San Diego Zoo Director John Dunlap says healthy discounts are available at the Wild Animal Park and the zoo, which recently opened it’s popular Elephant Odyssey exhibit. | Stephen Whalen

Although local theme parks have raised their admission prices at the gate and their guest counts are expected to be on par with last year, they’re not likely to rake in any more dough.

Like hotels that have discounted their room rates to lure guests who are spending less on travel these days, the recession has prompted special promotions and value-added offers on the part of the theme park industry.

Consider: A regular one-day adult pass for SeaWorld San Diego, a 189-acre aquatic theme park at Mission Bay, goes for $65, while a child’s pass sells for $55, up $4 each from last year. A family of four would shell out a hefty $240 for the day. That’s if they go straight to the ticket counter.

Yet if they take a little time to research deals, they’d find that SeaWorld, which is owned by Busch Entertainment, a division of Anheuser-Busch InBev of Belgium, is offering an adult pass at the children’s rate, and it includes a second complimentary visit.

“But the greatest offer at SeaWorld is the Fun Card product, where you pay for a day and come all year,” said General Manager Andy Fichthorn. The Fun Card, which is available online for the price of admission and is good through Dec. 31, is not new. Yet more people, particularly local residents, are taking advantage of it, he says.

Walk-up admission prices at Legoland California, a 128-acre park in Carlsbad, are $65 for adults and $55 for children and seniors — up $2 per ticket from last year.

Among discounts Legoland offers is a cross-promotion with Costco Wholesale membership discount stores. Members can purchase a three-month pass for $63.99 for adults and $54.49 for children and seniors that includes a free round of miniature golf. At local Burger King restaurants, guests can get a coupon for a free one-day child’s hopper ticket with the purchase of an adult hopper ticket at the regular price of $75. Hopper tickets allow admission to both the park and its adjacent 36,000-square-foot Sea Life Aquarium.

Admission to the nonprofit San Diego Zoo, which encompasses 100 acres in Balboa Park, and its sister attraction, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, which stands on 1,800 acres in Escondido, costs $35 for ages 12 and older and $26 for ages 3 to 11 — the same as last year.

“We want to be a great value when the economy gets bad, and we have put out healthy discounts,” said zoo Director John Dunlap.

Offers include a “two-park ticket” — to the zoo and WAP — for $60 for adults and $43 for children, and customers of Sparkletts Water and Carl’s Jr. restaurants can get an $8 discount off zoo tickets through the summer, spokeswoman Christina Simmons says.

Overnight Guests Vs. Day-Trippers

It may be that more folks are taking “staycations” — vacationing close to home to save money. Or in the case of San Diego, it may simply be the luck of the draw.

According to Joe Terzi, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, the county attracts 32 million visitors annually — 16 million who stay overnight, 8 million who stay in hotels, and many who stay with friends and family. The rest are “day-trippers.”