Screaming Coasters said:
After paying 150 quid, or the renewal of 100, yer, it is.
I can get a Disney annual pass for cheaper and use it during these periods.
As much as you defend the terms Mark, they're wrong. Merlin are morally corrupt, especially in this economic downturn. When things pick up, ok, it may not hit so hard but right now, Merlin give us a break.
Errr, the Halloween Party at Disney Orlando is not covered by the annual pass actually; you just get a discount. I don't know if it is in Paris, but it's irrelevent because the Halloween Party there was absolutely awful, as we found out last year! Paid £17 each to basically have rides in the Fantastyland area open. The rest of the park was closed. That was it. Very little food places open and the parade they were apparently putting on turned out to be the same float that went up and down main street every 30 minutes, all day!
I am not sure if the Universal Group, or Busch cover the Halloween stuff in their annual pass. I would be interested to know though...
As far as I am aware they had block out dates on the Universal Pass but they have lifted this rule this year (if you have a resident annual pass which is for the locals!).
EDIT: Marc has just looked it up for me and for Universal, you can buy a standard annual pass for $149 plus tax, but that does have blocked out dates and doesnt include free parking. To get the premier pass which has no block out dates and therefore can be used for Halloween events is $289 which is £180. But they themselves charge extra for the privelage, which is no different from charging an on the night fee.
Since it is Merlins Annual Pass Erol, they can stipulate the rules however they deem fit. The terms and conditions are quite clearly laid out and if you don't like them; Don't buy the pass. When push comes to shove, the pass is still good value considering the fact you only have to use it 5 times in a year and you've made your money back (and some extra if you've used it for discounts). This minimal charge is nothing compared to what other parks and attractions charge for their special events. People are just bitching because it is Merlin.
There is nothing Morally corrupt about it at all, when you place it in comparison with all the other companies that also do the exact same thing. Everyone knows my thoughts on Merlin and the way they do a lot of things, but I'm sorry Erol, on this one I disagree.
In this economic downturn it may be worth bearing in mind that these events are not cheap to put on, the bill for the actors is huge straight away. That is without considering anything else they put on. They are claiming this year will be bigger then ever and therefore this year some of the cost is being passed on. Even large companies have to be aware of the economic downturn and therefore as a business will look to cut costs or make a little extra wherever they can to ensure their survival. This applies to ALL businesses, not just Merlin!
I don't have an annual pass and therefore I will have to buy both a ticket and the extra fee or I don't go... simple as! If people don't want to pay the extra fee then don't go, no one is holding up a gun to the head and forcing anyone to go...
Also, consider the fact that a very large majority of people who are pass holders get them from Tesco points which effectively means the pass is free anyway. Either way you have to get food shopping and therefore Tesco reward you for choosing them to shop with.
Above all, introducing a charge may go a little way to easing off visitor numbers a little bit, as the last two years have just been simply ridiculous! At least this way it may discourage a few people from going and make the park just a little bit better for the rest of us.
