Welcome to Theme Park Insider! Join the community or log in
Theme Park Insider
Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube

Is the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens price increase too much?

Sea World Orlando: What is the price - gimme a dollar value - per day on a theme park ticket where you say "No"?

From Robert Niles
Posted December 27, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Busch is raising one-day ticket prices at SeaWorld, by $5 to $74.95. Aquatica is up $3 to $44.95. Busch Gardens Africa is up $2 to $69.95.

Prices remain the same on multi-day prices, which you can (and probably should) read as Busch's attempt to encourage people to commit to a longer visit, instead of a one-day trip - where prices are now closer to those for the one-day prices for the Disney and Universal parks.

At what point does a theme park ticket become too expensive for you to commit to a trip? Keep in mind that discounts are often available, such as Fun Cards at the Busch parks, park website advance purchase discounts, AAA, etc.

But what is the price - gimme a dollar value - per day on a theme park ticket where you say "No"?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Gareth H
Posted December 27, 2008 at 12:52 PM
$50 is fair, then people will spend more money in teh park.
Knock the fun pass on the head and offer a budget annual, with blackouts at $74.95 instead!!

Locals, who are the ones who generally buy them, will still get the passes, and tourists from out of town are more likely to spend in the park!

Universal are bringing out a new ticket soon, buy one day get the rest of the year free. Its not replacing any other tickets, jsut something extra.
Will be called something like "Thrill Pass"

From steve lee
Posted December 27, 2008 at 2:22 PM
This sounds so much like back when I was working in movie theatres. Twice a year, we'd have to go out and price check the competition and report back to corporate. A few weeks later, we'd be listening to customer complaints over the fact that we raised our prices to match theirs.

No one ever seems to price check and LOWER their prices. Just because Sea World could raise their prices and still seem comparable to the other parks doesn't mean they should.

From Drew Petzold
Posted December 27, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Even Busch Gardens Europe has increased their ticket price this year. It is now up to $59.95. I am glad I have a passport. :)

From Rob P
Posted December 29, 2008 at 3:49 AM
It isn't just the cost but the value of the ticket.
More accurate information on what attractions are closed before you commit to a purchase would be helpful.And cash back if they go down while you're in there.
Other than that I think rising costs have to be met with price increases but fair ones please.
I'd say that SeaWorld's added $5 isn't that bad provided, as I say, that everything's up and running.
I mean you wouldn't pay to go to the theatre only to be told ,once you've taken your seat, that the play wasn't on today would you ?

From Anthony Murphy
Posted December 29, 2008 at 9:40 AM
The increase is not too bad compared to Seaworld's competitiors. Its still lower than Disney or Universal.

Still, I think $100 is where I would really draw the line. Still, getting multi day passes or season passes work better in the long run anyway.

Here is a rough estimate on season passes for "how many times do I need to go" for it to be worth it. Note: Its rough estimate and only for the places my family has season passes for


Six Flags: 3 visits
Disney World: about 6 times (meaning six days)

From Ben James
Posted December 29, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Robert,

Great Question!

I will not by a season pass at Six Flags St. Louis if it is more than $45. It is just not worth it. Likewise, I will not purchase a single day ticket if it is more than $38. What makes the pass worth it is my little 2-day trip to Chicago.

Now, if you are talking Disney or Universal. I think $60-70 is fair for a single day ticket.

And for Cedar Fair (specifically Cedar Point) I would not pay more than $55 for a single day ticket.

From steve lee
Posted December 29, 2008 at 3:17 PM
The biggest flaw they're making is that they're basing their price on the 1-day ticket to Disney. A 1 day ticket to Disney is an idiot ticket. People who come to Florida are going to get multi-day passes. It's the nature of the beast. Sea World doesn't have enough options to really compete in the multi-day arena (Busch Gardens is over an hour away, and it's hard to get tourists out of Orlando).

Maybe they're concerned that having a notably lower price would subconsciously indicate a lower quality park? Even if that's the case, I think this price increase is a BIG mistake.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted December 29, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Wait Ben, where can you get a Six Flags Season Ticket at $45? Thats a steal and a suprise to me due to regular tickets being around $40. I wonder if its cheaper in parts of the country.

Come up to SFGA! We are getting the Pirates Attraction!

From Joshua Counsil
Posted December 30, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Depends on the park. Also depends on the duration of my trip.

For example, if I was in Orlando for only one day, I'd pay up to $90 or so for any of the parks BUT would expect to pay much less if I was staying multiple days and seeing multiple parks.

This discussion has been archived, and is not accepting additional responses.