Share your best family days out at Merlin attractions - Merlin Annual Passes to be won!

[CeriMumsnet]

From the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort and Thorpe Park to SEA LIFE and Madame Tussauds, Merlin Entertainments offers some of the best days out for families in the UK.

We’d love to hear about your favourite experiences at Merlin attractions! Whether it’s a nostalgic memory from when your children were little or a recent adventure you’ve enjoyed together. Which attractions have you loved most, and why?

Everyone who shares a memory by 17 December will be entered into a prize draw to win four Merlin Essential Passes. (Mumsnet T&Cs; Merlin T&Cs).

Still looking for a Christmas gift for a days-out lover? Unlock a year of unforgettable fun from just £79. Save on the Essential Pass (£79, usually £139), Gold Pass (£199, usually £239) and Gold Membership (£16.99/month, usually £19.99/month) in the Merlin Annual Pass Black Friday offer - available until 21 December.

I remember when my 2 DC's were small and the gentle boat ride through scenes from the Gruffalo - a slow atmospheric ride where we had a lovely time - not one for the fast and furious

It’s got to be our first ever ride on Hyperia. Best coaster ever!

Seeing the sharks being fed at sealife when my DC's were younger - we really loved it - the array of sea creatures, and conservation is something we must embrace.

It has to be the nostalgia of Bubbleworks at Chessington World of Adventures, beautiful smell when it was a new ride, happy figures and music, gently floating around to the overhead water fountains at the end, wonderful memories for all the family and children had their own protest and boycotted the Gruffalo ride that replaced Bubbleworks, that didn’t last too long!

Seeing the royal family in Waxworks at Blackpool - out beloved Queen Elizabeth was simply regal.

My best Cadbury World memory is tasting chocolate samples and seeing the giant chocolate waterfall

Legoland Windsor when my son was younger, he has Adhd and Autism and we got the pass for ride exit entry. The staff couldn't have been more helpful and made our experience so much better. He has wonderful memories, the driving school being his favourite. We all enjoyed the trip so so much and even said it was better than Disney land Paris!

My Daughter had a dairy free ice cream in Legoland. It was rare at the time for this to be available and made her day magical.

Watching my daughter form a love of rollercoasters both on the Dragon's Apprentice and then (once tall enough) on The Dragon at Legoland.

Personal favourite is Alton Towers. But as a family, a couple of times we have done a 2 day trip to do Legoland one day, Chessington the other. The kids always really loved them. Even years later, we still have their Legoland driving licences hanging up. We last went to Legoland in 2020 when everything opened up again after that first lockdown. I remember it chucking it down and getting absolutely soaked lol. But we still had a fantastic day. My youngest loves Ninjago, and we really liked that ride!

I’m hoping I can afford to take the kids to Alton Towers next year. My youngest has never been. I need to introduce him to Oblivion!

At Alton Towers, I loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory indoor boat ride - I was not one for the fast and furious rides - plus the queues were really low for these rides and I felt we got better value for money.

Riding The Dragon together at Legoland.

1 child was very nervous but loved it when they had a go. We got a great photo.

We planned one summer holiday around our Merlin passes!
We trundled down to Henley upon Thames with our little caravan to a wonderful caravan site.
Then booked Legoland Windsor, went there twice, once as a family then another day with friends.
Then we booked 2 nights in a travelodge in London, went on the train from Henley, went on the London eye and the London dungeon using our Merlin passes. Visited the museums as they were all free!
We made the most of our passes and saved an absolute fortune on a holiday that would usually be out of our budget.

Had the most memorable and adventurous holiday that my kids still talk about now a few years later.

Blackpool Sealife centre, we especially enjoyed seeing the stingrays gracefully swimming in their tank along with sharks, turtles and other sea mammals of similar size, living in unison. The children were having a whale of a time..!...watching the various fish of all sizes...!
Some fish were inquisitive and came up to the glass when someone approached their tank, others appeared to retreat to the cover of the plants and rocks before venturing back out to see what was watching them!
It was definitely worth the visit, and we spent more than 2 hours wandering around the place.

I did like Chessington - it does have it's good and bad points though - We got unlimited fast pass the first day which was amazing, we went on nearly all the rides, and went on Mandrill Mayhem and Dragons fury 3 times.
Vampire was closed both days we were there, which is one we were planning on going on.
Most of the rides were pretty good, the let down was Zufari, really disappointing, hardly saw any animals.
The aquarium area was really good.
I’d recommend for under 10’s.

I hate rollercoasters so I'm the bag holder. I've had quite a happy day at Alton Towers with a book and an umbrella while DH and DCs spent all day queuing and going on rides!

We were lucky when we went to Cadbury world TBH it has horrid reviews -We went to a tasting room where we were given small pots of melted chocoalte with a choice of 2 other products. We chose white chocolate buttons and marshmallows, really good, but would be sick making if you had too much so you have been warned. The gift shop if full of the usual cadbury brands and you can also buy in bulk. On our visit, if you spent over £20 , you got a free (big) chocolate bar. There is a big play area outside, (you will need to show your ticket to get in) and a 4d cinema feature.

Alton towers in the sunshine with my teen daughter, who forgot she was a teen for the day and was skipping everywhere, so happy.

Riding Hyperia at Thorpe for the first and my only time! I was queuing with my daughter and her friends plus another Mum for over an hour for Hyperia, definitely had no intention of going on. We get close to the front and the other Mum unexpectedly said 'Shall we go on?' I panicked and agreed, heart racing fast... Wow, such an experience, but not sure if I want to repeat again!

Watching my boys filled with joy at gaining their driving licences at legoland 🚗😊

my daughter could spend hours at Legoland’s Miniland. That’s where we spent most of every visit. Even now she’s a 17yo, she’d still say that’s her favourite Merlin memory.

I'd totally avoid Chessington - but Love Alton Towers, one of the best theme parks I’ve ever been to, oblivion is revolutionary, smiler was very thrilling and quite fun, spinball whizzer is just a great ride because of the twisty turns and spinning cart, thirteen was probably my favourite ride at the park after oblivion mainly because of its unexpected drop and backwards movement, wicker man has not only an out standing theme, pre show but fast and it is not that high,

My 13 year old loves Alton Towers- he only ‘discovered’ it a year ago but has been 3 times already.

His favourite rides are smiler and oblivion. I love that he can take a mate with him and they go off on their own on all the rides - while I sit down with a coffee and a book in the beautiful gardens!

Alton towers - - the slower rides - less queues

Family of rollercoaster junkies - every year we do a trip where we drive from the North of England to Thorpe Park…. spend 3 days there then head back “oop north” stopping at Alton Towers for 3 days on the way 🤣

Never buy fast pass/queue jumpers because we pride ourselves on being app/timing experts…… our record is and impressive 17 rides on the big rollercoasters at Alton Towers in one day….. during half term!!