Whereas theme parks are excessive on the record of favourite trip locations, they’ll get actually costly actually rapidly while you consider extras like resorts and meals.
Right here at The PNW, we consider in a wholesome steadiness between work and play. So in the event you can afford it, take that dream trip and revel in each second of it — simply be sure you don’t utterly abandon your PNW Reader hoarding methods.
If you happen to’re headed to Universal Orlando Resort — residence to the unbelievable Wizarding World of Harry Potter — try the insider ideas I’ve developed as an Orlando native and former witch at Common’s Diagon Alley. You’ll lower your expenses within the parks with out sacrificing any of the enjoyable.
Discover Tickets for Much less
Your financial savings can begin earlier than you even step by means of the turnstiles — try these concepts for slicing the price of park admission.
1. Purchase Your Tickets Forward of Time
The only option to save on Common Studios’ costs for park entry is to purchase your tickets earlier than you get to the gate. It can save you as much as $20 per individual while you purchase multiday tickets on-line. If you happen to’re touring with a household of 4, that’s $80 in financial savings already.
2. Use Your AAA Membership to Your Benefit
Costs range, so ensure to ask about discounted Common tickets at your native AAA workplace. It can save you $50 or more while you purchase by means of AAA.
3. Purchase the Lowest-Tier Ticket and Improve Later
So long as you buy your tickets straight by means of Common Studios, you possibly can improve your tickets at visitor companies at any level throughout your journey.
This can be a good thought for anybody touring with youngsters — they get sick, burned out and don’t care in the event you spent 100 further {dollars} on a three-day ticket.
If you happen to come to seek out everyone seems to be up for an additional day, you possibly can improve your tickets by paying the distinction so long as you accomplish that earlier than you allow the park. As soon as your tickets expire, you’ll must pay for brand spanking new ones.
4. Store Round Fastidiously
Orlando is riddled with sleazy ticket distributors promising half-price theme park tickets.
However beware, even when the tickets you buy are actual, these distributors could also be promoting them illegally. These tickets usually come from park staff or locals who work particular occasions and obtain complimentary passes. Common doesn’t allow the sale of those passes.
If you happen to get caught on the gate, you’re out of luck and cash.
Nonetheless, there are some respected ticket websites on the market. Simply ensure to do your analysis on the vendor earlier than shopping for.
Journey and Lodging
After tickets, the resort and journey charges are the most important objects in your trip funds. Listed here are some methods for saving on these bills.
5. E book The whole lot in Advance
If you happen to’re a seasoned PNW, you most likely already know this tactic: Buying airplane tickets and reserving your resort room forward of time are the simplest methods to get the perfect charges.
6. To Resort or To not Resort?
Sadly, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all reply right here: It’s going to take some quantity crunching in your finish to determine which resort scenario is best for you.
There are inexpensive resorts (or Airbnb leases!) in the event you depart the Common Resort property, however you might find yourself paying extra in the long term since you’ll miss out on some fairly candy perks on the parks.
To maintain it temporary(ish), right here’s a cost-effectiveness breakdown: Choose Universal Resort hotels embody shuttle transport to and from the airport and the parks. So staying on the property may prevent on transportation prices, plus the $27/day parking price you’d pay in the event you have been driving.
However extra importantly, and one thing to think about in the event you had deliberate to purchase Specific Passes anyway: Sure resort resorts throw in free Common Specific Limitless passes for every member of the household. Relying on the time of yr you go, this might prevent anyplace from $110 to greater than $300 per individual per day. (Suppose: Household of 4 spending 4 days within the parks. $300 occasions 4 individuals occasions 4 days = $4,800.)
One other bonus? Common Resort resort company get early entry to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and elements of Volcano Bay: You’ll get a complete hour to discover every morning earlier than the key crowds come pouring in.
Whew. Did you catch all that? Nice, as a result of I’ve one remaining level to make: If you happen to go the Common Resort resort route, and also you reap the benefits of these Specific Limitless passes, you might feasibly minimize a time without work your in-park time and a time without work your journey (which implies one much less day paying for tickets and a resort.)
If you happen to’re not involved about crowds, wait occasions or transportation (possibly you’re driving in to save lots of on airfare!), then a less expensive, off-property resort may be the correct reply for your loved ones. I’m simply making an attempt to indicate you all of the choices, associates!
Making the Most of Your Time
By taking advantage of your time, you possibly can hit extra points of interest with out shelling out for further days contained in the gates.
7. Determine if Specific Passes Are Proper for You
If you happen to’re nonetheless on the fence about whether or not to safe Specific Passes in your journey (and also you’re not going the resort resort route), listed here are some factors to think about. Guests can usually package deal Specific Passes with admission tickets, decreasing the general price considerably.
Nevertheless, in the event you’re a severe Harry Potter fan, you need to know that Specific Passes should not legitimate for some points of interest in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Here’s a helpful guide that breaks down Specific Passes together with the rides and points of interest they work on.
If you happen to resolve you don’t must skip the traces all day each day, you might purchase every member of your loved ones a one-day Specific Limitless cross. You possibly can knock out a reasonably hefty record of points of interest that day, then go at a extra leisurely tempo for the rest of your journey.
8. Plan Your Trip Round Peak Season
Examine this handy crowd calendar from Orlando Informer (a severely nice useful resource for all issues Orlando and theme parks) to determine which days would be the least crowded. Smaller crowds imply much less wait time; much less wait time means you possibly can spend fewer days within the parks; and fewer days within the parks means you save on tickets.
Attendance is lowest on weekdays, significantly in late fall and late winter. If your loved ones can afford the break day work and faculty, you’ll get probably the most bang in your buck at these occasions.
Save on Common Studios’ Costs Contained in the Park
Whereas most of your financial savings will come from big-ticket objects like park entry and the resort, the little issues can add up rapidly.
9. Use the Lockers
Carry every thing you assume you’ll want with you, and hire an all-day locker that begin at $10 per day. You get limitless opening privileges, not like the timed and complimentary lockers, so you should use your locker as a house base to return to when it’s essential to reapply sunscreen, become dry garments or seize a sweatshirt for the night chill (yep, even in Florida).
Although you’re paying $10 a day, you’re saving cash by not shelling out for $60 sweatshirts for the entire household when the solar goes down.
10. Keep away from Paying for Pricy Meals
Theme park meals is pricey. In your option to your resort, buy breakfast meals (in case your resort doesn’t supply free breakfast) and moveable snacks. The parks allow small snacks that don’t require heating or refrigeration and whilst you can’t carry a picnic lunch, the foundations are just a little fuzzy as to what constitutes a “small snack,” so you possibly can most likely make a case for a lot of objects.
Keep away from shopping for costly sodas and bottled water contained in the parks. You possibly can usher in sealed or empty water bottles to refill all through the day.
11. Buy Souvenirs Forward of Time
The parks are filled with enjoyable T-shirts, plush toys strategically positioned at a child’s eye stage and themed gear, akin to wizarding wands and robes, all at an enormous markup.
Lower your expenses on souvenirs by buying toys from a special retailer and packing them in your suitcase. Then, while you arrive at your resort, sneak them out and make them magically seem in your youngsters’ pillows. Wizarding World home robes go for about $140 within the park, in comparison with roughly $25 to $80 on websites like Amazon.
12. Take Benefit of Each Low cost
American Specific provides reductions, however the perks change usually. You possibly can obtain the Common Orlando app to see which provides can be found by means of American Specific.
13. Complain a Little
This one comes not solely from me, the previous theme park worker, but in addition from me, the lifelong Florida theme park customer. I’ve obtained some expertise navigating the system.
Now I don’t imply you need to fuss, moan and stomp your toes. Consider me, that will get you nowhere with most staff. However know that Common’s important aim is to present each visitor an unbelievable expertise. You simply don’t construct an empire on fantasy and enjoyable with out having some further particular perks in your guests.
If one thing goes unsuitable, don’t be afraid to let a workforce member know in regards to the difficulty. If you happen to attain the entrance of the road after an hourlong wait simply to see the experience shut down for upkeep, ask for an Specific Cross so you possibly can come again when the experience is working once more. If somebody runs off along with your child’s brand-new stuffed Spider-Man toy, flag down an worker and ask what they’ll do to assist.
Some workforce members have the ability to obtain free treats and presents to make your expertise the perfect it may be. So don’t be afraid to ask for some further perks — inside motive, after all!
Even (or Particularly) on a Trip, You Want a Funds
Whether or not you resolve to bundle your trip package deal or cobble collectively a kick-ass journey by yourself phrases, simply be sure you’re hoarding pennies wherever you possibly can.
Take time to take a seat down and resolve precisely how a lot you possibly can afford to spend in your theme park trip. After getting a quantity, put collectively a visit that works inside the confines of that funds.
And don’t be tempted to go above your set quantity even in the event you see a $150 Lucius Malfoy Walking Stick that you simply simply must have. (You don’t want it, I promise.) If you happen to’re cringing over Common Studios’ costs each time you hear a register cha-ching, you’re not going to take pleasure in your self, and also you’ll have wasted your cash on a visit that left you annoyed and mentally exhausted.
Stick with your funds, and revel in each minute of your Common Orlando trip — after the onerous work of planning this factor, you deserve it!
Grace Schweizer is the SMS and social media content material author at The PNW. Orlando-born and bred, she is aware of her manner across the theme parks!