They’ve been doing it for years, but the secret that was never really a secret isn’t much of a secret. Confused? There’s no need to be.

 

Once again, Bridgeport Parks and Recreation is offering a deal that some may believe is too good to be true. The good thing here, however, is that it is true – especially if you’re playing on going to Kennywood, Idlewild or Sandcastle. Once again, Bridgeport P&R is offering substantial discounts for tickets to those three attractions.

 

Don’t believe it?

 

It costs $41.99 to get into Idlewild if you pay at the gate. If you buy advanced tickets at the Benedum Civic Center, you pay $32 per ticket. The cost to get into Kennywood is $42.99, but tickets at the Civic Center will run you $32 as well. And if you’re heading up to Sandcastle, you will be paying $31.99 at the gate compared to $26 if you get them here in Bridgeport.

 

“It’s a service we offer to the community and have for several years. We have the tickets on consignment through the West Virginia Parks and Recreation Association group that we belong to and they make them available to us,” said Bridgeport Deputy P&R Director Joe Shuttleworth.

 

There is one small catch. The tickets can only be acquired through cash transactions. However, if you’re taking a family or group the savings can be substantial.

 

“If just a few people are going to one of those locations, I always tell them the discount will pay for the gas on your trip. If you’re taking a large group, you can really save some money,” said Shuttleworth.

 

Although not advertised heavily, Shuttleworth said work has gotten out. He said Parks and Recreation sell hundreds each year with Kennywood tickets being the most popular. Shuttleworth said there have been years where more than 500 tickets have been sold to Kennywood alone from the Civic Center.

 

“It’s actually good news beyond just saving residents money on trips to amusement parks,” said Shuttleworth. “A percentage of the ticket sales come back to us to be used for various park projects. It’s usually to the tune of a couple of thousand dollars to go toward a project of our choosing so it helps us out as well.”

 

Tickets are available during regular office hours. If you have questions, or want to make sure the office will be staffed when you come by to purchase the tickets, call 304-842-8240.