A new report from Holiday Which? has uncovered the high cost of visiting theme parks and the importance of planning ahead to save time and money.
The study of the six most visited theme parks in the UK found that at the most expensive, Alton Towers, a family ticket for two adults and two children can cost up to £89 on the day just to enter the park. Additional expenses like travel, food and extra charges for some attractions can send the true cost of a visit spiralling.
Most of the parks make children aged 12 years and over pay the full fare. Of the six the one exception to this rule is Legoland but at £24 they have the most expensive child ticket.
“If you’ve got teenagers, a family of four could end up spending almost £130 – and that’s just to get in!” said Holiday Which? editor Lorna Cowan. “To make sure this Bank Holiday weekend will be full of thrills and spills, plan ahead and make sure you get the best deals.”
To help avoid stress and ease pressure on the wallet, Which? advises visitors to consider buying a Fast Track ticket to avoid queues, pack a picnic and arrive early to avoid queues at popular rides.
All the theme parks allow visitors to take food inside, four of the six offer better rates for online bookings and almost all offer deals on group or family tickets.
The report was based on visits to Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, Drayton Manor, Flamingoland, Legoland and Thorpe Park last summer.