Disney’s parks may be, as they advertise, the “happiest place on earth,” but they’re also among the most expensive, and a new report from Lending Tree says that nearly half the families taking vacations there are going into debt to do it.
But, it’s apparently a happy enough place that many of the respondents didn’t regret it, despite the debt. Figures show 59% saying “no regrets,” and 90% saying they were satisfied overall with their trips.
The average debt reported was $1983 for families with kids under 18, with 75% of families saying the expected to be able to pay it off within six months. Respondents reported that food and drink were the biggest debt-drivers, followed by transportation and accommodations.
Disneyland in Anaheim had just opened when my family lived a mile away. It was the neighborhood playground for the kids in the area. 95 cents got us in and our teachers working there during the summer months let us go on rides free. Yay!