The savvy shopper snagged £556 of Merlin passes completely free, offering family access to attractions around the UK in time for school holidays
With February half-term here, for many families the challenge is finding ways to keep the kids entertained without blowing the budget. A brilliant new offer has just launched that could give see fun lovers enjoying unlimited days out for the rest of the year – for absolutely nothing.
Merlin Entertainments, the powerhouse behind major UK attractions such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, Warwick Castle and Legoland Windsor, launched their ‘Stay for a night, play for a year’ promotion last week and fans are already racking up savings.
Families who book a short break this February for selected spring dates will receive a free Essential Merlin Annual Pass for every member, giving them unlimited entry to Merlin’s attractions for an entire year. These include some of the UK’s best-loved days out at Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington, Legoland Windsor and more.
One savvy mum has already made the most of the money saving deal by securing a whopping £556 worth of Merlin passes with her £526 stay and saving £214 on half term days out booked with the freebie. Mum-of-two Narin Flanders booked a return trip to the Woodland Lodges at Legoland for later this spring, after a hugely successful visit with her eight- and ten-year-olds last summer.
She said: “With half-term looming, I’d already been looking for ideas to break up the week for the kids, so when this deal popped up on my socials it was a complete no-brainer – we haven’t even gone on our stay yet and it’s already saving us a fortune.”
Turn one short break into a year of fun with a free £139 annual pass
Hotel prices vary
Merlin Entertainments
See the deal
Book a short break at Alton Towers and other selected Merlin resorts by March 1, for stays between March 20 and June 26, 2026 and receive a Merlin Essential Annual Pass for each guest, granting access to over 20 top UK attractions for a year.
Narin explained “We booked the Legoland Lodges, which were brilliant for children and grown-ups alike last time – a sort of brick-themed Centre Parcs feel, loads of outdoor play areas and a terrace where my husband and I could sit with a drink while the kids played after we’d finished in the park.”
The cost-conscious mum paid £526.01 for a Saturday in April, including park access on both days of the stay and breakfast on the Sunday morning. She said: “I was really impressed because not only do we get four Merlin Essential Passes included – which would normally cost £139 each, totalling £556, so technically more than the stay itself – but we can activate the passes any time up to and including the first day of our visit.”
Eager to get out and about during the February half term, Narin continued: “We’re planning to start them this week and book the London Eye and Warwick Castle while the kids are off. Those would have cost £126 and £88 for a family of four, so we’re already saving a substantial amount.
“Legoland is our kids’ absolute favourite UK theme park, but now they’re nine and eleven it’s a great opportunity to try new places. We want to visit Chessington, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers this year – and we’re all excited for the new Bluey Grannies ride at CBeebies Land. No one in our house has grown out of Bluey!
“As for us grown-ups, my husband and I are desperate to try Hyperia – the UK’s biggest rollercoaster – which opened at Thorpe Park in 2024 after our last visit. We’ll be leaving the kids off that one though.”
Families hoping to take advantage of the deal in similar fashion should look for the “Merlin Pass Included” banner next to the hotel name at the time of booking. Reservations must be made by March 1, and each Annual Pass is emailed immediately upon booking, offering 339 days of excitement and adventure.
Eligible stays and dates for the promotion include:
Visitors can also bag some serious extras depending on where they book, with everything from themed rooms to free breakfast up for grabs. If you stay over at selected resorts, you’ll even get two full days of theme park thrills thrown in for the price of one.
The perks don’t stop at the rollercoasters, either. Lucky guests can tee off at Alton Towers’ 9-hole golf course or come face-to-face with sharks at Chessington’s SEA LIFE Centre.
Plus, the Essential Merlin Annual Pass opens the doors to the UK’s biggest attractions all year round. It includes Cadbury World, Shrek’s Adventure! London, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and the spooky London Dungeon.
Each pass is valid for a full 12 months. While there are a handful of blackout dates to watch out for, the ‘VIP’ treatment also includes a host of other perks.
Pass holders can save 10% off Fastrack passes to dodge queues. They can also enjoy a 10% discount on food and drink, making a mid-afternoon ice cream or burger a bit easier on the wallet.
The pass can be activated before the hotel stay, allowing immediate access to other attractions. Booking now even makes it possible to use the pass during the February half-term weekdays.
Individually, Merlin Essential Passes would normally cost £139 per person, totalling £556 for a family of four. This makes the package a far smarter option for those already planning to visit the parks.
Families looking for other ways to save money on days out during the half-term and beyond could consider Wowcher, where offers currently include 47% off entry to Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo with day prices from £39 or 42% off a choice of family tickets to Howletts Wild Animal Park.
Elsewhere, Buyagift has money off a range of half-term experiences, including an English Heritage Pass for Two or an extra 19% off tickets to Port Lympne Reserve with Truck Safari and Afternoon Tea for Two.
Fun lovers who are already enjoying the benefits of being Merlin Pass members have shared their thoughts on Trustpilot. One pass holder said: “Best thing I ever did getting a gold pass. Saved over £1,000 on day trips in 9 months. I will 100% renew.”
Another added: “We have only had the passes a couple of month but what a couple of months its been, we’ve been to Legoland, Cadbury World and Warwick Castle. We have loved every minute of making memories and can’t wait to make plenty more.”
A third said: “Absolutely fantastic value for money, thank you for a year of adventures as a SEND family, we are so grateful for the opportunities the pass gives our family.”
Some reviewers were less impressed, however, with one three-star review noting: “I don’t like the fact that Annual pass holders have to pre-book tickets when you have paid so much money for the passes.”
Many users remain happy with their membership, with another five-star review exclaiming: “We’ve been Merlin Annual Pass holders since 2018, and we absolutely love it. The pass has been an amazing value for our family – we use it regularly, and it’s saved us so much money over the years. There’s always something fun to do, from theme parks to attractions across the UK, and it never gets boring.”
The Merlin Annual Pass gives access to 29 locations across the UK, from major theme parks to local SEA LIFE centres. Here is the full list of attractions you can visit:
- Alton Towers Resort
- Chessington World of Adventures Resort
- LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
- The London Eye
- Thorpe Park Resort
- 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
- SEA LIFE Bray
- Warwick Castle
- The Blackpool Tower
- Madame Tussauds London
- Madame Tussauds Blackpool
- Shrek’s Adventure! London
- LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham
- LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester
- The London Dungeon
- The Blackpool Tower Dungeon
- The York Dungeon
- The Edinburgh Dungeon
- The Bear Grylls Adventure
- Peter Rabbit: Explore and Play
Terms and conditions apply, as well as selected exclusion. Find out more here.
