Which UK theme park has the cheapest and most expensive parking?

Which UK theme park has the best parking prices?

Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or simply seeking an escape from reality, theme parks are a fantastic way to spend a day out. Brits are lucky enough to have a number of wonderful theme parks scattered across the country, and they have been a popular activity in the UK for years, with at least nine million attendees visiting British theme parks in 2021.

That said, a theme park trip rarely comes cheap, with the costs often scarier than the rides themselves. Between tickets, food and drink you could be looking at spending over £100 at least, particularly if you’re taking a family in peak times such as the school holidays. But what about the parking costs?

Strap in, because here at All Car Leasing, we have crunched the numbers to find out which UK theme park has the cheapest and most expensive car parking options, and have revealed how to get the best deal ahead of your visit.

Which UK theme park has the cheapest parking?

Flamingo Land and Legoland Discovery Centre have the cheapest car parking options, where attendees are able to park for FREE!

We analysed seven leading UK theme parks to find the cheapest parking prices. Most amusement parks offer a “standard” parking option which is the cheapest, and a more expensive option which is often called “priority” or “express”.

Whereas Flamingo Land in Yorkshire and Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester offer free parking, Blackpool Pleasure Beach was found to have the highest parking rates, starting from an eye-watering £15.

*Weekday, off-peak tickets are £6, weekends and school holidays are £7
**Website states “from £15”

It is worth noting that according to the Legoland Discovery Centre website, the free parking in question is 'Trafford Centre Car Park West' at Trafford Palazzo which is outside the attraction.

How can I get the cheapest car parking at theme parks?

When it comes to theme parks, it pays to plan ahead. Our research uncovered that in almost half of the theme parks analysed, you can save a pound by booking your car parking spot online ahead of your visit.

Many amusement parks do offer priority parking, but this comes at a higher price. For example, booking your car park spot online for Alton Towers will cost £7; however, the more luxurious priority parking will cost more than double - a whopping £19 for the day. If you’re looking to save money, stick to standard parking.

Finally, our research suggests that some car parking prices will rise at peak times. Namely, Chessington World of Adventures noted on their website that during off-peak tickets, such as standard weekdays, parking will cost £6, but will be raised to £7 during weekends and school holidays.

How much will a theme park ticket and car parking space cost during peak times?

For many families looking to take their kids to a theme park, it’s near impossible to do so on a day which is considered “off-peak”, when both parking and ticket prices will likely be cheaper.

So, we investigated how much both parking and a ticket would cost during the Easter holidays.

Our research found that the best way to save on both the ticket and parking prices is to book online. Overall, Legoland Discovery Centre has the lowest priced ticket, as well as free parking, so is the best option for a cheap day out.

Flamingo Land’s free parking has also made it a cheaper day out, on the whole. Despite having more expensive tickets than the likes of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the Pleasure Beach’s hefty parking price tag meant they were lowered in the rankings.

*Cost for booking 7 days in advance.
**This data relates to costs for a trip on April 8th 2023.
***Ticket costs depend on the time of day, so we chose the cheapest available. It is worth noting that adults must be accompanied by a child, and a child’s ticket is £15.

Summary

Theme parks are a fantastic way to spend a day out, but can cost a lot of money. Our findings uncovered that certain UK theme parks vary in terms of how much they charge for parking and how, in one case, a theme park with free parking can actually make the day out cheaper than other competitors as a whole, regardless of whether their ticket price costs more.

If you are looking to save money on a day out to a theme park, plan ahead. In most cases, our research indicated that money can be saved by booking car parking and tickets in advance and, ideally, visiting during the off-peak season if you can.

Methodology

The top UK theme parks which were investigated were based on data from Statista.

The official websites of the theme parks in question were used to find the data which was sourced on 14.03.2023. The data for Legoland Discovery Centre was taken from 29th March due to a methodological change.