Odd.. the amusement park I go to around here: $43.99 a day. Disney world: $192 for a four day pass. That's around $4 more a day for admission. Then you have hotel.. you can get some REAL cheap hotels in kissimmee, FL. I've seen some for $30 a night.. nice ones for $60. That's cheaper than you can get around our local amusement park (costs ~$75 a night for the basic ones). Then food.. the amusement park food costs $15-$20 for something worse than high school cafeteria food. Disney's is the same for basic food, more for the expensive stuff (but that's not necessary). For the same amount of time, you're spending the same or more at local parks.
Of course they're marketing all sorts of crap to your kids. Ya know what? If that marketing is more powerful than your influence over them, you're a crappy parent. When I went to Disney as a kid, we DROVE, stayed in a budget hotel, made most of our own meals, and I got one souvenier (a hat). Odd.. I still loved it. Fancy that.
