Saving Money at Amusement Parks

by Jamie Rhein on

In the past two weeks my daughter has headed to Cedar Point (with the school percussion ensemble), Kings Island (with her track team) and Fort Rapids, an indoor amusement park (for an end of the 8th-grade bash) and my five-year-old son wants to know when it’s his turn. He has a point, but there’s the cost to consider. Because my daughter went on school trips, she didn’t pay full price. Now, we’re searching out some other deals for us.

There are some. If you want to head to an amusement park this summer, before you pull out your wallet to pay full price at the admission gate, check out some of these money-saving options.

Buy your tickets on-line or look for deals at grocery stores. Here is a link to Cedar Point’s discount ticket information. Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio. One way you can save money is to get 14 other people to go with you. For groups of 15 or more, you can save more than $10 a ticket. We have done this before. Once at Kalahari Water Park, also in Sandusky, we found out that if we had a birthday party we could all get free pizza and a drink along with discount tickets. It was no one’s birthday, but we’re not picky.

Kings Island, located between Columbus and Cincinnati has discount tickets available at Kroger grocery stores and online right now. The online price is for advance sales so you can’t buy these on the same day you’re going. Plan ahead. For a great deal on food, add the all you can eat barbeque. Last year we had a friend who had discount tickets through work. The barbeque was included. It was a lot of food and good. Other grocery stores around th U.S. often have discounts–so do banks. Ask around.

Right now, on the Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park site, you can buy a one day ticket and get the second day free. Or you can try Rahim Rahman’s method in the picture. Lots of luck with this one. I’d let him in.

Here are four Web sites to help you find discount tickets near you. I found the above deals by looking on the park’s sites and poking around.

For more discount ideas, check out: How to Save Money at Amusement Parks. Now, all I have to do is remember my own advice.

Queens in the Kingdom

by Iva Skoch on

USA Today recently interviewed the authors of a new gay-persons guide to the Disney Theme Parks, called Queens in the Kingdom.

Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro talk about Disney’s recent announcement that they’ll allow “Fairy Tale” weddings for same-sex couples. (Actually, since California and Florida don’t allow actual weddings for same-sex couples, they’ll be “commitment ceremonies.”)

They also hit upon their favorite park locales, including Ellen DeGeneres’ Energy Adventure and Honey I Shrunk the Audience. They should know, they’ve been to the parks 784,012 times.

Disney World in Two Days?

by Dave Luna on

I’m visiting Disney World this weekend. Since I’m leaving this afternoon and will return on Monday, I will only have a little over two days to see the entire theme park. I’d love to say that I’m going to buy a Park Hopping pass and set some kind of speed record racing through all four themed areas — Magic Kingdom*, Epcot*, Disney-MGM Studios*, Disney’s Animal Kingdom* — but I’m not. Sorry.

I’ve written down a few things I’d like to do, but I think I need more ideas:

  • Ride Space Mountain,
  • See the fireworks display,
  • Find out why The Little Mermaid hasn’t been replying to my letters.

If you only had two days to see Disney World, where would you go?
Are there any rides you’d have to do? Spaceship Earth? The Haunted Mansion? Tower of Terror?

Is there a Disney hotel that’s your favorite? (I tried to get reservations for the Animal Kingdom Lodge*, but it was completely booked.)

* This is a Disney site with an annoying background soundtrack that starts automatically. Turn your speakers down!

Photo of the Day (12/30/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Now that Christmas has come and past and with New Year’s only two days away it felt natural picking this shot of the ever-so-famous Mickey Mouse head. Why? I don’t know. Maybe someone out there put a trip to Disney World in Orlando or Tokyo on their 2007 vacation list. Sure it’s cluttered with tourists, but the mouse man has always been popular with the kiddies and the kid at heart. The fireworks show around the holidays is said to be an extra special site to see, so I’m told.

Anyhow, today’s POTD goes to vyxle. Taken on some type of Disney train in Tokyo, I wonder what puzzles the woman.

New Disney Program for Very Young Children

by Karen Walrond on

From Yahoo!News: 
In response to a study performed by the Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell research firm, Disney Parks in Florida
and California have initiated a program aimed at families with children aged 5 years old and younger.  The study
indicated that 80% of families  believe the ideal age for children to experience their first major family vacation
is under the age of 5.

The program, called "Magical Beginnings," includes a discounted package deal
on accommodations, food and park tickets.  According to the article, "Disney World is offering a $950 package
from Aug. 13 to Sept. 30, for families with one child age 3-9. The $950 covers a five-day, four-night stay; "Magic
Your Way" theme park tickets and a Disney Dining plan, which includes one table-service meal, one snack and one
quick-service meal per person, per day. Additional children are $173 per child."

I’ve been carefully
avoiding the whole Disneyworld theme park holiday with my family (including my 2-year-old daughter), using the excuse
that it’s way too expensive.  "Besides, she’s too young to get it," I tell people.  "We’ll
wait until she’s older.  MUCH OLDER."

Curse Disney for chipping away at my excuses!