Smartphones and tablets also give you access to a new generation of apps,

while you are getting your children pumped up for their park visit, you also must manage their expectations. Take the time to prepare them emotionally for the huge trip, suggests George Scarlett, a professor of developmental psychology at Tufts University. A theme park is awash in eye sweet that can check kids' self-control, preschoolers'.
Let them know there's park rules, as there's rules at home. They may require to stand patiently in line before they can board a ride. They are going to likely must wear safety belts or protective gear, and they are going to require to keep their hands and feet inside all attractions. Because lots of rides have maximum height restrictions, make sure they understand which of them will be off-limits to them.


because a park features a castle doesn't mean you ought to must pay a king's ransom for fundamentals like water, snacks, sunscreen and bandages.
"Never buy anything in a theme park you can buy outside the park," says Niles.
In case you worry about things like food spills, cuts, disagreeable weather and meltdowns, by all means do some schlepping. Bring packaged snacks, wet wipes, Ziploc bags, a modify of garments, disposable rain ponchos, sunscreen, bug repellent, water bottles, a tiny first-aid kit, tiny toys, coloring books and glow-in-the-dark sticks and necklaces (which the parks sell at dusk but they charge a fortune).
And while we are obsessing over details, don't forget to pin your name and mobile phone number to the inside of your kids' clothes and make sure your relatives wears closed-toe shoes to the park. You don't need your tiny one's flip-flops flying off on the new Wild Eagle ride at Dollywood.

Some things are obvious: You can economize -- and time -- purchasing park passes online; multiday tickets will usually bring the per-day cost down. But some seemingly high-priced offers -- such as park combo deals and annual passes -- can actually save you a bundle.
A season pass to Six Flags, for example, gets you in to all 13 of the company's theme parks for the year. (In case you choose to get an annual pass while you are at a park, you can usually upgrade your ticket right on the spot.) Be sure to follow a park on Twitter or Facebook, so you'll be alerted to flash promotions -- last-minute offers that can include discounted nighttime attendance, buy-one-get-one-free deals and savings on meals or souvenirs.