Legoland

TRYING to fill the long school holidays without spending an absolute fortune can seem impossible.

However, the recently launched Great British Summer Savings scheme is offering loads of deals and discounts until September 1 – meaning family days out will cost a lot less at a whole host of attractions across the UK.

The temporary scheme is slashing VAT from 20 per cent to five per cent on family activities, children’s meals in restaurants, children’s tickets for theatres and cinemas and tickets for everyone for soft play, adventure centres, and theme parks.

And along with free local bus travel for kids aged between five and 15 this August, you can easily find an affordable day out.

With nearly 2,000 spots across the UK taking part in the scheme, we’ve found some of the best, with the biggest savings.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort

With wooden rollercoasters and dark water rides, there is something for everyone at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, with an All You Can Ride eTicket costing £29 per person, instead of £60 on the gate.

You can also get an ‘Ultimate Ticket’, which includes Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle Waterpark, The Blackpool Tower Eye, Blackpool Tower Dungeon and Madame Tussauds for £56.88, down from £65.

Savings: Up to £124 for a family of four

Zip World (various locations)

Across the eight different Zip World locations, families can now save money including ziplines and underground trampolines.

The biggest savings offered are on Velocity, which is the world’s fastest zip line. Instead of £124, tickets now cost £99 per person.

Savings: Up to £100 for a family of four

The Crystal Maze Experience, London or Manchester

Fans of the Crystal Maze TV show should try out the Crystal Maze Experience where you compete in a number of different challenges across an hour.

Tickets now cost £26.50 per person, instead of £39.50 – although you must get a minimum of three tickets per order, with one being a child (over nine).

Savings: Up to £52 for a family of four

Woodlands Adventure Park, Devon

Spread across 100 acres, Woodlands Family Theme Park is home to water coasters, rides, animals and a giant indoor soft play area.

If you book online in advance, tickets will cost just £20 instead of £29.15 per adult, and £15 instead of £21.45 per child.

Savings: Up to £31.20 per family of four

Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

You can capture panoramic views from the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, right to the Isle of Wight.

An all-day adult ticket now costs £12 instead of £19.25, and an all-day child ticket costs £10 instead of £15.50 or a family of four ticket also now costs less – £40 instead of £68.50.

Savings: Up to £28.50 for a family of four

Go Ape (various locations)

Want to make the most of the sunshine? Go Ape has 37 sites across the UK, with up to 15 per cent off.

Tickets cost from £36.95 – prices may vary depending on location, and you need to use the code ‘VATSUMMER’.

Savings: Up to £26.96 for a family of four

Chaos Karts, Manchester

If you want to live out your Mario Kart dreams, then head to Chaos Karts in Manchester.

You can compete in immersive themed races with tickets now costing £21 per person, instead of £27 (though you must get a minimum of three tickets per order, with one being a child).

Savings: Up to £24 for a family of four

Drayton Manor, Staffordshire

Spread across 180 acres, Drayton Manor features four themed lands, including Thomas Land, Vikings, Adventure Cove and Frontier Falls and across these lands visitors can head on rides ideal for smaller children.

Day tickets cost from £39 instead of £45 per person.

Savings: Up to £24 for a family of four

Game of Thrones Studios Tour, Northern Ireland

Game of Thrones fans should head to the studio tour in Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.

Tickets cost £23.50 per adult instead of £29.50, if you use the code ‘SUMMER’. Kids tickets then cost £4.80 each and youth (13 to 15-year-olds) cost £11.20 each.

Savings: Up to £24 for a family of four

Harry Potter Studio Tour, Watford

For Potterheads who haven’t been to the Warner Bros studio tour yet, now is the perfect time with five per cent off tickets.

Instead of £58.50 per adult, you now pay £51.19 and instead of £47 per child, it is now £41.13. The family offer, which used to be £188 per family of four, is now £164.52.

Savings: Up to £23.48 per family of four

Blenheim Palace

There are three different ticket types for Blenheim Palace but if you want the ultimate experience, opt for the palace, park, gardens and adventure play for £44.63 per adult (was £51) and £35.88 per child (was £41).

Alternatively, you could get a family ticket for £144.38, instead of £165.

Savings: Up to £20.62 for a family of four

Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent

Waterworld is the UK’s number one indoor tropical aqua park with more than 30 rides and attractions, including a huge wave pool and the thrilling Thunderbolt trap-door slide.

Tickets now cost £20 per person over 1.1 metres tall, instead of £26 per person. Kids under 1.1 metres tall, cost £18 now instead of £22.

Savings: Up to £20 for a family of four

RockReef, Bournemouth

Found at the end of Bournemouth Pier, you can head to RockReef with 28 Clip ‘n Climb walls suitable for all ages and PierZip – which is the world’s first pier-to-shore zip wire.

A Clip ‘n Climb session now costs £15 per person, instead of £20.

Savings: Up to £20 for a family of four

Coronation Street Experience, Manchester

Corrie fans should use this summer to head to the world of Coronation Street in Manchester, where you can step onto the famous cobbles.

Guided tour tickets cost £35 instead of £40 per person.

Savings: Up to £20 for a family of four

Alton Towers, Stoke-on-Trent

You can enjoy Alton Towers‘ 40 rides and attractions for less now, as online tickets now cost £34.13 for a day pass instead of £39 (guests under 90cm still visit for free) when bought online in advance (you’d save £135.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

You can save even more by getting the ‘twice the fun’ ticket that allows you into two theme parks for £34.13 until the last weekend of July, including Alton Towers, Legoland, Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park.

Saving: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey

Just 12 miles from the capital, Chessington World of Adventures is home to more than 40 rides and 1,000 animals.

A day ticket online costs from £34.13, instead of £39 per person (you’d save £127.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

Savings: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

Legoland, Windsor

Great for little kids and Lego fans alike, online tickets to Legoland now cost from £34.13 for a day pass instead of £39 and guests under 90cm still visit for free (you’d save £135.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

The park has 11 themed lands, with more than 55 rides as well as live shows.

Saving: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

Thorpe Park, Chertsey

With over 25 rides and attractions including rollercoaster The Smiler, there’s loads to see and do at Thorpe Park, with online tickets instead costing £34.13 for a day pass instead of £39 (you’d save £127.48 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

With the day pass, kids under 1.2 metres tall go for free still and all day tickets include a free return visit.

Saving: Up to £19.48 for a family of four

English Heritage properties (various locations)

All English Heritage properties across the country are taking part in the scheme.

This means you can get 12.5 per cent off the ticket price, which is automatically applied at check out.

Savings vary depending on the attraction you are heading to, but for example, if you went to Stonehenge, an adult ticket would cost from £23.65 and a child ticket would cost from £11.82.

This is instead of £27.20 per adult and £17.20 per child.

Saving: Up to £17.86 for a family of four

Paultons Park

Often dubbed the UK’s most affordable theme park, Paultons Park is now even cheaper to visit – and thanks to a new £12million themed world – Valgard: Realm of the Vikings – there could not be a more perfect time to visit.

Tickets were previously £46.75, and now cost from £43.

Savings: Up to £15 for a family of four

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

History buffs can head to Warwick Castle, which is home to over 1,100 years of history and inside the castle, you will find immersive experiences as well as a bird show.

Online tickets cost £25.38 instead of £29 per person (you’d save £54.44 for a family of four compared to the original on the gate tickets).

Savings: Up to £14.48 for a family of four

Gulliver’s World (all four locations)

Gulliver’s World has four locations across the UK including Milton Keynes, Matlock Bath, Warrington and Rotherham.

Ticket prices vary per park, but you could get half-day tickets for as little as £13.75 per person. Day tickets cost from £22.50 per person, instead of £26 per person.

Savings: Up to £14 for a family of four

London Eye, London

One of London’s landmarks sat on the banks of the River Thames is suitable for all ages and offers great views of the city.

Tickets now cost £25.38 per adult instead of £29, and £22.75 per child, instead of £26.

Savings: Up to £13.74 for a family of four

Splashdown Quaywest, Paignton

Fancy cooling off in all this heat? Then you could head to the largest outdoor waterpark in the UK, with 18 slides.

A day ticket used to cost £31 per adult or £26 per child under the age of nine-years-old but now, day tickets cost £27.15 per adult and £22.75 per child.

Savings: Up to £13.50 for a family of four

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is the biggest indoor waterpark in the UK, with 18 slides and attractions as well as a spa.

Tickets cost from £22.31 instead of £25.50 per adult or child aged eight to 11 and £13.96 instead of £16.50 per child aged three to seven.

You can also get an ‘Ultimate Ticket’, which includes a range of attractions in the seaside resort.

This includes Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle Waterpark, The Blackpool Tower Eye, Blackpool Tower Dungeon and Madame Tussauds for £56.88, down from £65.

Savings: Up to £12.76 for a family of four

Madame Tussauds, London

You can spend the day up close to 150 lifelike wax figures of celebs, royals and historical figures at Madame Tussauds in London.

Instead of £27, you’d now pay £23.63 per adult and instead of £24, you’d pay £21 per child.

Savings: Up to £12.74 for a family of four

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, Edinburgh

Located across five floors, you can visit Edinburgh‘s oldest visitor attraction with more than 100 interactive exhibits and the attraction even has panoramic rooftop views.

Adult tickets used to cost £24.95 and are now £21.85 per person, while children’s tickets used to cost £17.95 and are now £15.70 per person.

Savings: Up to £12.70 for a family of four

Kew Gardens, London

Sprawled across 326 acres, Kew Gardens features a myriad of different gardens to explore, including indoor gardens and there’s also a giant kids play area.

Tickets cost £21.85 per adult instead of £25, £1.75 per child under 16-years-old and £8.75 for those aged between 16 and 29-years-old.

Savings: Up to £12.60 for a family of four

Rugby Football Union, Twickenham

You could head to the World Rugby Museum in Twickenham, which is home to the world’s most prestigious collection of rugby memorabilia.

Family tickets have been reduced from £80 to £67.50 in the case of two adults and two children.

Savings: Up to £12.50 per family of four

Butlin’s (various locations)

Butlin’s has three resorts in the UK, all of which are taking part in the scheme.

Visitors can get reduced day visits during the school summer holidays, with access to the Splash Waterworld pools, unlimited fairground rides, all live shows on the Skyline Pavillion stage, playgrounds, soft play and paid-for activities.

Day visit tickets now cost £13.60 per child instead of £16 and £20.40 per adult, instead of £24.

Under two’s still go free.

Savings: Up to £12 for a family of four

Eden Project, Cornwall

Down in Cornwall, you could head to the Eden Project where you can explore the world’s largest indoor Rainforest.

Adult tickets cost from £31.06 instead of £35.50 and children’s tickets cost from £10.94, instead of £12.50.

Savings: Up to £12 for a family of four

Frameless, London

For something different, you could head to Frameless, which is the UK’s largest permanent immersive art destination with masterpieces including by Van Gogh and Monet.

Flexible adult tickets cost £31.06 instead of £35.50, and flexible child tickets cost £22.75 instead of £26 each. You can also get a family of four ticket for £19.69 per person, instead of £22.50.

Savings: Up to £11.24 for a family of four

Wake the Tiger, Bristol

You could head to an immersive ‘amazement park’ in Bristol, which meshes theatre with art and an immersive experience to make you feel as if you are in a different world.

Adult tickets cost £21.88 instead of £25 each and children’s tickets cost £17.50 instead of £20.

Savings: Up to £11.24 for a family of four

IWM Duxford

In Cambridge, you could head to IWM Duxford which is Britain’s largest aviation museum.

Adult tickets now cost £25 each instead of £28.60 and children’s tickets cost £10 instead of £11.40 each.

Savings: Up to £10 for a family of four

Flamingo Land, North Yorkshire

With over 40 rides, 140 species of animals and even a holiday park, you won’t be short of things to do at Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire.

Tickets now cost £43.50 instead of £46 per person.

Savings: Up to £10 per family of four

Shrek’s Adventure, London

At Shrek’s Adventure in London, you can walk through an immersive experience with a 4D flying bus ride, mirror maze and 10 live shows.

Instead of £21 per adult, tickets cost £18.38 and for kids, tickets cost £14 instead of £16.

Savings: Up to £9.24 for a family of four

Cadbury World, Birmingham

If you are based in the north then you could head to Cadbury World for the day to find out about the history of the iconic chocolate brand – the self-guided tour features exhibits as well as a 4D cinema experience.

Tickets cost from £15.75 per person, instead of £18.

Savings: Up to £9 for a family of four

The Historic Dockyard Chatham

For Naval history fans, you could head to the Historic Dockyard Chatham and explore the ships, galleries and exhibitions – including Steve Backshall’s Awesome Oceans Family Trail.

Tickets for a family of four cost £70 instead of £79.

Savings: Up to £9 for a family of four

Techniquest, Cardiff

Techniquest is Wales‘ largest science discovery centre, spread across three floors with live shows and lab workshops.

Tickets used to cost £17 per adult and £15 per child, but are now £14.87 and £13.12 respectively.

Savings: Up to £8.02 for a family of four

The Big Sheep, North Devon

The Big Sheep family theme park in Bideford is home to both farm animals and rides, as well as live entertainment for when the weather isn’t great.

Tickets cost £14.95 per person instead of £16.95 and £6 instead of £8 per child under three-foot tall.

Savings: Up to £8 for a family of four

Parents who are wondering how to fill the six week holidays should take a look at this offer on Merlin passes, which not only offer unlimited park visits, but also other passholder perks

Merlin has launched a summer sale that slashes the cost of annual passes and monthly memberships in time for the six-week school holidays.

The sale, launched today by the owner of a number of theme parks and attractions across the UK, means theme park fans can enjoy discounts on both Gold and Platinum passes, as well as monthly memberships, giving them unlimited access to over 20 UK attractions. These include Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, LEGOLAND, and Chessington.

Best of all, if you opt for a Gold membership at the discounted price of £16.99 a month, this works out cheaper than a monthly Netflix Premium subscription, which costs £18.99 a month. So, you can enjoy lots of days out with the kids and screen-free time over the summer without worrying about entry fees.

You can currently buy an annual pass at Gold or Platinum level with £50 off the total price. This brings Gold membership down from £239 to £189 a year, and Platinum down from £299 to £249. If you prefer to pay monthly, the sale has slashed Gold from £19.99 a month to £16.99, and Platinum from £24.99 to £20.99.

Gold memberships, whether annual or monthly, include 364 days’ entry to over 20 Merlin attractions, free parking, and 20% off food, drinks, and shopping. Platinum members get these perks with no exclusion dates, four bring-a-friend passes, a free one-shot Fastrack per visit, and other extras.

While it’s not included in the sale, there’s also the cheapest Merlin Essentials pass for £139 a year, which offers unlimited access for 339 days of the year. However, parents should note that exclusion dates include Saturdays in August, at the peak of the school holidays.

Merlin’s parks are set to be popular with families this summer thanks to the addition of some major new rides aimed at the younger crowd. The brand-new World of PAW Patrol at Chessington World of Adventures Resort opened in early May, and includes four pup-themed rides, play areas, and meet and greets. Over at Alton Towers, CBeebies Land also recently opened Bluey the Ride: Here Come The Grannies!, a must-visit for fans of the Heeler family.

In addition to its well-known theme parks, Merlin also operates a range of family-friendly attractions that make perfect school holiday days out. These include the London Eye, SEA LIFE centres, Madame Tussauds, and Cadbury World, meaning it’s easy to make the most out of your pass.

For comparison, booking a day ticket to Alton Towers starts at £34, so if you live near a Merlin theme park or visit a lot, you could soon get your money’s worth.

If you’re planning a one-off visit, then Cadbury is currently running a promotion on selected packs offering half-price tickets. Simply pick up an eligible product and visit fun.cadbury.co.uk to enter your barcode to receive a discount code and a link to book your tickets at 50% off.

The Merlin Pass Summer Sale ends June 28. For more information or to purchase, visit the Merlin website.

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