Knotts Berry Farm and Cedar Point charge $3 and Universal Orlando and Carowinds charge $2 to print tickets at home. Couple that with Disney’s charge to pick up tickets at will call and soon you realize that everyone does it.

So before everyone jumps on Six Flags, remember that many parks charge as well. It is a fee we pay for the convenience. We don’t have to wait in line at the park and can just walk through the turnstiles. Plus, keep in mind that most parks use an outside ticket vendor for online ticket sales. Most of the charges go to those companies, not the amusement park’s bank account.

And remember that tickets you purchase online are deeply discounted. A typical Six Flags ticket purchased online will save you between $10 and $30 per ticket! Say you have a family of four, you save say $80 by purchasing your tickets online. Now you have to pay $5 for printing the tickets. You still save $75!

So really, before everyone freaks out about $5, remember why that $5 is there.

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