Stadium Prices

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Do you feel that you do not get what you pay for, or feel over charged when attending sporting events and/or amusement parks?

Yes
14
88%
No
2
13%
 
Total votes: 16

Jsaxm
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Stadium Prices

Post by Jsaxm » Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:37 pm

Several days ago I went with the lodge to a baseball game. Now, I went knowing that it wasn't going to be cheap, but man was I blown away when I bought a couple bottles of water for my wife and I.

I waved the guy over and told him I wanted to waters. In my mind I was ready to hear him say $5 or something like that, but no. Instead, he looks at me and says $8.50!!!!!! It cost me $4.25 per bottle. They weren't large bottles or in special edition sippy cups, they were regular, normal sized bottles of water. Does any one else see the injustice with this?

I think it is ridiculous what places charge for things these days. For a family of four to go to a game it could cost you at least $50 for tickets, $10 for a program, and if you want food a family of four would probably cost somewhere along the lines of $40. Then let's not forget about the $8 or so that you paid to park. That is so much money to pay to go and watch a game. It's even the same at amusement parks, if not worse. The ticket prices are obviously worse. It's not like you can buy the "cheap seats" at Disneyland.

I just had to get this off my chest because it has been stewing inside of me for the last few days. Please, share your own price inflation stories, I'm sure I'm not the only one, haha!

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fieldshowqueen
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Post by fieldshowqueen » Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:54 pm

This is why our family has always gone with the "annual pass upgrade" if offered. For the price of 1 1/2 tickets you can go back unlimited times (sans "blackout dates"). The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park is still one of the best deals around ... $25 for an entire year for kids under 17 and slightly higher for adults and you get a full year's worth of admission to both places plus free parking and discounts to special events and gift shops. As far as sporting events, I haven't paid for one in over 30 years because I think $40 for "view level" seats is ridiculous.

I have a book entitled "100 Free or Nearly Free Things Your Family Can Do in Southern California." I think we've done 75 of them and the kids remember those places more than one of the 50 times they visited Disneyland or went to an Angel's game.
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Chapagne
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Post by Chapagne » Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:07 pm

My biggest ripoff was at Legoland recently, where we paid over $30 for 4 hot dogs, 2 bags of chips and 4 drinks.

Especially when it comes to sports, I keep thinking the prices are a house of cards. Someday, people will come to their senses and just stop going and it will all come tumbling down. It will probably go on for quite a while longer though, although I'm sick to death of crybabies complaining over not getting quite as many millions of dollars as they had hoped for to play a GAME.

For now, hopefully there's a minor league baseball team near you. They cost as much as the Pros did 20 years ago and who really cares who is playing. I know I don't.
"The conductor of an orchestra doesn't make a sound. He depends for his power on his ability to make other people powerful." - Benjamin Zander

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Post by crickett » Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:09 pm

I am in total agreement. When my son was playing in little league we went to a Giants game. It was outrageous. However I knew this ahead of time. It was part of our vacation plans for the summer because I knew how much it was. Around that same time my Mom won tickets to the A's and gave them to us to take him. Their games and parking and food are all much cheaper. I find this really weird.

In two weeks we are driving down south to go to Lego Land and Sea World. Any advice? My son really wants to see Lego Land and I want to go to Sea World. I haven't been to Sea World or San Diego since I went with the band when I was a sophomore to play in the Holiday Bowl 24 years ago.

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Post by Jsaxm » Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:49 pm

Chapagne wrote:For now, hopefully there's a minor league baseball team near you. They cost as much as the Pros did 20 years ago and who really cares who is playing. I know I don't.
Totally! We have actually done this with the lodge and with my family and it was such a more enjoyable experience. We had great seats right by home plate, not that there are really any terrible seats at a minor league game. The tickets were cheap, the food was reasonable, and the crowd was tolerable. Much, much better of a time than the Angel game. And like you said, who really cares whos playing? To me it's all about the company and the atmosphere.

The zoo deal is also a great idea that FSQ posted. My wife and I get the couple pass every year, which is really cheap, and we go back several times during the year. Yeah, the animals don't change too often, and they kind of do the same thing every time you see them, but it's still fun, haha!

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Post by tooweird » Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:11 pm

here's how i see it:

Discovery Kingdom or Marine World in Vallejo:
it's like 35 bucks...if you go the whole day and if you love to ride roller coasters nonstop till you puke..it's worth it.

Getting food there is a doozie...if you get food anywhere these days it costs A LOT


AT&T Park - Giants Games:
Tickets...cost like 20 - 30 bucks if you know what's good...and that's worth it...but food...4.50 for a hot dog...4.25 for a bottle of water!

food doesn't come cheap anywhere[/b]
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Chapagne
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Post by Chapagne » Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:33 pm

crickett wrote:In two weeks we are driving down south to go to Lego Land and Sea World. Any advice?
Legoland will allow you bring in your own food, at least we saw people doing it. Pack a lunch!
"The conductor of an orchestra doesn't make a sound. He depends for his power on his ability to make other people powerful." - Benjamin Zander

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JenKozy
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Post by JenKozy » Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:23 pm

AT&T Park... to avoid huge ticket prices... buy seats in the bleachers... the seats aren't that bad, and shoot, you may even catch a ball or two! Sat there a few weeks ago when my cubbies clobbered the heck out of those giants! Whoot! :lol:
I am NOT too old for this!

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Post by Hostrauser » Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:45 pm

Been to a movie recently? :| Wife and I went to see Wanted today. The tickets weren't bad: $17 total for two tickets. Then we went inside and got a small popcorn, a 4.5 oz Junior Mints, and two bottles of water. That was $15. Popcorn was $4.75, and I can assure you (having worked at a place that sold popcorn) that $4.50 of that is profit.

Going to Padres games won't actually break the bank. You can take the trolley right to the stadium and not have to pay for parking. Yes, the food inside is pricey, but Petco Park is right in the middle of the Gaslamp District with about 600 restaurants, so if you buy food inside the stadium you must be (a) rich or (b) a poor planner. And in July they're offering $1 hot dogs and beers. Of course, the team blows dead bear.

But if you think those are expensive... been to an NFL game recently? You probably aren't getting out of there for under $500 for a family of four, even in the nosebleeds.

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