How much it costs to spend a day at America's most popular theme parks, ranked

Hillary Hoffower,Matthew MichaelsMay 27, 2018, 18:52 IST

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The cost of a theme park ticket is just the beginning - with parking, meals, and accommodation, the price to pay for a day of thrills adds up.
Home2Go recently calculated the total cost to visit 45 of America's most popular theme parks across 31 states.
Universal Studios Hollywood and Disney parks in California and Florida are the most expensive.

Theme parks are thrilling, but the cost to visit them can be as stomach turning as the roller coasters themselves.

There's a lot more behind the price of an entry ticket - parking costs, meal costs (lunch and dinner, if you're staying late), and accommodation if you live out of town. And it can all add up, especially if you're visiting a major theme park like Walt Disney World or Universal Studios, or if you're bringing the whole family.

Home2Go recently calculated just how much a day of fun really costs at 45 of America's most popular theme parks, which they selected based on their users' accommodation searches.

To calculate the total cost of a day at an amusement park, Home2Go found the online price for a one-day adult entry ticket during peak season, not including processing fees and taxes. For pay-per-ride parks, they used the "ride all day" ticket price.

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They then included the online price for one day of parking; cost for one meal consisting of a cheeseburger, fries, and regular fountain drink, using the meal deal price when available; and the average nightly price per person to stay in a four-person accommodation found on Home2Go. The prices are for a Friday or Saturday from April 1, 2018, to October 27, 2018.

Cliff's Amusement Park not only has the most affordable accommodation, it's also the most affordable park to visit at just $60.39 for a day - that's less than the entry tickets for 15 parks on the list. Universal Studios Hollywood, the most expensive park on the list, costs four times more.

Scroll through below to see how much it costs for a day of thrills, ranked from least to most expensive.

See How much it costs to spend a day at America's most popular theme parks, ranked >>

45. Cliff's Amusement Park — Albuquerque, New Mexico

Total cost: $60.39

Cost of a one-day ticket: $25.99

Cost of parking: Free

Cost of accommodation: $27.41

Cost of one meal: $6.99

44. Castles N' Coasters — Phoenix, Arizona

Total cost: $72.55

Cost of a one-day ticket: $29.99

Cost of parking: Free

Cost of accommodation: $33.07

Cost of one meal: $9.49

43. Frontier City — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Total cost: $81.12

Cost of a one-day ticket: $31.99

Cost of parking: $8.29

Cost of accommodation: $28.85

Cost of one meal: $11.99

42. Quassy Amusement Park — Middlebury, Connecticut

Total cost: $83.32

Cost of a one-day ticket: $28.99

Cost of parking: $7.00

Cost of accommodation: $35.83

Cost of one meal: $11.50

41. Canobie Lake Park — Salem, New Hampshire

Total cost: $91.49

Cost of a one-day ticket: $39.00

Cost of parking: Free

Cost of accommodation: $40.71

Cost of one meal: $11.78

40. Darien Lake — Corfu, New York

Total cost: $91.91

Cost of a one-day ticket: $34.99

Cost of parking: $10.00

Cost of accommodation: $34.44

Cost of one meal: $12.48

39. Knoebels Amusement Resort — Elysburg, Pennsylvania

Total cost: $94.32

Cost of a one-day ticket: $44.00

Cost of parking: Free

Cost of accommodation: $40.62

Cost of one meal: $9.70

38. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari — Santa Claus, Indiana

Total cost: $96.39

Cost of a one-day ticket: $48.99

Cost of parking: Free

Cost of accommodation: $36.91

Cost of one meal: $10.49

37. Silverwood Theme Park — Athol, Idaho

Total cost: $97.09

Cost of a one-day ticket: $39.00

Cost of parking: $5.00

Cost of accommodation: $42.61

Cost of one meal: $10.48

36. Wild Adventures Theme Park — Valdosta, Georgia

Total cost: $97.72

Cost of a one-day ticket: $39.00

Cost of parking: $12.00

Cost of accommodation: $35.34

Cost of one meal: $11.38

35. Adventureland — Altoona, Iowa

Total cost: $102.58

Cost of a one-day ticket: $45.00

Cost of parking: $10.00

Cost of accommodation: $37.08

Cost of one meal: $10.50

34. Valleyfair — Shakopee, Minnesota

Total cost: $102.74

Cost of a one-day ticket: $41.00

Cost of parking: $12.11

Cost of accommodation: $35.34

Cost of one meal: $14.29

33. Michigan's Adventure — Muskegon, Michigan

Total cost: $107.17

Cost of a one-day ticket: $32.00

Cost of parking: $13.00

Cost of accommodation: $48.18

Cost of one meal: $13.99

32. Family Kingdom Amusement Park — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Total cost: $108.23

Cost of a one-day ticket: $27.95

Cost of parking: $7.00

Cost of accommodation: $64.03

Cost of one meal: $9.25

31. Lake Compounce — Bristol, Connecticut

Total cost: $108.97

Cost of a one-day ticket: $41.99

Cost of parking: $9.00

Cost of accommodation: $48.49

Cost of one meal: $9.49

30. Magic Springs — Hot Springs, Arkansas

Total cost: $110.94

Cost of a one-day ticket: $49.99

Cost of parking: $9.05

Cost of accommodation: $40.91

Cost of one meal: $10.99

29. Worlds of Fun — Kansas City, Missouri

Total cost: $117.94

Cost of a one-day ticket: $47.00

Cost of parking: $15.00

Cost of accommodation: $41.95

Cost of one meal: $13.99

28. Kings Dominion — Doswell, Virginia

Total cost: $119.27

Cost of a one-day ticket: $58.00

Cost of parking: $16.00

Cost of accommodation: $30.28

Cost of one meal: $14.99

27. Kings Island — Mason, Ohio

Total cost: $119.76

Cost of a one-day ticket: $51.99

Cost of parking: $15.00

Cost of accommodation: $38.78

Cost of one meal: $13.99

26. Kentucky Kingdom — Louisville, Kentucky

Total cost: $119.93

Cost of a one-day ticket: $44.95

Cost of parking: $8.00

Cost of accommodation: $51.89

Cost of one meal: $15.09

25. Lagoon — Farmington, Utah

Total cost: $120.51

Cost of a one-day ticket: $58.95

Cost of parking: $10.00

Cost of accommodation: $40.59

Cost of one meal: $10.97

24. Elitch Gardens Theme Park — Denver, Colorado

Total cost: $120.96

Cost of a one-day ticket: $39.99

Cost of parking: $15.00

Cost of accommodation: $51.97

Cost of one meal: $14.00

23. Carowinds — Charlotte, North Carolina

Total cost: $121.33

Cost of a one-day ticket: $55.00

Cost of parking: $15.00

Cost of accommodation: $37.34

Cost of one meal: $13.99

22. Cedar Point — Sandusky, Ohio

Total cost: $127.83

Cost of a one-day ticket: $55.00

Cost of parking: $15.00

Cost of accommodation: $42.84

Cost of one meal: $14.99

21. Six Flags America — Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Total cost: $128.60

Cost of a one-day ticket: $59.99

Cost of parking: $20.00

Cost of accommodation: $32.62

Cost of one meal: $15.99

20. Six Flags Over Georgia — Austell, Georgia

Total cost: $129.17

Cost of a one-day ticket: $56.99

Cost of parking: $25

Cost of accommodation: $31.93

Cost of one meal: $15.25

19. The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom — Queensbury, New York

Total cost: $130.62

Cost of a one-day ticket: $51.99

Cost of parking: $20

Cost of accommodation: $43.38

Cost of one meal: $15.25

18. Six Flags Great America — Gurnee, Illinois

Total cost: $138.70

Cost of a one-day ticket: $64.99

Cost of parking: $26

Cost of accommodation: $31.43

Cost of one meal: $16.28

17. Six Flags New England — Agawam, Massachusetts

Total cost: $139.09

Cost of a one-day ticket: $57.99

Cost of parking: $25

Cost of accommodation: $40.11

Cost of one meal: $15.99

16. Dollywood — Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Total cost: $144.58

Cost of a one-day ticket: $69

Cost of parking: $15

Cost of accommodation: $46.60

Cost of one meal: $13.98

15. Six Flags Fiesta Texas — San Antonio, Texas

Total cost: $144.67

Cost of a one-day ticket: $64.99

Cost of parking: $25

Cost of accommodation: $40.69

Cost of one meal: $13.99

14. Hersheypark — Hershey, Pennsylvania

Total cost: $145.19

Cost of a one-day ticket: $66.95

Cost of parking: $15

Cost of accommodation: $50.25

Cost of one meal: $12.99

13. Six Flags Great Adventure — Jackson, New Jersey

Total cost: $148.45

Cost of a one-day ticket: $61.99

Cost of parking: $23.45

Cost of accommodation: $48.03

Cost of one meal: $14.98

12. Knott's Berry Farm — Buena Park, California

Total cost: $152.27

Cost of a one-day ticket: $79

Cost of parking: $18

Cost of accommodation: $40.78

Cost of one meal: $14.49

11. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay — Tampa Bay, Florida

Total cost: $167.83

Cost of a one-day ticket: $89.99

Cost of parking: $20

Cost of accommodation: $44.55

Cost of one meal: $13.29

10. OWA — Foley, Alabama

Total cost: $188.40

Cost of a one-day ticket: $34.99

Cost of parking: Free

Cost of accommodation: $141.41

Cost of one meal: $12

9. EPCOT — Orlando, Florida

Total cost: $211.51

Cost of a one-day ticket: $122

Cost of parking: $22

Cost of accommodation: $53.73

Cost of one meal: $13.78

8. Disney's Hollywood Studios — Orlando, Florida

Total cost: $212.51

Cost of a one-day ticket: $122

Cost of parking: $22

Cost of accommodation: $53.73

Cost of one meal: $14.78

7. Universal Studios Florida — Orlando, Florida

Total cost: $213.22

Cost of a one-day ticket: $124

Cost of parking: $22

Cost of accommodation: $53.73

Cost of one meal: $13.49

6. Universal's Islands of Adventure — Orlando, Florida

Total cost: $213.51

Cost of a one-day ticket: $124

Cost of parking: $22

Cost of accommodation: $53.73

Cost of one meal: $13.78

5. Disney's Animal Kingdom — Orlando, Florida

Total cost: $214.31

Cost of a one-day ticket: $122

Cost of parking: $22

Cost of accommodation: $53.73

Cost of one meal: $16.58

4. Disneyland — Anaheim, California

Total cost: $216.08

Cost of a one-day ticket: $135

Cost of parking: $20

Cost of accommodation: $46.50

Cost of one meal: $14.58

3. Disney California Adventure Park — Anaheim, California

Total cost: $217.08

Cost of a one-day ticket: $135

Cost of parking: $20

Cost of accommodation: $46.50

Cost of one meal: $15.58

2. Magic Kingdom — Orlando, Florida

Total cost: $219.51

Cost of a one-day ticket: $129

Cost of parking: $22

Cost of accommodation: $53.73

Cost of one meal: $14.78

1. Universal Studios Hollywood — Universal City, California

Total cost: $266.67

Cost of a one-day ticket: $129

Cost of parking: $25

Cost of accommodation: $96.29

Cost of one meal: $16.38

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How much it costs to spend a day at America's most popular theme parks, ranked

45. Cliff's Amusement Park — Albuquerque, New Mexico

44. Castles N' Coasters — Phoenix, Arizona

43. Frontier City — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

42. Quassy Amusement Park — Middlebury, Connecticut

41. Canobie Lake Park — Salem, New Hampshire

40. Darien Lake — Corfu, New York

39. Knoebels Amusement Resort — Elysburg, Pennsylvania

38. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari — Santa Claus, Indiana

37. Silverwood Theme Park — Athol, Idaho

36. Wild Adventures Theme Park — Valdosta, Georgia

35. Adventureland — Altoona, Iowa

34. Valleyfair — Shakopee, Minnesota

33. Michigan's Adventure — Muskegon, Michigan

32. Family Kingdom Amusement Park — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

31. Lake Compounce — Bristol, Connecticut

30. Magic Springs — Hot Springs, Arkansas

29. Worlds of Fun — Kansas City, Missouri

28. Kings Dominion — Doswell, Virginia

27. Kings Island — Mason, Ohio

26. Kentucky Kingdom — Louisville, Kentucky

25. Lagoon — Farmington, Utah

24. Elitch Gardens Theme Park — Denver, Colorado

23. Carowinds — Charlotte, North Carolina

22. Cedar Point — Sandusky, Ohio

21. Six Flags America — Upper Marlboro, Maryland

20. Six Flags Over Georgia — Austell, Georgia

19. The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom — Queensbury, New York

18. Six Flags Great America — Gurnee, Illinois

17. Six Flags New England — Agawam, Massachusetts

16. Dollywood — Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

15. Six Flags Fiesta Texas — San Antonio, Texas

14. Hersheypark — Hershey, Pennsylvania

13. Six Flags Great Adventure — Jackson, New Jersey

12. Knott's Berry Farm — Buena Park, California

11. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay — Tampa Bay, Florida

10. OWA — Foley, Alabama

9. EPCOT — Orlando, Florida

8. Disney's Hollywood Studios — Orlando, Florida

7. Universal Studios Florida — Orlando, Florida

6. Universal's Islands of Adventure — Orlando, Florida

5. Disney's Animal Kingdom — Orlando, Florida

4. Disneyland — Anaheim, California

3. Disney California Adventure Park — Anaheim, California

2. Magic Kingdom — Orlando, Florida

1. Universal Studios Hollywood — Universal City, California