Twister II Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 (edited) Your palms start getting clammy, your adrenaline is pumping from seeing the towering rides in the distance, you're so ready to get out of the car and get onto those rides. You're now taking the exit to the park, almost there. And before you know it, BOOM! "Welcome to your destination, now pay us $20 before you pay the $45 to get in." Then your stomach drops and the adrenaline is gone because you they only accept cash and you have none. Lets all try and avoid this... What are some parks charging now to park? Some websites don't even post a parking price! What's the most you've had to pay? If you post it here, I'll update this first post to have a list of that dreaded fee. Alabama Adventure - $8 Beech Bend - FREE! Busch Gardens Tampa - $13 Busch Gardens Williamsburg - $12 Reg. $18 Premium. California's Great America - $12 Reg. $15 Premium. Canada's Wonderland - $10 Canobie Lake - FREE! Cedar Point - $10 Cliff's Amusement Park - FREE! Disneyland Resort - $15 Dollywood - $8 Dorney Park - $12 Dutch Wonderland - FREE! Hersheypark - $10 Holiday World - FREE! Indiana Beach - FREE! Kemah Boardwalk - FREE! Kennywood - FREE! Kings Dominion - $10 Kings Island - $10 Reg. $15 Premium. Knoebels - FREE! Knotts Berry Farm - $12 La Ronde - $15 Reg. $25 Premium. $20 Fireworks View Lake Compounce - $7 Lake Winnie - FREE! Lakeside Amusement Park - FREE! Michigan's Adventure - $8 Mount Olympus - $5 Nickelodeon Universe - FREE! Quassy - $5 weekdays/$6 weekends Rye Playland - $5 weekdays/$7 weekends SeaBreeze - FREE! Silver Dollar City - FREE! Silverwood - $4 Six Flags America - $15 Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - $15 Six Flags Fiesta Texas - $15 Six Flags Great Adventure - $15 Reg. $25 Premium. Six Flags Great America - $20 Six Flags Magic Mountain - $15 Six Flags New England - $15 Reg. $25 Premium Six Flags Over Georgia - $15 Reg. $20 Premium Six Flags Over Texas - $15 Reg. $20 Premium. $30 Valet. Six Flags St. Louis - $15 Reg. $20 Premium Storybook Land - FREE! Universal Studios: Orlando - $15 Reg. $20 Premium Valleyfair - $10 Waldameer - FREE! Walt Disney World - $14 Wild Adventures - $10 Edited August 8, 2011 by Twister II Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Knoebels - Free, Zero, Nada, Bupkis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballfreak Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Kings Island-$10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I understand why parks charge parking fees, but I don't understand why they are priced so high. To me, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth before I even enter the park. If they are going to charge me $15 to park my car, at least throw in a wash and wax. One thing is for sure, I will not be going to as many six flags parks this year because the parking fee is no longer included at other six flags parks with your season pass. It was always nice to swing by a six flags for a few hours. Lake compounce parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perilous Chris Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 ^ I fully understand that Six Flags needs to make money, but that new policy is putting a damper on a lot of peoples' plans. The way I see it, if I'm going to be spending the money on air fare and rental cars, $15-$45 extra is not that much more. I was going to purchase the extreme pass, but because of the parking, I will actually save more with just the thrill pass. I will probably only visit my home park (SFMM) twice this year. If you want a good time without paying for parking, the following parks are a great option! Waldameer: free Holiday World: free Kennywood: free unless you want preferred parking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfan93 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Still Kennywood's Prefered Parking is only like 7-10 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatle11 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 10 bucks at Canada's Wonderland. Not even that bad considering what other parks charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisrad Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Awesome thread - I was actually thinking about where to look up parking prices today. I totally understand why parks charge for parking (parking lot employees, trams, maintenance, security, etc.), but some of the prices go too far. It's funny how Disneyland can go from $12 to $15; not $13 or $14, but right to $15 (someones got to pay for the tram doors ). Anyway.. less than $10 is much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I think the reason that enthusiasts get so pissed is because we often travel in small groups going to parks, whereas for a family with 4-5 people, the difference per person between $5 to park and $15 to park is only ~$2. Add Lake Winnie to the included-in admission list (no park REALLY has free parking), Dollywood is $8 IIRC, no additional charge with upper-level passes (much like it is at Universal Orlando, Busch parks etc) Personally, I don't like the parks that include the price of parking in admission, it doesn't provide an incentive to those who could opt to use public transport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 (no park REALLY has free parking) What about if the park doesn't charge an admission fee to enter the park? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 ^ I would imagine that any upkeep costs have to come from somewhere! It is a bit disgruntling that some of the free parking parks have better parking lots than some of the $15 Six Flags pieces of crap they call a parking lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiFan Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Dorney Park - $12 Dutch Wonderland - Free Hersheypark - $10 Disney World - $14 Universal Orlando - $15 regular, $20 preferred Storybook Land (NJ) - Free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shavethewhales Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Wild Adventures charges $10 Silver Dollar City still has free parking, which is crazy seeing as they've spent millions upon millions in recent years to expand the lots, buy new trolleys and buses, and repave everything. People still like to complain about their entrance prices though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 It's funny how Disneyland can go from $12 to $15; not $13 or $14, but right to $15 (someones got to pay for the tram doors ) Actually, the last time I was at Disneyland (September 2009), the price for parking was $14. So it's $15 now, huh? I'll just make sure to go with Diana---she has an AP with parking included. This is one reason why I do get SFMM's Xtreme Pass. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeoplemoverMatt Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 My favorite on that list is La Ronde's $5 upcharge for "fireworks view" parking. "Honey, we gotta leave during fireworks time so we can see the fireworks from the parking lot. Gotta get our $5 worth!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skycoastin Steve Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I'm fairly certain Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds are all $10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I understand why parks charge parking fees, but I don't understand why they are priced so high. 1. They can. 2. You gotta put it in perspective - Even the most expensive parking fees at theme parks are quite reasonable compared to most parking at a concert, sporting event, trade show, or even in a big city. Cost me $25 last time I went to the Staples Center and I was only parked there a couple of hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgroodog Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Technically Cedar Point Parking is $9.50 with a $0.50 Sandusky City Toll Charge for using the Causeway. But, $10 either way, which is on the cheap side when compared to other parks of its caliber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 (edited) I also think Quassy Amusement Park and Rye Playland were free but I could be mistaken! 2011 Parking prices Quassy $5 weekday $6 weekend Rye Playland $5 weekday $7 weekend both parks charge higher parking fees for Holidays Edited February 28, 2011 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Personally, I don't like the parks that include the price of parking in admission, it doesn't provide an incentive to those who could opt to use public transport. Agree with this. I always take buses/trains to theme parks in preference to driving, so why should a portion of my admission fees go into paying for "free" parking. It's not just maintenance costs to be considered, parking is space intensive....the need to supply parking basically doubles the amount of land the park needs to use to operate, and worse still, the full amount of land needs to be set aside even though it probably only gets fully utilised on the handful of capacity crowd days per year. This land has taxes associated with it, and there's a big opportunity cost associated with it. If they didn't have to provide hectares of ashphalt, they could be building more productive stuff on the land like hotels, 'citywalks', second gates etc. Unfortunatley, accomodating cars takes a lot of space and money, and that cost has to be borne by someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shivtim Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 ^Yep. Unfortunately it's usually not that easy to take transit to most parks in the US. Obviously Coney Island is pretty well connected. Several large parks have some sort of shuttle operated by local transit agencies (For example here in Atlanta MARTA operates a bus from the nearest rail stop to SFoG, and I've taken the METRO bus to SFA). I've also taken a bus to SFGadv from the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC. That worked really well and I recommend it. I usually just suck it up and pay the parking, but it is annoying when you're the only person in the car. Dixeland Fun Park has $5 parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shivtim Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Some other pricing: Michigan's Adventure: $8 Alabama Adventure: $8 Indiana Beach: Free Both parks in Oregon have free parking (Oaks Park and Enchanted Forest). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDcoasterMAN Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Like Steve said KD parking is $10. BGW parking is $12 for general and $18 for preffered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW1 Flying Ace Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 While Disney World may charge $14 their water parks are free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Something to keep in mind: parking lots are actually expensive for parks due to property taxes. Properly maintaining a parking lot (re-paving and re-striping) is also fairly expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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