FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Merlin's Magic Wand. Scroll down or use the links below to jump to a question.

About the charity

Application Process


About the charity

How did Merlin's Magic Wand Charity come about?

Merlin Entertainments Group (Merlin) is the second largest attractions operator in the world. The Group currently comprises of 78 attractions in 17 countries across 4 continents.

In 2011, over 40 million people visited their sites, but there are many children who, through no fault of their own, cannot go for a fabulous day out at one of the locations.

Merlin Group and its attractions have often helped other charities to make a special day for such children, but in 2008 they decided to set up their own charity for this purpose.

Is Merlin's Magic Wand a registered charity?

Merlin’s Magic Wand has been established as a charitable trust (Merlin’s Magic Wand Trustees Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales with Registered Number 06511344 and having its registered office at 3 Market Close, Poole, Dorset BH15 1NQ) and is registered with the UK Charities Commission, registration number 1124081.

Who runs the charity?

The charity is run by a Board of Directors who will administer the funds and make awards. Awards may be made in any of the countries in which Merlin operates.

What does the charity offer?

The charity has been given access to a large number of complimentary tickets to Merlin’s attractions. These will be used to provide a fabulous experience for children who are disadvantaged in some way.

Merlin has also committed £100,000 to the charity to assist with any running costs and to provide possible financial support for applicants in terms of travel costs, where there is financial hardship.

Which attractions does Merlin's Magic Wand have access to?

We can provide tickets to any of the attractions in Merlin’s world-wide group. There are over 78 attractions in total which include the following brands:

SEA LIFE Centres Logo SEA LIFE Sanctuaries Logo LEGOLAND® Logo LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres Logo Chessington Logo Madame Tussauds Logo Alton Towers Resort Logo The London Eye Logo The Dungeons Logo Thorpe Park Logo Heide Park (Germany) Logo Gardaland (Italy) Logo Warwick Castle Logo Earth Explorer Logo

Does the charity provide tickets for fundraising by schools, other charities or organisations?

Merlin's Magic Wand charity has been established to provide experiences for seriously ill, disabled and disadvantaged children at Merlin Group attractions. It is not the objective of the charity to help other charities/organisations to raise money and so such applications would not qualify.

Attractions are often able to provide discounted tickets or other offers for such groups - visit their websites for details using the logos above.

What can I do to help the charity?

If you know of a child or children who are eligible and would benefit from a Merlin’s Magic Wand award please tell their family or relevant person about us.

If you would like to make a donation please click here.

If you are interested in fundraising for Merlin’s Magic Wand please contact our Fundraising and Events Manager, Carly Parrick via the contact page for more information.


Application Process

Can anyone apply?

We welcome applications on behalf of seriously ill, disabled or disadvantaged children (aged 18 or under) who may benefit from an award. These applications can be made by EITHER parents/guardians of these children OR organisations which work with these children providing those children have not already received tickets through another application made in the same year.

How do I apply?

Once you have checked your eligibility for an award, you can complete an online application on the how to apply page.

When can I apply?

Whilst we welcome applications all year round please be aware of the following:

  • The following attractions close over the winter period: THORPE PARK, Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers Resort, LEGOLAND Windsor, LEGOLAND Billund, LEGOLAND Deutschland, Heide Park Resort and Gardaland.
  • Applications for these attractions sent during the close period will not be accepted (check the attraction website for opening dates/times).

How often can I apply?

Each child that meets our criteria has the opportunity to receive one ticket per calendar year.

An individual family is restricted to one application per calendar year. Schools, organisations and charities may make more than one application per calendar year. However this is subject to;

  • The children on whose behalf the application is being made have not already received a ticket in that calendar year.
  • The total ticket allocation for the year previously agreed with Merlin’s Magic Wand, is not exceeded.

How many tickets can I apply for?

We usually limit an individual family to 5 tickets per year (for the child and immediate family members) to have a day out at one of our attractions.

For organisations, charities and schools the allocation is up to 50 tickets per year. Larger ticket may be considered and will be granted at the discretion of Merlin’s Magic Wand.

Can I have an annual pass?

We can only award tickets to specific attractions for one day out per year.

How much detail do you need about my child’s condition?

We require 1-2 sentences briefly outlining the condition and difficulties your child may have including their age.

What do you accept as Proof of Condition?

A headed document/letter from an established or approved organisation confirming the child's condition e.g. doctor's letter, hospital appointment/diagnosis letter, consultant's diagnosis, confirmation from school etc. At the moment we cannot accept DLA letter as Proof of Condition. Please note that if your documentation is more than a year old then we may require further proof.

Can I receive help towards the cost of travel?

We may be able to contribute towards the cost of travel to your nearest attraction. We can assist with most travel options however some exclusions apply.

Please provide as much detail as possible on your application form to allow us to properly assess your eligibility for a contribution.

Individual families who are applying for 7 or more persons are not eligible to apply for a contribution towards travel.

How do I know you have received my application?

If your application has been submitted correctly you will see a Thank You message on the screen confirming this. You will also receive an immediate e-mail confirming receipt of the application and setting out the time it will take to be processed. Please check your spam/junk mail for this message before contacting us with queries. An initial assessment of your application may take up to 8 weeks, please wait for this amount of time before contacting us. We will respond to all applications whether they are successful or not.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

Once the initial assessment has been completed (up to 8 weeks) we may have further questions and require additional documentation. Your application can only be confirmed as successful when we have received and processed all the required information and documentation. It can then take a further 4-6 weeks for you to receive your tickets and travel grants.

Where will my tickets and travel contribution be sent?

For security purposes, tickets and travel grants must be sent to the person making the application and to the address provided on the application form. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to consider sending tickets to a different address.

Who will send out my tickets?

Your tickets will be sent out by the attraction.

How long will my tickets take to arrive?

We can only arrange for tickets to be sent out once your application has been accepted and we have received all additional documentation. Once this process is complete it can take up to 4-6 weeks for the tickets to reach you.

What dates are the tickets valid on?

Ticket validity varies by attraction and there may be restrictions on certain days of the year.  Once you have received your tickets please check the reverse for validity and if you have any questions contact the attraction directly.

What do I do if my tickets haven’t arrived?

If your tickets haven’t arrived 5 working days before your intended visit please contact us (details on this website).

How long will my travel contribution take to arrive?

Once we receive your receipts/proof of travel your cheque will take approximately 4-6 weeks.

Why didn’t my travel contribution arrive with my tickets?

Tickets are issued by each individual attraction, travel contributions are issued by Merlin’s Magic Wand finance department; so will be received separately. Travel contributions require additional documentation and authorisation so may take a little longer than tickets to be issued.

What do I do if my travel contribution hasn’t arrived?

Travel contributions will take approximately 4-6 weeks to reach you after we have received all receipts/proof of travel. If you have not received payment after this time, contact us and we will check it for you.

A young seal in one of the Seal Sanctuaries Driving School at LEGOLAND® Windsor SEA LIFE creatures visual