Apply

A Magical Day Out is an experience provided by Merlin’s Magic Wand, the official children’s charity of Merlin Entertainments. Through the generous support of Merlin Entertainments, we offer single-day admission tickets to eligible children and their immediate family to enjoy one Merlin attraction of their choice.

This opportunity allows families to spend meaningful time together, have fun, and create magical memories that will last forever.

Immediate family refers to the child’s parents, or legal guardians, official care team/support person and siblings. We may request additional information if eligibility is unclear, to ensure support is directed to families who need it most.

A time-sensitive application refers to applications for children who have a life-limiting condition with a prognosis of 12 months or less. Or children who have an imminent loss of function. These applications are prioritised due to the urgency of the circumstances, ensuring the child can experience a Magical Day Out as soon as possible.

Please note:

• Applications for reasons such as birthdays or anniversaries are not considered time sensitive.
• If an application is marked as time-sensitive but does not meet the criteria, it will be cancelled, without a response from our team. 

To be eligible for a Magical Day Out, the child you’re applying for must meet both of the following requirements:

Age Requirement

• Must be at least 2 years old and no older than 18 at the time of application

Current Circumstances

The child must currently be experiencing one or more of the following:

• Living with a serious or long-term illness
• Has a registered disability
• Lives in a permanent or temporary care home
• Currently in foster care
  • Please note: If the child is in foster care, we may require documentation dated within the past 12 months.
• Has been recently adopted
  • Please note: The adoption must have occurred within the last 5 years.
• Affected by domestic violence or abuse
• Has a parent or legal guardian who is terminally ill
• Has a sibling, parent, or legal guardian who has recently passed away
• Be a registered young carer

For Parents or Guardians:

If you’re a parent or guardian, please ask one of the following professionals or organisations to apply on your behalf:

• Your child’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) school
• A healthcare provider
• The Children’s Services under your local authority (council)
• A registered charity or support group relevant to your child’s needs

Applications must be submitted by an organisation that can confirm the child’s eligibility.

For Organisations:

Organisations applying must provide direct support to children who meet our eligibility criteria and focus on children aged 2 to 18 years. This includes:

• Special education schools
• Medical departments
• Children’s services
• Registered charities or community groups

If we are unable to confirm that your organisation exclusively supports eligible children, we reserve the right to cancel your application.

Time Sensitive Applications:

We accept applications for children with a terminal diagnosis (with a prognosis of 12 months or less), or imminent loss of function on a time sensitive basis. Contact the team directly to find out more on how we can support you to create magic on these urgent requests via MMW.charity@merlinsmagicwand.org

To apply, organisations must provide the following:

• Two organisation-affiliated email addresses (no personal domains such as @gmail, @yahoo, etc.)
  • One must belong to the person submitting the application
  • The second must be for a senior staff member (e.g., CEO or department lead)
• The organisation’s official website
• Charity registration number, if applicable

In some cases, we may request additional documentation to support the application. This could include:

• Hospital letters and diagnostic reports
• Educational Health and Care Plans (EHCP)
• Letters from child services or local authorities

Additional Guidance by Organisation Type:

• Schools:
  We accept applications from Special Education Needs schools or schools focused on social, emotional, or mental health needs (SEN/SEMH).
  Mainstream schools with a special education programme are not eligible.
• Local Authorities:
  The department directly supporting the child must submit the application (e.g., Child Protective Services).
• Hospitals or Medical Practices:
  Applications must come from the specific department working with the child (e.g., Pediatric Oncology), not from general administration.
• Community Centres / Support Groups:
  The main contact listed on the organisation’s website must submit the application.