Legoland implements dynamic ticket pricing ahead of summer
With spring break in the rearview, families may be setting their sights on summer vacation plans, and some theme parks are rolling out new demand-based pricing structures for the upcoming peak season.
Dynamic pricing, adjusting prices based on increased demand and busier times, is not a new concept for sales during high traffic seasons. This summer, some Legoland locations are adopting the strategy.
A spokesperson for Merlin Entertainments, the theme park's parent company, told ABC News in a statement that the company "regularly review[s] our pricing structure and admission prices" in order to "deliver the best value and experience for our guests."
The CEO for Merlin Entertainments, which also owns Madame Tussauds, the Sea Life aquariums and other international resorts and attractions, told CNBC in an interview earlier this week that prices would go up, for example, on weekends during the summer and trend cheaper on a rainy weekday.
"At least for our business, surge pricing is not the name, it's dynamic pricing," Scott O'Neil said, adding that "it actually protects the guest experience."
O'Neil added that dynamic pricing can help parks address overcrowding and thus lengthy wait times for attractions. "You don't want to go to Legoland Florida, or Legoland New York, or Legoland California, or Madame Tussauds right down the street here and wait hours in line," he said.
According to the Merlin Entertainments spokesperson, the pricing "is in line with the marketplace and we reduce them in off peak periods."
"This approach clearly works because our guest satisfaction is at an all-time high," they continued. "This change brings us in line with competitors and the broader holiday industry that have similar pricing structures, which benefit guests who choose to book off-peak."
Discounted prices are available on Merlin multi-attraction tickets.
Competitors such as Disneyland have similar ticket pricing structures, with the happiest place on earth offering a tiered system.
Disney has utilized dynamic pricing since 2018 to charge more on tickets at parks on busier days and less on days with less attendance.
Disney parks have historically increased prices on weekend and holiday tickets to encourage flexibility and attendance on days with lower demand.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."
