Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Redux: overpriced fishbowl

The Georgia Aquarium opens November 23 and general admission tickets are now on sale.

Along with being the world's largest aquarium, it also comes with the highest ticket prices in the country. I wrote about this in September, see Really Expensive Georgia Aquarium. Here's an excerpt comparing a visit to the Tennessee aquarium, less than two hours from downtown Atlanta:
Let’s compare Tennessee versus Georgia with two adults and two teenagers. Both charge children thirteen and older at the adult price.

Tennessee aquarium would cost $71.80 (17.95 x 4) for a day visit.
Georgia aquarium would cost $91.00 (22.75 x 4) for a day visit.

Now, according to the article, the Georgia aquarium does offer annual passes. That’s $59.50 a person ($43.25 if under 12), so the same family of four could pay $238 for annual passes. That would require three visits before you started saving money.

Now take a look at the Tennessee aquarium, they have a family pass for $85. That’s unlimited visits for two adults and two children under eighteen. You’ve paid for the membership less than halfway through your second visit.

In other words, with the family/annual pass the Tennessee aquarium will cost you $85 for three visits, while the Georgia aquarium will cost you $238.

As it is, the cost for a family of four to attend the Georgia Aqurium is more than $19 above the average of the other major aquariums.


AquariumadultchildFamily of 4 per dayFamily membership
Mote, Sarasota FL151050none
SC Aq, Charleston SC15846$80
Dallas TX15.958.9549.80$135
Adventure, Camden NJ16.9513.9561.80none
Ripley's, Myrtle Beach16.959.9553.80none
Mystic Aq, Mystic CT17.512.560$110
Newport,KY17.9510.9557.80none
Tennessee Aq, Chattanooga17.959.554.90$85
17.9511.9559.8$90
Aq of the Pacific, Long Beach CA18.9510.9559.80$109
National Aq, Baltimore MD19.513.566$109
Monterey Bay21.9510.9565.80$175
Atlanta22.751779.50none
Shedd, Chicago23.0016.0078.00$95
Averages18.3811.7360.20

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Georgia Aquarium is worth the additional money. If you live in the Atlanta area the location is worth the extra money alone. I just got back from visiting the Aquarium (season pass holder) and the Home Depot tank is impressive to say the least. I spent two hours for my first visit on an extended lunch hour and had a great time and cant wait to go back.

The Georgia Aquarium makes Chatt look like a fish store.

11/21/2005 04:12:00 PM  

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