Taken for a ride: 5 clever ways theme parks bleed you for extra
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Technology, Travel
Some people think it's already pretty outrageous that a one-day ticket to a single Disney park will hit you for nearly $80. But when you're budgeting for your big summer vacation, you can't assume that's the end of your daily expenses when you're at a theme park. Like the airlines, the amusement parks have learned that the way to pad the bottom line is to hit customers with a shower of microcharges. Prepare yourself to be taken for a ride:
Lockers
Until recently, these were optional. If you didn't use the ones by the front gate, you could usually leave your stuff in a bundle on the loading platform of whatever ride you're on and pick it up 180 seconds later when your vehicle came back into the station.
But in the past few years, seizing another income opportunity (and avoiding potential theft/bonked-head lawsuits), more parks now require riders to put their loose items in a locker. If you try entering a line at Six Flags with a bag -- or that stuffed animal you won -- you'll be directed to a bank of money-munching lockers nearby, where you'll pay $1 every time you ride something, with a two-hour limit for each.
Universal's lockers, required for the most thrilling rides, are usually free (the ones for water rides aren't), but only for for the duration of the nearest ride's estimated wait time plus 20 minutes. After that imprecise time limit expires, the expense for getting your stuff back soars: $3 for each half hour, and you can only open the door once. The fingerprint-recognition technology is also painfully slow and crowded, so switching lockers between rides may take as long as 10 minutes. If you want to ride something twice in a row, better to shell out the $8 for an all-day locker.
Among the major themers, Disney's parks stand alone here, it seems. Few of its rides are rough enough to require bag checks, and for the few scary rides that do exist, there's usually a family member who would rather watch the bags from the sidelines. I also don't think the company would go for nickel-and-diming guests this way even if its roller coasters were fiercer. And it's not as if its steep admission prices don't more than make up the difference.
Let's work up a running tally of behind-the-ticket expenses. Assuming you ride five roller coasters at Six Flags, you can add $5 to your daily bill.
Front-of-line access
Waiting in line is what the little people do. Six Flags will sell you something called the Flash Pass, which holds your place in line and sends you an electronic alert when it's almost time to ride. A basic one, which comes with some limitations, costs $30 for the first person at one of the chain's flagship parks, Great Adventure in New Jersey, but if you want the absolute minimum of waiting time, you have to buy the Gold Flash Pass for $80.
Universal Express grants a similar privilege (access to a shorter line), but again, you have to pay. Guests at its three Orlando hotels, which cost a lot more than hotels just outside the resort, are given the bonus automatically, or non-resort guests can pay between $20 and $46 (depending on how busy it is) for one day and one park of the Express Plus pass.
Among the big brands, Disney stands alone in this, too. Its Fastpass system is available to all, although the catch is that you can only hold one pass at a time, and if you have one, you must wait hours before obtaining the next one. If you're unlucky or a bad planner, you might end up cutting the line only twice in a fully loaded day.
So add another $30 for a basic Flash Pass at Six Flags. At least.
Meal plans
The big amusement parks have realized that guests will pay extra if they don't have to worry about shelling out for meals during the day. Disney's Dining Plan is heavily subscribed, which spoils the park experience for guests who haven't been smart enough to make restaurant reservations long in advance. The standard package costs $40 a day for adults or $11 for kids aged 3 to 9, which buys the equivalent of one sit-down meal, one counter-service meal, and a snack. (You can buy a day of only fast food meals for $30/$9.)
Is it worth it? Figure that a full counter-service meal will cost adults about $10 no matter which park you're visiting. Universal's Meal Deal costs $20 for adults and $10 for kids (SeaWorld's are $22/$10) but outside of summer, the parks may only be open from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.. You would pay the same price for two meals anyway, unless you're such a big eater that two $10 meals won't be enough for you. Besides, are you really going to eat dinner at a park if you're about to leave at the end of the day anyway?
All-day meal passes, which are only good for a few of the restaurants anyway, are appealing mostly to the tapeworm-afflicted.
How else do park meal plans cost you? In opportunities. They prevent you from bringing your own food. But more importantly, they dissuade you from leaving the park. That's why Disney's meal plan, popular as it is, can be so insidious: Once you've paid your money to eat your two-and-a-half daily meals, you're not likely to leave the resort grounds to see anything else in town, especially the other attractions. Through your investment guilt, if that's the phrase, you become a willing member of a captive audience.
If you get one, then, add another $22 to your bill for the day.
Parking
Twelve dollars is the standard rate now. Really? Twelve dollars? Does my spot really cost $12 a day to maintain? Certainly not, but it's a charge the casual tourist is forced to add to the tally. Unless you're an annual passholder, you're stuck with this one. Yeah, you could take the city bus to Knott's Berry Farm, but are you really going to?
That's $12 more you're out.
Video souvenirs
Two years ago, Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa Bay began offering a unique kind of souvenir: DVDs that included video of guests' rides on its marquee coaster, SheiKra. The experiment has revolutionized post-ride souvenirs. Almost every ride these days offers a snapshot of riders at a peak moment ($17 for a 6"-by-8" image is standard), but now, video of the whole ride is becoming essential.
Universal Orlando's new roller coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, was built expressly to support this feature, with cameras fixed everywhere: including along the route and on the cars. So when you get off, you'll be able to purchase a movie of your entire trip, from start to finish. The coaster's undergoing testing this week, so it's not yet open and Universal hasn't announced how much it will charge for the souvenir.
Considering that Busch Gardens has been charging $25 for DVDs that contain only five moments from your ride, spliced together with stock footage, it's reasonable to assume that Universal's can and should cost more. It'll be pretty hard to resist adding that 30-odd extra bucks to your final bill.
Some major theme parks also have roving professional photographers who will take your photo and sell it back to you for a high price. That's been going on for a while, and you can always bring your own camera for less snazzy, but perfectly acceptable, snapshots.
Add it all up. If you fully enjoy a theme park these days, before the cost of getting there and before sundry souvenirs, an adult is already spending another $94. And that's the bare minimum.
Keep your arms and hands inside the vehicle? Indeed. But keep your head down, too, and your wallet firmly planted in your back pocket.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
7-05-2009 @ 8:37AM
Gail said...
I so agree with this article. We were at Universal this past May and used the "free" locker to ride Men In Black. We had the locker for about an hour. We got through the first ride with about 40 minutes to spare so we decided to ride it again. This time the ride malfunctioned and we were stopped several times during the ride. We ended up being 10 minutes late and had to pay the extra 3.00 for the locker. We explained the situation to the attendant but it didn't matter. These rides all malfunction several times every day so they should allow for this!! Of course my money was in the locker, luckily, my daughter had a 20.00 bill in her pocket. I'm not sure what would have happened if we hadn't any money on us. Also, the change given was in 1.00 coins which one of the gift shops almost didn't take but that's a whole other story!
Also, how can they justify charging so much money for parking when they charge so much for the parks?? It really is a rip off, but people will pay it, they have no choice.
Reply
7-09-2009 @ 5:01PM
Catmoves said...
Of course it's a rip off Gail.
There are little guys sitting in darkened rooms, wearing green plastic eyeshades just thinking up how to drain every dime from suckers pockets and wallets.
Welcome to the greed of the U.S.
You might ask BO what he's going to do about it, though.
Meaaaaaaououou.
As for our family we are going to beaches, forests, the wilderness, the deserts and anywhere except where Disney and Six Flags have built parks.
7-05-2009 @ 3:51PM
Dick Johnson said...
I think your comments are totally out of line when referring to the photos available in the park especially your use of the words "bleed" and "clever" indicating I was tricked into buying something I didn't want which is absolutely not true. Those pictures were taken from places and at angles that would be impossible for me to take with my own camera. And they are personal souveniers of me and my family which also makes them uniquely different from the other things you talk about. I love them.
Reply
7-05-2009 @ 6:09PM
webster patton said...
I don't know about other Disney parks, but, Disneyland will offer FastPasses that have a "return time". If that return time is more than a couple of hours away, the FastPass indicates that you may get another sooner than the current FastPass's begin time. If your FastPass indicates that you cannot use it for six hours, that same FastPass will say on it's face when you will be able to get another (usually within two hours of the first FastPass's printing time). Also, the time window when a FastPass is valid only applies to the "begin time" NOT the "end" time. Example: If you get a FastPass that indicates that your FastPass is valid from 2:00pm-3:00pm, you may use that FastPass ANYTIME AFTER 2:00pm until closing. The end time is not enforced. I collect FastPasses all day and use them on the BIG rides once evening comes.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 8:34AM
chuck said...
Disney World parks use the Fastpass system the same way you describe the system in Disneyland. The article is simply wrong about only being able to hold one Fastpass at a time.
7-06-2009 @ 7:23AM
Caitlin said...
You should be able to take your own food in.
Reply
7-06-2009 @ 10:28AM
hi dude whats up said...
Umm no.... Well when I went they did a bag check for water bottles and other undesirable items and made it clear that food was not acceptable
7-07-2009 @ 7:11AM
Lisa said...
Wow....a few provisio's here.
The Jackson Six Flags charges 20 dollars a day for parking. That used to be free if had a season pass, then became 25 dollars, and is now up to 40 dollars.
The worst is the Water Park there, where a "large" locker---(and everyone needs one for street clothes) can run you more than 20 bucks for the day. No lie, your standard family may need two of these even if they stuff each one...so before you even dip your toes, you have already spent 60 dollars...PLUS the admission.
My husband is diabetic ...waiting in a long concession line if his sugars are low is not an option...but no one at Six Flags wants to here THAT...
I'm lucky I chose to have just one kid, because the typical single day at Great Adventure (i call it Great Expenditure) will run you HUNDREDS of dollars.
You also failed to mention that they charge for strollers, and wheelchairs. I am partially disabled, and can't ride most of their things. When we had a season pass, I had to pay full price to basically sit and watch my family play. Nice going, Six Flags....
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 8:44AM
Matt said...
The unfortunate truth is that all amusement parks do that...charge for strollers and wheelchairs. If people in wheelchairs were suddenly free, we'd be seeing a lot more fake injuries. I see it all the time at Disney - people ride a wheelchair all the way through the quick access line and then walk unassisted (sometimes 30+ feet) into the ride. Imagine if these people could now get in free...it reminds me of the businessmen who used to "limp" down the jetway when airlines used to preboard "anyone needing extra time."
Plus, remember, strollers and wheelchairs add a cost (personnel to loan them out, the physical cost of them, and a little maintenance). Everyone's ticket would go up, especially at a company like Six Flags, which is trying to recover from poor management, rather than just those who use wheelchairs and strollers if they were included.
7-07-2009 @ 12:46PM
UmmYeahOk said...
I agree with Matt. I mean it stinks that you basically have to pay so much only to get very little since you cant ride certain things. But hes right, there are tons of people who would abuse the system, and no, they dont fear any karma at all when riding in a wheel chair (the fear that you may become disabled in the future, especially if you enjoy the chair so much). I'll bring up Disney too... ...I saw people actually switching positions! I watched a physically abled girl who exited a ride get out, and have her pusher sit down. Then she started pushing him to the next ride!
Plus, I believe that if you truly need something like that, youd bring your own. You may not own one if you had a sudden injury or surgery, or just gave birth, I dunno, and would need to rent one, but then again, I probably wouldnt even go to the park all together... ..if it were local that is. Disney is typically planned months in advanced. Its not exactly something you can cancel, especially if you have people with you. But guess what? most hotels will let you borrow a wheel chair for free.
7-07-2009 @ 7:13AM
monica said...
You can bring in your own food at Sea World and Disney..no glass or alcohol off course.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 8:04AM
missmo said...
If you are staying at Disney World, the meal plan is DEFINATELY worth it. We get it every time we go. It saves you tons of money. The first time that we got it, I was afraid that we would not have enought to eat, but we actually ended up having meals left at the end of the week. It doesn't matter what time the parks close, b/c you can use the dining plan at ANY time of the day/night at your resort's cafeteria, as well as many restuarants outside of the parks, and even in downtown disney. It's the only way to go.
Also, kudos to Disney for keeping things reasonable. I have been to many parks where the food/drinks/parking/ you name it, is much more expensive than disney, and the parks aren't nearly as good. Disney provides free transportation, fast passes, and doesn't force you to pay for lockers that you do not need.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 8:24AM
lhgraphics said...
amusement parks are just too expensive. I can get more enjoyment from a good museum. The thrill of thrill rides wears off when you look at what you are really getting for your money.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 8:34AM
Matt said...
You made a mistake when discussing the Fastpass system - I have been going to Disney for the last 17 years (Fastpass has only been there for part of that, so I have been with the system since its inception). The statement that you can hold only one Fastpass at a time is false. The maximum interval that Disney will lock you out of the system for is 2 hours. If at 10AM you get a Fastpass for 6-7PM on a ride, at 12PM (10+2 hours), you can get another Fastpass. Generally speaking, only one or two of the 4-6 Fastpass rides per park get this backlogged on Fastpasses, so one loss of two hours usually doesn't cost the opportunity to jump the line on something else.
You were very applauding of Disney (and rightfully so in my mind) except this one piece, which you had wrong. I think it would change your opinion of the Fastpass system now because the only "screw the consumer" you mentioned was the ability to only hold one, yes?
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 11:18AM
chuck v said...
I am an annual passholder for both Disney and Universal parks, and as great as the disney FASTPASS system is and it is free, I applaud Universal for coming up with a way to make it affordable to skip the lines and still make it less unbearable in the general enterance line.
What people don't understand is before the dawn of fast pass there was one line and one line only that never went over a 30-60 min wait for all guests, now by flooding 1000 fast passes into their line drives the main line to 90-120 min. Makes more sence to me to just get in a line and wait and move on.
I have never noticed a huge wait for universal now that express passes have become a pay item, at times MUMMY would be 90+ min wait, now without the free express the average time is now under 60min.
The express is great for someone who is on a time limit with vacation, and has only one day to spend at each park and has to get in and out of big attractions fast. and most people on Vacation would fork out the extra to make it so. But as a passholder I only ride 2 or 3 things at each park on a trip so a shorter main line is just fine by me!
7-07-2009 @ 8:54AM
steve said...
skip the whole amusement park fiasco and take the kids to something really worth seeing. instead of seeing fake aligators take them to the Everglades. instead of a fake rocket ride take them to Kennedy Space Center. Its much cheaper and they'll love you for it. mine did.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 2:25PM
michelle dubreuil said...
went to six flags NE this past week. discount tickets, 100.00 for a family of 4. ya think okay not so bad for a day. BEWARE 15.00 to park, 16.00 for a locker to put your waterpark towels ect in for the day. 1.00 per rollercoaster ride that you could not bring your small carry on, 40.00 for lunch, 2 cheeseburgers and fries, 2 chicken fingers and fries, (all 4 cold) and 2 sodas. 4 icecreams 24.00, and 1 beer 6.25, if they were cheaper maybe the day would have not been sooo bad.then since we did not buy the fast pass standing in line for at least 40 min. At least every ride had tech difficulties, we actually left 2 hours prior to closing because all rides were having trouble and they did not know if they would be open again before the park closed. then the tram taking you to your paid parking spot broke down and you had to walk to your car. after spending 8plus hours walking and standing in lines the last thing 2 kids and 2 adults wanted to do was walk to the car.
when you entered the park all kinds of park employees there taking pic, welcoming you, handing out maps- not one person there on the way out even to say thank you for coming.
BEING TAKING FOR A RIDE 205.25 WORTHLESS
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 6:02PM
Half Breed said...
I'll just add the obvious: Everyone in here is whining about how expensive theme parks are. I am an Orlando native, and I am still in Orlando...
If you guys don't want to spend that kind of money, then DON'T GO! Stay at home. Go to a movie. Go visit your aunt Bertha in North Dakota, or whatever.
I have an 8 year old daughter I haven't taken. I simply can't afford it. And I liver here! The last thing I give a crap about is how you tourists come here and whine about it. It's a choice, people. Make another one.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 9:24AM
Art said...
We used to have a season pass to Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ when our kids were young. Parking was free if you purchased the pass pre-season. Then they eliminated the "free" parking and kept raising the fee. There is no other place to park, so you are forced to pay the high parking fee. Every year the admission cost increased until the point that we decided it was no longer worthwhile to visit the park.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 9:28AM
christian said...
We went to Six Flags in Louisville this weekend. Thank GOD we had really cheap tix. We paid $6 for parking, $14 for a locker and $4 for a 32 ounce coke. I highly recommend Holiday World in Santa Claus Indiana if you are close enough to drive. FREE parking, FREE UNLIMITED soft drinks, FREE sunscreen and the lockers and food are reasonable. ALL the prices are listed on their website, so you can get an idea of what you will spend BEFORE you go. You can't get a "combo" meal at Six Flags for anything less than $7.50. We ended up purchasing 2 orders of cheesebread for our kids to eat (3 pieces each). We will NOT be back anytime soon.
Reply