COMPARING THE THEME PARKS

COSTS Admission: Adults Disneyland: $23.50 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $14.95 Knott’s Berry Farm: $19.95 Universal Studios Tours: $19.95 Sea World: $21.00 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $12.95 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $14.95 Admission: Kids 3-11 Disneyland: $18.50 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $10.00 Knott’s Berry Farm: $15.95 Universal Studios Tours: $15.00 Sea World: $15.50 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $6.20 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $8.95 Admission: Seniors Disneyland: $18.75 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $10.00 Knott’s Berry Farm: $16.95 Universal Studios Tours: $15.50 Sea World: $16.80 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $10.95 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $12.15 Discounts Disneyland: Groups, military, etc. Six Flags Magic Mountain: Groups Knott’s Berry Farm: Handicapped, etc. Universal Studios Tours: Groups, etc. Sea World: Groups, etc. San Diego Wild Animal Park: Military, groups, AAA Club Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Groups, handicapped Parking Disneyland: $3 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $4 Knott’s Berry Farm: $3 Universal Studios Tours: $3 Sea World: Free San Diego Wild Animal Park: $1 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $3 Extras Disneyland: Guided tours, arcades Six Flags Magic Mountain: Arcades, portraits, games Knott’s Berry Farm: Arcades, River Racers Universal Studios Tours: None Sea World: Arcades, carnival games San Diego Wild Animal Park: Monorail Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Guided tour of Queen Mary Hot dogs, large Disneyland: $3.05 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $1.99 Knott’s Berry Farm: $1.85 Universal Studios Tours: $2.25 Sea World: $2.29 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $1.95 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $1.75 Hamburgers Disneyland: $3.05 w/fries Six Flags Magic Mountain: $2.05 Knott’s Berry Farm: $2.05 Universal Studios Tours: $2.35 Sea World: $2.79 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $2.35 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $1.95 Fries, large Disneyland: $1.10 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $1.50 Knott’s Berry Farm: $1.40 Universal Studios Tours: $1.25 Sea World: $.99 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $1.15 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $.99 Drinks, large Disneyland: $1.10 Six Flags Magic Mountain: $2.50 Knott’s Berry Farm: $1.45 Universal Studios Tours: $2.25 Sea World: $2.99 San Diego Wild Animal Park: $2.25 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: $1.25 Overall taste Disneyland: C+ Six Flags Magic Mountain: C Knott’s Berry Farm: C+ Universal Studios Tours: B- Sea World: D- San Diego Wild Animal Park: C+ Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: C Statistics Annual attendance Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: 3.1 million Knott’s Berry Farm: 5 million Universal Studios Tours: 4.2 million Sea World: 3.6 million San Diego Wild Animal Park: 1.5 million Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell Sunday attendance Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: Won’t tell Knott’s Berry Farm: Won’t tell Universal Studios Tours: Won’t tell Sea World: 17,500 San Diego Wild Animal Park: 5,300 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell 10-min attendance count at entrance Disneyland: 710 Six Flags Magic Mountain: 121 Knott’s Berry Farm: 521 Universal Studios Tours: 270 Sea World: 118 San Diego Wild Animal Park: 23 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: 88 Hot dogs served Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: 2,670 Knott’s Berry Farm: 4,000 Universal Studios Tours: 5,459 Sea World: Won’t tell San Diego Wild Animal Park: 600 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell Hamburgers served Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: 6,737 Knott’s Berry Farm: 30,000 Universal Studios Tours: 1,851 Sea World: Won’t tell San Diego Wild Animal Park: 810 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell Fries served Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: 10,674 Knott’s Berry Farm: 8,500 Universal Studios Tours: 2,742 Sea World: Won’t tell San Diego Wild Animal Park: 900 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell Drinks served Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: 25,640 Knott’s Berry Farm: 30,000 Universal Studios Tours: 26,397 Sea World: Won’t tell San Diego Wild Animal Park: 1,200 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell Chicken dishes Disneyland: Won’t tell Six Flags Magic Mountain: 1,008 Knott’s Berry Farm: 4,000 Universal Studios Tours: N/A Sea World: Won’t tell San Diego Wild Animal Park: 105 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Won’t tell Ride Survey New Attractions Disneyland: Splash Mountain Set to open in July Six Flags Magic Mountain: Tidal Wave opens June 3 Knott’s Berry Farm: XK-1, Whirlpool, Incredible Waterworks Universal Studios Tours: Earthquake: The Big One Sea World: Baby Shamu San Diego Wild Animal Park: Australian Show, African Marsh Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: None Number in line Disneyland: Star Tours, 980 Six Flags Magic Mountain: Colossus, many100s Knott’s Berry Farm: Camp Snoopy, 15 Universal Studios Tours: Tram Tour, 0 Sea World: Sky Ride, 40 San Diego Wild Animal Park: Monorail, 325 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Spruce Goose, 0 Waiting time Disneyland: 37 min. Six Flags Magic Mountain: 60 min. Knott’s Berry Farm: 5 min. Universal Studios Tours: 0 Sea World: -- San Diego Wild Animal Park: 10 min. Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: 35 min. Length of ride Disneyland: 6 min. Six Flags Magic Mountain: 3.5 min. Knott’s Berry Farm: 1-5 min. Universal Studios Tours: 2 min. Sea World: 6 min. San Diego Wild Animal Park: 50 min. Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: -- Riders per vehicle Disneyland: 40 Six Flags Magic Mountain: 4 Knott’s Berry Farm: 1-4 Universal Studios Tours: 175 Sea World: 2-4 San Diego Wild Animal Park: 125 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: -- Grade Disneyland: A- Six Flags Magic Mountain: A Knott’s Berry Farm: A+ Universal Studios Tours: A+ Sea World: D San Diego Wild Animal Park: C Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: C Closed or inoperable rides (on May 7) Disneyland: Tiki Room, Mark Twain, Matterhorn, Skyway, Walt Disney Story Six Flags Magic Mountain: None Knott’s Berry Farm: Slammer, Soap Box Racers, Timberline Twister Stage Coach Universal Studios Tours: Jaws Shark, Prop Plaza Sea World: None San Diego Wild Animal Park: Elephant rides Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: None Temperature 2 p.m. Disneyland: 78 Six Flags Magic Mountain: 90 Knott’s Berry Farm: 87 Universal Studios Tours: 85 Sea World: 78 San Diego Wild Animal Park: 84 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: 72 5 p.m. Disneyland: 71 Six Flags Magic Mountain: 84 Knott’s Berry Farm: 80 Universal Studios Tours: 76 Sea World: 72 San Diego Wild Animal Park: 75 Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: 67 Cleanliness Disneyland: A Six Flags Magic Mountain: B+ Knott’s Berry Farm: A Universal Studios Tours: B+ Sea World: B San Diego Wild Animal Park: A Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: B Time for litter to be picked up Disneyland: 1 min., 23 sec. Six Flags Magic Mountain: Over 30 min. Knott’s Berry Farm: 51 sec. Universal Studios Tours: 10 min. Sea World: Over 30 min. San Diego Wild Animal Park: 15 min. Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Over 30 min. Courtesy Disneyland: B+ Six Flags Magic Mountain: B Knott’s Berry Farm: A Universal Studios Tours: A Sea World: B San Diego Wild Animal Park: A Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: B Local Accomodations Disneyland: Disneyland Hotel, $130-$200 Six Flags Magic Mountain: Hampton Inn, $70.40 Knott’s Berry Farm: Buena Park Hotel, $89-$99 Universal Studios Tours: Sheraton Universal, $95-$205 Sea World: Hanalei Hotel, $82-$92 San Diego Wild Animal Park: Escondido, $50-$70 and up Queen Mary/Spruce Goose: Queen Mary, $65-$650 Guide to Grades: A Excellent (Thrilling!) B Better (An E ticket) C Average (Yawn) D Barely Pass (Skip it) F Failure (Just say no) I Incompetent (Yech)