Brits heading to the likes of Legoland, Thorpe Park, and Madame Tussaud's will be offered flexible pricing options, just like airlines and hotels, the theme parks' owner has revealed.
Merlin Entertainments is rolling out offering 'dynamic' pricing which can vary depending on the time of the year, with higher costs during busy periods and lower prices during quieter months. According to Merlin's CEO, Scott O'Neil, the dynamic pricing system has been successful in managing crowds and improving customer satisfaction.
By offering discounts during off-peak times, the parks aim to make the attractions more accessible and affordable for everyone. O'Neil compared it to "happy hours" offered by bars and restaurants, as well as seasonal pricing for hotels and airlines.
He told the PA news agency: "We had it in 2023 and we had the highest guest satisfaction scores in the history of the company, and seven million additional guests." He added that the group was "definitely getting the signal that our processes are moving in the right direction".
The idea is that the new pricing system will help "protect the guest experience" during busy times of the year by reducing queues, and help to make attractions "available and accessible to all" by offering cheaper tickets during off-peak times.
He likened it to "happy hours" used in bars, as well as hotels and airlines which typically hike prices for travel during peak times but offer cheaper prices off-season. "It is not a new concept, but our focus is on two things that matter most; the guest experience and making sure that we are accessible and value-based for families," he said.
Last year Merlin's business was booming as more people thronged to their city-centre attractions. Merlin revealed its sales soared to a record high last year as more visitors flocked to city-centre attractions. The company made a whopping £2.1 billion in 2023, which is a massive 8% increase from the previous year and saw a total of 62 million visitors globally.
In fact, a quarter of tourists in London visited one of its attractions last year, with over half visiting more than once. However, Merlin revealed it swung to a pre-tax loss of £214 million last year, from a profit of £106 million the previous year, which the company said was due to one-off costs including refinancing some of its debts.
Still, there's plenty more excitement on the way for thrill-seekers, with Merlin opening some of this year's most highly-anticipated theme park rides in the UK. For a start, Thorpe Park is opening its brand new rollercoaster Hyperia, which will be the UK's tallest and fastest when it opens.
The ride will take thrill-seekers up 72m above the ground, before they're plunged down towards the ground at a frightening 80mph. Thorpe Park has claimed that riders will "twist like never before" and "feel weightless" when they strap themselves onto the ride next year.
Meanwhile Legoland is set to open a new ride which promises to be the theme park's fastest yet. Minifigure Speedway will be a duelling coaster where cars race forwards and in reverse against one another to determine who is the winner.The ride reaches speeds of 34mph and is inspired by the Speedway circuits. It features state-of-the-art tech/>technology and a dynamic dual-track layout, which cost £10m to develop. The attraction is manufactured by Zierer and is currently under construction at the Legoland Windsor Resort.
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