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Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass holders

marc said:
... but if you are a pass holder at Disney, Universal or stay in their hotels parking is free
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Not quite true - Disney presumably give you free park-parking when you stay at their hotels (if I'm interpreting you correctly?), but Universal don't; in fact I had to pay $15/day parking at my Universal hotel which was a bit annoying!
 
Thats really bad David. Just read it again and you need to be a pass holder there not just a hotel guest. Well Merlin and Blackstone partners so that explains that.

At the moment pass holders at Sea World and Busch get free parking, bet that will change as well.

Disney only charge if you want someone to park the car for you.
 
I haven't had chance to post on here yet, but what I will say is, it's a farce that they are doing this.

There is no need to charge pass holders for parking.
 
Most US parks don't give free parking if you're a regular season pass holder. You have to dish out for their equivalents of premium passes, so Merlin isn't really doing anything different.

I don't have an issue with that concept per-se, but it's the cost of the passes that's a joke. If you're going to deny visiting certain attractions in certain months and charge for parking, then the standard pass should be NO where near the £150 mark. The standard pass should at least have discount parking.

Merlin have actually made their passes cheaper this year to encourage people to overlook the free parking of the 2010 pass. If anyone wants that free parking, they might wanna buy a new pass before the 4th of January. See here for more details. http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/what_ ... prices.asp
 
^ That's a good point about the American parks Joey. Six Flags and Universal in California were doing a 'buy a ticket for a day get a season pass' deal last time we visited. If you do that then you can't really winge about the extra money for parking.

I think it's the clubcard vouchers that are doing it. For example, if you buy one, you may think well, I might as well buy a premium one now because it may work out better (obviously depending on each indsividuals' circumstance). With clubcard vouchers, you can only have a standard annual pass, and since you are getting the pass for 'free' people will presumably feel less annoyed about the parking charges than those who have paid £150 for one.

I know, this is the trend in America, but can you remember the fuss when Alton first introduced a parking charge? When people are told a trend will change and have a negative impact upon them, there's bound to be uproar.

But that's my view. I propose less 'bonuses' for the standard, more for the premium, and only the standard will ever be available with clubcard vouchers. If it's considered free, you can't complain.
 
Chessie have gone exceptionally random with their parking charge...

From 17th July parking will be charged at £1 per car at Chessington. 
Paid parking has been introduced to bring Chessington World Of Adventures Resort inline with the other Merlin Theme parks. It is also a great opportunity for re-investment to improve the infrastructure of the Car Parks.
Each vehicle parking in our car parks requires a daily parking ticket. There are no exceptions apart from Chessington Annual Pass holders, Merlin pass holders, cars with a guest with a disability, taxis, buses and bicycles. Guests can purchase their tickets at the ticket booths or Guest Services. If guests forget, they can obtain a ticket from a machine in the last chance lay-by on exiting the park. Annual pass holders use their current passes.
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Just the date makes little sense to me, as does the pricing... A quid is random when everything else started at 2 quid...


EDIT - Here's the link btw - http://www.chessingtonholidays.co.uk/faqs.html
 
I've had enough of these rumours!

If they're true Merlin are full of **** !

But, I'm sending them a letter requesting a FULL table of EVERYTHING they will be charging for at EVERY attraction for passholders in the 2011 season!

Hope they'll write back soon!
 
Well, I got in contact with them about the Blackpool attractions. You can get in them with any pass. Yay!
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

And Merlin's PR machine keeps rolling on regardless of reactions...

MAP Facebook said:
New Pass prices increase on Friday 20th May 2011, buy now and beat the increase! New prices will be added to our website tomorrow.

Renewals are FROZEN until 30th June 2011
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Hmmmmmmmmm...
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

Yay for more "I'm throwing my passes in the bin and never going to any of your parks again!" OUTRAGE on the facebook page.
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

Hahaha, yes, Gavin, the page is alive with that.

I'll continue to buy a pass because I'm a high-level user and I feel that I get value for money out of mine, especially with the free parking and 20% discount.

I just hope they say honestly and clearly why they are increasing it after the recent "pricing restructure".

They'll be plenty of bitching by the vocal minority as always, but most people will still buy one.
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

Tbh the way things are at the moment with the economy I am not shocked that they have to increase their prices. Its not like them to increase the price during the year though but we were hoping to get one just before GF with clubcard points so will have to see how much the increase it.

I really wish I could have got one this year as we cannot just pop to the parks to see people etc, when you dont have one you really end up missing it.

You can near enough get the cost of it back in one day but getting the pass in London, just visit all the attractions and you break even there and then.
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

I can't get too worked up about these increases, they are slightly less than I was expecting. If you think the pass was good value before, you should still think the same. If you think it was a ripoff before, then obviously you should still feel the same.

I'm sure many Standard holders are probably considering upgrading to a Premium next season having been effectively forced to by the changes in terms, conditions and restrictsions. I think it's what I'll be doing (I haven't decided as I'm not up until October, by which time I may not renew at all).

The premium pass seems worth it (don't confuse that with good value for money). This is only because when you compare it to today's Standard pass, and all of it's can't dos and don't includes. It's very much a case of Premium or nothing to most of us enthusiasts - particularly the drivers among us.
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

I still wish they would do a cheaper theme park only one but whatever :)
 
Re: Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass hol

Eh, price increases happen. As operating costs increase (taxes, employee wages, GASOLINE, etc.) so must the price of admittance.

For instance, over the course of my time of working at Cedar Point in 2009, ticket prices went up $2 over one season, for no real reason.
 
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