Do Rides Cost Extra At Gold Coast Theme Parks

by Donna
(Australia)

Do the rides at Gold Coast theme parks cost extra?

Are any of the rides included in the cost of the entry passes to the theme parks or are the rides an extra cost.

Annie Answers
Great question and one I have had a few times!

Let me talk about the two different theme park groups first, because there is a slight difference between them.

SeaWorld, Wet n Wild and Movie World on the Gold Coast

Village Theme Parks owns and runs three parks in the Gold Coast - Sea World, Wet n wild and MovieWorld.

In these three theme parks once you are inside the entrance the rides and attractions are mostly included. You have to pay for food and drinks, photos and any other extras you want. And you cannot take your own food into the theme parks, so you will have buy food and drinks inside.

New Update On Rides That Cost Extra

Since originally writing this reply there have been a couple of new rides in Sea World and Wet n Wild which are pay per ride attractions.

What I have said above, still stands, most of the rides are free once you get inside these theme parks.

However after their opening in September 2010 these brand new attractions:

• Castaway Bay interactive adventure zone in Sea World and;


• Carve up the endless waves! and Fly through the air! attractions at Wet n Wild

These new rides or attractions have opened and are pay per use attractions. Over time I am sure there may be more.

Other extras include things like:

Animal Adventures at Seaworld such as Swim with the sharks

Sea World Helicopter joy flights

Sea World Whale Watch

For each of these types of activities you have to pay extra on top of the theme park entry.

When our family goes to these theme parks, we generally pay only for food and drinks when we are there and that is the only additional expense we have.

Don't forget to check out the latest Gold Coast Theme Parks deals to find out the best value options.

DreamWorld and WhiteWater World

The two theme parks DreamWorld and WhiteWater World are both owned and operated by Ardent Leisure. They offer their own passes and deals and are totally separate from the other 3 Gold Coast theme parks.

Once again, most of the popular rides in the parks are included in the entry fee.

However there are a couple of exceptions such as:

Skill Zones where you pay extra for the Flowrider or the V8 Virtual Racing Red Line Experience.

Wildlife Experiences such as Tiger Walk or Tiger Photos etc

Time Savers such as Q4U (a virtual queuing system) or Early Park Entry.

Similar to the Village theme parks you will have to pay for food, drinks, souvenirs and photos etc, but they are all at your discretion.

To give you an idea, in all the times I have been to these parks I have never paid for these extras, so it is entirely possible to visit the theme parks and have a great time without spending any more than the entrance fee on these extra rides.

I hope that helps answer you question, if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below.

Annie from Gold Coast Australia Travel Tips


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* Theme park tickets and pass offers change from time to time. Whilst I try to keep these pages up to date, please check Latest Deals at Gold Coast Theme Parks for the most current information.