Theme parks: The rising cost of parking on a day out at the UK's leading visitor attractions

You've just totted up the cost of the theme park tickets and its into the hundreds. Then you find out that you've got to park to park on top. I spoke to MailOnline about what's going on with attractions like theme parks charging on top of the entry ticket price for parking - why it's happening and what families can do to avoid, offset or make alternative plans to avoid the costs.

“For many families, the cost of parking is now the straw that breaks the camel’s back on a supposedly fun day out. It’s not just an annoyance, it’s a major factor pricing people out of precious summer experiences - that's before you've even got to the restaurant or gift shop. We need to find alternative solutions.”

Catherine Warrilow - brand strategist for visitor attractions at The Plot.

Why are theme parks charging for parking?

Annoyingly, as families are finding, attractions have become increasingly reliant on parking charges as a revenue stream, and while it is so frustrating when you've just shelled out for the tickets and arrive to find another fee, the reasons are a mix of necessity and opportunity.

For many attractions, parking fees have become a vital source of revenue to cover rising costs ranging from maintenance and security to staff and insurance. For example, the big increase in employer national insurance has seen wage bills for the likes of National Trust rising by over £10m per year. 

We're also faced with additional local authority funding cuts and reduced public investment in tourism infrastructure, so our attractions are forced to find other ways to fill the gap - parking, food and beverage prices, up-sells beyond the standard photo on a rollercoaster and more.  The average family day out in the school summer holidays now costs well over £100 and parents are increasingly having to pay for those unplanned extras on top of what they've budgeted for.

But we have a vast array of incredible attractions and experiences across the UK which families want to go and enjoy. And the good news is that there are brilliant examples of attractions working hard for the customer to try and keep costs down, economise and pass on savings.

Paultons Park home of Peppa Pig World still offers free parking and say it's an important part of their customer promise.

James Mancey, deputy managing director at Paultons Park, said:

"Parking is and always has been free at Paultons Park. We're proud to have been named as the UK's best value theme park and we absolutely strive to offer our guests a quality, memorable, and trusted experience. Families need to know what their visit is going to cost them and nasty shocks and surprises, such as parking fees, can really taint a perfect family day out. 

"Alongside free parking and free entry for children under one metre tall, we boast some of the shortest ride queue times in the UK. Families can easily enjoy every single one of our 70 plus rides and attractions, and get on their favourites more than once, during a day at Paultons Park."

Whipsnade Zoo also says that parking costs are reinvested into conservation and the visitor experience which goes a little way to easing consumer frustration.

But why are some of your favourite theme parks, zoos and others hitting you a second time? Separating parking charges from ticket prices enables attractions to keep headline admission fees more competitive in a market where visitors shop around online for deals and discounts. It makes tickets appear more affordable, even if the total cost tells another story.

We also have to mention the fact that aside from the commercial motivators of the attractions themselves, as human beings, we really should be thinking about more sustainable ways to travel - primarily public transport.  But often big out of town experiences aren't the easiest to get to.

However, for those near to train connections, websites like TrainSplit are a great way to save if you book your train tickets well in advance and benefit from their split savings.  

And in fact, in high traffic areas, operators will be pushed by the local councils to discourage travel by car to ease congestion, especially in areas where there have been consistent complaints from local residents - as we're already seeing in relation to Puy du Fou in Oxfordshire which isn't even slated to be built until 2028/29 but the worry is already bubbling.

Ultimately you can't get away from the fact that there’s a huge commercial dimension: parking is a captive audience revenue stream. Many families have little choice but to drive, and some attractions are undoubtedly capitalising on that. At premium city-centre sites, the situation is even worse, as private car park operators exploit the limited supply of spaces near major landmarks.

One option is to seek out services like Just Park whereby you can park on a private driveway for less, often popular for major stadium events like football or concerts.

The risk is that these rising costs, especially when hidden or poorly communicated, leave families feeling short-changed and frustrated, even before they've walked through the gates - not a great start to the visitor experience. Attractions have a duty to be transparent about where the money goes and ensure that their desire for revenue doesn’t eclipse their responsibility to make experiences accessible and enjoyable for all.  With the operational costs of a theme park today though, there isn't a lot of wiggle room.

In short, parking fees reflect the messy middle between visitor expectations and operational reality. While some charges genuinely fund better facilities, others feel opportunistic. Either way, families deserve clarity, fairness, and alternatives wherever possible. If we're going to continue growing our incredible visitor economy, we need to make it accessible, not unaffordable.

My advice - make pricing clear, give people options, offer incentives for booking parking in advance and maintain continual consultation with local councils and transport providers to improve accessibility. And get creative - The Purbeck Shuttle operated by Dorset Community

Transport has launched for the summer months and links rail services to connect visitors with more rural attractions and experiences meaning no car needed. In addition, options like organised coach trips from the likes of Evan Evans take out all the stress of parking with packages including the Legoland Express from London, services to Warner Bros. Studio Tours, ABBA Voyage and Blenheim Palace.

Looking for a days out, travel or tourism comment from an expert who knows the market from the perspective of both the visitor and the experience?

I'm Catherine Warrilow and I write the brand strategies for visitor attractions. I regularly comment in the media on topics around tourism trends, the cost of days out and the changing habits and expectations of visitors, especially families.