearrange or cancel their bookings.
Q: I have a hotel booking when the Resort is closed – what can I do?
A: If your booking is [between 19th March and 25th April], you will be contacted via email by our short breaks team. You can also use the Manage My Booking area of the attractions short breaks website to cancel your booking and receive a refund, or to choose a voucher to be used to rebook at a later date during the 2020 season. Information on how to do this will be set out in the email from our team.
If the closure extends beyond 25th April, then any bookings for arrival whilst our Resorts are closed will be contacted in due course and will be subject to the same process.
If you wish to move your booking, please call our short breaks team, contact details can be found on your booking confirmation.
If the closure extends beyond 25th April, then any bookings for arrival whilst the park is closed will be contacted in due course and will be subject to the same process.
Q: I have a short break booked later in the year but I no longer want to visit, can I get a refund?
A: Any short breaks bookings for stays beyond 25th April 2020 will, at this time, be subject to regular terms and conditions, if you wish to cancel, you will be subject to cancellation charges as per the terms & conditions. If you purchased the cancellation protection, you can cancel and receive a full refund for the cost of your booking, excluding the cost of the cancellation protection. You can move your booking to another date, if you wish to move your stay, please contact our Short Breaks team using the contact information located on your booking confirmation.
Q: What about if my booking is after 25th April?
A: Please understand that we are prioritising guests with bookings in the next few weeks. Any short breaks bookings for stays beyond 25th April 2020 will, at this time, be subject to regular terms and conditions, if you wish to cancel, you will be subject to cancellation charges as per the terms & conditions. If you purchased the cancellation protection, you can cancel and receive a full refund for the cost of your booking, excluding the cost of the cancellation protection. You can move your booking to another date, if you wish to move your stay, please contact our Short Breaks team using the contact information located on your booking confirmation.
Q: I have a short break book during the closed period, I don’t want to change dates, can I get a refund?
A: If your booking is during the period when the resort is closed, you will be contacted via email from our short breaks team. You can also use the 'Manage My Booking' area of the attractions short breaks website to cancel your booking and receive a refund, or to choose a voucher to be used to rebook at a later date during the 2020 season. Please refer to your booking confirmation for contact details for our short breaks team.
Q: I didn’t buy cancellation protection with my short break booking what does this mean?
A: If your booking is during the period when the resort is closed, you will be contacted via email by our short breaks team. You can use the Manage My Booking area of the short breaks website to cancel your stay and receive a refund or choose a voucher to be used to book a future break during our 2020 season. Information on how to do this will be set out in the email from our team.
Any short breaks bookings for stays beyond 25th April 2020 will, at this time, be subject to regular terms and conditions, if you wish to cancel, you will be subject to cancellation charges as per the terms & conditions. If you purchased the cancellation protection, you can cancel and receive a full refund for the cost of your booking, excluding the cost of the cancellation protection. You can move your booking to another date, if you wish to move your stay, please contact our short breaks team using the contact information located on your booking confirmation.
Q: I’ve booked a short break and the Hotels are open but the theme park is closed, what are my options?
A: If your booking is between 19th March and 25th April, you will be contacted via email by our short breaks team. You can also use the Manage My Booking area of the attractions short breaks website to cancel your booking and receive a refund, or to choose a voucher to be used to rebook at a later date during the 2020 season. Information on how to do this will be set out in the email from our team.
If the closure extends beyond 25th April, then any bookings for arrival whilst the park is closed will be contacted in due course and will be subject to the same process.
If you wish to move your booking, please call our short breaks team, contact details can be found on your booking confirmation.
Any short breaks bookings for stays beyond 25th April 2020 will, at this time, be subject to regular terms and conditions, if you wish to cancel, you will be subject to cancellation charges as per the terms & conditions. If you purchased the cancellation protection, you can cancel and receive a full refund for the cost of your booking, excluding the cost of the cancellation protection. You can move your booking to another date, if you wish to move your stay, please contact our short breaks team using the contact information located on your booking confirmation.
Q: I have a query about a specific item at an attraction, who should I contact?
A: Please contact the relevant attraction who will be able to help you.