And while we're at it - there's usually a catch. Cynical? Not really. Hire a taxi, pay the driver. A new Cadillac can’t be bought for the price of a used Plymouth. And when you think about it, time really is money.

     Business 101: Never give away the product you’re in business to sell. Area theme parks embrace this rudimentary concept with a snarl. They are NOT going to discount their admission prices.

     Even so, cheap tickets are available.
     It works like this... To get BIG discounts on a pair of theme park tickets of your choice, saving you $100 bucks or more, just trade off some of your time at a TIME SHARE PRESENTATION. That’s about the only way to save big on Theme Park Tickets. Attend an arm twisting, in-your-face time share sales presentation - some prefer a root canal - let them beat you up for 4 or more hours, squander one of your vacation days, and walk out with 2 one-day Disney tickets at a sharp discount or even FREE! Time really is money.

     That said, Slugger, you can arrange to attend a time share presentaion at any area 7-11 store, OR click on the "Free Tickets" link, below right.
     They will actually give you 2 FREE (or sharply discounted) DISNEY WORLD TICKETS, or free tickets to any area theme park or attraction, if you'll just sit it out during their buy or die sales presentation. Their come-on also includes FREE LUNCH. This way they conveniently eliminate the "I'm-hungry-and-I-want-to-go-home" objection/whine.
     But seriously, if you have time to spare, you will save $100 or more on tickets and save $30-$40 for lunch, to boot. Just grin and bear it. They can't hold you hostage forever, it's against the law. And bring your own aspirin, you'll need one later. If you're laughing now, you've been there.
     Also, there are a number of local authorized re-sellers who will provide you with valid theme park tickets at a modest discount, and you’ll find links to a few of them below, as well.

     Here, then, are the facts...
     When we started this business, we tried to get a Disney ticket re-seller’s franchise, for the purpose of being able to offer our potential guests an extra incentive to rent from us. We figured if the local re-sellers are offering a legitimate 2-3% discount, then their discount is probably around 10%.
Hey! If we could offer guests Disney theme park tickets at a 10% discount, that could amount to a savings of $100 or more for a family of 4 or 5! The savings, along with the convenience of having tickets waiting for you at check-in, could be a real incentive to rent one of our vacation pool homes!

     We thought.

     So we called the Disney Company to find out what we had to do to become a Disney Ticket Re-seller. They told us bluntly, if not tersely, in one sentence, that the discount they offer their ticket agents is 5% or LESS, depending on the size of the order, and they needed an initial order of $20,000 in tickets before they would even talk to us, and did we want to place that order right now.
     We said um, well...uh... They said good-bye.
     Meeting adjourned.

     But there's one other way to save on theme park tickets. There are little kiosks up and down the boulevard here, offering sharply discounted, unused one-day Disney tickets with no strings attached. These tickets have been purchased from people who had to go back home before using up all their tickets, and either didn't know Disney tickets NEVER expire, or didn't care. They're valid, will get you into the designated park, and are usually guaranteed by the vendor.
     The catch? Suppose one of the tickets doesn't work for some reason. While the vendor's guarantee may be valid, you'll still have to leave the park entrance, get back on the tram to the parking lot, and go back to the vendor to have it exchanged. Time wasted? About 2 hours. Caveat Emptor.

     Time is money, there are no free rides, and you really do get what you pay for.

     So. Best bet for modest savings on ticket prices? AAA Travel Services. They have no agenda, they buy in bulk and pass part of their savings on to their Auto Club members. If you're not a AAA member, check out one of the links below. All re-sellers buy their tickets from the same source, so their prices don't vary much.

     A WORD OF CAUTION! DO NOT allow the re-seller to deliver the tickets to your door once you're here. You'll get a salesperson who may try to hustle you into attending a time share presentation, or try to sell you something else, like a guided tour. We've heard they're real hard to get rid of once they get their foot in your door. In addition, this stranger now knows where to find a house to rob, knowing full well you'll be at one of the parks later. Go to their local office instead or buy your tickets well in advance, either by phone or on-line with a credit/debit card, and have them sent to you.