You can ease the financial anguish of visiting an amusement park this summer by prudent shopping for ticket bargains. Amusement Business Magazine reported that parks raised prices dramatically earlier this year by an average of 9 percent. But as the season wears on, a growing number of sites are offering discounts and coupons unprecedented in size. It seems that even though prices are up, consumer can actually pay less if they do a little research.
Disneyworld has many online vacation packages that have good discounts on rooms and discounted or free ticket packages. They also offer similar discounts to local visitors with special passes at about half the regular price.
Larger theme parks such as Six Flags and Busch Gardens offer memberships that include substantial savings on food, lodging, and entrance fees. You may also want to consider purchasing "Season Passes" to help cut costs. These passes allow for multiple visits and other conveniences such as early entrance for parking and exclusive ride times.
A lot of parks are offering summer discounts through national restaurant chains, fast food eateries, pizza places, soda cans and online sites. Keep your eye out for cross-promotions offered by several of the parks. Visitors at Busch Gardens in Tampa get a free all-day pass to nearby Adventure Island Water Park. At Carowinds in Charlotte N.C., you can get online discounts plus get free returns through the season's end.
Other good resources for discounts on lodging, restaurants, and theme park admission include organizations such as AAA and other such travel clubs. If driving to your destination, don't forget to browse the brochures located at the Welcome Centers along the highways. Not only will you find tremendous savings but also letting the kids browse through them is an excellent source of entertainment for the duration of the drive.
Most hotels offer complimentary travel magazines, which include cutout savings coupons for local activities. Also prior to your trip, make a call to your destinations Chamber of Commerce or Tourist Center. They often will forward "visitor packages" full of coupon savings and discounted entrance passes. And finally, one of the best ways to find out the best deals available is too make a direct call to the Promotions division of the park that you plan to visit. Not only will they inform you of the best savings opportunities, but they can also provide you with a list of special activities going on during your visit.
More: Don't Take a Vacation From Savings While Planning Your Vacation
