this post was submitted on 09 May 2025
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If we want to break it down, a trip to Disney costs between $2,000 for a short solo trip up to $15,000 for a family vacation.
For most Americans, that's out of reach financially. It would be irresponsible to spend that much on a vacation, and they will never have the means to do it. They will watch people on TV and social media take trips to Disney, and resent that such things are possible while they struggle to pay rent and medical expenses. In a room of 100 people, this category is like 60 of them.
Then you have the next group up, the rapidly vanishing upper middle class for whom a Disney vacation has always been a dream. They also cannot afford the trip, but they are willing to sacrifice and go into debt to make a magical memory. It is still irresponsible to spend so much on a vacation, but for those four happy days of childhood bliss and nostalgia, they will make it happen. These people are most likely to hate the experience because they don't have the cash to pay for all the extra bullshit like fastpasses and magic bands, the on-property hotel rooms, or the overpriced souvenirs. They will push the limits of their credit cards, only to fall short and go home tired and spiteful. The top half of this group might enjoy the trip, but they will be looking for more cost-effective vacations next year.
And on top you have the elites for whom spending $5,000 - $20,000* is no big deal. Visiting Disney is a status symbol, and making the annual schlep is about checking out the latest rides and obtaining the newest swag. These people will experience the best the parks have to offer, and will appreciate it the least. In that room with 100 people, this is one person.
It doesn't have to be Disney, that's just an easy example that most Americans can relate to. It could be any vacation destination, or buying a boat, or skiing, or practically any luxury activity or hobby you can name. Tickets to a sporting event or concert, taking a cruise, going to college, saving for retirement, orthodontia, treatment for chronic diseases, these are all modern luxuries that Americans have learned go part and parcel with the circumstances of your birth, fortunate or otherwise.
Most people cannot afford it, some people can indulge at great cost, and a very select few revel in the experience in a way that makes it seem desirable to all.
How?? Isn't it just a day trip to an amusement park? Or maybe two days if its a big park?
The average six flags amusement park is 300 acres.
Disney world is 27,520 acres across 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, and multiple mini cities of shopping and resort centers.
Each of the 4 main parks take 2-3 days to fully explore, especially if your goal is to do every of the 173 rides. Or attend every attraction and show of which there are 30 or more unique stage performances on the average week plus parades, fireworks and other events. Then there are 200 unique restaurants including two which have Michelin stars. It’s even longer if you’re rich enough to afford the private events and secret areas where they do bespoke experiences, weddings, and conferences.
Another way to look at it is that Disney World is larger than:
All good points, and reasons you might be better off going to Disneyland in California, which is 500 acres including California Adventure. So you can "do Disney" in one long day, especially if you have little kids who don't like the really scary rides, or you're all too old for Small World. Then you have all the other Southern California stuff left, including several other theme parks.
Edit to add: at Disneyland, there's an official colony of cats!
The best reason to do Disneyland over Disney world is Disneyland is in the LA area, so it's 70 and sunny for most of the year, and the winds off the Pacific plus the fact that it's a desert make it very comfortable 350 days out of the year, and most of the walkways are brick or pavement. Disney world is in Orlando where the air is often as thick as soup and temperatures are much higher. Everything's much more spread out and the walkways are hot blacktop that absorb the tropical sunlight.
Also unlike Orlando where almost everything is touristy overpriced chains copy/pasted from elsewhere, there's plenty of unique experiences in LA to do as other features of your trip (like the super under-marketed nature preserve and attractions on Catalina Island. It's a 1 hour catamaran ride from the Port of Los Angeles and absolutely a wonderful place with hiking, glass bottom boat tours, cool architecture and neat museums and a brilliant day trip)
Yeah, I agree with this but I think the person above had no clear idea why it makes sense you’d spend a week or more at Disney World and why it would cost so much. Lots of people especially outside of the US think it’s just a regular sized park