Merlin Discount Codes February 2026

1 Current Deal

For March to June stays

A stay costs from £62 per person and comes with a Merlin Pass that's normally £139

Entertainment company Merlin is running a ‘stay for a night, play for a year’ promotion at several of its theme parks and attractions.

What's the deal?

When you book an overnight stay at Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, Warwick Castle, Legoland or Alton Towers, you'll get an 'Essential' Merlin Annual Pass for free, giving you access to 20+ attractions for 12 months.

You'll need to book your overnight stay by 11.59pm on Sunday 1 March, and stay between March (exact start date depends on the attraction – see eligible dates below) and Sunday 26 June.

Merlin told us passes are digital, and can be activated at any point from the date of booking, but you will need to activate any passes before your stay, as it gives you access to the attraction.

Why's this a good deal?

The Essential Merlin Annual Pass normally costs £139, but we spotted overnight stays starting from £62 to £95 per person (based on four people in a room) depending on which attraction you book – all guests over the age of three get an annual pass. As an overnight stay can cost up to £77 less than the regular price of the Merlin Annual Pass, this is a great way to make a saving if you're planning to visit multiple Merlin attractions over a year.

How much do overnight stays cost and when do I need to go?

Below are the cheapest prices per person we spotted for each attraction, and the eligible stay dates. Weekdays are typically cheaper than weekends. Easter is included, but from what we've seen you'll likely pay more. For example, we spotted overnight Easter stays from £95 at Thorpe Park and £152 at Legoland.

Overnight stay prices & eligible dates

Attraction	Overnight stay price per person (based on four people)	Stay dates
Thorpe Park	From £62	27 March to 26 June
Chessington World of Adventures	From £72	20 March to 26 June
Warwick Castle	From £77	28 March to 26 June
Legoland	From £94	14 March to 26 June
Alton Towers	From £95	14 March to 26 June

MSE Hope says: "I found an overnight stay starting from £58 per person per night at Thorpe Park from Tuesday 28 to Wednesday 29 April. The catch? The theme park is closed on the Wednesday. However, with a Merlin Annual Pass, you can go back on most days (more on this later) in a 12-month period."

"If you do want a second day at the theme park, the next cheapest price I found was £62 per person on Monday 4 May to Tuesday 5 May – bear in mind though that prices can change. I found these prices on Tuesday 10 February and they're based on four people sharing – I looked for two adults and two children aged seven and 10."

"Overnight stays at Chessington World of Adventures are the next cheapest, starting from £72 per person. I found one at this price on Friday 24 April – although there were other dates at this price too."

What do you get with an overnight stay?

Each stay includes a night at a themed hotel, breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi, plus of course with this offer you also get the Merlin Annual Pass for each guest.

Individual attractions also include bespoke extras. For example, at Thorpe Park, guests get a one-hour fast track pass on their second day as well as 10% off snacks and merch at on-site shops. At Warwick Castle, it’s free evening entertainment for guests, and Legoland Windsor dishes out Lego for kids.

What does the Essential Merlin Annual Pass get me?

It includes entry to over 20 UK attractions, including:

Alton Towers Resort
The Legoland Windsor Resort
Chessington World of Adventures Resort
Thorpe Park
The London Eye
Madame Tussauds
The Dungeons
Warwick Castle
Shrek’s Adventure! London
Legoland Discovery Centre
Cadbury World

Entry is excluded for 25 days of the year, typically at popular times such as Christmas, bank holidays and select weekends that usually fall within school holidays, and doesn’t include free parking.

Who's this deal best for?

The deal is best for families with children who are older than three and taller than 90cm. This is because at most Merlin attractions kids under this height get free entry, which means you only need to pay for anyone taller than that height. If your child is under three and you book a break, they won't receive an Essential Merlin Annual Pass.

Normally, a full-price Essential Merlin Annual Pass is only cost-effective if you’re planning to visit five or more different attractions within a 12-month period. If you intend to visit just one of these attractions more than once in a 12-month period, you’re often better off buying a pass just for that attraction. And, if you’re only visiting an attraction once, purchasing a ticket in advanced online typically works out the cheapest.

Merlin has come under fire recently for changes to its ride access pass for disabled visitors, which you can read more about at this BBC News article. We're featuring the above deal as it's strong, and deals is what we focus on.

Check out our cheap theme park tickets round-up for more ways to save on attractions.

BOOK FOR THORPE PARK

Expired

Passes include entry to over 20 UK attractions

Entertainment company Merlin has reduced the price of two if its annual passes in its Black Friday sale, which is running until Sunday 21 December.

The Essential Merlin Annual Pass is currently on sale for £79, reduced from £139. The pass includes entry to over 20 UK attractions, including:

Alton Towers Resort
The Legoland Windsor Resort
Chessington World of Adventures Resort
Thorpe Park
The London Eye
Madame Tussauds
The Dungeons
Warwick Castle
Shrek’s Adventure! London
Legoland Discovery Centre
Cadbury World

Entry is excluded for 25 days of the year, typically at popular times like Christmas and the half-term holidays.

The pass is only cost-effective if you’re planning to visit three or more different attractions within a 12-month period. However, if you’re planning to visit just one of these attractions more than once in a 12-month period, you’re better off buying an individual annual pass.

If you’re only planning to visit one attraction, you’re better off buying tickets in advance online. We’ve rounded up deals, vouchers and cheap tickets for UK theme parks, including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, and Legoland Windsor, so you can save on entry fees.

Attraction	At the gate price (one-day ticket)	Online in advance price	Individual Annual Pass	Merlin Annual Pass - Essential
Alton Towers Resort	£68	From £34	£64	£79, ~~£139~~
Legoland Windsor	£68	From £34	£64	£79, ~~£139~~
Chessington World of Adventures Resort	£66	From £34	£64	£79, ~~£139~~
Thorpe Park	£66	From £33	£64	£79, ~~£139~~
The London Eye	£39	£29	-	£79, ~~£139~~
Madame Tussauds	£39	£29	-	£79, ~~£139~~
Warwick Castle	£39	From £22	£44	£79, ~~£139~~
Cadbury World	£28	From £19	-	£79, ~~£139~~

The Gold Merlin Annual Pass is currently on sale for £199, reduced from £239. Entry is covered on 364 days of the year but excludes entry to special events like the Alton Towers Fireworks.

Gold pass holders can also get free parking, 'up to 20% off' breaks, 20% off in shops and restaurants, 10% off fast track/reserve and ride passes, 20% off VIP experiences and 50% off discounted tickets for friends and family.

The Platinum Merlin Annual Pass, which costs £299, has not gone into the Black Friday sale.

All passes and entry tickets are only required for guests who are taller than 90cm.

Important: Don’t allow yourself to be taken in by the hype around Black Friday and be sucked into buying something you don’t need or can’t afford. Always do your own price comparisons to ensure you are getting the best deal possible.

See our Black Friday 2025 guide for all our analysis. Check Deals & Vouchers for the latest offers on now.

Expired

Buy train ticket and pre-book to save. Including Thorpe Park & Kew Gardens

If you register with Days Out Guide and buy a National Rail ticket, you can get 2for1 entry to 250+ UK attractions, including Thorpe Park, Kew Gardens, Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers and Legoland Windsor (see the full attractions list). You must pre-book the attraction tickets – on-the-gate purchases are no longer eligible.

You'll need to click on your chosen attraction on the Days Out Guide website and register or login. A 2for1 code will generate onscreen. Copy it, and click through to the attraction's own website and use the code right away to book two tickets online. On arrival at the attraction, you'll need to present these alongside a valid train ticket dated for the same day. Only one discount voucher may be used per two people. You must print your ticket, tickets shown on a phone will not be accepted.

If you don't present a valid train ticket at the attraction on the day, you'll be required to purchase your second ticket on the gate.

Just stop by the nearest station on your way and pick one up, then present it alongside your pre-booked tickets at the gate. Crucially, your rail ticket must show that you have travelled to one of the stations nearest the attraction. So for Thorpe Park, you need to have a ticket with an end destination of Staines or Chertsey. Details of the nearest station to an attraction can be found on the attraction’s listing page. Travelling to ‘London Terminals’ is acceptable for attractions in London.

What if I live near the attraction/am travelling by other means?

It's worth doing this even if you are not travelling by train as a cheap single ticket can be available for a couple of quid, far cheaper than the entry ticket price (Legoland Windsor is the most expensive at up to £53).

You can visit multiple attractions on the same day that your rail ticket is valid, so if you're travelling to 'London Terminals', you can go to several attractions in London on the same day.

For savings on travel, see how you can swap Tesco points for discounted Railcards.

MSE Olivia says:

Electronic ticket barriers can sometimes retain your ticket (especially if it's a single), so to make sure you don't lose your proof of travel, ask a member of the station staff at a manned gate to help you through.

More info

Excludes Oyster cards, Freedom Passes, DLR, bus, Eurostar, Heathrow Express and tickets and travelcards bought from London Underground. Can't be used with other offers or promotions. However, Railcard discounted National Rail tickets are valid for the offer.

You must be 16 or over to take advantage.

If you don't present a valid train ticket at the attraction on the day, you'll be required to purchase your second ticket on the gate.

Visit the full Days Out Guide terms and conditions for more.

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