Disney World has been in the headlines a lot lately due its very public feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Disney criticized DeSantis' "Don't say gay law," and the governor responded by trying to end all the special privileges Disney has been granted over the years. Attendance has been down this summer at Disney World and its other theme parks, but the general consensus is that high heat and lots of rain are to blame. And I am here to tell you that Central Florida, where the parks are located, is indeed hot as hell. No ocean breezes to cool you off there. I have visited Disney World three times, first back in the late 1970s, where the picture on the left of my sister Susan and I was taken. It is hard to believe that it is even me in that photograph. Perhaps I really have aged a bit since my 20s.
As I recall, that was a happy day at Disney World, proof of which is the photograph of Susan and my mother Mary on the right. The cost of a ticket was not unreasonable back then, and so there was money left over for ice cream cones. These days, the cheapest ticket is $109 during the months of August and September, and other times of year can go as high as $189. This is for everyone over the age of 10, no less. Could this also be another reason for the decline in attendance? Standing in line for the rides in extreme heat and sudden downpours, after taking out a loan to pay for your family of four's admission to the park, must be a major bummer. Especially when it is cooler and free at the beaches along the ocean. Plus, as an added bonus, no giant rodents in sight, either.
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