Annual Pass or One Time Fee?

With the coming of spring, which we are all so ready for, a lot of people start thinking about Summer, and vacations. Making plans now for trips during the year and even just thinking about the different outings you will be taking your little ones to. While doing this planning the thought of cost always comes to mind.

Many places, both local places and places in other states, offer annual passes as well as a single day pass.
The reason for this is, it makes financial sense! Offer people an option to pay a larger sum of money up-front to use their facilities for an extended period of time. The large sum up-front is over-all cheaper per visit than if you payed each time you went, if you go enough. How does this make them money? How often have you bought a season or annual pass for someplace and only gone two or three times?

When weighing the pros/cons and costs/benefits of any season or annual pass, always take into account the following:
1) How many times you would actually enjoy going that year
2) How many times you would need to go that year to make it worth the money
3) How realistic it is that you will actually be able to make it that often
4) How much money you would be out if you ended up only going the one time
If you can evaluate each of these questions and still want to get the season/annual pass, then go for it!

Following you will see a list of places that offer a season/annual pass that my family personally enjoys and what we have decided on as far as the passes go. Day Pass prices are all figured in using our current family situation, 2 adults, 3 children ages 3, 2, and 6 months

Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park
Family Season Pass - $60.00
Day Pass - $24.00


Honestly, we would never go to this park more than once in a year. The kids love it, but I'm not going to walk around there more than once. The park is not that big, and it doesn't ever change much. I will pay the daily price at this park, because my kids enjoy it, but I don't all that much.

Ogden Treehouse Museum
Year Pass - $80.00 (Us and our two children)
- $100.00 (as soon as our youngest starts walking, we'd have to pay $20.00 more
for this pass)
Day Pass - $22.00



Last year, we got the season pass with thoughts of returning frequently with our young children to help them learn and grow and have some fun along the way. We went the one time. I am not very good at taking the kids out to places on my own, and with my husband's work schedule, we weren't able to find the time to go again. this year, and years to come, until we actually start being able to go at least 5 times on our own (paying the daily price) we will NOT be buying an annual membership.

Lagoon
Season Pass - $388.00
Day Pass - $158.00



Now, with our family situation, we would only have to go to Lagoon 3 times to make a season pass well worth the money. Maybe when the children are older and enjoy going to Lagoon, we may get this one.
On the other hand, I used to work at Lagoon, and as a result, i don't find the park that entertaining anymore. In reality, we will probably be better off forking over the daily price a couple time s year even than paying for season passes... ESPECIALLY when you take into account all the discounts you can get for daily passes through online deals, early bird specials and even your work's "Lagoon day" All things to consider when buying a pass for Lagoon.

Utah's Hogle Zoo
Annual Pass - $79.00
Daily Pass - $25.00
Zoo Booster Deluxe - $179.00



Last year, we got an annual pass for the zoo, and we were very happy with it! We actually had purchased the Plus Pass for $89.00, and for our family at the time, we needed to go at least 5 times that year to have the pass pay for itself. We ended up only going three times, but we still thought it was worth the money. With the pass we got discounted rides and discounted food. And we are such softies when it comes to our child's love of trains we couldn't say no to a train ride... every time! So the discount made it nice too. In addition, with the Plus Pass we were able to bring one guest with us each time for free!
This year, we splurged... maybe more than we should have... and got the Booster Deluxe Pass. With this pass, we were able to name a third adult (My Mother) to be added onto the card. She can now go to the Zoo for free with OR without us! In addition, we are able to bring 2 guests with us each time we go for free. With this pass, we also get unlimited FREE rides as well as discounted food. We hate going to the big huge zoo alone with our children, so this is a perfect fit for our family!

Disneyland/Disney's California Adventure
Annual Pass - $2,295.00
3-Day Park Hopper - $867.00
(remember this is the cost for our whole family of 5)



First off, I love Disneyland! If I could go every week, I probably would! That said...
To make it worth an annual pass (for our whole family) we would need to be able to to Disneyland on 3 different trips for at least 3 whole days of Disneyland to have the passes pay for themselves. If we went for 5 or 6 days at a time, we would only need to go about twice. But we would have to pay for hotels and everything each time as well. When the kids are older and if our travels take us to California often, or if our financial situation changed to the point we actually could go multiple times in a 12 month span. we would probably get an annual pass. As it is, I'd like to right now... but can't.
When buying passes for your family vacation, take into account what you will be paying for in the future as well. Will your child be taking a school trip to Disneyland within the next 12 months? IF SO, it might be wise to talk to your child's teacher to see if it would be possible for you to pay less for your child's trip if they had an annual pass. My school allowed this, and we ended paying less in the long run for my school trip because we got me an annual pass, and the rest of my family 5-day park hopper passes.