Every year, Disney and Universal Studios theme parks raise ticket prices. They ordinarily do so within a few days of one another, almost as if the competing businesses orchestrate their moves. They don’t, of course, but each one knows that once the other increases the cost of admission, that’s the story. The other has a bit of cover to follow suit.
With the two most famous theme park companies taking such flak, a question naturally arises. How expensive are these places? Are they THAT much costlier than other competitors in the industry? Today, let’s take a look at the cost of admission at several theme parks to see which ones are the priciest. Here are the most expensive theme parks in the United States.
6. Six Flags Magic Mountain
Image: Six FlagsI want to acknowledge a couple of things upfront. I’d prefer to post the list of most expensive theme parks in the world. Unfortunately, currency adjustments constantly fluctuate. Information that I provide now may seem ludicrous at a later date if one country’s monetary system drops a la the British Pound in 2016. So, that narrowed the options right off the bat. Similarly, I wanted to choose only one park when possible, which caused some problems with Universal Studios and Disney, something I’ll discuss in their sections.
Finally, virtually all theme parks have “deals”. They have reduced ticket prices for children and other discounts available for adults. Rather than discuss best case scenario pricing, this article uses the listed rates on each official website. Please be aware that you can and SHOULD shop around for better deals. Even Disney tickets are available for discounts when you know where to look. All ticket prices are current as of March of 2018.
Image: Six FlagsSix Flags Magic Mountain “wins” the title of most expensive Six Flags property. The Valencia theme park is still only the third most expensive in the greater Los Angeles area, though. Thanks to the presence of Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland Resort, Six Flags Magic Mountain can charge higher prices without seeming egregiously out of line.
At a cost of $84.99, it’s still only the sixth most expensive theme park on the list. For that money, guests receive decent value. This park currently holds the world record for total number of roller coasters. Magic Mountain hosts 19 of them as part of their 43 total rides. That’s less than $2 per ride and a little over $4 per roller coaster. As you’ll see, that’s pretty good.
5. Legoland California
Image: LegolandLegoland’s two theme parks share nearly identical pricing. The California iteration is $89, while Legoland Florida is $88.99. If we include dual options, the Floridian park’s price increases to $111.49, but that struck me as an unfair inclusion. First of all, a water park ticket for the equivalent of $22.50 is pretty good. Second, it adds to the total number of rides possible. The California side also has a water park, although it’s one where you can’t buy single admission. It’s part of a package for $109. So, the prices are about the same both ways, but we’re prioritizing the theme park admission charge.
At Legoland California, you get a lot for the money, presuming that you have children to enjoy the festivities. The park claims more than 60 rides. But…you know. A lot of these attractions are absolutely adorable. They’re also mostly designed for kids. The park claims only three roller coasters and lacks a high volume of adult-friendly options. That makes its admission price difficult to quantify. On the one hand, it offers more attractions than Magic Mountain for slightly less money. On the other hand, Magic Mountain’s rides are much better for anybody who has reached puberty.
4. SeaWorld Orlando
Image: SeaWorldJudging by pricing, Florida residents have the better SeaWorld. The location in San Diego has a ticket price of $89.99, while SeaWorld Orlando is $99. Admittedly, the better rides are at the more expensive park. Still, the pricing is troubling. The park hosts only 13 rides, five of which are roller coasters. And we all know how the other stuff at SeaWorld is doing. You know, it’s the stuff that once drew curious guests to the parks before Blackfish torpedoed the business prospects of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
SeaWorld and the next entry are more experiential due to their additional offerings. Should you love the sea shows, the value of SeaWorld is higher. For anyone uncomfortable with the concept, the park costs more than $100 after taxes for Mako, Kraken, and Manta. I’m an ardent supporter of all three coasters. When there’s not much else, however, they’re basically $34 each. That’s…a lot. At this point, SeaWorld is the worst value of any American theme park, even if it’s not technically the most expensive.
3. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Image: Busch GardensOh, Busch Gardens. Why, Busch Gardens? Your prices are exorbitant relative to the value offered, and it’s not an issue exclusive to Tampa Bay. Busch Gardens Williamsburg has an admission price of $90 and provides 54 rides, eight of which are roller coasters. That’s a stiff price for a handful of highly respected attractions plus an overwhelming majority of cookie cutter rides. It’s also somehow an amazing bargain relative to its counterpart.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay charges $104.99 per person per day. For that money, theme park tourists enjoy roughly 25 attractions, eight of which are roller coasters. There are also a series of animal encounters, which is the likely culprit for the high ticket prices. Upkeep charges are substantial. Still, it’s the third most expensive ticket in America and the second worst overall value with regards to ride opportunities.
2. Universal Orlando Resort
Image: Universal StudiosChoosing the cost of a ticket at a Universal Studios theme park is a moving target. That’s true of Orlando and Hollywood, and it also applies to Disney’s theme parks as well. The devil that is tiered pricing/blackout dates makes the process needlessly complex. Since the goal here is to name the most expensive tickets, I’ve made the executive decision to pick park hopper and the peak season.
For Universal Orlando Resort, their Park to Park price for a single day is $170. Universal Studios Hollywood has a maximum of $119 if you’re wondering. The $170 deal is better than you think, even if it a dramatic increase from the other prices listed here. For that money, you gain access to 33 rides, with seven roller coasters and seven water rides.
Image: Universal StudiosMore importantly, you get to spend the day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and you can’t put a price on that. Well, you can, and it’s $170. You know what I mean, though. At some point in your life (or possibly many times), you’re going to visit this park, damn the cost to get there. In that way, it’s also an experiential park, albeit one with much better rides than the other two. I still believe Magic Mountain is a better deal since it’s roughly half the price, but Universal would finish next on my list of value relative to ticket cost. Well, it would if not for…
1. Walt Disney World
Image: DisneyA one day Peak ticket at Magic Kingdom costs $129, but we’re not stopping there. Instead, we’re assuming that an ambitious theme park tourist will spend the day Park Hopping and hanging out at a water park. Hey, I said you’re ambitious.
The cost of a Peak ticket with Park Hopper and Water Park access is (warning: You’re going to feel a slight sting) $209. To put that in perspective, it’s roughly the same amount that a person earning $54,000 annually will make in a day. The median household income is $59,039. I won’t sugarcoat it. Disney’s asking a LOT of its customers at that rate.
Image: DisneyFor that money, you receive the best deal in the theme park industry, though. The four gates at Walt Disney World provide many of the experiential aspects of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. They also offer about 50 attractions, all of which are of the highest quality (now that the Stitch ride is closed). A trip to Disney is inimitable, which is why people vividly recall details of their visits decades after the fact.
Like Universal with Harry Potter, Disney could charge whatever they wanted for tickets. Millions of guests would still pay each other. This is the problem the company faces. They’re now on the median of charging the average person a day’s pay to visit. They have higher end customers willing to pay more, but Disney has done a remarkably good job of maintaining fair prices over the years.
Image: DisneyIn looking at this list, you can see that lesser theme parks charge shocking amounts while offering much less. Yes, Disney has the most expensive ticket price, but they also deliver the most value. Isn’t that the most important aspect of theme park tourism?
