Theme parks are known for their expensive admission. Most of the major theme parks throughout the world are all charging around the same price for admission, and that’s more than $100 per ticket, per day, per person. It’s unreasonably expensive, and the problem is that many families simply cannot afford to take their children to the theme parks anymore. Here in Florida, it’s far more cost-effective for us to simply purchase annual passes for our family to visit Disney and the four parks that they own. The cost of visiting a theme park is astronomical, but that does have a lot to do with the fact that it costs an exorbitant amount of money to build a theme park, and even more to operate one.
We’ve done the work and found out which of the theme parks you love most are the most expensive in the world. It costs so much money to pay for cast members, employees and to operate and maintain the many different systems at these parks that they are exorbitant in terms of prices. Before you plan your next family vacation, we will break down the cost of one ticket for one person for one day to the most expensive theme parks in the country. Just remember, too, that these are before you add in hotels, airfare, food, and anything else you might need for your vacation.
Universal Studios Orlando – $136
To be fair, this ticket is so expensive because it allows you access to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. If you have any hope of visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you will need to buy this expensive ticket since half the attraction is one park and the other half is in the other park.
Walt Disney World – $105
It’s the biggest of the Disney theme parks, and that means it is the most expensive. This is the price of a one day, one park admission. This does not include the cost of going to any after-hours parties during Christmas or Halloween, nor does it include anything else for the day.
Disneyland – $99
The California version of Disney is a little bit smaller, has fewer other parks around it and is not as popular as the Orlando location. What this means is that you’re going to get a hefty $5 discount on the price of admission. It’s not much, but it’s enough to make people want to visit this park instead when they do the math for their families. That $6 can add up for a large family.
Disney’s California Adventure – $99
It is not Disneyland, but it’s next door. This is a location that has recently expanded and add more to do and more to enjoy for the families who want to visit this area, which makes it automatically more appealing to those in the market for a good time. However, it’s not part of your Disneyland admission, which is often a huge problem for those visiting.
EPCOT – $97
This Orlando attraction is one of my favorites to visit with my annual pass, but not because it’s fun with kids. Quite the contrary, in fact. It is actually far more fun with just adults so that you can take advantage of drinking around the world and enjoying the different restaurants, pubs and bars in every country that have so much to offer.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – $97
Also located in Orlando, this is a fun park for the kids to enjoy. It’s got a little bit of the zoo, a little bit of the favorite roller coasters so many people enjoy and you can buy yourself a beer and really enjoy the time you have here. It’s fun to visit, and it’s part of the Disney family so there are always character lunches and the like to enjoy while at the park.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios – $97
If you want to see how the world of making Disney movies works, this is the place to go. It’s fun and inviting with the characters you get to meet, the shows you get to see and the behind-the-scenes information you garner. There are tours and stages, and you do take home with you a lot more than you came with when you make this park a favorite.
Busch Gardens – $93
This Tampa location is a lot of fun for the entire family. There is a small area where the kids can play in some water. There are zoo animals all around, and there are roller coasters everywhere you go. It’s a fun location in a fun city, but it’s an expensive day pass for those who would rather go to Orlando and visit the Disney parks instead.
Universal Studios Hollywood – $95
Just like the one in Florida without the added excitement of Islands of Adventure or Harry Potter’s Wizarding World, this is a great location to visit. It allows you to see real life sets from movies that you grew up loving and watching, and it also allows you to ride rides, play and have a good time with the entire family as opposed to being focused on just adults or just kids.
Legoland – $89
The newest theme park is one that kids love. It’s an entire park themed around Legos, and few things make kids feel more excited. With rides, a water park and so many different things to do around here, people are finding it is quickly becoming a very popular location for their kids to visit.
*Disney World, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are all located within the Walt Disney World Resort area in Orlando. You can add $58 to the price of a ticket to any of these parks and actually visit all four parks in one day if you want. It’s called a Park Hopper ticket, and it’s one that is highly beneficial to anyone looking to get the most out of their theme park visit.
