Really? The Happiest Place on Earth?

I been thinking a lot about Disney World lately, or more accurately I've been thinking about whether a trip there is really necessary for our family of four.

Thanks to a deluge of commercials on television during the Christmas break for this center of entertainment in Orlando, Florida, Amelia has asked no less than 3,496 times if we can go there one day. My stock answers are always, "We'll see" and "I'll look into it" both of which still pacify her. 

In the past, I've always imagined we would one day make the trek to the world Walt and Mickey built, but now I am not so sure. I've done some research on what it would take to get us there, and I am now thinking this trip may not be in the cards for us. It's not just the cost that bothers me, but the whole "Disney experience" that's being touted that I don't think I want to be a part of.

I was fortunate as a child that I got to go to Disney World twice. The first time, though, cannot be described as an amazing and wonderful trip because it came just after my daddy's funeral in nearby Christmas, Florida. 

My mom knew I'd always dreamed of going to the Magic Kingdom so her and her boyfriend at the time decided since we were going to be in the area that they'd swing by the park. Additionally, I think they thought a trip to Disney World might help to take my mind off having just lost my daddy to heart disease at the very young age of 43.

However, for me the whole experience was more akin to, "Hey, we know they just lowered your daddy in the ground, but let's go have a super-fun time at Disney World!" I was miserable the entire trip. My misery was heightened by the fact I was sharing this experience with momma and her boyfriend both of whom were mainly concerned with how long they would have to wait before being able to enjoy several adult beverages rather than making sure I enjoyed myself at The Happiest Place on Earth.

My second trip to the park came courtesy of the fact my high school band - in which I played trumpet - had been invited to march in an Orlando parade and spend a day at Disney World. This visit was much more pleasurable and I have lots of good memories of traversing Disney and Epcot with three friends. We laughed all day it seems even though we spent a good portion of our time there soaking wet thanks to a brief deluge that dampened our bodies but not our spirits. 

In the 20-plus years since I visited Disney World, the park has undergone a massive makeover to include Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and two water parks. By all accounts, it takes about seven to 10 days to see and do everything the parks offer. 

In addition, there are now opportunities to sit down and enjoy a meal with everyone from Cinderella to Mickey Mouse himself - however, apparently only the most diligent and dedicated parents can make these meals a reality for their kids because I've been told tickets to the most coveted meals are not easy to come by. I know one mother who started calling a year - 12 MONTHS - before their scheduled visit to attempt to get her kids on the guest list for breakfast with Chef Mickey and dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table.

Oh, I cannot forget to mention that the same mother spent a portion of that same year worried to death that she would be unable to get her girls an appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where they could be transformed into a Disney Princess by "fairy godmothers-in-training" the cost for which starts at $49.95 and tops out at $189.95! I don't pay almost $200 for a salon visit so I can assure you I will not be dropping that kind of cash on my kids!

While we're on the topic of cost, let me share what I was told by another person who made the trek to Disney with his wife and two children. He reported that he paid $800 per person just for park tickets and fast passes. That price, which totaled $3,200, in case you didn't do the multiplication yourself - just covered entrance to the place and the ability to move to the front of the line on rides. Nothing in that cost paid for lodging, food, souvenirs or those inevitable "extra" costs that pop up when you're on vacation.

I know for some people a trip to Disney World is a life-long dream for which they're willing to go into debt and spend hours on the phone trying to make sure their kids enjoy the total experience so they can brag to their friends about the mundane food they ate while seated with royalty or giant mice and the over-the-top salon trip they enjoyed the likes of which their mothers will never know; but, for me, I just feel our money and time would be better spent elsewhere.

You see, my idea of vacation is going somewhere that someone else is in charge of cooking and cleaning and where I can lounge around and be catered to rather than spend my time sweating while schlepping around with two fussy girls at a crowded noisy park at which I would have to ride almost every ride because my husband gets motion sickness just from watching a carousel go around and around. 

But, here's the kicker - I feel guilty and selfish for not wanting to provide my girls with the chance to go at least once in their young lives to a place filled with magic and whimsy. I know Disney offers some "budget-friendly" trips during which families can enjoy the parks without including the luxuries of character meals and boutique visits. However, I still find myself wondering if even that is worth our trouble.

I love traveling with my husband and girls and hope to be able to do it more as money comes available, but I have to imagine my girls' lives will still be rich and fulfilled even if they never see the Magic Kingdom. I'd prefer to take them places that offer something for everyone at a more reasonable price because, let me tell you, for the kind of money we'd have to lay out for Disney, we could in turn spend a very nice week at a resort in the Bahamas or on a cruise.