Enjoy theme parks without breaking the bank

Your bank account may be short these days, but the long summer is coming, and there's no way to bail out.

That means weeks and weeks of staying entertained on the leanest possible budget.

It's a great time for volume discounts - loads of amusement packed into one ticket price. Can you say "season passes"?

Virginia's two big theme parks, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg and Kings Dominion outside Richmond, are opening or debuting new attractions this weekend, and they are advertising budget-friendly spins on their traditional season tickets.

The same will go for area water parks Water Country USA in Williamsburg and Ocean Breeze Waterpark in Virginia Beach when they open in May.

In all cases, the pass prices feel like a wallop up front - but any time someone whines, "I'm bored," you can load the car and have an entire day of fun without spending an extra dime, except for gas.

Here's an all-in-one guide to (relatively) cheap thrills.

Schedule

The park opens Saturday and closes for the season Nov. 1, after a limited operating schedule following Labor Day.

Fun factor for this year

Kings Dominion has two new rides. A 110-foot Ferris wheel called Americana, left, features six-person gondolas designed to hold entire families. A swinging pendulum ride takes the shape of a 1950s El Dorado convertible, except it holds 40 people and zooms 85 feet in the air. You won't see that kind of thing cruising Atlantic Avenue.

One of the park's biggest draws will continue to be its roller coasters, including the floorless Dominator, which opened last year. And here's something really cool: The big KingsDom has a built-in, 20-acre water park called WaterWorks that opens May 22 and is included in the admission price.

Entertainment on tap

This weekend Kings Dominion will host a mid-Atlantic dance festival. There will be fireworks for July Fourth, and a KingsFest Christian music concert series is scheduled July 9-11. Halloween Haunt runs from Sept. 25 to Nov. 1.

The damage

Kings Dominion has an interesting ticketing system. It's based on age AND height, perhaps to give a break to people who are too small to enjoy all the rides. The regular ticket price is $54.99 for ages 3 to 61 and at least 48 inches tall. If you buy tickets on the Web, you can save $15 on that price. Seniors 62 and older and people 3 to 61 who are less than 48 inches tall pay $31.99.

Kings Dominion has its own version of the Busch Gardens Fun Pass: the Value Pass, which costs $69.99, or $59.99 if you're short or you buy four or more. You can use the pass all season, but the deal doesn't include $10 per visit for parking. If you're going more than a couple of times, the VIP season pass, which costs $74.99 to $89.99, includes parking.

The fine print

The park touts extras for pass holders, such as a special parking area and early entry to WaterWorks. However, only 500 parking spaces are designated for pass holders, and the early bird special is only a half-hour or less, not much time when you're on foot with a bunch of people. Also, some events require special, additional-cost tickets.

The particulars

The biggest disadvantage of Kings Dominion for Hampton Roads folks is the drive. It's about two hours from Norfolk, barring traffic disaster, but the combined water park/theme park thing could make it attractive for a change of pace.

For details, call Kings Dominion at (804) 876-5000 or check www.kingsdominion.com.

Schedule

The water park owned by Busch Gardens opens May 16 and closes Sept. 7.

Fun factor for this year

The park unveiled a big new attraction last season: Rock 'n' Roll Island, with four slides and a rafting "river." So there are no big new rides this year, but Water Country will have a new acrobatic dive show called "Jump, Dive and Wail."

The damage

A one-day adult ticket costs $41.95. Admission is $34.95 for ages 3 to 9. If you know you want to visit Busch Gardens, too, a two-park pass might be for you.

A one-year, two-park pass is $139.95, and that includes parking.

The fine print

Like at Busch Gardens, parking isn't cheap unless you're a pass holder. It's $12, or $10 if you pay in advance on the Web. Pass holders have to pay $6 each time they want to upgrade to preferred parking.

The particulars

Water Country is also in Williamsburg, so it's about a 45-minute trip from Norfolk when traffic cooperates.

For details, call (800) 343-7946 or check out www.watercountryusa.com.

Schedule

Ocean Breeze opens May 16 and runs through Sept. 13.

Fun factor for this year

The park isn't advertising any new rides, just the 16 water slides, giant wave pool and pirate-themed kids' play area it's had in previous seasons.

The damage

One-day adult admission costs $23.99, and children ages 3 to 9 and seniors 55 and over get in for $16.99. The park offers two-day and season passes. Parking is free.

The fine print

There aren't enough chairs and tables sprinkled around for all visitors to park all their gear. So unless you're comfortable lugging around your bags and towels and dumping them near each slide or pool, you'll feel naked without a locker. According to Ocean Breeze's Web site, that's $3 a day plus a $2 deposit, and it's $10 if you lose the key. Families can count on renting at least two lockers.

The particulars

Ocean Breeze is in Virginia Beach near the Oceanfront, at 849 General Booth Blvd., so there's no need to battle traffic getting to the Peninsula.

For details, call (757) 422-4444 or go to www.oceanbreezewaterpark.com.

Schedule

The park officially opened last weekend, but the big new attraction, the Sesame Street Forest of Fun for children, goes live Friday. Busch Gardens ends its regular season Nov. 1, after Howl-O-Scream.

Fun factor for this year

If you have small children or grandchildren, Busch Gardens could be more attractive now. The Sesame Street Forest has four new kid rides, including a roller coaster and a water flume, all designed for accompanying grown-ups to sit without their knees bent up around their ears. The park also is channeling Disney, with breakfast and lunch buffets featuring "Sesame Street" characters. The Land of the Dragons play area will still be open for chaos.

Busch Gardens is trying to stretch out its calendar with a new Christmas Town event in November and December.

Entertainment on tap

The May Bud & BBQ event includes concerts from .38 Special (May 9 and 10) and the Oak Ridge Boys (May 16 and 17). Glory at the Gardens has Christian musicians performing each Sunday in June. There are fireworks for July Fourth, and Wild Days - Sept. 12 and 13 - lets guests interact with exotic animals and animal experts.

The damage

A one-day ticket costs $59.95, or $49.95 for children ages 3 to 9. Kids under 3 get in free. Some people go for the Virginia Resident Fun Card, because it seems like such a no-brainer. You pay the price of one day's ticket and get free admission the rest of the summer, through Sept. 7. The big "but" is that you still have to pay for parking, which is $12 a day, or $10 if you pay in advance at www.buschgardens.com/bgw2.

A better deal, if you're going more than twice, is the one-year pass, which costs $99.95 a person. General parking and admission to Howl-O-Scream are covered. If you can think far enough ahead to 2010, a two-year pass costs $149.95. Busch Gardens is offering a monthly, interest-free payment plan, deducted from your credit or debit card, to try to lessen the sting.

The fine print

Season passes are cheaper this year, but Busch Gardens did away with discounts for buying a certain number of passes, which had been nice for families. Also, if you want really primo parking instead of the same spots everyone else is lining up for, you'll have to pay for that at the gate.

The passes don't get you into Christmas Town, although you do get $10 off the regular $19.95 price.

The particulars

Theoretically, it takes about 45 minutes to get to Busch Gardens from Norfolk. Of course, there's always the risk of delays at one of the tunnels or on westbound I-64 on the Peninsula.

For details, such as hours and events, call Busch Gardens at (800) 343-7946 or check www.buschgardens.com/bgw2.

Pack your own food

You can wait in long lines for mediocre food and then faint at the cash register, or you can beat the system by packing a picnic. First eat a good meal before leaving home, and tote snacks for the ride. Take along a big cooler with cold drinks and your favorite lunch or light dinner foods. When it’s time to eat, head back to the car for a tailgate party. All the parks also offer picnic areas outside the gates.

Stay hydrated for free

Bring empty bottles or plastic cups and fill up at a water fountain or restroom sink.

Keep your hands and feet out of souvenir shops

“No” is a magic word. If your crowd doesn’t like that answer, though, do what Jody Alperin of Norfolk does for her two daughters: She goes to the dollar store before the adventure and loads up on light-up goodies such as glow sticks or glow necklaces and bracelets. After dark she whips them out, and the girls feel like they’ve gotten a treat. You can also make your own, even better T-shirts with photos from your trip that you print from your computer onto iron-on transfer paper.

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