The premium pass is like the old pass, just more expensive. I'm willing to bet it's the same price that the regular pass would be if it still had the other perks. I bet loads of people wouldn't be complaining the same way if the Premium pass was just called the standard pass.
Merlin announce no more free parking for Annual Pass holders
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Steven
Giga Poster
I would moan but I cannot really. Merlin have been good to me. But I have to say this as Merlin have been right bastards to me and other people. At times. This I think is going a bit far but the thing is inflation is a big factor as well and running costs etc.
With all my bad experiences this year though I did confront them with all the problems I was having and it was resolved in a long time. But eventually they did offer a £75 premium pass gift voucher to say sorry for all the problems I had this year.
So like I said I have no valid cause on this though I STRONGLY think ALL car parking should be free at "pay to enter" attractions.
With all my bad experiences this year though I did confront them with all the problems I was having and it was resolved in a long time. But eventually they did offer a £75 premium pass gift voucher to say sorry for all the problems I had this year.
So like I said I have no valid cause on this though I STRONGLY think ALL car parking should be free at "pay to enter" attractions.
rickydoodle
Roller Poster
I don't understand th is notion that the pass should remain the same price and shouldn't develop as a product.Ben said:
Adding the Blackpool attractions is a very smart move if you plot the existing Merlin attractions on a map (get it?) but yeah...anyway - it's very South centred so bringing some Northern attractions is a good idea in my view.
It's changed, it costs more, it's still good value - get over it.
With the new Blackpool attractions, it actually kind of makes more sense for us poor Northerners. Up until now, we've only had Alton, Warwick and the Brum Sea Life close by (family_furie that is, not all Northerners).
Okay, I'm not saying the Blackpool stuff is great, but we did the "Tower Experience" in 2006 and it was alright actually. Got us off the dirty streets and away from the drunks for a couple of hours at the very least (serves us right for going to Blackpool I guess
).
So in terms of value, there's less of a North/South divide now. The shandy drinkers can have Thorpe and the London Eye, and the flat-cap brigade have Alton and Blackpool Tower (almost an even match I'm sure ).
Okay, I'm not saying the Blackpool stuff is great, but we did the "Tower Experience" in 2006 and it was alright actually. Got us off the dirty streets and away from the drunks for a couple of hours at the very least (serves us right for going to Blackpool I guess
).So in terms of value, there's less of a North/South divide now. The shandy drinkers can have Thorpe and the London Eye, and the flat-cap brigade have Alton and Blackpool Tower (almost an even match I'm sure
).
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
I agree with Furie - the Blackpool additions make a lot of sense and widen Merlin's franchise in the North.
I'm not sure I ever drink shandy though dear! :roll:
I'm not sure I ever drink shandy though dear! :roll:
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
I think you can with just the London attractions. There's a big hut outside the Eye which sells combos of London attraction passes.
I guess lumping everything together is a way to justify higher prices on their APs, because they know that otherwise, too many people would just buy the theme park only version, and they would loose profit
I guess lumping everything together is a way to justify higher prices on their APs, because they know that otherwise, too many people would just buy the theme park only version, and they would loose profit
Ben said:
I've never had any real interest in the inner London attractions though. I've used my pass once for MT and The Eye on the same day... 4 years ago.
I've NEVER used my pass for a Sea Life either and can't see it happening.
Likewise, I've not really got much interest in Thorpe or the Manchester Lego centre.
I do like having Alton and Warwick Castle though. I think I even went to Warwick more this year than I did to Alton!
So yeah, pick and mix may be the best idea, but I like the flexibility. I have nipped into Thorpe when passing, on a whim. Blackpool is only half an hour from my folks, so we could do a quick trip up to do the tower when we're staying over one weekend. Just a few hours to do it as a day trip. We may not, but it's good to have the flexibility.
It still all works out cheaper than a standard price Pleasure Beach season pass
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
Like I said earlier - I think people are pissed at the underhandedness of it all. If they had just increased the price of the pass and kept it simple, yes there would have been complaints, but not this huge backlash!
Merlin think people are idiots, and won't work out that it's basically forcing you to buy a premium pass. I feel sorry for them if they are making a loss, and if they justifiably said, look we've invested a lot in our parks over the last few years and we are raising prices accordingly, I for one would just accept it and get over it.
Also, it's their most loyal of customers that this affects the most - those who will be racking up charges of hundreds of pounds a year in parking fees!
Merlin think people are idiots, and won't work out that it's basically forcing you to buy a premium pass. I feel sorry for them if they are making a loss, and if they justifiably said, look we've invested a lot in our parks over the last few years and we are raising prices accordingly, I for one would just accept it and get over it.
Also, it's their most loyal of customers that this affects the most - those who will be racking up charges of hundreds of pounds a year in parking fees!
I've sat and worked it out.
If the renewal/upgrade price to a Premium Pass is no more than £100, and I don't buy any crap in the shops/take my own food, then it won't cost me any more than last year.
It's still think forcing people to pay for parking or upgrade to a more expensive pass when it's been free since year dot, with no added security or car park improvements, is scandalous.
But that's capitalism for you <3.
That's the last I have to say on this matter.
If the renewal/upgrade price to a Premium Pass is no more than £100, and I don't buy any crap in the shops/take my own food, then it won't cost me any more than last year.
It's still think forcing people to pay for parking or upgrade to a more expensive pass when it's been free since year dot, with no added security or car park improvements, is scandalous.
But that's capitalism for you <3.
That's the last I have to say on this matter.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
Ian said:
but we shouldn't be forced to do this - it ruins the experience completely!
rickydoodle
Roller Poster
Hmm - I don't think anyone is being forced to do anything. The price associated with any product, no matter what it is will rise. Running costs for any business rise over time - it's being passed on to the customer.Mysterious Sue said:
^Yes, but you're missing the point.
Instead of just increasing the cost of the pass, which people would moan about but get over soon enough, they're effectively forcing people to buy the premium pass. It's not a premium product; it's the old product with a fancier name, with the old product becoming pretty much obsolete for the majority of people who have them.
It amounts to a hefty price increase, yes. It's just the s**tty way they've gone about doing it.
Instead of just increasing the cost of the pass, which people would moan about but get over soon enough, they're effectively forcing people to buy the premium pass. It's not a premium product; it's the old product with a fancier name, with the old product becoming pretty much obsolete for the majority of people who have them.
It amounts to a hefty price increase, yes. It's just the s**tty way they've gone about doing it.
Ian said:
Chessington and (I think) Thorpe are improving their car park situation. Chessington re-did their main car park this year and further improvements are being made over the closed season (mainly adding barriers etc for the parking charge malarkey. I heard rumours ages ago (like, early Summer) that the grass car park may get tarmacked too which would be awesome if it happens.
MouseAT
Hyper Poster
furie said:
So what you're basically saying is that irresponsible borrowing and spending way beyond their means has landed them with massive debts, so they expect us paying customers to pay significantly more to bail them out of the mess they've got themselves into.
Hmm, where have I seen THAT before?
rickydoodle
Roller Poster
I agree the underhandedness of it all sucks.gavin said:
The standard pass is still a valid product for a family who are out of the country two weeks in August yet still plan to hit the parks once a year, head to Blackpool for the Illuminations and Sea Life over the winter. But I agree, it's not a great option for coaster enthusiasts - but I still think the AP scheme overall, is good value.
As I said elsewhere, the best thing they could have done is replaced both products with a new two tier system (Gold/Silver for instance), instead of messing with a very popular product.