There’s no question that Orlando theme park tickets are a significant vacation expense—but we all know they’re also a worthy investment! Save money with these test-driven ways to find discount Orlando theme park tickets.
1. Cash in on club benefits.
Get more mileage on your automobile club or Big Box membership when you cash in on discount Orlando theme park tickets. Sam’s Club Travel Service offers reduced-price Walt Disney World theme park tickets, along with Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando tickets to club members, while AAA members enjoy discounts on tickets to these parks when purchased at a local AAA Travel Service Center.
2. Go for the broker.
Finding legitimate discount Orlando theme park tickets through third-party sellers can be tricky. Authorized brokers with solid reputations include Boardwalk Ticketing, Get Away Today, Maple Leaf Tickets, Official Ticket Center, Park Savers, Reserve Direct and Undercover Tourist. Touringplans.com offers a great calculator that helps you determine where to find the best priced third-party Disney World tickets according to your travel dates and plans.
3. Give back and get free Disney tickets.
Did you know you can earn free Disney theme park tickets for your school, scout troop, or other registered non-profit group, by organizing a community family volunteer project? Through Points of Light—the world’s largest volunteer organization—qualified groups can earn up to 20 One-Day Park Hopper tickets for each approved volunteer project. Tickets can then be used as an auction item or volunteer reward. Family time, community building and free theme park tickets—what’s not to love about this triple benefit incentive program?
4. Buy a multi-day or multi-park ticket.
With all Orlando theme parks, the more days you visit, the lower your daily cost. At SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando, you can see significant savings just by adding one or two extra days to a base ticket, with daily rates dipping as low as $40. At Disney World, you’ll really begin to rack up serious savings on multi-day passes beginning on around day five.
Related: 12 Best Theme Parks in Florida
5. Buy an annual pass.
If you’re wondering whether it’s ever worthwhile to spring for an Annual Pass versus a multi-day theme park ticket, consider this: for just under $366 per person (based on current offers), you can buy a Platinum SeaWorld Annual Pass, which gets you unlimited admission (no blackout dates) to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and nine additional SeaWorld theme and water parks, as well as three free guest tickets and complimentary theme park parking.
For $6 less ($360), you can get a Preferred Universal Orlando 2-Park Pass. Good for 18-months, the pass entitles you to unlimited admission to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, early theme park entry, and free theme park parking after your first visit.
Walt Disney World Annual Passes begin at $1,195, with no blockout dates, and include the Park Hopper option, theme park parking and Disney PhotoPass downloads.
6. Go back to school.
Here’s a smart way to get a discount on theme park tickets: Go back to school! Open to registered groups of 10 or more students in grades 3 to 12, the Disney Youth Education Series (YES) Program offers discounted multi-day Walt Disney World theme park ticket packages, in conjunction with onsite Disney staff-led education programs. Kids can take a one-day, three-hour class in topics such as “Properties of Motion” or “Principals of Animal Behavior,” and accompanying family members can join in on the theme park fun (minus the class participation) for the same reduced price.
Universal Orlando offers educational programs (such as “Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Science” and “Marketing is Universal”), along with discounts on multi-day tickets for school groups of 20 or more youth plus accompanying adult chaperones. Ticket savings start at $140 per person. Smaller groups (10 or more students) can enjoy Universal ticket savings too, when they sign up for behind-the-scenes tours.
At SeaWorld Orlando, groups of 10 or more students and accompanying adult chaperones can enjoy all park shows and attractions, while on an educational one-day field trip for just $39 per person (savings of $80 per person.)
7. Go to college.
Similar to the Disney Youth Education Series, Disney Education Series-College Edition offers single half-day seminars in “Disney Style” teamwork, leadership, hospitality and design, along with discount multi-day tickets for registered groups of college-age students and their accompanying friends and family members. Unlike traditional tickets, these advance purchase group tickets cannot be upgraded onsite, so it’s important to carefully select the appropriate ticket length according to your personal touring plans.
8. Join the Disney Vacation Club.
If you love everything about Disney World, then you already know about the Disney Vacation Club (DVC)—Disney’s vacation membership division that offers special (paid) access to resorts and guided vacations. Disney Vacation Club members enjoy special discounted pricing on Walt Disney World Resort Annual Passes—which gain you year-long admission to Disney’s four Orlando theme parks—as well as discounts on special event tickets. Savings on Annual Passes purchased through DVC can add up to $296 per person.
Related: 5 Best Times to Go to Disney World in 2020
9. Show your military service pride.
If you or your family member or friend is an active or retired member of the military, you can access one of the best Disney World ticket deals around—a Military Promotional Ticket. Available in four- or five-day increments, military tickets are deeply discounted (currently $59 to $66 per day) and, what’s more—they include the valuable Park Hopper option! Universal Orlando offers discounts on one to five day ticket packages to service members, while SeaWorld’s Waves of Honor Program grants up to four free one-day SeaWorld Orlando, tickets per year to active military service members and their direct dependents.
10. Soak up some sunshine.
There’s more to love about living in the Sunshine State beyond warm temps and beautiful beaches! Florida residents can score discount Orlando theme park tickets such as the three- or four-day “Discover Disney” ticket, good for admission to one of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks per day. The current cost for the limited time pass is $59 per day for a three-day pass, and $20 more (or $49 per day) for a four-day pass, both of which may be used on non-consecutive days, but must be used by a specific date.
Similar savings can be had by Florida residents at Universal Orlando, with the purchase of a 2-Park, 3-Day Pass (good through August 31, 2020,) which discounts admission to as low as $52 per day.
Writer Jackie Perrin has covered the best of family travel for nearly two decades, for media ranging from newspapers and magazines to TripAdvisor.com. At home and on the go, she manages a crew of companions. Follow her on Pinterest, TripAdvisor and Instagram, @NYfamtravels.
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