Finding cheap thrills at theme parks
By Peter
Davidson • Bankrate.com
A visit to a theme park can easily cost a family
of four $300 or more, but you can keep more money in your pocket
by taking advantage of special discounts. Here's how:
Buy tickets online
You'll save time -- you won't have to stand in line -- and you'll
save money. For example, at Knott's
Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif., a single-day admission ticket
for ages 12 and up purchased at the park will cost $46.95. Buy online
and you'll pay just $35, a savings of 25 percent.
At Six
Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., a regular adult admission
at the gate is $45.99, but an e-ticket can be purchased on the Internet
for $37.99, saving 17 percent. A junior ticket, for kids who measure
under 54 inches in height, costs $29.99 at the gate or online.
At Busch
Gardens Tampa Bay, Fla., and Busch
Gardens Williamsburg, Va., e-tickets will save you 10 percent
off the regular adult and children's admission prices at the gate.
The online price is $46.95 for adults and $39.95 for kids.
Universal
Orlando is offering a five-consecutive-day pass at a total of
$94.95 -- a savings of almost $180 over the regular cost of $54.75
for each single-day ticket.
And at Paramount's
Kings Dominion in Doswell, Va., a regular one-day adult ticket
costs $43.99. But you can buy them online and print them out from
your own computer at a cost of $34.99 -- a 20 percent savings. Purchase
your e-ticket three or more days in advance of your visit, and the
price falls to $29.99.
"Basically, we're rewarding e-ticket users,"
says Michael Sanfilippo, spokesman for Kings Dominion.
Arrive in time for sunset admission prices
Ask about reduced rates for late afternoon admissions. For example,
at Hershey
Park in Hershey, Pa., the regular full-day ticket costs $37.95
for adults and $21.95 for children ages 3 to 8. The theme park,
located in the heart of Amish country, doesn't offer e-tickets,
but you can reap substantial savings by entering later in the afternoon:
$20.95 for adults and $17.95 for children ages 3 to 8. The discounts
apply to admissions after 3 p.m. on days the park closes at 6; after
4 p.m. when it closes at 8; and after 5 p.m. when it closes at 10
or 11.
Be on the alert for special promotions
Keep an eye out for promotional admission tickets that can be purchased
at retail outlets at a discount. For example, Ralphs Markets in
southern California sell adult admission tickets to Six Flags Magic
Mountain in Los Angeles for $24.99, and that includes a kids' ticket
absolutely free. Dubbed the "Scramin Deal," it's a great
way to save when you consider that purchasing tickets at the entrance
gate would cost $46.99 for an adult and $29.99 for a child (kids
ages 2 and under are admitted free).
And at Kings
Dominion, a ticket can be purchased through nearby Blockbuster
and Giant Food stores for $14 off the regular admission price. "We
want to use the 'mass retailer' approach," explains Kings Dominion's
Sanfilippo. "We are making tickets available at places where
people shop, at prices way below gate prices."
Consider getting multi-day passes
If you think you'll need more than one day to get the most fun out
of your theme park visit, consider a multi-day pass. At Kings Dominion,
for example, you can buy a "Pay once, visit twice" ticket
for $43.99, the cost of a single-day adult admission purchased at
the park.
Look for combination ticket deals
Planning on visiting more than one theme park? You may be able to
take advantage of combo tickets that will get you a discount to
two or more venues. For example, an adult can purchase a combined
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Sea World Orlando admission ticket for
$89.95, giving you one day at each park for a savings of $17.95
per adult.
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