Theme park getaways are popular with families, but they sure aren’t cheap. Fortunately, there are some golden rules for buying tickets that apply to almost all theme parks, and they can help you reduce the cost of tickets. Here are proven ways to cut your theme park spending.
Buy tickets online. Never, never pay the price of admission to a theme park. Instead, visit the theme park’s website and print your tickets before you go. We guarantee you will save a significant sum, sometimes up to $ 20 per ticket, even for same day tickets.
Purchase in advance. Most theme parks offer a price reduction if you buy tickets at least a few days before your arrival. For example, Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California saves $ 25 per ticket when you make your purchase at least three days in advance.
Direct sale of mines. Sites like Travelzoo, Living Social, and Groupon are great places to look for deals on theme park tickets. If you’re spending a few days at a destination with a theme park, consider purchasing the Entertainment Book for that location. Guaranteed to be packed with money-saving coupons for restaurants and attractions, including theme parks. During your vacation, you are sure to recoup the cost of the book itself, which costs less than $ 10 if you buy mid-year.
Avoid weekends. This is a universal obvious. Single-day ticket prices at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio are about 30 percent less than admission on Saturdays and Sundays. But the big advantage is that the lines will be much shorter, allowing you to spend less time waiting in lines and more time having fun.
Go in the afternoon. Some parks offer heavily discounted tickets for visitors arriving later in the day. For example, Hersheypark sunset tickets allow entry after 4 pm or 5 pm, depending on the day. You’ll still have four to six hours of fun before the park closes, and you’ll pay up to 50 percent less than the full-day ticket price.
Buy more tickets than you need. It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes a multi-day or seasonal pass is worth buying, even if you’re only visiting for a day. The season pass at any Six Flags park is marginally more expensive than a day ticket, yet it gives you a full season of fun at Six Flags parks across the country. It’s something to keep in mind if you live within driving distance of one or more Six Flags parks or have a summer trip planned near one.
Spring for a pack. At larger parks like Disney and Universal theme parks on both coasts, you’ll save money by purchasing a package that includes tickets with a hotel stay and sometimes even meals. Plus, staying on the property can allow you to take advantage of additional perks, such as free parking and skip-the-line privileges.
Make membership work for you. Both Disney World and Universal Orlando offer good ticket discounts for AARP members. It is one of the advantages of turning 50.
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