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Value for money American theme parks
America’s Consumers Union, in its Consumer Reports magazine, has published a survey into 14 of the country’s most visited theme parks.
Nearly 2,500 people told CR about more than 5,500 theme park visits they had made between November 2000 and November 2002.
Seaworld and Epcot, both in Florida, gained top marks for value, with more than 40 per cent of visitors saying they were well worth the money.
By contrast, less than 30 per cent of people who visited Disney’s California Adventure, Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal Studios in both Hollywood and Florida, said they got good value.
Park visitors generally had high praise for the shows and rides on offer, with 61 per cent of the survey’s respondents considering rides at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio – home to the recently opened 420ft high, 120mph Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster – excellent and 53 per cent affording the same accolade to Sea World in Orlando.
However, Cedar Point also appeared – along with Disneyland in Anaheim, California – at the top of a list of complaints about overcrowding and long lines. Almost half of the visitors to Cedar Point who replied to the survey reported having to wait at least an hour in at least one line.
The survey also found that parks with the same owner didn’t necessarily deliver the same experience, with Disney’s California Adventure not faring as well as its Epcot, MGM Studios or Magic Kingdom sites.
Recommendations made by the report include doing research on a park – perhaps via its website – before a visit, looking out for discount entry opportunities and timing a visit so far as possible to avoid the crowds. Of the survey’s respondents, 27 per cent wished they had gone at a less crowded time and 32 per cent grumbled about long queues.
Consumer Reports senior editor, Tod Marks, said: "Finding the amusement-park thrill that fits your family’s bill can be a daunting task. But the good news is that it’s hard to make a mistake. The advantage of these megaparks is that they offer something for everyone."
Consumer Union is an independent, non-profit testing and information-gathering organisation, serving only the consumer. Details: www.consumerreports.org