I love theme parks, and I would imagine that you do as well, given that you’re reading an Amusement Industry blog. But if there’s one thing I don’t love, far from love in fact, very close to hate about theme parks in general are the prices. That’s one of the reasons I don’t go to parks all that often any more. After paying sixty bucks to get inside a park, I don’t want to have to pay three dollars (more at Six Flags and Knott’s) for a soda I can get for a buck twenty-five at the Seven Eleven down the street.

 Anton is disgusted by the high prices for such American “drivel” 

So why is it that theme parks charge us so much for food and drink purchases? Is it simply “because they can” (That’s always been my response to such a thought) or do they legitimately need to charge that much to meet their bottom line? (Yeah… Riiiight.)

Needless to say, I’m not buying three or four drinks a day at three dollars a pop (I don’t drink so much during the winter, but during the summer out here it’s a necessity!) so I, like I’m sur emany of you do, bring my own water, lunch, etc. to a theme park. Thankfully, Disneyland allows me to bring in my food, water, all inside the gates! So I can carry it around until lunch time, and will have saved myself about fifteen bucks on a meal, which is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

I’ll also carry around a water bottle to fill up at water fountains (Or you can ask an employee to do so inside a Quick Serve Restaraunt at a Six Flags park, I’ve seen it done before) so I can save some extra cash. Not to mention the fact that soda really isn’t what’s best for you on a hot day, I speak from experience. And not a good experience.

So how do you feel about the Theme Park food and drink rip off? Do you swallow the cost for your park visits? Or have you come up with a clever way to avoid paying high prices at theme parks (Like going to TGI Fridays which is right across the parking lot from Knott’s – the food is cheaper than in the park!)? 

Comment with your thoughts and stories!