COVID-19 – Information and update

The safety and wellbeing of our guests and staff is our priority and we will take all necessary precautions to ensure their continued welfare.

Update 4th January 2021 10am

Following the most recent announcement from the NSW state government surrounding COVID Safety, it is now mandatory to wear a mask whilst indoors at at NSW venues.

This means you will be required to wear a mask at all times while visiting Madame Tussaud’s Sydney, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and Sydney Tower Eye.

Please note that children under 12 are exempt.

Update 16th November 2020 1:30pm

The following applies to ALL 10 ANZ* attractions:

We have significantly reduced the daily ticketed capacity to allow for social distancing and the best possible guest experience.
Guests will notice new information signage informing them of key safety messages and instructions.
In line with government requirements we will record contact details for all guests to ensure contact tracing may be conducted if necessary
The wearing of face coverings is strongly recommended and applies to all attendees 12 years and over and excludes those with certain health conditions and/or disabilities.

*WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, Madame Tussauds Sydney, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Tower Eye, Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne, Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarltons

Update: 12th November 2020 4pm

In line with the Victorian Government's easing of restrictions, we are thrilled to announce that we are welcoming guests back to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne on Thursday November 19 2020. All Victorian Passholders will receive a 5-month extension to their original expiry date and your passes will be updated automatically.

LEGOLAND have introduced new and enhanced hygiene protocols to ensure you have a brick-tastic and safe visit. Pre-booking is essential.

Update: 10th November 2020 11am

Following the VIC Premier’s announcement that Aquariums can re-open, we are thrilled to announce that we are welcoming friends and fans back to SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium on Friday November 13 2020.

We want to reassure all Victorian Merlin Annual Pass holders that we will be extending your passes by 5 months from the original expiry date and your pass will be updated automatically.

SEA LIFE Melbourne have implemented new and enhanced hygiene protocols to ensure you can visit safe as you dive back into their underwater adventure. Pre-booking is essential to guarantee entry.

Update: 5th October 2020 2:30pm

Otway Fly Treeptop Adventures will open on Weekends only (Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm with last entry at 5pm). Both SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and LEGO LAND Discovery Centre Melbourne remain temporarily closed.

Update: 1st September 2020 9am

Following advice from the Victorian Government in an effort to contain COVID-19, our Victorian attractions remain closed. Please note that as of 7th September 2020 an additional 60 days have been added to your passes.

Please be aware these additional days have been automatically added onto your pass, we don't require anything from you.

Update: 5th August 2020 12pm

In line with the most recent NSW health advice on Covid-19, we will be checking the temperature of our guests as they enter the attraction. The wearing of face coverings is strongly recommended and applies to all attendees 12 years and over and excludes those with certain health conditions and/or disabilities.

Face covering and temperature check Q+A

Q: Under what conditions is a face covering NOT strongly recommended?

A: A face covering is not strongly recommended in our indoor attractions in some circumstances including:

Infants and children under the age of 12 years
A person who is affected by a relevant medical condition, including problems with their breathing, a serious condition of the face, a disability or a mental health condition
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication
When consuming food, drink or medication

Q: Do I need to provide a medical certificate stating that I have a lawful reason for not wearing a face covering?

A: Please note that you do not need a medical certificate stating that you have a lawful reason for not wearing a face covering.

Q: What type of face covering is appropriate?

A: While the Chief Health Officer recommends a mask with three layers, any face covering is better than none. This includes a scarf or bandana or a disposable mask, which you should dispose of responsibly by putting it in the rubbish bin after using it once.

Q: Will your staff also be wearing face coverings?

A: All customer facing staff will wear a face mask at our attractions.

Q: From what age will guests be required to have a temperature check?

A: Merlin Entertainments will be using non-contact thermometers to screen the temperature of each guest upon entering the attraction, unless they are under the age of two.

Q: Re temperature checking: under what circumstances would I not be permitted entry?

A: Guests who do not wish to undergo the temperature screening or who have a raised temperature of [37.8°C or above], along with their household group*, will not be permitted entry but will be offered a full refund of the admission price of their ticket.

*For the purposes of this guidance, a school or other group day trip will not be considered a household group but a tour group who are travelling and staying together will be considered a household group (due to the likely longer duration of close contact between members of the group).

Q: Will you record my temperature?

A: No record of the temperature will be retained and the data will not be used for any other purpose.

Update: 3rd August 2020 3pm

In line with the most recent NSW health advice on Covid-19, we will be checking the temperature of our guests as they enter the attraction and the wearing of face coverings is strongly recommended. This applies to all attendees 12 years and over and excludes those with certain health conditions and/or disabilities.

Update: 3rd August 2020 12pm

In line with the most recent NSW health advice on Covid-19, the wearing of face coverings is strongly recommended to our guests when visiting our indoor attractions. This applies to all guests 12 years and over and excludes those with certain health conditions and/or disabilities.

Q: Under what conditions is a face covering NOT strongly recommended?

A: A face covering is not strongly recommended in our indoor attractions in some circumstances including:

Infants and children under the age of 12 years
A person who is affected by a relevant medical condition, including problems with their breathing, a serious condition of the face, a disability or a mental health condition
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication
When consuming food, drink or medication

Q: Do I need to provide a medical certificate stating that I have a lawful reason for not wearing a face covering?

A: Please note that you do not need a medical certificate stating that you have a lawful reason for not wearing a face covering.

Q: What type of face covering is appropriate?

A: While the Chief Health Officer recommends a mask with three layers, any face covering is better than none. This includes a scarf or bandana or a disposable mask, which you should dispose of responsibly by putting it in the rubbish bin after using it once.

Q: Will your staff also be wearing face coverings?

A: All customer facing staff will wear a face mask at our attractions.

Update: 23^rd July 2020 10am

Unfortunately we have had to temporarily close OTWAY Fly Treetop Adentures. This is following advice from the Victorian Government in an effort to contain COVID-19.

We want to reassure all Victorian Merlin Annual Passholders that we will be extending your passes. You won’t need to do anything as your pass will be updated automatically. We will let Passholders know further updates via email, our social media channels and our website.

We look forward to delivering memorable experiences again soon!

Update: 9^th July 2020 10am

Unfortunately we have had to temporarily close SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre. This is following advice from the Victorian Government in an effort to contain COVID-19.

We want to reassure all Victorian Merlin Annual Passholders that we will be extending your passes by 60 days. You won’t need to do anything as your pass will be updated automatically. We will let Passholders know further updates via email, our social media channels and our website.

Rest assured, we will continue to provide the best care for our animals during this time and we look forward to delivering memorable experiences again soon.

Q: My Merlin Annual Pass expires whilst your attractions are closed. Will you be extending my Pass?

A: Yes, we will be extending your Pass if it expires during the period that our attractions are closed – as we recognise that you have not been able to take advantage of the last few weeks of your Pass(es). All passes will be extended by 60 days.

You do not need to contact our customer service team to ensure your Pass(es) will be revalidated.

Q: My Merlin Annual Pass(es) were recently due for renewal. I’ve renewed them online and I am due to collect from an attraction within 8 weeks. With the recent events of COVID-19, I can’t travel to an attraction as they are closed. Will I lose out on my renewal rate / get a refund?

A: If you have already renewed your Merlin Annual Passes, you have until 30^th September 2020 to collect your Merlin Annual Passes from an attraction. We won’t be offering refunds on Passes already purchased. Your 12 months on your Merlin Annual Pass will start from the date that you collect it. We will be reviewing this in the coming months in line with Government advice about COVID-19.

Q: My Merlin Annual Pass(es) are due for renewal. I need to renew online or at an attraction within the next 8 weeks. With COVID-19, I’m not able to visit an attraction to collect my Merlin Annual Passes as they are closed. Is it possible to extend my renewal rate offer?

A: If you are due for renewal, you can still take advantage of the renewal rate – as our attractions are closed you will need to renew online at https://www.merlinannualpass.com.au/compare-passes/renewal-passes. You have until 30^th September 2020 to collect your Merlin Annual Passes from an attraction. Your 12 months on your Merlin Annual Pass will start from the date that you collect it. We will be reviewing this in the coming months in line with Government advice about COVID-19.

Q: I’ve bought a Merlin Annual Pass gift voucher. Will the validity of this be extended?

A: If you have purchased a Merlin Annual Pass gift voucher, please email merlinannualpassanz@merlinentertainments.com.au for further information. Our customer service team will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.

Q: Which attractions are temporarily closed?

A: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Melbourne

Q: Why are the attractions closed?

A: The decision to close our attractions temporarily is based on the latest guidance from the Government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Q: When will attractions reopen?

A: Our attractions will remain closed until further notice. We are in contact with the relevant authorities and will work to reopen our attractions to Passholders as soon as it’s appropriate to do so.

Q: Can I get a refund on my Merlin Annual Pass?

A: We will be providing more information in the coming days for Merlin Annual Pass. Please check back on this web page and our social channels for further details.

Q: I have a query about a specific item at an attraction, who should I contact?

A: Please contact the relevant attraction who will be able to help you.

Update 13th May at 11:00am

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's have been working hard to make sure that they can welcome passholders back in a responsible way, to ensure your health and well-being. We’re excited to share that they’ll be open from tomorrow (14th May 2020).

Visit our website for an in-depth look at the measures they've put in place: https://www.merlinannualpass.com.au/whats-on/sea-life-kelly-tarltons-opening

Update: 28th April at 3:30pm

Q: My Merlin Annual Pass expires whilst your attractions are closed. Will you be extending my Pass?

A: Yes, we will be extending your Pass if it expires during the period that our attractions are closed – as we recognise that you have not been able to take advantage of the last few weeks of your Pass(es).

If your Pass expires in the next 2 – 4 weeks, we will automatically add 1 month extra from when we reopen our attractions
If your Pass expires in the next 4 – 8 weeks, we will automatically add 2 months extra from when we reopen our attractions
If your Pass expires in the next 9 – 12 weeks, we will automatically add 3 months extra from when we reopen our attractions

You do not need to contact our customer service team to ensure your Pass(es) will be revalidated.

Q: My Merlin Annual Pass(es) were recently due for renewal. I’ve renewed them online and I am due to collect from an attraction within 8 weeks. With the recent events of COVID-19, I can’t travel to an attraction as they are closed. Will I lose out on my renewal rate / get a refund?

A: If you have already renewed your Merlin Annual Passes, you have until 30^th September 2020 to collect your Merlin Annual Passes from an attraction. We won’t be offering refunds on Passes already purchased. Your 12 months on your Merlin Annual Pass will start from the date that you collect it. We will be reviewing this in the coming months in line with Government advice about COVID-19.

Q: My Merlin Annual Pass(es) are due for renewal. I need to renew online or at an attraction within the next 8 weeks. With COVID-19, I’m not able to visit an attraction to collect my Merlin Annual Passes as they are closed. Is it possible to extend my renewal rate offer?

A: If you are due for renewal, you can still take advantage of the renewal rate – as our attractions are closed you will need to renew online at https://www.merlinannualpass.com.au/compare-passes/renewal-passes. You have until 30^th September 2020 to collect your Merlin Annual Passes from an attraction. Your 12 months on your Merlin Annual Pass will start from the date that you collect it. We will be reviewing this in the coming months in line with Government advice about COVID-19.

Q: I’ve bought a Merlin Annual Pass gift voucher. Will the validity of this be extended?

A: If you have purchased a Merlin Annual Pass gift voucher, please email merlinannualpassanz@merlinentertainments.com.au for further information. Our customer service team will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.

Update: 20th April 2020 at 12pm

As our attractions are temporarily closed, we will be extending your Merlin Annual Passes to account for the period of time that our attractions are shut. Your existing Passes will be automatically extended in our ticketing system – so once our attractions reopen, your Merlin Annual Pass will scan as normal at the ticket barriers.

The number of months added to your Merlin Annual Passes will be based on the duration of the attraction closures.

For example:

· We will add 1 month extra for a 2 – 4 weeks closure

· We will add 2 months extra for a 5 – 8 weeks closure

· We will add 3 months extra for a 9 – 12 weeks closure

You do not need to contact our customer service team to get the extra months added, we’ll be taking care of this for you. You are not required to have your Merlin Annual Pass cards reprinted.

We will update you about attractions reopening via email, the website and our social channels.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/merlinannualpassanz

Instagram: www.instagram.com/merlinannualpassanz

Update: 23rd March 2020 at 12:40pm

As part of the most recent updates to the containment plan for the Covid-19 coronavirus, we have been advised by the Australian Government to temporarily close our attractions. The move is consistent with the closure of other venues and postponement of events in order to prevent further outbreak.

The closure is effective across all Merlin attractions in Australia and New Zealand as of midday on 23rd March, 2020. We want to reassure all Merlin Annual Passholders that we will be extending your passes.

We will be announcing more details on this via email, our social media channels and our website over the coming days.

Meanwhile, rest assured, our staff will continue to feed, care for and provide enrichment opportunities for the animals in our care and our wax figures will no doubt keep each other company until we re-open.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.