25% off + Tips to Know Before You Go to Monster Jam! (Jan. 2024)
Crash, Boom, Bam at Monster Jam! Needless to say that ALL of my boys were mesmerized. 💥 (Click link here to watch Instagram reel video.) 💥 @monsterjam #monsterjam
TIPS FOR GOING TO MONSTER JAM
If you've never taken kids to Monster Jam, there are definitely some things you'll want to know before you go...like headphones for kids are a must, save mega money and pre-pay for your parking space, get free tickets for the pit party, eat before you go and grab your treats before you take your seats. Read on for more tips to have a fun Monster Jam experience.
Contents:
DONATION:
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VENUE INFO:
Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley
2101 Stadium Way, San Diego, CA 92108
Directions, parking & transportation - here
Bag policy - here
NEW PLAYGROUND! A new playground just opened (Dec. 2023) behind the stadium and it's awesome! It's between the stadium and the trolley tracks above, you can't miss it. Go there to play AFTER the pit party because you'll have some time to spend in between when the show actually starts. There are bathrooms, picnic tables, slides, climbing cargo net tower and lots of other fun things to play on.
BAG POLICY
Snapdragon Stadium is a clear bag only venue. See below for clear bags to get that you can also use for Disney on Ice at Pechanga Arena. ;)
Guests are encouraged to limit the number of items they bring with them to the stadium. Only (1) one of the following style and size bag, package, or container per person:
Bags that are clear plastic or clear vinyl and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag.
Purses, bags, or clutches no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”.
Prohibited bags include but are not limited to large purses, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, luggage of any kind, computer bags, or any bag larger than the permissible size.
Bag check lockers will be available for purchase outside the stadium on the east side.
This policy is not intended to interfere with guests attending with specific medical needs or guests caring for young children.
TICKETS & DEALS
📆 Jan. 13-14 & 27-28, 2024
Monster Jam website
SAVE ON FEES
Buy tickets in-person to save on service fees at the box office. Box office hours: Wed-Fri 10-5 and 2 hours prior event start time. It's located on the Southeast corner of the stadium.
25% OFF
Get 25% off with code "JAM24". Enter this code in the 🔒 lock box before you select your seats.
FREE PIT PASSES
Free Pit Party passes are usually available from local Ford dealerships until they're gone. Get them now or you may have to call around to see who still has any left.
SEATS
Tickets range from around $28-$150. Stadium seating all have amazing views, even the cheap tickets from the 2nd or 3rd level towards the ends, so don't hesitate to buy these. You can see these views from my Instagram reel linked above.
Get Pit Passes for $20 extra to see the Monster Trucks up close and meet the drivers! (OR try to get the free passes from local Ford dealerships, call around to see who still has them.)
AGES
Everyone ages 2+ require a ticket. Kids 1 and under are free, for most events.
PARKING
$35-$45 onsite or pre-pay for $27.50 😵
$5 roundtrip when you take the trolley. It stops right at Snapdragon Stadium! MTS Info 🚋 Ages 18 and under ride for free with a Youth Pronto Card under a pilot program until 6/30/24. Kids ages 5 and under always ride free two per paid adult on MTS and NCTD routes. On weekends, kids ages 12 and under ride free on Saturdays and Sundays two per paid adult.
FREE. There's very limited side street parking near the Mission Valley Library on Fenton Pkwy + Rio San Diego Dr. with about a 15 minute walk over, most likely these spots will be taken so be prepared to pay onsite.
There aren't any other pay lots or otherwise nearby. Don't park at Costco, Lowe's, etc. or you'll be towed.
FOOD
Eat BEFORE you go. It’s cheaper and no lines.
An easy walk over to the nearest shopping center 1 block away on the corner Friars Rd. + Northside Dr. has McDonald's & Sushi Kuchi (inside & outside seating).
Further into the shopping center is Costco's food court outside, IKEA's cafeteria upstairs (inside only), Island's Burgers (inside seating only), Pho Ca Dao Vietnamese restaurant (patio seating), Oggi's Pizza (inside & outside seating), IHOP (inside & outside seating), Starbucks (inside & outside seating), Dragon Chinese Cuisine & Jalicso's Mexican (both have inside seating, but you can walk around and find benches nearby), Coldstone Ice cream.
On-Site at the Stadium: Batch & Box, Best Pizza and Brew, Cali BBQ, The Crack Shack, Everbowl, Gaglione Brothers, Hodad's, Sandbar, Tarantino’s, and The Taco Stand
No outside food/drinks, except for 1 factory sealed water bottle or empty thermos max 32oz.
SEATS
I opted for the nosebleed seats on the 2nd level (still great views!!!) towards the end, far end row, under a wheelchair row and we basically had this entire section all to ourselves. 🙌
NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES
These are a must for kids! I actually wished I had my own. Bought ours from Amazon about $15 ea (reuse them for air shows, etc.!) or rent them $30 ea.
(These are Amazon affiliate links where I earn a very small percentage of each item purchased with this link. It's roughly about $0.30 or something, but it's all appreciated and helps me keep paying for this website so thank you in advance.)
PIT PARTY
WHAT IS IT
The Pit Party is so fun where you get to meet the drivers, see the Monster Trucks up close, last year we saw a practice session of the Supercross guys jumping their bikes! There are other add-on cost activities while you're inside ($20 build your own wooden truck and mini-monster trucks to ride around a track). My take is to skip these add-ons to save money and wait times but obv use your judgement if it's worth it to you. ;)
Some lines are long to meet the drivers, but you can see trucks and take pics without waiting in line.
FREE PIT PASSES
Pit Passes are worth it, in my opinion, especially if you get them for FREE from local Ford dealerships! (But skip all the extra activities they have inside for extra costs like wooden-car building kits and mini ride-on trucks).
TIMING
From our experiences of going 3 times, we've only spent an hour at this party so plan your time however is best for your family/kiddos. If you go when the Pit Party first opens or if you go towards the end, you'll have a little or a lot of time to spend in between before the main event starts.
What to do with your time between the Pit Party and the main event...there's a new playground at the Stadium you can let your kids play at and bring a picnic to eat while you're there. If you have more time, you can walk over to the nearby shopping center at Fenton Pkwy + Friars Rd. and go to a restaurant for dinner. If you have a lot more time, you can hop on the trolley and go for a ride; the stop is right at the stadium.
*GEAR YOU MIGHT NEED
Here's all the gear that might help to make your adventure more smooth and enoyable.
Noise Cancelling Headphones: These are a must for little kids. You can rent them when you purchase your ticket and on-site if available. The link here is what we have approx. $15 and you can use them for Air Shows, Super Cross and every year if you return to these events. (These kids sizes actually fit my small head as well.)
Clear Bags: There is a clear bag policy at Snapdragon Stadium. You can bring in small purses/clutches, etc. with a max size of 4.5"x6.5", but for anything larger it must be a clear bag with a max size of 12"x6"x12". The link noted here is for 12"x6"x12" clear backpack. (This is also the size requirement for Pechanga Arena if you're going to see Disney On Ice.) ;)
Check the weather before you go...it rained on us in 2023; which made for a very messy but still fun Muddy Monster Jam!
Rain Ponchos: Sometimes it rains in January and Monster Jam at Snapdragon Stadium is a "rain or shine" event. Hey, it might actually be more fun to watch the Monster Trucks slip and slide in the mud!
Rain Boots: These are great quality kids rain boots from sizes toddler-big kids and come in all kinds of fun colors.