Is an Alton Towers Annual Pass Worth It?
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Read our full disclosure.
The Alton Towers Annual Pass costs £64 per person for 12 months. I looked at this originally but decided to go with the Merlin Annual Pass instead because it covers more attractions that we planned to visit within the year such as LEGOLAND and Thorpe Park.
However, the maths on the value of the Alton Towers Annual Pass is simple: you need to visit at least twice in a year to break even, and every visit after that is saving you money.
Who Is the Alton Towers Annual Pass For?
The Alton Towers Annual Pass makes the most sense for people who are going to visit at least twice in the next twelve months. Which probably means you’ll want to live within a 2 hour drive of the theme park.
Despite the Alton Towers Annual Pass being valid for 12 months, the theme park itself is only in operation between March and November. So you only have eight months to use it. However, during this time there are multiple reasons to visit:
- Scarefest in October
- Fireworks Spectacular in November
- Seasonal Events
- New Ride Openings
We live in Leeds, so Alton Towers is our closest Merlin theme park at around a 2 hour drive. We ended up getting the Merlin Annual Passes during our stay at the Bluey Suite in CBeebies Land Hotel and since we were staying overnight we visited Alton Towers on both days.
How Much Does the Alton Towers Annual Pass Cost?
There is only one type of Alton Towers Annual Pass available and it costs £64 per person. The annual pass is valid for 12 months from purchase and can be bought online via the Alton Towers website.
Every person visiting Alton Towers will need their own annual pass except for children under 90cm who can visit for free. These passes are non-transferable and non-refundable, so be confident in your plans before buying.
Unlike the Merlin Annual Pass there is no monthly payment option for the Alton Towers Annual Pass. If spreading the cost matters to you, the Merlin Annual Pass Gold and Platinum tiers are available on monthly payments. However, both these passes cost significantly more money.
How Many Visits Does It Take to Break Even?
Advance online day tickets for Alton Towers start from £32 per person. Here is how the maths works:
| Visits | Cost of Day Tickets | Cost of Annual Pass | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | From £32 | £64 | -£32 |
| 2 | From £64 | £64 | £0 |
| 3 | From £96 | £64 | £32 |
| 4 | From £128 | £64 | £64 |
| 5 | From £160 | £64 | £96 |
These figures are based on the cheapest available advance price. Alton Towers uses dynamic pricing and tickets get more expensive the closer you get to the date and during busy periods, so the saving per visit is likely to be higher in practice.
What Are the Exclusion Dates?
The Alton Towers annual pass is not valid every day that the theme park is open. There are exclusion dates which typically fall on the busiest days of the year (mostly during the school holidays). For 2026, the exclusion dates are:
- April: 5th – 6th
- May: 3rd – 4th, 24th – 25th
- August: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th – 31st
- October: 17th, 24th – 25th, 31st
- November: 6th – 8th
Most of August and the key half-term dates are excluded. However, the pass does include Scarefest on non-exclusion dates.
If school holidays are your only realistic time to visit, go through this list carefully before buying. The exclusion dates are subject to change so always check the current list on the Alton Towers website before purchasing. You can still visit on exclusion dates by purchasing an upgrade ticket at a discounted rate.
What Do You Get With the Alton Towers Annual Pass?
- Entry to Alton Towers Theme Park on all non-exclusion dates for 12 months
- Access to Scarefest and seasonal events on non-exclusion dates
- 25% off tickets to selected Merlin Gateway attractions
- 10% off Fastrack
- Option to buy upgrade tickets for exclusion dates at a discounted rate
What’s Not Included?
- Parking: Parking starts at £13 per day.
- Waterpark: The Alton Towers Waterpark requires a separate ticket
- Food & retail discounts: These only come with Merlin Gold and Platinum passes
- Free or unlimited Fastrack: 10% off is included but free Fastrack is a Merlin Platinum benefit only
Alton Towers Annual Pass vs Merlin Annual Pass
The Alton Towers Annual Pass covers one attraction. The Merlin Annual Pass covers over 20 UK attractions including Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, SEA LIFE centres and Warwick Castle.
| Alton Towers Pass | Merlin Essential | Merlin Gold | Merlin Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £64 | £139 | £239 | £299 |
| Alton Towers entry | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other Merlin attractions | No | Yes (20+) | Yes (20+) | Yes (20+) |
| Free parking | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Food and retail discount | No | No | 20% | 20% |
| Fastrack discount | 10% off | 10% off | 10% off | 1 free per visit |
| Monthly payment option | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Exclusion dates | Yes | Yes | Some | None |
The price difference between the Alton Towers Annual Pass and the lowest grade Merlin Annual Pass (Essential) is £75.
At that price, the Merlin Annual Pass only makes sense you are likely to visit other Merlin attractions in the same year. We went with the Merlin Annual Pass because we planned to visit LEGOLAND and Thorpe Park in the same year at a minimum, which made the extra cost worth it.
If Alton Towers is genuinely the only Merlin attraction you are thinking of visiting then the Alton Towers Annual Pass is the right decision.
Is the Alton Towers Annual Pass Worth It?
The Alton Towers Annual Pass is worth it if you plan to visit at least twice in the year. It pays for itself on visit two and saves you money from your third visit onwards.
However, be sure to check the exclusion dates first. Most of August and the key half-term dates are not covered. If that is your most realistic window for visiting, factor in the cost of upgrade tickets before committing, and remember the pass is non-refundable once purchased.
