Anyone whose ever visited an amusement park knows that it can be a high dollar excursion. Here are some helpful tips to soften the blow:

1. Make sure you have batteries, film, sunscreen, hats, and sweaters packed and ready to go. If you forget any of these, you'll be paying a pretty penny inside the park as a punishment.

2. Bring your own bottled water! This is really important. Parks are charging $3.50 for a small bottle... it's ridiculous! Put a few bottles in the freezer the night before (make sure you pour a little out first or the plastic could burst) and put a few in the fridge so you have some ready to go while the others are thawing. Just think about it... if a family of four needs two drinks of water each, you've just saved $30 right there...

3. Bring a few snacks for yourself and the kids. This is where the money goes when you don't know what happened to it. Save your money for buying lunch or dinner...

4. Before you go, tell the kids they will be able to pick out a souvenir at the end of the day. This will not only save you money, but the constant bombardment of "please, please can I have this"... Plus, you don't have to carry it around all day.

5. Before you go, check for specials and promotions. They can range from buying your tickets in advanced from a large grocery store chain to receiving a discount for living locally during the off season.

6. When you get there, ask about the deals they've got going for year passes. Sometimes there's not even an extra cost.

7. Lastly, if you're a AAA member, make sure you ask if there's a discount. Places like Universal Studios and Universal City Walk will give you 10% off everything...