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Cut UK theme park costs by booking online – Holiday Which?
Booking online can help reduce the cost of entry to the UK’s theme parks.
A family ticket for two adults and two children can cost up to £89 on the day at Alton Towers just to enter the park, according to a study by Holiday Which? magazine.
Costs can soon mount up with travel, food and extra charges for some attractions.
Additionally, at most parks children aged 12 years and over must pay the full fare. Legoland is the exception, but at £24 it has the most expensive child ticket, Holiday Which? found.
The consumer magazine suggested planning ahead to save time and money. Four of the parks Holiday Which? visited offered better rates by booking online and almost all offered deals on group or family tickets.
Prices were compared between Alton Towers, which at £89 for a family ticket was most expensive, followed by Thorpe Park (£88), Chessington World of Adventures and Falmingoland (both £74) and Drayton Manor (£66). Family ticket rates were not available at Legoland. Web prices were £78 for Alton Towers, £67 at Thorpe Park and £59 at Chessington. The others were not available.
Holiday Which? editor Loran Cowan said: “The whole family will have a great day out at a theme park, but if you’ve got teenagers, a family of four could end up spending almost £130 – and that’s just to get in.
“To make sure this Bank Holiday weekend will be full of thrills and spills, plan ahead and make sure you get the best deals.”
Holiday Which? recommends:
– Book online, ahead of your visit to get the best ticket deals and consider buying a Fast Track ticket to avoid queues
– Arrive early to avoid queues at popular rides
– Child discounts are good, but check age limits – a 12 year old may need to pay an adult price
– Avoid disappointment for the smaller members of your party – check height restrictions on rides before you go
– Pack a picnic if you’re after a healthy lunch
by Phil Davies
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