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- This never impacts our editorial recommendations – if it's in, it's in there because we independently rate it best.
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Merlin Deals
0 Current Deals
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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.
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Latest Expired Deals
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Two 'free' Legoland Windsor Resort tickets
Collect nine codes from The Sun
ExpiredYou can get two 'free' tickets to Legoland Windsor Resort (normally up to £124) when you join Sun Savers for free and collect nine codes from The Sun newspaper between Sat 23 Apr and Tue 10 May. You'll need to have collected nine codes and booked your Legoland tickets by 11.59pm on Mon 23 May. We've calculated that you'll need to spend at least £8.30 – the minimum cost of the newspapers, plus a £2 booking fee.
After signing up to Sun Savers (The Sun's free-to-join rewards club), buy nine papers on different days and collect the eight-digit Sun Savers codes on the dedicated Sun Savers page within. Enter all nine online via the website or free Sun Savers app (Android/iOS) to unlock the booking page.
As you need to collect nine different codes from different papers, the last day you can start collecting is Mon 2 May.
The newspaper costs 70p on weekdays, £1 on Saturday and £1.30 on Sunday. That means the least you'll need to spend on papers is £6.30 (nine weekday editions). There's also a £2 booking fee.
You'll need to be 18 or over to take part.
When are the Legoland tickets valid?
The Legoland Windsor Resort tickets are available between Thu 5 May to Mon 31 Oct 2022 (see a list of excluded dates). There are a total of 186,500 tickets available – 6,200 tickets during school/bank holidays, 21,750 during weekends and the rest during weekdays. It's first come, first served, so book as early as possible if you're interested, especially for weekend and school holiday dates which are likely to be snapped up first.
Do I have to sign up to Sun Savers to get this offer?
The Sun has confirmed you can no longer apply via post which means you do need to sign up for a free Sun Savers account via the app or online to get this offer.
See The Sun's full terms and conditions for more details.
Can I book extra full-price tickets on top of the free tickets?
The Sun has confirmed you can add multiple full-price tickets to your order when booking your free ones.
For more theme park savings, see how to swap Tesco points for days out vouchers.
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Alton Towers 'free' grown-ups' ticket via £3ish cereal and snacks
Look for 'Free Adult Ticket' voucher on selected Kellogg's cereals and snacks
ExpiredLook for promotional packs of Kellogg's cereal and snacks including Corn Flakes, Coco Pops, Crunchy Nut and Rice Krispie Squares (£2ish-£3ish at most supermarkets), to get a 'Free Adult Ticket' voucher for 29 UK Merlin theme parks and attractions. To get the free ticket, you'll need to purchase a full-price 'on-the-gate' child or adult ticket (normally up to £60ish).
Kellogg's also says single Nutrigrain and Squares bars are included in the promotion, so the cheapest option would be to buy one of these (less than 70p at most supermarkets).
The vouchers can be exchanged for entry at Alton Towers, Legoland, Chessington, Sea Life Centres, Madame Tussauds and more – see the full list of Merlin attractions.
This deal can be particularly strong if going with a child, and is valid till June 2023
Effectively this is a 2for1, as you'll need to buy a full-price adult or child ticket to get the free adult entry. However, this can actually work out better than a 2for1 if you’re going with a child as children's tickets are generally cheaper than adult ones at many attractions, which is the case at Sea Life, Chessington and Madame Tussauds.
What also makes this deal particularly 'grrreat!' is the voucher's valid until 30 June 2023, so get it now and you've plenty of time to use it. There are some date exclusions per attraction though.
Of course, if you aren’t going in a pair, it’s worth checking to see what other deals are available. See our round-up of current theme park deals to check which is best for you.
Pre-booking is essential
You'll need to pre-book your tickets in advance via this special Merlin link. Note you'll still need to pay the on-the-gate price for the paid-for ticket. You can do this using the unique 10-digit code printed inside the cereal box. Kellogg's says you must show your original on-pack voucher when you visit.
If there's no code (eg, on snack packs such as Rice Krispie Squares, Nutrigrain Bars and Fruit Winders) you'll need to select the 'snack pack' option when booking. Kellogg's says you must show your original on-pack voucher when you visit.
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Use the Money Mantras
Before spending, use Martin’s Mantras. If you answer 'NO' to any, then don't buy!
Then ask:
- Do I need it?
- Can I afford it?
- Have you checked prices elsewhere?
Then ask:
- Will I use it?
- Is it worth it?
Free protection for all shopping!
There's a little-known piece of legislation that turns any credit card into a financial self-defence superhero. 'Section 75' of the Consumer Credit Act means your plastic must protect anything you buy for more than £100 for free, so if there's a problem or the company goes bust, you can still get your money back.
And although Section 75 doesn't apply to debit cards, there is something else to fall back on if you've paid using a debit card, or used a credit card for a purchase under £100. Known as Chargeback, this is part of banks' and card companies' internal rules and not a legal requirement. Read full details of Section 75 or Chargeback, plus how to claim, in our guides.
What the * means above
If a link has an * by it, that means it is an affiliated link and therefore it helps MoneySavingExpert stay free to use, as it is tracked to us. If you go through it, it can sometimes result in a payment or benefit to the site. It's worth noting this means the third party used may be named on any credit agreements.
You shouldn’t notice any difference and the link will never negatively impact the product. Plus the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by these links. We aim to look at all available products. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the top deal, it is still included in exactly the same way, just with a non-paying link. For more details, read How this site is financed.
Duplicate links of the * links above for the sake of transparency, but this version doesn't help MoneySavingExpert.com:
19 September 2023
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Home not far behind. Lock in now to save
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FREE National Trust day pass
For a family – normally £30ish
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With E.on? Beat the Price Cap
With its new fixed-term tariff
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243 spring bulbs £15 delivered
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