Anyone find wolftrap too expensive?

[Anonymous]

I got tickets to see the Russian Ballet perform Swan Lake at Hylton Performing Arts Center through a charity auction BEFORE the ABT shows at Wolf Trap were announced

Otherwise I would have done last night's deal because I always love a BOGO

[Anonymous]

I'm an actually middle class single mom (not DCUM middle class) and would argue that Wolftrap is only "too expensive" if you treat it the way you would going out for ice cream.

If you treat it as a special event, even a birthday gift, it is pretty reasonable and you get the added bonus of supporting professional musicians.

[Anonymous]

Too expensive: No. Too inconvenient: Yes.

Even for people who live in that area just getting out of the parking after a show is a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too expensive: No. Too inconvenient: Yes.

Even for people who live in that area just getting out of the parking after a show is a nightmare.

Really? I've found it not too bad. Jiffy Lube Live though, that place is a nightmare to get out of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too expensive: No. Too inconvenient: Yes.

Even for people who live in that area just getting out of the parking after a show is a nightmare.

Really? I've found it not too bad. Jiffy Lube Live though, that place is a nightmare to get out of.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too expensive: No. Too inconvenient: Yes.

Even for people who live in that area just getting out of the parking after a show is a nightmare.

We just take the shuttle from WFC metro.

[Anonymous]

And now a follow up from 2025. Last year we saw Kristen Chenowith for $70 per ticket. This year, Steve Winwood tickets for the same seats and same date are $84 per ticket. That's assuming any seats are available. These days you have to spend $100's just to get the opportunity to buy tickets in a members only presale. Most performances are then either sold out or lawn seating only by the time the general public has access. The one time we did lawn seating, it rained plus all available space was already taken when we arrived 1 hour before the show. We were told most lawn patrons arrive about 3 hours before the show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're paying $40 for national symphony orchestra. That's not expensive.

I saw the nso last night for $29, so ET is expensive. They are probably charging more for a popular movie

They are. The productions where they have the orchestra play the music to the movie being shown (ET, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc. etc.) are EXTREMELY popular and always sell out. They are able to command a higher ticket price and that is how it works at all venues. These movie/orchestra nights are amazing in that so many people dress up in character too. So fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I just checked - I paid $777 last year to take my kids to see lion king in NY. It’s not that I’m cheap. I just don’t think wolf trap is worth it.

Then don't attend there. Simple really.
For us, a show outside on a summer night is the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gotta love a place where 80% of the posts are all about making "only" $300k, and getting outbid on million dollar houses, but $40 a ticket, way too expensive.

and parking is free, and you can bring your own food and drinks.

probably an stay at home female

Good point about no charge for parking. That is so rare these days.

[Anonymous]

For families with young children, Wolftrap has amazing programming including musicals, puppet shows, etc. during the days in their smaller outdoor theater. The ticket prices are very reasonable -$12 per person and children under 2 are free):

Children's Theater-in-the-Woods https://www.wolftrap.org/about/venues/theatre-in-the-woods.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And now a follow up from 2025. Last year we saw Kristen Chenowith for $70 per ticket. This year, Steve Winwood tickets for the same seats and same date are $84 per ticket. That's assuming any seats are available. These days you have to spend $100's just to get the opportunity to buy tickets in a members only presale. Most performances are then either sold out or lawn seating only by the time the general public has access. The one time we did lawn seating, it rained plus all available space was already taken when we arrived 1 hour before the show. We were told most lawn patrons arrive about 3 hours before the show.

I just checked my tickets for the past 5 years and they were all $50 for lawn and $70 for seats. I’ve never paid for any sort of membership to buy tickets at a presale. I’m sorry it rained on you one time but honestly this is a pretty great deal for a beautiful venue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I just checked - I paid $777 last year to take my kids to see lion king in NY. It’s not that I’m cheap. I just don’t think wolf trap is worth it.

Then don't attend there. Simple really.
For us, a show outside on a summer night is the best.

This is what I'm doing. Mostly because of the unfair and "secret" system of seat sales. Even if you're willing to pay you don't even get a shot at a good seat. And I'm not enriching some reseller.

[Anonymous]

Back when the lawn tickets were cheap and the place wasn’t packed it was a great deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For families with young children, Wolftrap has amazing programming including musicals, puppet shows, etc. during the days in their smaller outdoor theater. The ticket prices are very reasonable -$12 per person and children under 2 are free):

Children's Theater-in-the-Woods https://www.wolftrap.org/about/venues/theatre-in-the-woods.aspx

Thank you for pointing this out.

Honestly, I wouldn't take a kid younger than 11 or 12 to a regular Wolftrap production, even one of the movie nights, because I know my kids wouldn't want to sit still and listen to music for that long. If it was one of their *favorite* movies, it could work, but they'd be in it for the movie, not the music (and they can watch that at home). This year the movies are Back to the Future and the Empire Strikes Back, and I know from watching ESB at home that while my kids like it, they aren't going to sit and watch it -- they will get bored after an hour and just want to play. And yeah, the $55/person is too much for that! But that's because my kids are too young for this kind of entertainment. It makes more sense for a teen.

The Children's Theater-in-the-Woods productions are shorter, happen during the day, and much more affordably priced. They are designed for kids who might not be able to sustain their attention on music for two solid hours (most kids) and who might want to get up and move around during the production. And they are priced accordingly, knowing that parents will be annoyed to spend a ton on tickets only for their kids to watch only a portion or having to bail out early for whatever reason.

I'm sure there are some kids who will happily sit on the lawn through one of the evening productions, but my kids probably wouldn't which is why I would skip it. OP saying she spent close to $800 on lion king tickets in NYC makes more sense to me because that's an immersive production with a story (that kid's will connect to and enjoy) so it sounds more worth it -- I know my 8 yr old could do that show no problem. But the NSO productions at Wolftrap are not Broadway musicals. I just think it's a tougher sell for younger kids.