What are reasonable prices for theme parks?

[pushbutton]

I'm interested in peoples opinions on what would be reasonable prices both for single day entry and for the various types of passes for the Gold Coast theme parks.

This is not about how much you would personally like to pay, or how much you can afford. It's about what you believe would be reasonable, fair, and enable the parks to be profitable as well as to invest in good levels of maintenance, staffing, new attractions etc. Prices should take into account your own perception of the current value of entry to each park, with the attractions it currently has.

Here's my own opinion:

All these prices take into account how low the current prices have been so aren't necessarily as high as they might otherwise be.

All the waterpark prices include locker hire as I believe that they should.

It goes without saying there's a lot of personal opinion in all these calculations, so please don't have a go at anyone personally.

SINGLE DAY ENTRY

7 DAY PASSES

ANNUAL PASSES

These are just my first quick thought on the matter. I may well alter the prices if I took more time to analyse things more deeply.

Whoops! I pasted all the prices in from an Excel spreadsheet, but they don't appear to have saved in the post. Unfortunately I've deleted the speadsheet now. Maybe I'll add them in again in a bit.

Edited April 30, 2017 by pushbutton

[Reanimated35]

5 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

Unfortunately I've deleted the speadsheet now. Maybe I'll add them in again in a bit.

You took the effort of creating a spreadsheet and putting work into it and yet you can't even remember what prices you chose? 

Or you know, get the spreadsheet from the recycle bin.

[New display name]

I'm confused.   

[Brad2912]

He printed it out too but the dog ate it 

[pushbutton]

[New display name]

4 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

 

 

Kids this is why you shouldn't drink.  

[Original]

Interesting discussion that comes up that comes up every so often. I'll wait to you post yours before I comment or write up what I think.

But I disagree with locker hire being included in waterpark prices... Then you'd have to ensure you have enough lockers for everyone, which I think would be completely unfeasible to supply. Just make the price point that is reasonable and fair IMO. 

[pushbutton]

SINGLE ENTRY PRICES:

Sea World: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Movie World: Adult $35, Conc $30, Child $25

Wet & Wild: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Paradise Country: Adult $12, Conc $10, Child $8

Dreamworld: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Whitewater World: Adult $18, Conc $15, Child $12

 

7 DAY PASSES

All Village Parks: Adult $120, Conc $100, Child $80

DW, WWW & Skypoint: Adult $80, Conc $65, Child $50

 

ANNUAL PASSES

All Village Parks: Adult $390, Conc $325, Child $250

DW, WWW & Skypoint: Adult $230, Conc $190, Child $145

Edited April 30, 2017 by pushbutton

[Reanimated35]

32 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

It's about what you believe would be reasonable, fair, and enable the parks to be profitable as well as to invest in good levels of maintenance, staffing, new attractions etc.

 

1 minute ago, pushbutton said:

SINGLE ENTRY PRICES:

Sea World: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Movie World: Adult $35, Conc $30, Child $25

Wet & Wild: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Parasise Country: Adult $12, Conc $10, Child $8

Dreamworld: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Whitewater World: Adult $18, Conc $15, Child $12

 

[pushbutton]

19 minutes ago, Original said:

Interesting discussion that comes up that comes up every so often. I'll wait to you post yours before I comment or write up what I think.

But I disagree with locker hire being included in waterpark prices... Then you'd have to ensure you have enough lockers for everyone, which I think would be completely unfeasible to supply. Just make the price point that is reasonable and fair IMO. 

Ok, but in all honesty if you go to a waterpark, you're going to need a locker unless someone with you doesn't go on any slides or in the water. I understand that does apply for some guests, but as a rule the parks should assume all guests do need a locker (as would any public pool).

If there's aren't already sufficient lockers, I don't see any problem with more being added.

If parks really feel they must charge for locker use, I'd be open to a system whereby you scan a credit card at the point of hiring a locker, and then when you end your locker hire you are automatically charged say $1 per hour that you had the locker for, up to a maximum of say $5.

Edited April 30, 2017 by pushbutton

[New display name]

8 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

SINGLE ENTRY PRICES:

Sea World: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Movie World: Adult $35, Conc $30, Child $25

Wet & Wild: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Paradise Country: Adult $12, Conc $10, Child $8

Dreamworld: Adult $25, Conc $20, Child $15

Whitewater World: Adult $18, Conc $15, Child $12

 

7 DAY PASSES

All Village Parks: Adult $120, Conc $100, Child $80

DW, WWW & Skypoint: Adult $80, Conc $65, Child $50

 

ANNUAL PASSES

All Village Parks: Adult $390, Conc $325, Child $250

DW, WWW & Skypoint: Adult $230, Conc $190, Child $145

Or do drugs. 

[joz]

^Problem with those prices is only the ultra fans will buy a year ticket.  No one is going to think 'oh you only have to go 16 times to get your money's worth!' and having a ticket encourages visits more than a cheap gate price.

 

Adult tickets

$70 one day

$120 14 days 3 parks

$130 12 months 3 parks with block out dates

$160 12 months no blackout dates plus 10% off f&b

 

Lockers cost around $10, which is $2.50 each for a group of 4, get over it, except ride lockers which are free because don't be a douche Village.

[Original]

@pushbutton I don't think you'll find a water park in the world that offers free lockers. And public pools do not assume you need a locker, with the fact being that most don't even have any. 

[pushbutton]

Every public pool I've been to anywhere in the world has lockers, and most charge either just a very small fee (a dollar or two) or just a deposit you get back when you end the locker hire.

Anyway, not really what this is about but interesting.

[Brad2912]

Not many people would buy an annual pass when Day passes are $25/$35. 

10+ visits to get your money's worth? A lot of people may not commit to 10 visits a year, so will take their chance with day passes, even locals. 

I remember when the VTP annual pass was $250, and I was happy to pay that, but I wouldn't have if day passes were only $35. 

Edited April 30, 2017 by Brad2912

[Original]

And I've spent most my life at Public Pools and the only ones that had them was Southport and they had about 20 at max. But you're right it is off topic. I think your prices are wayy too low. For the reason Joz said I don't think a park would remain profitable. I just don't see repeat visits at those prices like an annual pass promotes, it's more of a been there done that once a year at most kind of thing and annual prices being perceived as too expensive by the general public. 

Adult Single Day Ticket SW/WBMW:

$65

Child Single Day Ticket SW/WBMW:

$50

14 Days, 3 parks:

$99

Village Pass: (3 parks with Block out dates for all QLD & NSW school holidays, easter and long weekends)

$130 

VIP Pass: (4 parks with block dates over Christmas period for 2 weeks and Easter holidays, 10% discount to Outback Spectacular, 10% discount on merch, 20% for 3 friends on the month of your birthday, 5% on F&B, pick one after hours event)

$160

Magic Pass: (4 GC parks, plus WnW Sydney, no block out dates, 15% discount on Outback Spectacular, 15% discount for experiences such as MW Behind the Scenes tour, SW Helicopters, SW Boat and animal adventures, 15% discount on merch, 10% discount on F&B, 10% discount on SW Resort rooms in non-peak time, 25% discount for 3 friends on the month of your birthday, access to one night of all after hours events at the parks, so 1 x Fright Nights, 1 x White Christmas, 1 x Carnivale)

$220

DW/WWW Adult Single Day Entry: (entry to both parks)

$70 

DW/WWW Child Single Day Entry: (entry to both parks)

$55

Yearly Pass: (with block out dates)

$110

Yearly Pass: (no block out dates, 15% discount on merch, 10% on F&B)

$150 

WWW Adult Entry: (If it still exists)

$40

WWW Child Entry: 

$25

All day locker hire to all parks:

$10

Even I'm still second guessing if I think these prices are right

Edited April 30, 2017 by Original

[Tim Dasco]

At $25/$35 tickets the parks would not be profitable. AW day passes are around $57 dollars or season passes for $152 these are for adults. I do think these prices are right to enable a park to expand. Look how many attractions AW has been doing lately. 30 million plus in 7 years. So there is no way a park could add decant attractions charging $25 or $35 dollars.

 

what special extras do pass holders get at VRTP or DW?

Edited April 30, 2017 by Tim Dasco

[pushbutton]

As a comparison, here are the current prices for Alton Towers (from their website).

I've used xe.com to convert the prices to Aussie Dollars.

Theme Park

On the day Adult $104.25, Child $93.85

Book 1-4 days in advance Adult $82.10 Child $73.45

Book 5+ days in advance Adult $68.30  Child $60.50

Individual annual pass $207, or $172.85 if renewing

Family annual pass $165.90 EACH (3 minimum) or $147 if renewing (again, times at least 3)

For additional cost, you can also get 2 day passes, and Merlin annual passes (for other attractions as well as Alton Towers).

Waterpark

Adult $25.90

Child $10.50 (2 yrs and under free)

Family $20.75

Unfortunately the annual pass does not cover entry to the waterpark, which I find a bit odd and disappointing.

 

Edited April 30, 2017 by pushbutton

[rappa]

I'd be charging $65 for a single day ticket. $150 for a 10 day ticket to all parks (obviously only village) and annual passes at $200 PER PARK. 

Id over a multi park annual pass to all village parks for $250 but school holidays would be blacked out. 

 

I would give a 10% f & b and retail discount with the single park annual passes. 

 

I would offer the option of monthly payments on both annual passes with a 15% premium.  

[Reanimated35]

1 minute ago, pushbutton said:

Unfortunately the annual pass does not cover entry to the waterpark, which I find a bit odd and disappointing.

Is there anything you don't?

---------------

To play along (assuming no other ticketing options available:

SINGLE ENTRY PRICES:

Sea World: Adult $75, Conc $60, Child $30

Movie World: Adult $75, Conc $60, Child $30

Wet & Wild: Adult $75, Conc $60, Child $30

Paradise Country: Adult $60, Conc $45, Child $20

Dreamworld: Adult $80, Conc $65, Child $35

Whitewater World: Part of Dreamworld now

 

7 DAY PASSES

All Village Parks: Adult $150, Conc $130, Child $100

DW, WWW & Skypoint: Adult $130, Conc $110, Child $90

 

ANNUAL PASSES

All Village Parks: Adult $280, Conc $250, Child $220*

DW, WWW & Skypoint: Adult $280, Conc $250, Child $220*

With in-park discounts.

[rac2703]

I can personally say that I have spent a lot more money in the parks since the "cheap passes" were introduced. Prior to them I would only visit 1 maybe 2 parks per year, and because I felt the cost of paying there and then I was much more careful with my in park spending.

Now with the VIP passes I visit the parks multiple times per year and because you just walk in the turnstiles you don't really feel like you have paid entry and therefor are more likely to spend money in the park. For example when visiting Sea World I have happily paid for a couple of animal adventures, which I would not have done on a single day ticket. Similarly at Movie World recently had international guests visiting and spent the $$ extra to get unlimited Fast-Track, something I would find harder to pay for if I had just paid $80 to enter the gates 5mins earlier.

[ads086]

I'm going to answer this question for the Village Roadshow Theme Parks, as I haven't visited Dreamworld in quite some time, and my preference for non-Spin & Spew parks probably clouds my judgement there.

For MovieWorld, I think $65.00 is a good price point for a single day entry. For those locals who don't purchase a multi-day/multi-park pass, I think this price point is low enough to bring them back again but still high enough to make it an out-of-the-ordinary event.

I would return to old-school pricing structures where an Annual Pass on a per-park basis were available, and make a Movieworld pass available for $160.00 (246% of single day).

For Wet N Wild, I think $55.00 again hits this price point. Annual Pass at $135.00 (again at 246%).

SeaWorld is a trouble spot for me - it used to be worthy of Movieworld level pricing, but with so much closed at the moment, I feel hard pressed charging that rate for a sub-standard offering. So, for that reason, lets put it at Wet N Wild pricing of $55/$135.

I think $175 is a good level for a 14-day multi-park pass. I would imagine these are typically purchased by holiday makers visiting the coast, and these guests are probably more likely to spend in-park on food, beverage and souvenirs which will help bump revenue.

I would think $350 is probably a good place to put the 3 park annual pass.

[Santa07]

Our parks are very expensive for single day tickets compared to international parks. Annual passes on the other hand are quite cheap.

At the state Sea World is in, I would say $60 adult tickets are what it should be charging. This could easily go up to around $75 if they put some effort in over the next few years to bring it back to how it was.

WnW is probably worth $65-70, and MW $75. Dreamworld (with WWW) is worth $80-85.

Annual passes for both chains should be $150-200 (although I'm fine with the prices they have now)

[rappa]

Are you kidding?

A one day ticket to Disneyland, Knotts or Six Flaggs is higher than our parks. 

 

An annual six flags pass is cheap but their business model saw them go bankrupt so let's not jump on that bandwagon hey. 

[rac2703]

One day entry to Disneyland, on a regular non-peak day, is just under $150 AUD, or $220 for both Disneyland and California Adventure.

Edited April 30, 2017 by rac2703