Your Essential Digital Toolkit in the United Kingdom
來到英國,每逢週末或長假期,家長們最頭痛的就是「帶小朋友去邊度放電?」。如果您的家庭喜歡去主題樂園、動物園或水族館,那麼一張 Merlin Annual Pass 年票 絕對是「看門口」的必備神卡!
到底這張 Pass 包了什麼景點?面對不同級別的 Pass 又應該點揀?這篇文章為您詳細拆解,文末更有教您如何「買得最聰明」的慳錢秘技!
Merlin Entertainments 是全球第二大的主題樂園營運商。買了他們的年票,您可以在一年內無限次(受制於不同級別的禁入日子)進入全英國超過 30 個頂級景點。熱門名單包括:
目前官網主要提供 Essential、Gold 和 Platinum 三個級別。對於一般家庭來說,最常猶豫的就是 Essential 和 Gold。以下我們從實用角度為大家比較:
在以往,最便宜的 Silver Pass 在整個 8 月暑假都被列為「禁入日 (Exclusion dates)」,非常雞肋。但現在改版後的 Essential Pass 已經包埋大部分暑假日子! 全年只有大約 25 天(主要是一些超級旺季如萬聖節或煙花日)不能使用。對於絕大多數家庭來說,絕對是最值得入手的首選。
相比起 Essential,Gold Pass 主要多了「全包泊車」和「餐飲/購物 20% 折扣」。但兩者差價目前大約是 £90-100(以前 Silver 和 Gold 只差 £50)。現在特價,這 £90 值得嗎?我們計一計數:
如果您的家庭真的超級熱愛主題樂園,預計一年一定會去 5 次以上,最好的策略是:一家人之中,只需要「一個人」買 Gold Pass,其他家庭成員全部買 Essential Pass!
去玩的時候,用那張 Gold Pass 來享用免費泊車,買嘢食、買手信也全部用那張 Gold Pass 來結帳賺 20% 折扣。這樣就能將利益最大化,又不用白白多付每個人的升級費!(除非您們非常堅持要在某個特定的「Essential 禁入日」去玩)
千萬不要以為買了年票就可以隨時「Walk-in」!近年來,尤其是在週末、學校假期 (Half-term) 或暑假,熱門樂園如 Legoland 的人流管制非常嚴格。即使您持有 Annual Pass,也必須提早去官網免費預約入場日子 (Pre-book tickets)。如果當天配額爆滿,持有最高級別的 Pass 也無法入場!所以出發前緊記提早 Plan 好行程。
把握 3 月 29 日前的春季優惠,為家庭入手 Merlin Annual Pass,絕對能為您今年的週末活動省下不少煩惱和金錢!帶小朋友出街玩,除了要慳入場費,日常超市買餸當然也要精打細算。別忘了使用 JamDoughnut 回贈 App 賺盡每分每毫!
After moving to the UK, the biggest headache for parents every weekend or long holiday is "Where can we take the kids to burn off some energy?". If your family loves theme parks, zoos, or aquariums, then a Merlin Annual Pass is an absolute "must-have" magical card to keep handy!
So, what attractions does this pass actually cover? Faced with different pass tiers, how should you choose? This article will break it down for you in detail, and at the end, we'll teach you a money-saving trick on how to "buy smart"!
Merlin Entertainments is the second-largest theme park operator in the world. By purchasing their annual pass, you can enjoy unlimited entry (subject to the exclusion dates of different tiers) to over 30 top attractions across the UK for a year. The popular list includes:
Currently, the official website mainly offers three tiers: Essential, Gold, and Platinum. For an average family, the most common dilemma is choosing between Essential and Gold. Below, we compare them from a practical perspective:
In the past, the cheapest Silver Pass was completely blocked out during the entire August summer holiday as "Exclusion dates," making it quite useless. But now, the revamped Essential Pass includes most of the summer holiday dates! There are only about 25 exclusion days throughout the entire year (mostly super peak seasons like Halloween or Fireworks nights). For the vast majority of families, it is absolutely the top choice to buy.
Compared to Essential, the Gold Pass mainly adds "all-inclusive parking" and a "20% discount on food/shopping". However, the price difference between the two is currently about £90-100 (previously, Silver and Gold were only £50 apart). With the current sale, is this £90 worth it? Let's do the math:
If your family truly loves theme parks and expects to visit more than 5 times a year, the best strategy is: Only "one person" in the family needs to buy the Gold Pass, and everyone else buys the Essential Pass!
When you go to play, use that Gold Pass to enjoy free parking, and use it to pay for all food and souvenirs to get the 20% discount. This maximizes the benefits without paying the upgrade fee for everyone! (Unless you are absolutely determined to visit on a specific "Essential exclusion day")
Never assume that buying an annual pass allows you to "walk in" anytime! In recent years, especially on weekends, half-term school holidays, or the summer break, crowd control at popular parks like Legoland is very strict. Even if you hold an Annual Pass, you must go to the official website in advance to pre-book your entry date for free (Pre-book tickets). If the quota for that day is full, even holding the highest-tier pass won't get you in! So remember to plan your trip early before heading out.
Take advantage of the Spring Sale before March 29th to grab a Merlin Annual Pass for the family; it will definitely save you a lot of hassle and money for your weekend activities this year! When taking the kids out, besides saving on entrance fees, you also need to budget carefully for your daily grocery shopping. Don't forget to use the JamDoughnut Cashback App to earn back every penny!