How to Save Money at Amusement Parks?

1. Reduce the Cost of Park Admission

2. Buy Online

Order your tickets online, and you’re likely to be rewarded twice: first with a discounted ticket price, and later with quicker entry to the park—see ya later ticket counter! Just how much money can you hope to save by shopping online? Quite a bit, actually. On the Universal Studios’ website you can buy a 2 day/2 park pass for nearly $30 under the gate price—and this bargain is far from unique. For proof, you need only surf over to the Sea World website, where an online exclusive, called “Be a Kid Again,” allows web shoppers to purchase adult tickets at the kid price. Bargain hunters rejoice! For more information on online admission discounts, refer to:

Busch Gardens-Tampa
Busch Gardens-Williamsburg
Disneyland
Sea World
Universal Studios

3. Promotional Offers

What do grocery stores, fast food chains and soda manufacturers have in common? They’re just a few of the many companies to offer discounts on theme park admission. Pay close attention to advertisements and product packaging in the weeks leading up to your trip, and you may just turn up an admission deal that’s hard to beat. For insider tips on all of the latest promotions, refer to these sites:

Amusementpark.com
Themeparkinsider.com
Themouseforless.com
Mousesavers.com

4. Deals for Locals

Do you share a zip code or state with an amusement park? If so, you’ll be pleased to learn that many parks offer a special rate just for locals. Busch Gardens-Williamsburg offers Virginia residents the option of purchasing a Fun Card, which grants holders spring and summer use of the park for the price of a one-day admission, while Universal studios offers discounts on everything from park admission to hotel packages. To find out more about deals for locals, refer to:

Busch Gardens-Tampa
Busch Gardens-Williamsburg
Disneyland
Disney World
Sea World
Universal Studios

5. Multi-Day Pass

Planning to spend more than one day at an amusement park? Then, you deserve a discount—and most parks agree. Dollywood will allow you to add a second day to your trip for just $20 more, and Disney World will slash it’s $67 daily-rate more for each day that you add to your trip. Opt for a 10-day ticket, and that daily-rate goes down to just $21.60! For more information on multi-day passes and related discounts, refer to:

Bush Gardens-Williamsburg
Disney World
Dollywood
Hershey Park
Sesame Place

6. Work Your Discounts

AAA and AARP members are eligible for discounted admission rates at most theme parks, but they’re not the only people who can get in on the savings. Many parks also offer savings for military families, college students, college alumni and even members of wholesale clubs like Sam’s and Costco. To find out if you’re eligible for a membership-based discount, refer to:

Busch Gardens-Tampa: AARP discount
Busch Gardens-Williamsburg: AARP discount
Dollywood: Military discount

7. Group Rates

Will you be enjoying the park as part of a big group? Then expect big savings. Hershey Park discounts tickets up to 40% for groups over 20, and they’re discount is far from unique. Expect a similar perk at whatever park you’re planning to visit. For more information on group rates, refer to:

Busch Gardens-Tampa
Busch Gardens-Williamsburg
Dollywood
Disneyland: contact Group Sales at (714)956-6860
Hershey Park
Sea World
Sesame Place
Six Flags
Universal Studios

8. Vacation Packages

Will your amusement park trip include a hotel stay? If so, you’ve landed right in the middle of a savings gold mine. Before buying park tickets and booking your room, look into the possibility of a package deal. Amusement parks frequently partner with nearby hotels to offer visitors an all-inclusive vacation package—and these bundled deals are often cheaper than the cost of buying all of the parts separately. For an idea of the savings you can expect, consider Sea World’s “Kids Free” vacation package, which includes free lodging and park admission for kids ages 3-9. Not a bad way to save on the cost of a family trip. For more information on package deals, refer to:

Busch Gardens-Tampa
Disneyland
Disney World
Hershey Park
Sea World
Sesame Place
Universal Studios

9. “Second-Day-Free” offers

Stretch your amusement park dollars even further by taking advantage of a “second day free” offer. Several parks, including Sea World, offer a second day free with the purchase of one day, while others offer a second day free when you start your first day after a certain time—usually 5 p.m. Here are several second-day-free deals to consider:

Busch Gardens-Tampa
Dollywood
Hershey Park
Sea World

10. Season Passes

Planning to visit the same park over and over? Then, a season pass could be your biggest source of savings. Calculate how many visits it would take for a pass to pay for itself, and if your number of planned visits exceeds this number, you’ve found a bargain. For an even better deal, see if you can pay a bit more to add free parking to your list of pass holder benefits. Did you know? Most parks will allow you to upgrade your one-day ticket to a season pass for the difference in price between the two. This is a great deal if you want to test-drive a park before committing to a pricey pass. For more information about season passes, refer to:

Busch Gardens-Williamsburg
Disneyland
Disney World
Dollywood
Hershey Park
Sea World
Sesame Place
Six Flags
Universal Studios

Source: About.com