A father-of-three who went viral for his posts about how much Walt Disney World costs says the $1,400 he spent for one day was not worth it.
In TikTok that has been viewed by millions, Craig Stowell said a trip to the famed Orlando theme park with his wife and three kids blew up his wallet for only a modicum of enjoyment when faced with the never ending stream of lines at Disney.
“I don’t want to say it this way, but if you do the average cost per ride, it probably isn’t really worth it,” Stowell said of his experience at the happiest place on Earth.
The frustrated dad said he spent $974 for five single-day tickets, and that’s with the Florida resident discount.
“It started with the ticket purchase, and then it ran right into the parking ($30), and then it just was like a cash cow for the rest of the day,” Stowell told “FOX & Friends.”
He claimed that if he opted for the Lightning Passes to help skip some of the lines, he would’ve been down another $400.
Watch:
A Florida dad took his family to Disney for one day.
No hotel. It still cost $1,400. He itemized every purchase.
Is Disney worth it? (sound on please!) pic.twitter.com/xiPQFWvzRb
— Sovey (@SovereignX1776) May 7, 2025
Disney has raised prices for its theme parks in recent years, with the cost of single-day, single-park tickets ranging between $119 to $199 for the 2025 season.
It comes following internal surveys that reportedly showed a decline in the number of guests planning return visits to Disney’s parks in 2023.
The company recently announced that prices would increase for many 2026 dates.
As Disney offers discounts and better pricing for multi-day stays, Stowell said it was apparent the company is favoring long-term guests over local families and day-trippers.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think those day-trippers are what Disney wants,” he said. “They want you to never leave the park. They want you there for five days, and they want you to drop 10 grand. So, I think that one-day trip I’m actually being punished for it.”
Disney has been previously accused of being “addicted” to raising prices that push the limit of what working class families can afford, insiders previously warned The Wall Street Journal.
Stowell said he was glad his video went viral to demonstrate the struggle families are going through when trying to create memories together, but he was still taken aback by just how much support he received online.
“I kind of had a feeling it would go viral,” he said. “It’s very relatable. It’s family-friendly. Disney’s always a hot topic and we’re all trying to pinch pennies.
“So, I kind of had an idea that people would be able to relate to it, just maybe not so much.”
