It’s never a good day when travelers are actually excited to see gas prices hovering near $4.
Three dollars and 89 cents for a gallon of unleaded–SCORE!!
While the cost of gas has fallen slightly in the last couple weeks, from its highest levels since July 2008, Americans are still paying nearly a dollar more per gallon than a year ago.
As a result, families from coast-to-coast continue to restructure their summer vacation plans in order to preserve their household budgets, and still have fun in the sun.
That goes double for clans living in and around Chicago. According to the latest Lundberg Survey of fuel prices, the Windy City has the highest gas prices in the continental United States. Fortunately, those same folks digging deep to gas-up live in close proximity to one of the best places to enjoy a summer staycation–Six Flags Great America.
(Scream into summer at Six Flags Great America!)
Located in Gurnee, Illinois, the popular theme park is a short drive from Chicago and parts of Indiana. In addition, I’ve made the trip to Six Flags Great America from Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Madison, Wisconsin, with plenty of time to play at the park without draining my wallet to fuel the trip.
This summer Great America is going all out this to accommodate cash-strapped visitors. The park is offering a series of seasonal savings to excite even the most die-hard frugalistas, including:
Season Pass: If you plan to visit the park at least twice during the season, you are throwing money away if you don’t purchase a season pass. The pass allows you to visit any of Six Flags 13 theme parks as many times as you want in a single season, plus you receive more than $300 in discounts on food, games and souvenirs. If you do the math, the pass pays for itself in less than two visits. Moreover, if you purchase before June 19th you can take advantage of the pass’s lowest price in 20 years. Right now a single pass costs just $64.99 when you buy four or more (the price jumps to $79.99 per pass beginning June 20th), and remember, admission to the park also provides access to Hurricane Harbor waterpark and its newest addition, Riptide Bay.
(New Riptide Bay at Hurricane Harbor)
Discover Card Perks: Use your card and save at Six Flags Great America. Discover card members save 5% online and at the park on everything from season passes, daily admission tickets, and parking to food, merchandise, souvenir photos, and The Flash Pass. Another bonus to bringing the card to the park is that you can enter through the special Discover Cardmember Entrance Lane during the first two hours of each day. This is a huge time saver and a major sanity saver when you are visiting during the busy summer months.
Ticket Combos: Eating and parking at Great America is not cheap. Fortunately, there are ways to save on these necessities. Keep more cash in your wallet by taking advantage of the park’s ticket combos, which bundle admission, meal and/or parking. The best part: you can print the vouchers at home, and dine on your cheap eats while you watch the park’s incredible Glow in the Park Parade featuring illuminated floats, puppeteers, singers, dancers, stilt walkers and your favorite Looney Tunes characters.
(Get your glow on!)
Drink Deals: During our last visit, I’m pretty sure my young daughter and I were the only ones walking around the park minus the 2011 Souvenir Sport Bottle. They are that popular. I actually thought they were giving them away for free and we just missed them at the entrance. Turns out the dirt cheap drink deal is as close to free as you can get at the park. For just $14 you get the durable plastic bottle plus unlimited free refills on the day of purchase, and then you pay just 99 cents for soda refills during the rest of the season.
Hotel Deals: If you are looking to double your fun during your trip to Six Flags Great America, I highly recommend taking advantage of the Ride N’ Slide deal being offered by KeyLime Cove. The award-winning mega-indoor waterpark resort’s package deal includes overnight accommodations, admission tickets to Six Flags Great America, free shuttle transportation to the theme park’s front gate with VIP drop off/pick-up, $50 in coupons for KeyLime Cove and Six Flags, and much more for just $199.95. Itemize the individual components of the promo and you’ll see that you are saving a ton of money.
(Great America 4th Fest)
In addition to its collection of world-class coasters and other death-defying thrill rides, Six Flags Great America is making the park the ideal location for a staycation this summer by offering a slew of seasonal specialties, including its first ever Great America 4th Fest celebration. The event takes place on Independence Day and includes live bands throughout the park, 4th of July inspired grilled foods, a funnel cake eating contest, and an eye-popping, fully choreographed fireworks extravaganza. Other summer highlights include live concerts featuring national and local singing sensations, a Great America Idol karaoke challenge, a Looney Tunes Dance Off starring Bugs Bunny and crew shaking their groove thang, and a Rockin’ Country Live show complete with toe-tappin’ music and loads of boot scootin’ fun.
It’s a high-octane summer gas tank getaway the entire family can enjoy!
Photos licensed to and permission for use granted by Six Flags Great America.