Discover how to make your money stretch further with these Gold Coast theme park tips. From choosing the right tickets to the best accommodation options, these are great ways to ensure your stay is fun, while staying firmly within your budget.
Take your family to new, gravity-defying levels of fun at Dreamworld
Choose Your Parks
There is no shortage of theme park options on the Gold Coast, with the thrill-seeking line-up consisting of Sea World, Dreamworld, WhiteWater World, Movie World and Wet’n’Wild. Start by planning how many parks you’d like to visit and over how many days.
When making your choice, keep in mind that Sea World, Movie World and Wet’n’Wild are affiliated parks, so any multi-day ticket can be used across all three. And, you only need to purchase one ticket to access Dreamworld and WhiteWater World, as both parks are at the same location. This means you can visit them in one day – a great time saver if you’re on a tight schedule. If you prefer just to tackle just one park at a time, day tickets are available for just Dreamworld and WhiteWater World respectively.
Opt For The Right Tickets
Once you’ve decided on which parks you’d like to visit, choose the right tickets to make the most of your time.
Here, there are endless options, with a variety of specials that are introduced throughout the year. If you plan on seeing Sea World, Movie World and Wet’n’Wild, consider a three-day pass; a super pass for 28 days access; or a discovery passport for 12 months unlimited entry.
Join the dolphin's in a happy dance at Sea World
For Dreamworld and WhiteWater World, choose between one-day, 21-day, one-year and two-year tickets. To save money and bypass queues, Flight Centre can help you organise your tickets before you go.
Accommodation Options
The Gold Coast is home to some of the country’s best family accommodation options, catering to a range of budgets and preferences. We can help you book – whether it’s a hotel, self-serviced apartment, caravan park or cabin. We can also recommend areas based on your needs, such as accessibility to the beach, shopping and entertainment.
Plan How to Get Around
If you're not bringing your car, consider hiring one, so that you can easily move around and further explore the area. Alternatively, one of the best public transport options is the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle’s Freedom Pass. This pass allows unlimited travel on the shuttle services, including door-to-door airport and theme park transfers, plus unlimited travel on the Surfside Buslines network. Passes are available for three, five or seven days, allowing you to perfectly tailor it to your holiday. To make things easier, we can book this for you in advance.
You have the right to scream your heart out on the Lethal Weapon ride, Movie World
Pack a Snack
Not all of the theme parks allow you to take a picnic, but you can always take in bottled water and fruit, so consider stocking up on these before you go.
Alternatively, if you have hired a car, consider packing a picnic (and keeping it in the car) then get a pass out stamp so that you can pop out for lunch when you’re ready.
If you visit Dreamworld, bear in mind that you can’t take a picnic into the park, but you can next door at WhiteWater World, so plan your day accordingly.
