Dreams of catching a foul ball or visiting Cinderella’s castle are common aspirations in young families. It’s part of a tradition that has remained relatively unchanged since Walt Disney opened his first theme park.
“Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America—with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world,” explained Walt Disney.
These pastimes passed on from generation to generation might have to stay in the past if people can no longer afford to participate in activities that simply cost too much.
Summer vacation is often when a family takes trips, whether splurging on Disney or going to the movies. What’s changed is that now everything is expensive, and pocketbooks are hurting with these rising costs.
Visiting Disney World costs $109 per day, and that’s only for one ticket. For a family of four, that means a hefty price tag of $436, and that’s before hotels, food, and souvenirs.
According to a study conducted by The Hustle, traditional family outings have “increased in cost at 2-3x the rate of inflation.” In addition, the study – which compared family outings in 1960 to today – concluded that “American families have to work up to 2x as many hours as they did 60 years ago.”
Since most people can’t just double up on their hours worked to go on vacation, what are real families doing to combat the rising cost of basic activities?