Theme parks are as much a part of an American summer as baseball, Fourth of July fireworks, and backyard barbecues. But trying to figure out which theme park is the best deal is a precarious exercise. Sometimes you can score a cheap ticket, but only if you purchase it on the second Tuesday after the first full moon in July. Okay, well, we haven’t found that. But with online specials, group discounts, and promotional days, finding the best deal can require a detective’s doggedness. Still, there are some theme parks whose value shines through.
This list is somewhat subjective — what’s one person’s value could be another person’s bank buster. This list largely follows a list of value parks published by familydestinationguides.com in 2023, but we’ve thrown a few of our favorites in as well.
FamilyDestinationsGuide.com named this iconic theme park near Cincinnati as the best value in the country. In 2023, a family’s average daily spend is $368.20. Kings Island (FUN) had the lowest daily food spend at $26.32 and the lowest average cost for park tickets at $159.96 per day. Even factoring in inflation, the park remains a value.
You can score a ticket as low as $45 on some days. Once Memorial Day weekend arrives, admission includes access to Soak City, the waterpark portion of Kings Island. You’ll get soaked in Soak City, but not at the ticket booth if you visit Kings Island, which is the way we like it!
It’s Christmas year round at Holiday World in the aptly named town of Santa Claus, Indiana
You can score some tickets during off peak days for as low as $25 if you buy online. But what really makes this park a great value are the freebies thrown into the ticket price.
There are soft drink stations throughout the park where you can get free drinks. Forget the sunscreen? No problem. There are sunscreen dispensers throughout the park. Also, parking is free.
A nice perk of this park in Branson, Missouri is that if you buy a ticket after 3 p.m, it’s alsogood for the next day’s admission.
The park boasts over 40 rides and attractions, including 7 roller coasters and 9 water rides, catering to all age groups. In addition to rides, visitors can enjoy live entertainment, artisan demonstrations, and seasonal festivals, all set in an 1880s Ozarks village theme.
Milton Hershey was the Willy Wonka of his day. The park was originally established over 100 years ago as a haven for Hershey chocolate employees, but was gradually expanded into a theme park that the company owns to this day.
Hersheypark (HSY) provides 15 roller coasters, including legendary rides like Skyrush and Candymonium.
Cedar Point packs 18 coasters to choose from and a reasonable ticket price, too. Tickets start at $49.99 when purchased online, offering savings compared to the $85 gate price.
The summer of 2025 will debut Siren’s Curse, North America’s tallest, fastest, and longest “tilt” coaster, themed to Lake Erie’s mythical sirens. Riders climb a 160 ft crane, pause on a broken track, are tilted 90° to stare straight down, and then plunge through 2,966 ft of track at up to 58 mph with 13 airtime moments and two zero‑G rolls.
The House of Mouse often isn’t the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of theme park deals.
But Familydestinationguides.com says it can be a relative bargain if you are strategic.
With careful planning—picking off‑peak dates, leveraging discount channels, bringing your own snacks, and embracing free offerings—you absolutely can make a trip to Disney World (DIS) fit a modest budget.
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California—dubbed “The Thrill Capital of the World”—packs more roller coasters into 260 acres than any other park on the planet, with 20 unique rides that deliver everything from hair‑raising heights to out‑of‑the‑seat airtime .
Six Flags Magic Mountain can be a great value for frequent visitors and coaster enthusiasts, thanks to steeply discounted season passes and built‑in perks. For a single visit, factor in parking and food costs to determine if the all‑in price meets your budget.
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