Theme parks can be a portal to worlds of thrills and excitement, but if you're not properly prepared it can be a grueling day of long walks, expensive food, and eternal waiting in line. These tips can help you prepare the right way.
Find The Best Prices For Admission
Theme park prices are steep, and they keep going up. If you and the rest of your crew want to get in without sparing an arm and a leg, try to score some discounts. The number one rule: plan your trip and buy the tickets ahead of time. If you have to purchase your tickets at the gate, you'll spending the maximum cost.
The first place to check for discounts and offers are the theme parks' own websites. Theme Park Insider has a great list of reputable and official online sources for theme park tickets.
If you're planning to go to a theme park more than once, consider getting a season pass. Season pass holders tend to get discounts on parking or things inside the park. Many parks even offer season passes for just a little more than the price of a day pass. Budget Travel points out that you can usually apply the cost of your day pass toward the cost of annual or season pass, and that gives you a "try before you buy" benefit. Theme Park Insider has a guide on how to get the best deals on season passes for Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks, and Six Flags annual passes are good at all Six Flags Parks.
It's a good idea to look for coupons too. Many popular coupon web sites, like Groupon and RetailMeNot, have a theme park section you can scan over. You can also keep an eye on theme park social media accounts. Sometimes you can catch last-minute deals or news about upcoming discounts and events. You should always check your various service providers too. Many member services, like AAA, provide discounts on entertainment and attractions.
Pick The Right Day(s) To Go
If you go to a theme park on a busy day, you'll barely have time to do anything. Obviously, going to a popular theme park on a Saturday in the middle of the summer is a bad idea, and unless you've always wanted to be in a riot, there's probably a better time to go. Consider the following:
- Think about the main reasons and attractions that made you land on a particular theme park. Check their online calendar to see what rides and attractions won't be available when you were thinking of going. Many theme parks are year-round operations, so there's no single chunk of time for them to do maintenance on everything at once.
- Be sure to check calendars for special events or holiday events the park is hosting. You don't want your time cut short because the park is hosting "Grad Night" or "Trick-or-Treat Horror Night."
- Make sure there's no blackout days either, if you have a season or annual pass. You can check for blackout days on the park calendars located on their web sites or by calling their customer service lines.
The Coaster Critic suggests finding a way to go on weekdays early or late in the season. If you can manage a way to go on a day where the weather forecasts look dismal, you'll have much less of a crowd to deal with as well. Keep in mind, though, that on days of bad weather, you might not be able to get on certain rides. And obviously, don't go when the weather's too sucky, or it won't be any fun.
Do Recon On the Park and Have a Plan of Attack
Don't walk through those gates blind. To do this right you need to have a plan and you need to execute it with military precision. It's fun to go somewhere new and be surprised by what's there, but theme parks are not one of those places. If you walk in without a plan you'll end up waiting in line longer, walking more, getting hungry, and will probably develop a killer headache at some point.
Get a copy of the park's map. You can usually find these online, but you can also occasionally find them in the lobbies of hotels. If you've never been to a park before, this is essential. Maps will have a list of the rides, attractions, and shows so you can decide what you want to do and figure out where it is.
Once you know what's there, make a loose itinerary of what you want to do and when. Research what rides have the longest waits and decide when the best times for them will be. For rides that are really popular, think about getting them as soon as you enter the park, first thing in the morning. You get a jumpstart to your day and you don't have to worry about whether there will be time for it later.
If your group plans on separating at some point, make sure everyone has a way to keep time and use walkie talkies to keep in touch—especially if you don't want to take out or bring your phone. Make sure you pick a pair with good range and battery life. The only caveat is that you might end up on some theme park employee lines, but you can probably find a channel that works for you. Just be sure to check park policy first.
Prepare Your Day Bag
It might sound like a pain to carry around a bag all day, but a properly packed backpack can alleviate a lot of theme park issues.
The main thing you want to pack is some food. Most parks allow food inside, and a few granola bars and sandwiches can save the day when you start to get hungry and agitated. Check their food and drink policies first—parks probably won't let you bring in entire picnics. However, a few snacks and a sandwich for lunch will at least save you from spending an extra $20 on horrible, unhealthy park food.
Make sure you have all the necessities in your bag. You don't want to have to buy anything in or around the park because everything will be marked up. Weblog Cheapskate Princess recommends some essentials for your bag: hand sanitizer, cheap plastic ponchos, a first aid Ziploc, and of course sunscreen. She also suggests bringing extra Ziploc bags to put electronics in, just in case there are some rides with water effects.
Theme Park Insider also recommends bringing a reusable water bottle. It may seem obvious, but it's very important you stay hydrated throughout the day. You'll save money not having to buy overpriced water bottles, and there is guaranteed to be self-serve drink stations throughout the park. If you're not sure what water bottle to use, we love the Klean Kanteen.
Reduce Your Time Waiting In Line
The amount of time you spend waiting in line for some of the best attractions is a huge bummer. There are some ways you can try and reduce your wait time, but they usually come at an extra cost.
Some theme parks allow you to "wait in line" while you're doing something else. Systems like Fast Pass (Disney), Flash Pass (Six Flags), and Express Pass (Universal) attempt to alleviate the waiting in line, but you need to be good at planning and time management to get the full benefit. You should also check to see what additional cost comes along with them. Some are free, but others charge you extra and may or may not not be worth the price. Additionally, you should look at how much time you actually have at the park. The wait times can still be a couple hours even with these systems, so if you only have the afternoon it likely won't be worth the extra cost.
Do your research ahead of time on popular rides and attractions. Some of the larger theme parks even have their own apps you can use to get information, plan, and see wait times for rides. You also want to make sure the inevitable wait time is something you're willing to go through. Nothing is worse than spending two hours in line and finding out that the fast-paced, thrill ride was really just a kiddie ride. You should also research when the shows and parades are happening and consider getting in line for the big rides then.
It really boils down to proper planning and preparation with theme parks. The crowds and high prices can easily get you down and ruin the day. Be prepared to hit a few walls throughout the day and expect a few things to not go your way. It's possible to have the time of your life and do everything you want in theme parks, but planning and execution are a must. Don't worry about spoiling the surprises the park has to offer, there will still be plenty. Take these tips and walk into the front gate with confidence.
Photos by Artisticco (Shutterstock), uhhhhlaine, tukkata (Shutterstock), Jonathan Goforth, Jeffrey, Bethany Nowviskie .
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