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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, SeaWorld Orlando raise ticket prices

by Leigh Caldwell (RSS feed) on Nov 22nd 2010 at 12:00PM

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay increased its ticket prices

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Orlando have announced price increases at the Florida theme parks.

The new ticket price at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is $83.45, including sales tax. You will pay $72.75 for kids ages 3-9.

At SeaWorld Orlando, tickets are now $85.19 with tax included, $74.54 for kids.

By comparison, a 1-day, 1-park ticket including tax at Walt Disney World is $87.33. Disney's most recent price increase was in August.

Those prices don't take into account the myriad of discounts available, including savings on multi-day tickets, combo tickets that include admission to other theme parks and/or water parks, and online-only deals.

And Florida residents are also eligible for special pricing. For example, a Florida resident who pays full price for a 1-day admission receives a "Fun Card" that gets him or her in free for the rest of the year.

As the Miami Herald reports, only 1/3 of theme park patrons actually pay full price for a 1-day admission into the parks.

[Image credit: Flickr user LaurenKates]

Filed under: North America, United States, Theme Parks

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Rooftop Voter Nov 22nd 2010 8:58PM

And this is news??

James Nov 22nd 2010 9:51PM

You are the one that went in to read about it Rooftop. Don't click on the story if you don't think it is news worthy. Obviously, by the title of the story you should have known what is was going to be about.

Al Schrader Nov 23rd 2010 5:42AM

Actually, Walt Disney World is an incredible place. Disney was a genius & one of a kind. Disney World itself is the size of a small city comprising three main parts, the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and everything else. None of it is cheap crap or has less than six zeros or seven zeros in the cost. You can't see any of it in one day. And even after you've seen most of it & a week is gone, then you can participate in the Hawaiian Luas with giant pineapple desserts, dancers, music, topped off with electric boats that appear on the lake out of no-where, laser phantoms projected onto water fountains and fireworks in the back ground. There are tunnels under everything. Characters appear from the tunnels.
We were sitting eating a hamburger & someone tapped my mom on the shoulder, it was Goofy in full costume. Shocked the crap out of her. 85 bucks is a deal to use a two billion dollar park...Alfred-

Tim Scott Nov 22nd 2010 9:18PM

Hmmmm. Think I'll just stay here in New York and get a "pat-down" at the airport; a hell of a lot cheaper and way more fun. Just sayin'.

greg Nov 22nd 2010 9:30PM

Go back to bed rooftop and get rained on.

Joe Papierz Jr Nov 22nd 2010 10:17PM

The articles says the Miami Herald reports, only 1/3 of theme park patrons actually pay full price for a 1-day admission into the parks. How much of a discount do they get and how do they manage that? I'm retired now and finally have the time to visit some of Floridas attractions but I can't afford the prices in the article, plus gas to get there, food and lodging. I would plan to drive up early in the AM (leaving Deerfield Beach around five AM, spend all day at a park and drive home that evening.)

Peggy Nov 23rd 2010 1:28AM

Joe... you can stay at a timeshare for a few days or for a week however long you choose and they will give you theme park tickets just for sitting through a hour and a half meeting... I have done it for the past few years in a row.

Richard Nov 23rd 2010 5:18AM

A large percentage of the people who don't pay full fare a are probably people who show a Florida driver's license.

Joe Papierz Jr Nov 23rd 2010 1:23PM

Thank you Peggy and Richard. I appreciate your responses and will give it a try.

Joan Nelson Nov 22nd 2010 11:44PM

God,this is RIDICULOUS......and I LIVE in Florida!!!!!! Its only called the "Magic Kingdom" because they make all your money disappear!

Norma Nov 22nd 2010 10:41PM

Disney should take notes from Sea World and Busch Gardens. Disney's prices are absolutely ridiculous, especially for Florida residents. Anyone who lives within 75 miles of Disney World gets hammered with the Disney traffic all the time, and for that inconvenience, we still have to pay outrageous prices to darken the Disney doorsteps.

Universal Studios two theme parks, and the fact that Florida residents can get a full year ticket at a desent price blows the Disney competition away. I believe the word is GREED!
Florida residents should have to pay no more for a year pass to Disney World than we have to pay for a years pass to Universal Studios two theme parks......PERIOD!

Disney worries about park attendence all the time........Well, I wonder why?

lola Nov 22nd 2010 11:01PM

well, if the GOVERNMENT ran them...and taxes paid for them - they can be open for FREE to all citizens............... or open for a fraction of the cost they are now
TOO BAD most peolple can't afford to go

Art Nov 22nd 2010 11:22PM

haha, lola...i've got some oceanfront property in arizona i'll sell to you real cheap if you believe that!

phdpam Nov 22nd 2010 11:48PM

What a joke. I was going to Busch Gardens when it was FREE. It went to 6.00 when the monorail went in. Then 10.00 (Disney was 10.00 as well) Busch is nothing like it used to be, and I drive right on by. Used to be a great and UNIQUE place.

WTF Nov 23rd 2010 1:01AM

The is absolutely ridicules. What normal family could afford to go to any of these places on a family vacation. On top of the $80something dollars to get in you have to spend another $50 for food, nothing fancy mind you, a hamburger, fries a soda and maybe some money left over for an ice cream later in the day. Thanks but no thanks. I'll stay right here in NJ.

JOHN Nov 23rd 2010 3:58AM

I may be wrong but I think Disney charges about $20 to park your vehicle. ALSO, Think about this.......An outfit as large as Disney and they don't have an 800 #. You wanna talk, you pay.
Being I live about 3 hours away, I've had my fair share of these overated carnivals. Even with the substantial Florida resident discount, I hope to never step foot in any one of these parks again. Lunch food is crap and very over priced.
I don't understand the logic of these people that go twice a year and have been doing it for twenty years. For what they've spent, they could have gone to Europe and saw the real thing instead of a miniature version made from papier mache. Many people also leave their manners at home. Some double-wide living, stretch pants wearing, ass like she is shoplifting throw pillows big Momma will nearly kill you if she thinks she can get 2 inches ahead of you. Disney is a place to take the kids to for a few days, once. Other than that, it's an overpriced humid sweatbox, with horrid food, ridiculous wait times and other visitors think it's almost as good as DollyWood

jlcroadie Nov 23rd 2010 1:17AM

It's like this: I visited BOTH parks several years ago, and felt I'd been ripped-off at the prices I was charged then! Looks like I'll NOT be going back! Hope both parks have a big increase in foreign visitors next year! This is 1 American that won't be visiting!