The Merlin Attractions Combo Tickets – Are They Worth It?
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
If you’ve been looking at things to do in London, you’ve probably seen those combo deals pop up everywhere.
“Save when you combine 3 or 5 attractions.”
Sounds like a no-brainer at first. But like most things in London, it’s not that simple.
Some people grab them instantly thinking they’ve found a great deal. Others skip them completely. In reality, the right answer sits somewhere in the middle. It depends on what you actually want to do while you’re in the city.
What Are The Merlin Combo Tickets?
These are bundle tickets from Merlin Entertainments that let you visit multiple attractions for a discounted price.
You usually choose between 2, 3 or 5 attractions, and the main options include:
London Eye
Madame Tussauds London
SEA LIFE London Aquarium
The London Dungeon
Shrek’s Adventure! London
Are They Actually Worth It?
They are worth it if the attractions already fit your plan. They are not worth it if you are adding places just because they are included in the deal.
A simple example makes this clear.
If you want to do the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and Sea Life, buying them separately will cost you well over £100. A combo ticket will bring that price down quite a bit, so in that case the value is obvious.
Where people go wrong is trying to build a plan around the ticket instead of the other way around.
One Important Thing Most People Miss
Before buying, make sure you understand where you need to redeem your ticket.
In most cases, you will have to go first to either the London Eye or Madame Tussauds to activate your pass. This becomes your starting point, whether it fits your itinerary or not.
Also, these two are by far the most popular attractions. The London Eye in particular gets very crowded.
If you buy a single ticket first and then decide to add more attractions later, it usually ends up much more expensive than just buying the combo from the start. So it’s worth deciding early.
3 vs 5 Attractions – Which One Makes Sense?
For most people, the 3-attraction option is the sweet spot. It’s easy to complete over 1 day without rushing and still gives you solid savings.
The 5-attraction ticket looks great on paper, but it’s harder to use properly. You need more time, more energy, and a bit more planning. Otherwise it starts to feel like a checklist instead of a trip.
Merlin Combo Tickets vs London Pass
Here’s a simple way to compare them:
Feature | London Pass | |
Best for | Fun, easy attractions | Historic landmarks |
Duration | Flexible (multi-day use) | Fixed days (1–5) |
Attractions | Merlin-owned only | Wide variety |
Pace | Relaxed | More structured |
Planning | Simple | Requires planning |
If your focus is on places like the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, the London Pass makes more sense. If you want lighter, more visual experiences, the combo tickets fit better.
It’s worth mentioning that the The London Pass has improved a lot in recent years, especially since it now includes the London Eye and Madame Tussauds London.
Because of that, for many people, it actually offers better overall value than the Merlin combo tickets.
If those two attractions are already on your list, and you also want to visit places like the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey, then it becomes a pretty straightforward decision. The London Pass gives you a much wider range of experiences for a similar price.
The combo tickets only really make more sense if you specifically want to visit the other Merlin attractions like the Aquarium, the Dungeon, or Shrek’s Adventure.
If not, choosing the London Pass is usually the better option.
If you want a deeper breakdown, you can check our full guide here: The London Pass Review – Is It Worth It?
My Personal Ranking (Based on Experience)
This is entirely subjective, but based on experience, this is how I would rank them:
The London Dungeon
SEA LIFE London Aquarium
London Eye
Madame Tussauds London
Shrek’s Adventure! London
The reason is simple. The Dungeon and the Aquarium are more immersive and you actually learn something, whether it’s history or nature.
The London Eye is iconic, but also very crowded and, in my opinion, a bit overrated for what you get. It’s more about the experience than the content.
Madame Tussauds is fun, especially the first time, but it depends a lot on how interested you are in celebrities.
Shrek’s Adventure is more niche and works better for families with younger kids.
That said, this is just one perspective. Everyone has different priorities, so it’s worth checking what each attraction offers before deciding.
Final Verdict
Merlin combo tickets are one of the simplest ways to save money in London, but only if they match what you already want to do.
They work best when you:
Choose attractions you genuinely care about
Spread them over a couple of days
Avoid trying to squeeze everything in
If you approach it like that, they are definitely worth it.
If not, it’s very easy to end up doing things just for the sake of it, and that’s when the value disappears.
Quick Answer
Merlin attraction combo tickets are worth it if you plan to visit multiple included attractions like the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE. They offer good savings, but are not worth it if you choose attractions you were not interested in the first place.
