Tuesday, July 21st, 2009...2:00 am
5 Ways to Save on an Amusement Park Trip
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Part of me thinks that the best way to save on an amusement park trip is not to go at all. But where’s the fun in that? Truth is, if you want to take your family to a place with rides, shows and more, it is possible to do so frugally. In fact, it was this MSN story on amusement park savings that inspired me to share these 5 ways to save on an amusement park trip.
- Visit a local amusement park. Did you know that Florida residents get discounts to both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios? Turns out non-Florida folks can find discounts in their own backyards as well–especially if they live near other amusement parks. For example, I live near Sesame Place and know that if I wanted to get a season pass to the park, I could get one that was significantly cheaper than what others would pay. Some Six Flags parks offer similar discounts to locals.
- Pack a picnic. I’m sure this seems like a no-brainer to my frugal readers, but it bears repeating. I’ll bet you can pack snacks and a full lunch for your entire family for the cost of one meal you would buy at a concession stand. Some parks may make you leave the actual park to eat, but no biggie–they’ll stamp your hand so you can get back in later.
- Get your souvenirs from outside the park. This is a tip I’m borrowing from my Jersey Shore expert (and friend) Jen Miller. In a shore-savings post here a few weeks ago, Jen suggested checking out local drugstores and gift shops just outside the tourist area so you can find souvenirs that cost a lot less. I’ll bet the same holds true for amusement park souvenirs.
- Go after nap time. OK, so I’m borrowing this tip from the MSN story, but it’s a good one: if you arrive late in the day, your admission fee could be way cheaper. So if you’ve got young kids who need to nap, heading out to the parks once they wake up will ensure your kids are well rested and that you spend less on admission.
- Don’t pay for premium parking. At most of the parks I’ve been to, premium parking is closer, to be sure, but not that much closer to justify the extra expense of paying for it. For example, at Sesame Place, VIP Parking is $25, general parking for cars is $15, and preferred parking is $18. The biggest difference between the three parking tiers? With the “cheapest” parking, you have to cross a boulevard to get to the park. So what–there are cross-walks and stop lights to make crossing that much easier.
What are some other ways you’ve discovered to save money on an amusement park trip?
My husband and daughters have annual passes to an amusement park in their state. They get a parking pass free with their purchase. All it takes is three visits during the season (March to October) to get their money’s worth and they usually go far more often than that.
They always bring in their own water bottles and snacks and they don’t buy souvenirs (when you go that often, the cheap goodies don’t seem so exciting). To forestall any pleas for “Can I have ice cream? Can I have cotton candy?” the deal is that the girls can pick something from the candy shop on their way out of the park.