But in the spirit of what the OP is saying, most people have never been to something like the State Fair, let alone Disney. Disney is for the rich. The State Fair is amazing from the perspective of those who have been to neither.
In the last 10 years, Disneyland has become an activity for wealthy childless millennials, which is almost certainly driving up the costs and turning Disney from a middle class activity into a wealthy one. Disney, just like any other corporation is gladly taking their money.
Pretty similar for pro sports. Lots of my friends take their kids to minor league baseball - for the kid, it can be better, as they often have specific kid activities. I've always been shocked at the price for Redskins tickets/parking/etc. Nationals is a bit less expensive, but still not cheap.
(Reminiscing over the $5 student tickets available with college ID in the early 2000's)
Not really sure what other options there are. People need to stop valuing Disney parks so highly. Or don’t and accept the price.
What on earth would be the appeal for people that do not have children? If I want rollercoasters I'll go to six flags.
Impeccably landscaped grounds. Heavily themed environments (not even the trash cans are left unthemed). Care and thought put into the immersive experience, sight lines, smell, music, etc. Christ some of the live musicians (Dixieland, barbershop, the Dapper Dans, etc) are worth it on their own. Its a fantastic place to just walk around (assuming not hot and crowded) and devour the sensory experience.
Not for the cynical of course. You have to just give in and let it all in.
If you’re the type to just trounce through an area without taking in the details that sit before you, it’s not the place for you. If you’re the type to admire the street lamps, flowers, insanely well-maintained painted woodwork, etc it’s the place for you.
Like damn, people in this thread are acting like adults can’t like Star Wars and Frozen. Do you feel the same way about music festivals? Seeing your favorite bands and buying merch.
The prevailing line in this thread is that it’s seemingly childish, immature, #cringe to genuinely like and be excited for things.
The people paying are really into Disney.
Schools get a day off each year for Fair Day in the North Texas area. Obviously, you don't have to go to the fair, but each student gets a free ticket, and "most" people typically went at least once during their school years. The "most" people seems pretty broad brush in my experience.
That isn't to say Disney is cheap. It isn't cheap either.