How to choose portable ticket booths: rent, buy or build?

You’re looking for portable ticket booths to rent because you have an attraction that you know will benefit from the visibility and functionality of a ticket booth. But, you wonder, is a ticket booth rental really the best option? Should I buy a booth? Or, maybe build my own DIY ticket booth? These are all valid options to consider.

The Need for a Ticket Booth

A professionally built, attractive ticket booth adds instant credibility to any attraction, whether it is something large and long lasting like a zoo or aquarium; a traveling event such as a craft market or amusement park; or a seasonal endeavor, such as a haunted hayride or photos with Santa. Whatever your event is about, having a sturdy, visible, well equipped ticket booth will draw customer attention, help your event look professional, and give your employees the room they need to sell as many tickets as possible.

But how do you decide if you should rent, buy or build your own ticket booth? There are advantages and disadvantages to each  choice. Let’s review some of them.

Building a Ticket Booth

Building a ticket booth involves finding a place to work, designing the size and shape of booth you want, buying all of the necessary construction materials, bringing in experienced staff to perform construction, accessorizing the booth so that it is ready for use, and finally installing it in the exact location desired.

Building your own booth can be a daunting task, but there certainly is great pride to be had in construction — in addition to a variety of advantages.

Here are some of them: 

• You get to choose your own materials.
• You can build the booth to your exact specifications, and create your own company  design.
• If you are not in a hurry, you can spread the cost over time, by building slowly.
• When completed, you can add your own accessories, such as shelving, lighting, electrical outlets, signage, and so forth.

Of course, there are also some disadvantages to building your own ticket booth, including:

• Buying raw material at retail price can be quite expensive.
• It takes time and a dedicated staff to build a sturdy structure.
• It may require contracting out specific work, such as electrical or painting.
• It may require permitting and inspections. This means you’ll have to call, arrange, and pay for a permit.
• There is no warranty if materials or construction fail.
• There is no company to move it or set it up for you; you are responsible for moving your heavy structure to the location where it is needed.

If you want to see an example of the work that goes into building your own ticket booth, check out this Halloween Attraction Ticket Booth Build.

Choosing Portable Ticket Booths for Rent

Renting a ticket booth is another option. With a mobile ticket booth rental you do not own the booth; you are simply paying to borrow it for a limited amount of time. You cannot significantly modify ticket booth rentals without permission, but you can ask that accessories be added before delivery. This might be the fastest way to get a portable ticket booth for rent if you failed to plan ahead and build a booth ahead of time.

Let’s consider the advantages of renting a ticket booth:

• You get to choose from a variety of existing booth sizes and styles in stock and ready to go for the ease of complete rental booths
• Your ticket booth for rent can be delivered quickly and easily with little wait.
• In terms of the ticket booth cost, you can make regular monthly payments or pay the entire rental period up front.
• You can add any additional accessories that you need to your booth for rent (i.e. lighting, electricity, countertops).
• You have the flexibility of choosing specific dates you want the booth for, and the freedom to return the booth as soon as you don’t need it anymore.
• There is no need to store the rental booths when not in use; just call for pickup.

Of course, there are also some disadvantages to rentals:

• There are limited styles and designs available; you may not find what you want when you need it. You may need to spend time calling several vendors to find portable ticket booth rentals that match your needs and timeframe.
• The booth you rent may be used and have signs of wear.

Buying a Ticket Booth

The option that combines the best of building with the best of renting is, perhaps, purchasing your own ticket booth. This way you can own your booth and have it at your disposal whenever you need it. You can outfit it and decorate it however you see fit, and once you pay it off, it is yours, without rental fees.

Of course, even this option of buying a new ticket selling booth has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages include:

• You can choose your own materials: From wood to glass to bullet resistant, from metal ticket booth to mobile ticket office, you get to choose exactly what your needs require. 
• You can have your mobile ticket booths built to your specifications in whatever size, shape and style you desire.
• You can purchase a prefabricated and ready to go booth and get it in no time. 
• You can pay up front, or spread the cost over time by making payments.
• You can order whatever accessories you need for your portable ticket office and have them installed before delivery, so that your delivered ticket booth is ready to go to work when it arrives.
• Choose from a variety of existing booth sizes and styles, or have us design something completely new to suit your unique needs from basic ticket booths for sale to oversized ticket booth trailer.
• Get your booth delivered quickly and easily, usually with little wait (unless it is a custom order).
• Many big ticket booths come with a warranty. 

Disadvantages:

• In terms of ticket booth pricing, the initial costs are more than a rental booth, though it can easily pay for itself over time, especially with a basic small ticket booth or one room portable booth for sale.
• You must store it when not in use (therefore, consider a portable ticket booth for sale that can be more easily relocated.)

The Choice is Yours

Building a ticket booth is a classic choice, especially when you own the building where the event is held – simply building the book right into the facade of the building makes sense. And sometimes these ticket booths become classic, even historic ticket booths.
But this is probably not what you are considering. Most likely, you have an event where simply expanding your building to create a ticket booth is not an option. Thus, to determine your ticket booth plans you will be choosing between rental, purchase, and building your own ticket booth, which is a very individual choice based on your needs, timeframe, and finances. If you need more information about portable ticket booths for rent or portable ticket booths for sale to make this decision, check out some of these articles below:

• Five Tips To Answer Your Modular Factory Office Design Concerns
• Do Sliding Door Benefits For Guard Booths Outweigh Swinging Door Advantages?
• We’ve Done A Lot Of Great Ticket Booth Projects Over The Years