x June 18, 2001


LARGEST INCREASE ON RECORD
Family Of Four, Expect To Spend More


It will cost a family of four an average of $163 to spend a day at an American theme park or amusement park this summer. That's a 7% increase over what it cost in 2000.

The $11.78 increase is the largest single year jump ever and the $163.22 is an all-time high since AB started publishing the Family Price Index in 1993. The index is based on posted, not-discounted, prices.

Since the 1993 season, the FPI has grown 40%, from $115.97 to this year's $163.22.

In the annual FPI, prices are compiled from information provided by the same 25 parks, chosen to reflect a spectrum of geographic areas, facility sizes and price ranges. The FPI includes the expenses of the admission for two adults, two children, one parking charge, two hot dogs, two hamburgers, four orders of French fries, four small soft drinks, and two child-size souvenir T-shirts.

The most expensive parks to visit this year, with FPI's approaching $240 for a family of four, are the larger themed attractions in the Central Florida destination market. The least expensive parks, with FPI's less than $100, tend to be the smaller, non-themed ones with more of a local draw. The chart shows that the bigger the park with the most things to do, the more expensive it is to visit.

Of the 25 parks, 23 showed increases. The highest was a record jump of $36 at Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, Calif. The smallest jump was $3.50 at Paramount's Kings Island, near Cincinnati. Six Flags Over Georgia, Atlanta, came in with a $7.50 decrease and Kennywood Park, West Mifflin, Pa., registered a 50-cent decrease.

All but two of the listed parks showed an adult attendance increase. Nellie Bly Park in Brooklyn held its own at $9.50, while Six Flags Over Georgia lowered its gate by $5.

The largest increases for adult admission charges were $6 each at Paramount's Great America and at Six Flags Great Adventure. The jump at Great Adventure makes that park the most expensive park to enter outside Florida and California at $46.

On the strength of the gate increase, the FPI at Great Adventure jumped $23.50 to $201.

The average price for adult admission in 2001 is $33.49, with the low being $9.50 at one park, Nellie Bly, the high being $48, at two parks, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Universal Studios at Universal Orlando.

Six Flags Over Georgia, Atlanta, lowered its admission rate by $5. As part of its effort to reduce queue length, the park initiated what it is calling the Fast Lane virtual queue system. Guests can "rent" a device for $5 that they can take around to 19 different rides and reserve a virtual spot in line while they go off and do other things.

Management there felt that by lowering admission fees by $5 and then charging $5 for the rental of the device, the charges would offset each other.

Children's admissions averaged out at $20.31 this year. Valleyfair! comes in at $9, the lowest, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Universal Studios at Universal Orlando both coming in at $39.



THE CHART

Of the 25 listed parks, seven parks had increases in their FPI of less than $10; 10 had increases of between $10.50 and $15; two had increases between $15.01 and $20; and four jumped their FPI by $20 or more.

It's important to point out that the prices quoted here are the posted prices. In an earlier survey (AB, April 16), it was found that admission discounts were quite generous and plentiful this year, with as many as 95% of those entering some parks getting in on discounts. Using those available discounts can greatly lower the FPI for any one park.

With high priced and high tech themed rides, shows and attractions, Orlando-area parks once again came in as the most expensive. Universal Studios at Universal Orlando came in with an FPI of $239, an increase of $11.50 over 2000. While not on the chart, the other Orlando parks — Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Florida and the four major parks at Walt Disney World — are comparable in price with Universal.

Nearby, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay grew its FPI by $12.50, to $231, only $8 short of the big guys in Orlando. That's $1 closer than the difference in 2001.

The same story is true in the Southern California market where Disneyland at Disneyland Resort grew its FPI by $11 to $216. While not on the chart, the other major themers in the market, including Universal Studios in Hollywood and SeaWorld California in San Diego, are priced comparably. Nearby Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia upped its FPI to $194, up $12.50 from 2000.



BIG JUMP

The $36 jump at Paramount's Great America, the largest of the year, can be attributed almost entirely to its increases in adult and children's admissions. Adult admission jumped $6 and children's admission jumped $13. The park began offering a WOW passport last season and based on its success, rolled out the program again for 2001. Anyone who purchases a full price admission to the park will get a pass that allows them unlimited free admission for the rest of the season. Last year, children's tickets were not included in the WOW program, but this year they are. Officials explain the gate increases reflect the value that the WOW ticket provides.

At a $21 increase, Dorney Park in Allentown, Pa., had the second highest jump of the year. In addition to a $3 increase in souvenir T-shirt cost, the biggest contributor to the increase was the increase in admission prices.

On the other hand, admission prices had little to do with the increase at Hersheypark, which came in third this year with a jump of $20.50. At Hersheypark, it was the higher food and T-shirts costs that caused the increase.

Parking charges continue to increase as well. In 2000, three parks broke the $8 barrier for parking for the first time. In 2001, the $10 barrier was broken for the first time by Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, N.J.

The average cost to park a car this year on the listed FPI parks is $6.42, a 7%, or 42-cent increase. Great Adventure and Paramount's Great America both raised their rates by $2. Four parks still provide free parking.



THE FOOD

Not all food, beverage and merchandise increases or decreases in the FPI can be attributed to price changes. As parks strive to increase efficiency, both in service and in operation, officials are constantly eliminating and adding items. Some of the lower priced items are eliminated, and substituted with higher-priced items.

For example, the T-shirt prices represented in this year's survey don't necessarily mean parks lowered costs of the souvenir shirt.

It could mean that a less-expensive item was added, with officials expecting to make up the difference in sales by volume buying. Plus, with competition being as it is, getting your logo on more shirts "out there" isn't a bad idea for a loss leader.

Food and beverage wise, some are increasing portion sizes and are raising prices to adjust for the bigger serving.

For example, parks are continuing to substitute a larger quarter pound hot dog for their smaller, less expensive 8-1 hot dogs.

Officials there decided to do away with that item leaving only a $5 burger available to guests. That $2.25 increase in the park's least expensive hamburger topped the list this year as the largest jump.
Written by: Tim O'Brien