Photo by Ben Alman
As one of the Walmart Moms I frequently get a heads up on some of the great deals that they offer. I don’t share every single one of those with you guys-this really isn’t a “coupon and deals” kind of blog-but when one truly is a fabulous deal I am inclined to let you all know. When they throw in a freebie for me-well, that just seals it.
Summer time is traditionally when we all think about taking the family on vacation. For many folks, especially if you have a little adrenaline junkie in your midst like my Princess, that means trying to fit a theme park into your budget. This is where the “deal” part of this post comes in. . .
Normally to buy tickets to any of the Six Flags parks at the door costs about $50. So a four pack of tickets would run a family $200 for a single day at the park. Even if you had two adults at $50 and a couple of kids at $30. . . you are still talking $160 for the admission cost.
This June if you make a purchase at Walmart of Wednesday or Thursday you can buy a four pack of tickets, good at any Six Flags, for just $99. That’s around $25, or less than the cost of a child’s ticket EACH. For more information check out the Six Flags/Walmart website!
Of course there are other ways you can keep the costs of your trip down. Take a look at the Six Flags Website and see what other deals they are offering, or check out any other associations you belong to (AAA, the union at work etc) as well. Compare the meal plans offered (you can not bring your own food into the park with the exception of baby formula & special dietary needs) and see how you can save. Consider bringing an empty water bottle into the park and filling it at a water fountain (perhaps with a couple of those drink sticks in your bag) to cut down on soda/water costs.
What other ways do you have of saving money at a theme park?
I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with a 4 pack of Six Flags tickets in exchange for this post. Participation in this program is voluntary. All opinions expressed are my own.
Photo shared by Creative Commons Copyright, Ben Alman
Valleyfair, our closest amusement park, offers “Twilight Admission” at a reduced cost. We eat supper at 4 pm before going into the park, and then stay until it closes. This is usually long enough for our (young) kids to have fun, and costs much less than regular admission.
Mall of America’s Nickelodeon Universe sometimes offers free wristbands if you show Mall of America receipts totaling a certain amount. If making a big purchase, I go there instead of another mall, and come out with some fun for the family.
I live near Great Escape. This spring, many schools had a fundraiser for $19.99 tix to use in May. Then you could upgrade to the season pass for only $35 more. So we got season passes good for all six flags for only $55 and can use them for the fall, Halloween and Christmas events too!
Bring a cooler loaded with lunch and picnic mid-day in the parking lot. We have done this a couple of times and it is a great way to disconnect the kids from the busy-ness inside the park. It also means we can ensure that the kidlets are having their fruits and veggies instead of overpriced, greasy fast food.
Linda-That is a great deal! I live far enough away that “twilight” hours wouldn’t work for me-but it’s a great tip for folks who live close to a park.
Kimberly-Wow, that was a fantastic deal!
Trek-Ohh, I never thought of a cooler in the car! That is a great idea. But folks should make sure they check out the rules at the park for leaving and re-entry-you’d hate to find out you have to pay again to re-enter! Usually you can find that info online or call.