Summertime is here and we know theme parks are on the
agenda. So that you don’t have to scale fences, do a commando-style crawl under
shrubbery, or walk in backwards through the exit (a la Josie and the
Pussycats), we’ve compiled a few tips to help you save a little of your
hard-earned moo-lah.
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| Justine crammed into a truck with her little one at Knott's Berry Farm |
#1.
The most obvious tip: go in the off-season (if you can).
There will be
more specials, steeper discounts, and fewer people (read: shorter lines) than
during peak attendance periods. Summer is high-occupancy in both the theme
parks and hotels, so if you can skirt the edges by going in May or after the
end of August, you’ll save some bucks on both the park and your stay.
#2.
Annual passes.
If you are
considering several days at the same park, the annual pass (with or without
parking) might be worthwhile, and often includes food and/or merchandise
discounts and passholder-only events as well. Plus, it just feels special.
#3. Plan ahead. Way ahead. Get your discounts in order.
Ticket prices at
the gate are often more expensive than pre-purchasing, plus waiting in line to
get tickets so that you can go inside and wait in line again can get old
fast…faster if you have toddlers or preschoolers. If you pre-purchase, you
won’t have to hear “why can’t we go in yet?” a dozen times in ten minutes.
Online: Purchase
and print your tickets online directly from the theme parks, or search for
specials to save money on sites like
Mousesavers.com. Deal sites like FatWallet
and SlickDeals also have forums for posting current discounts. If you have a
Facebook or Twitter account, “friend” or “follow” the theme park to find out
about special promotions. Sign up for emails from the park you’re planning to
visit to make sure you don’t miss out on any deals.
Offline: Check
with your local grocery store for discount tickets (here in SoCal, Vons recently had
Disney park-hopper deals), or fast food chains and on various products (like
soda) for coupons. Rental car agencies and hotels usually have racks of
discount brochures as well, and hotel concierge services often offer ticket
packages at the desk for guests.
For
accommodations, use a discount-travel service website like
Travelocity or
Priceline to compare rates. If you bundle tickets with a hotel stay, you can
save quite a bit. Better yet, phone a friend or relative and ask for couch
space. My sister and her family take up my den once a year and I couldn’t be
happier. We are all snuggly for a week or so and the time together is
priceless.
#4. Membership rewards.
Check with any
entity you might be a member of- AAA, Costco, Sams Club, credit card rewards
programs, hotel points programs, etc., for discounted tickets, passes, hotel
stays, and so on.
The Entertainment Book is another great resource, especially
if you have registered it.
#5. Food, drink, and sundries:
Bring a backpack.
Put in sunscreen, wipes, and other small essentials like hats, light jackets,
and lip balm. Use a lightweight thermal collapsible lunch cooler that fits in
the backpack. Pack it with one water bottle for each person (you might want to
freeze them), frozen juice boxes, and “non-smushable” snacks. The frozen drinks
also keep any food cold. When your water bottle is empty, refill it at the drinking
fountains. It saves about $3 a drink and is much healthier than soda.
Food is
the other big expenditure at theme parks, so bring your lunch if possible. If
you must buy food, split a meal or order from the kids menu. If you eat in a
restaurant, lunch is generally cheaper than dinner, so make that your big meal
for the day. And bring a container or zippered re-useable lunch bags to save
any leftovers for snacking later. Check with the park regarding rules about bringing in food and drinks.
#6. Souvenirs:
Before your trip,
try Target or the Disney store for Disney or affiliated merchandise. It’s
cheaper than buying in the park and if the kids get it as a surprise after the
trip, guess what- it’s a souvenir.
In the park, try
to keep to items under $10 that fit easily into your backpack with room to spare
(lugging around a stuffed animal when there are more rides to hit is the
worst). And it’s better if it’s useful, like a shirt or PJ’s.
-For kids: The souvenirs we love are those flattened pennies
with the theme park or place name. They cost 50 cents (well, really $0.51) to
make. Easy, cheap, and fun to do. My 4-year-old loves picking out which picture
to make and then cranking the machine. Buy a penny passport folder to keep them
in and for every trip you take, collect one. The memories are priceless, yet
much more affordable this way.
-For adults: Shot glasses might be a good option. They are
small, cheap, and once you get a collection going, you can get your friends
together for some cocktails or use them as mini-dessert glasses. See, useful.
And don’t forget to bring a camera! Those photos with
characters are the best memories you can bring home.
**Find of the week**
About Justine
Justine is a biological anthropologist, deal seeker, and stay-at-home parent to a
rambunctious 4-year-old boy. She digs bones. And donuts. You can follow Justine for more frugal fun and other anthropology tidbits on Twitter:
@JustineBurgess1.
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions remain our own. ![]()
This is not a sponsored post. I attended a not-so-old-fashioned ice
cream social hosted by the California Milk Advisory Board where I had
the opportunity to try all sorts of ice cream goodies and received a
goodie bag. All thoughts and opinions remain my own. Recipe listed above
IS NOT MY OWN. I don't have that kind of talent.
