Discover & Diners Club win Merlin London payments deal

Discover Network and Diners Club International have agreed a multi-year payments partnership with Merlin Entertainments, making the card networks the preferred payment method at Merlin's London attractions.

The agreement also extends acceptance across Merlin's international locations, covering both in-person and online transactions across its global estate.

Merlin operates a broad portfolio of visitor attractions and welcomes more than 60 million guests each year in more than 20 countries. In London, the partnership covers sites including the London Eye, London Dungeon, Madame Tussauds, Shrek's Adventure and SEA LIFE London Aquarium.

For Discover and Diners Club, the arrangement adds another large consumer-facing partner as Capital One shifts cards onto the Discover network and works to close gaps in international acceptance, including in the UK.

Merlin's sites will join the existing base of Discover Network and Diners Club acceptance points across more than 185 countries and territories. The partnership covers card-present and card-not-present channels, bringing the networks into Merlin's physical venues as well as its online payment systems.

London focus

Preferred payment status in London gives the networks visibility at some of the capital's best-known tourist attractions, while the wider rollout expands access for cardholders across Merlin's international portfolio.

That matters for Merlin because the group serves a large mix of domestic and overseas visitors, making payment acceptance as much an operational issue as a customer service one. Accepting more cards can reduce friction at ticket offices, retail points and digital checkouts.

Josh Atwood, SVP of Global Acceptance at Discover Network, said the agreement supports the company's goal of expanding where customers can use their cards.

"At Discover Network and Diners Club, our goal is to be everywhere our customers want to spend, and our customers certainly want to spend at Merlin attractions," said Josh Atwood, SVP of Global Acceptance at Discover Network.

"I'm thrilled that we can now provide seamless acceptance across their locations and are deeply appreciative of their partnership," Atwood said.

Guest payments

Merlin said the deal is part of a wider effort to simplify visits across its estate. The group has been working to deepen guest relationships and improve performance across its portfolio, with payments forming one part of that broader commercial picture.

Dominique Sidley, Global VP Indirect Sales at Merlin Entertainments, said broader card acceptance was a practical step for visitors using its attractions around the world.

"At Merlin, we're actively looking for ways to make visiting our attractions easier and more enjoyable for guests from around the world. This partnership with Discover Network and Diners Club International expands the payment options available across our global portfolio, giving guests greater flexibility in how they pay - a crucial part of the guest experience as a whole.

"As we continue to grow and welcome millions of visitors each year, partnerships like this one play an important role in delivering the convenience and accessibility our guests expect from any of our magical days out," said Dominique Sidley, Global VP Indirect Sales at Merlin Entertainments.

The agreement reflects how payment networks continue to target travel, leisure and tourism merchants with international customer bases. Attractions groups such as Merlin handle a mix of advance bookings, walk-up ticket sales and on-site spending, making them useful partners for networks seeking broader acceptance across digital and physical channels.

It also highlights the role of payments in the visitor economy, particularly in London, where attractions draw high volumes of international tourists. For card schemes seeking to expand outside their home markets, broad merchant acceptance at major destinations can help address practical barriers travellers face when using their cards abroad.

Merlin's estate spans resort theme parks, city-centre attractions and LEGOLAND resorts across markets including the UK, US, Western Europe, China and Asia Pacific. The company works with entertainment brands including the LEGO Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari.

Discover Network, together with Diners Club and PULSE, says its network is accepted in more than 185 countries and territories and processes billions of transactions each year.