The Most Expensive Amusement Parks

Methodology

In comparing amusement parks across the U.S., we followed certain ground rules to put them on as equal footing as possible, while including sites from all 50 states (though Kansas, North Dakota and Wyoming have no notable amusement or water parks):

1. We selected parks with a minimum of features that would justify a family staying there more or less all day, and those features had to include rides as opposed to parks limited to mini golf or batting cage-type activities.



2. Prices used were the cheapest single-day passes available for a Saturday visit, even when that includes online orders that must be made several days before the actual visit, for a family of four that includes two adults and two children, visiting the park in one regular-sized car.



3. Food prices are not included in the calculation, since the options can be endless. And while almost none of the parks allow outside food or drinks, all of them do allow re-entry, so the truly cost-conscious can take a tailgating lunch break in the parking lot if they bring their own sandwiches.

The resulting list includes 103 parks from all over the country, including Alaska and Hawaii, from chains like Six Flags (Stock Quote: SIX), Cedar Fair (Stock Quote: FUN), Universal Studios (Stock Quote: GE), Disney (Stock Quote: DIS), Busch Gardens (Stock Quote: BUD), and many smaller and medium-sized parks as well.

Here are the 10 most and least expensive of the bunch, starting with the cheapest amusement parks in America.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

10th Cheapest Park: Family Kingdom Water Park, S.C.

Located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Family Kingdom Water Park offers visitors a variety of pools and slides with views of the beach it sits on. It also offers plenty of views of the roller coasters at the adjoining amusement park, though those have a separate entrance fee, so be aware if your kids are easily tempted by the loop-the-loops next door. Combo packs for both sections of the park are available for $35.

Adult Admission: $20.95

Child Admission: $18.95 (Up to 48” tall)

Parking: Free

TOTAL: $79.80

Photo Credit: rftrudeau

9th Cheapest Park: Camden Park, W.Va.

Next up is Camden Park, a classic amusement park in West Virginia with some basic roller coasters, a log ride, haunted house, bumper cars and plenty more, making it an affordable day-cation for any family.

Adult Admission: $21.99

Child Admission: $15.99 (Up to 48” tall)

Parking: $3

TOTAL: $78.96

Photo Credit: CamdenPark.com

8th Cheapest Park: Indiana Beach Water Park, Ind.

Like Family Kingdom in South Carolina, Indiana Beach is two parks in one, though with separate admission prices. The awesome roller coasters in the amusement section of the park are significantly more expensive, but the water park section holds its own. With six huge water slides and other classic water park features, Indiana Beach is a great and affordable way to spend a hot summer day. Combo tickets that give unlimited access to roller coasters as well as the waterpark cost $39.95 for adults and $29.95 for children.

Adult Admission: $19.95

Child Admission: $12.95 (under 48” tall)

Parking: $5

TOTAL: $70.80

Photo Credit: BeigeAlert

7th Cheapest Park: Magic Waters Waterpark, Ill.

Illinois residents get the seventh best deal in the country at Magic Waters, an impressive water park that will capture the kids’ imaginations with rides like the Typhoon Terror, Splash Blaster, The Abyss, Tsunami Bay and more. If you are from out-of-state or buy your tickets at the gate, you’ll pay up to $5 more per ticket, but at least there’s free parking if you’re driving in from across the border.

Adult Admission: $17.95

Child Admission: $12.95 (Up to 48” tall)

Parking: Free

TOTAL: $61.80

Photo Credit: MagicWaterWaterpark.com

6th Cheapest Park: Watiki Water Park, S.D.

Like Magic Waters, residents of South Dakota get a discount on admission at Watiki Water Park in Rapid City, which occupies 30,000 square feet of indoor space that includes an arcade and hot tubs for the adults. Prices are for online orders for local residents only.

Adult Admission: $14.95

Child Admission: $14.95

Parking: Free

TOTAL: $59.80

Photo Credit: Kurt Magoon

5th Cheapest Park: Spokane Riverfront Park, Wash.

OK, it may not look like a classic amusement park, but the combination of rides and attractions at Riverfront Park in Spokane make it a perfect day of fun for the whole family. Bumper cars, a tilt-a-whirl, ferris wheel and roller coaster are a perfect prelude to an IMAX movie, which is included in the ticket price. If you don’t mind walking a bit, cheap parking in one of the secondary lots make this the fifth cheapest park for a family of four.

Adult Admission: $16.50

Child Admission: $16.50

Parking: $4

TOTAL: $59.50

Photo Credit: Spokane Riverfront Park

4th Cheapest Park: Oaks Park, Ore.

Staying in the Pacific Northwest, Portland’s Oaks Park is one of the more elaborate amusement parks that qualify as the cheapest in the country. Its thrill rides will take you on a proper loop-the-loop, and mini golf offers a nice change of pace.

Adult Admission: $14.75

Child Admission: $14.75

Parking: Free

TOTAL: $59

Photo Credit: OaksPark.com

3rd Cheapest Park:  Rushmore Water Park, S.D.

The second attraction on our list from South Dakota, Rushmore Water Park is a bit less majestic than its carved-into-a-mountainside namesake, but for a low-cost day of fun it fits the bill nicely: 17 acres of water slides helped along by gravity on the slopes of the Black Hills make Rushmore a nice way to entertain the whole family.

Adult Admission: $14.95

Child Admission: $11.95 (Ages 6-9)

Parking: Free

TOTAL: $53.80

Photo Credit: Rushmorewaterslide.com

Cheapest Park (Tie):  Funland at Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Beachside attractions are some of the cheapest of all, perhaps because these parks know they have to lure families away from the utterly free entertainment on the beach and in the surf. Funland in Delaware does that with no gate and pay-as-you-go pricing, but if you are going to make a day of it and get at least one ride on the major attractions, a $12 48-ticket pack is the way to go.

Adult Admission: $12

Child Admission: $12

Parking: None (street parking only)

TOTAL: $48

Photo Credit: baslow

Cheapest Park (Tie): Valley Worlds of Fun, W.Va.

Tied at the top of the list for the cheapest amusement park in the U.S. is Valley Worlds of Fun in West Virigina. It’s a family-owned park with classic amusement park rides like bumper cars and boats, but a free-fall ride is one of several that will make your and your kids’ hearts beat a little bit faster.

Adult Admission: $12

Child Admission: $12

Parking: Free

TOTAL: $48

>> Up next: the 10 most expensive parks in the U.S.

Photo Credit: ValleyWorldsOfFun.com

10th Priciest Park: SeaWorld, San Antonio, Texas

People come from all over the world to SeaWorld, and the location in San Antonio, the 10th priciest park in the country, is the most affordable of the three. That’s not saying too much though, since a four-ticket, online package still costs north of $200. That being said, you get shows starring live sea animals, and roller coasters like the twisty Great White and vertiginous Steel Eel.

Adult Admission: $47.50

Child Admission: $47.50

Parking: $13.87

TOTAL: $203.87

Photo Credit: milst1

9th Priciest Park: Dollywood, Tenn.

Dolly Parton is a national treasure, and her theme park, Dollywood, is absolutely one of Tennessee’s most prized treasures. Rides at Dollywood run the gamut from the most child-friendly carousel to the most intense modern roller coaster like the brand-new Barnstormer (pictured), making this a true family park. There is a separate water park at Dollywood as well, with admission prices only slightly less than Dollywood proper. What’s more, the star herself has been known to visit the park on special occasions.

Adult Admission: $57.00

Child Admission: $45.80 (Ages 4-11)

Parking: $8

TOTAL: $213.60

Photo Credit: Dollywood.com

8th Priciest Park: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg Va.

Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia may be known for its Civil War reenactments, but for families looking for a thrill that doesn’t involve being shot at with muskets, there is the lure of nearby Busch Gardens. It will cost a family of four almost $250 for a weekend visit, but with awesome roller coasters like the Griffon (pictured), it’s hard to say it’s not worth the cost.

Adult Admission: $63.99

Child Admission: $53.99

Parking: $13

Total: $248.96

Photo Credit: Silveira Neto

7th Priciest Park: SeaWorld, San Diego, Calif.

SeaWorld San Diego, the original SeaWorld made famous by its star killer whale Shamu, comes in at number seven on the list. With all the attractions featuring live sea creatures, much of the admission charge (discounted when purchasing online) probably goes to all the fish they eat.

Adult Admission: $69.99

Child Admission: $61.99 (Ages 3-9)

Parking: $14

TOTAL: $277.96

Photo Credit: SmartDestinations

6th Priciest Park: Universal Studios Hollywood, Calif.

The intersection of movies and thrill rides has made Universal Studios Hollywood a stop on plenty of vacationers’ lists, no matter how far they are traveling from. With shows that change periodically to reflect some of Hollywood’s grandest productions (the current highlight is an immersive 3-D experience around Peter Jackson’s King Kong), everyone can find something to relate to at the park.

Adult Admission: $74

Child Admission: $66 (Up to 48” tall)

Parking: $15

TOTAL: $295

Photo Credit: lrargerich

5th Priciest Park: SeaWorld Orlando, Fla.

The first park to break the $300 barrier for a family of four, SeaWorld Orlando is the most expensive of the SeaWorld family, even with the discounted online price of $71.99 per person. That said, the park features one of the most extreme roller coasters in the country – the Kraken (pictured) – in addition to its regular live animal shows.

Adult Admission: $71.99

Child Admission: $71.99

Parking: $14

TOTAL: $301.96

Photo Credit: LOLren

4th Priciest Park:  Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, Fla.

At number four, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a bit more expensive but quite a bit more thrilling than its cheaper cousin in Virginia. With two of the most extreme roller coasters in the U.S. – the Kumba (pictured) and the Montu – it’s somewhat understandable why the park is able to charge over $316 for a family of four to visit for a day.

Adult Admission: $79.99

Child Admission: $71.99

Parking: $12.15

Total: $316.11

Photo Credit: hyku

3rd Priciest Park: Disneyland, Anaheim, Calif.

Long the king of amusement parks and a model for all that came after it, the original Disneyland (Stock Quote: DIS) outside of Los Angeles has been around since 1955. Walt Disney himself even supervised its design and construction. No doubt the park has come a long way since then, with today’s feature taking a Star Wars simulation ride to the next level. The admission prices, which go to $323 for a family of four, will get the family access to only one of the two parks on site, Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure Park.

Adult Admission: $80

Child Admission: $74 (Ages 3-9)

Parking: $15

TOTAL: $323

Photo Credit: Fortherock

2nd Priciest Park: Disney World, Orlando, Fla.

Edging out its cousin in California, the number two spot goes to Disney World (Stock Quote: DIS) in Orlando, Fla. The sky high admission prices will only get you into one of Disney World’s four parks, so do your research and search your soul to determine if you’re going to spend your hard earned cash at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Hollywood Studios or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Either way, it’ll cost you.

Adult Admission: $85

Child Admission: $79 (Ages 3-9)

Parking: $14

TOTAL: $342

Photo Credit: Randy Pertiet

Priciest Park: Universal Studios Orlando, Fla.

Taking the top spot as the most expensive amusement park in the country by just $1, Universal Studios Orlando recently raised its admission prices to match those at nearby Disney World. But its slightly more expensive parking charge puts it ahead of its rival.

Universal Studios Orlando, like its counterpart in California, blends the best of blockbuster movies and amusement parks with a brand new Harry Potter attraction that ensures that Universal Studios will be one of the hottest parks this year. That along with one of the wildest roller coasters in the U.S., the Incredible Hulk Coaster, ensure something for every member of the family, as long as that family has plenty of money to leave behind.

Adult Admission: $85             

Child Admission: $79 (Ages 3-9)

Parking: $15

TOTAL: $343

Photo Credit: Lall

Now for the Fun Part

Deciding on an amusement park based on how much it will burn your wallet is one thing, but what we really care about are where we can get the biggest thrill, right?

Thankfully, MainStreet's got you covered. Check out the wildest roller coasters in the U.S., complete with video from the nine most extreme, in our breakdown.

Photo Credit: hyku

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