Mancilla 1

Eduardo Mancilla
Prof. Matthew Capdevielle
Balfour Writing & Rhetoric
16 July 2014
Evaluation Essay
Happiest Place on Earth?
Fathers work endlessly to earn enough money to take their daughters to the Mickey
Mouse mecca, while children weep incessantly, begging to visit the happiest place on Earth, the
place where dreams come true; Disneyland. Disneyland is one of the most revered entertainment
parks on the planet. Located in Anaheim, California, Disneyland stands as a symbol of Walt
Disneys contribution to the entertainment industry. No child can resist the allure of Cinderellas
grand castle and the twists, turns, and spills at the iconic Splash Mountain. Because of the
magical atmosphere, the exhilarating rides, and memorable experience, Disneyland seems like
the obvious choice to indulge a child in a day of bliss and merriment. Unfortunately, the happiest
place on Earth turns into a nightmare as parents experience frustration provoked by the
outrageous cost of a water bottle, the preposterous wait times that can exceed forty minutes for
the lines at Space Mountain, and the beginning manifestations of arthritis that arise from such
long lines. It becomes quite apparent that Disneyland is like any other business, striving to
acquire revenue and reputation by exploiting its main customers, parents. As a result, I believe it
has earned the title of worst place to visit if parents want to create a memorable experience with
their children.
Unfazed by the $15 expense for parking, parents attempt to convince themselves that the
cost of Disneyland is worth seeing the smiles on their childrens faces. By the time parents arrive

Mancilla 2
at the ticket booth, they undergo cardiac arrest. They have to pick their poison and decide
between the Disneyland Park ticket, which costs an unbelievable amount of $96, or the park
hopper ticket costing $150. If they need to wash down the unbelievable costs, then they can stroll
to any one of the convenient carts that sells bottles of water for three dollars. Regardless of the
evident ploy by Disneyland to charge individuals as much as possible, some may argue that
Disneyland wants to fulfill a childs lifetime dream of meeting Mickey Mouse or hugging Snow
White. It is obvious that the fulfillment of such dreams comes at the cost of a parents paycheck.
Those costs are what make the Disney experience magical, or at least that is what the
Disneyland enthusiasts say. For example, my parents had accumulated hard-earned savings over
the course of several months, only to spend it in on my sisters and me for one day at the
supposed happiest place on earth. At the time, I did not appreciate the sacrifices made by my
parents that the Disney enthusiasts said I would. A parent, without having to worry about any
extreme costs, can provide a bonding experience at the movies, the beach, or a different
amusement park that a child can appreciate. Such alternatives may not be as unique as
Disneyland but the sacrifices made to take my sister and me to see some sweaty guy in a rat
costume were not worth requiring my mother and father to double their labor hours and endure a
whole day of walking and waiting.
A parent and a child will be reluctant to endure the insane waiting lines for Mickeys
autograph, but, ridiculously, the everlasting waiting even begins at the entrance of the
amusement park with at least 10 people standing impatiently to enter the theme park. More eager
than ever, families who make it through the entrance gates dash into the amusement park only to
find other families loathingly standing in line to take clich pictures at the Mickey Mouse
Garden. A picture that should take a minute turns into ten minutes. Then, families have to pick up

Mancilla 3
a map and run around chasing their children, as they decide which rides they will enter.
Inevitably, ones child will sprint into one of the many Disney stores to look at the collection of
Mickey Mouse hats, causing an interruption in the familys schedule. After the detour, families
have to find a ride and wait anywhere from twelve minutes for Its a Small World to forty-five
minutes for Space Mountain. The wait may not seem that bad on paper, but physically waiting in
line with no opportunity to sit down leads to nagging children and excruciating knee pain. Lets
not forget about the zigzagged lines that seem to last forever. The combination of the unbearable
wait for rides, the constant complaints from antsy children, and the throbbing pain from standing
does not make any ride lasting five minutes worth it. Time is lifes most limited asset. Disney
preys on the idea by charging for fast passes, resulting in the exponentially more expensive
Disney experience. Disneyland enthusiasts will argue that the memories made at the theme park
will outweigh the pain of having to buy the ever-expensive tickets and the pain of having to wait
and stand in line all day. They are correct in saying that families will remember Disneyland for a
lifetime, but they forget to mention that it will be remembered in the form of a nightmare.
A child may not forget the joy from embracing the gentle arms of Cinderella, as
enthusiasts may be quick to mention, but children tend to forget the anguished countenance of
their parents when they have to pay for the park tickets. Some individuals fail to acknowledge
that children will appreciate any bonding experience, as long as there is a profound amount of
affection provided by the parent. People are falsely led by the idea that Disneyland is worth their
life savings. There are so many different alternatives to Disneyland such as Knotts Berry Farm
and Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. Although those parks did not revolutionize the
world with their iconic cartoons, children will still have a blast without requiring their parents to
pay an arm or a leg. Some people consider it blasphemy to criticize Disneyland, but in actuality,

Mancilla 4
it is blasphemy to consider paying at least $300 dollars for a familys tickets and waiting at least
thirty-five minutes for the popular rides, all so that children will not appreciate the sacrifices of
parents, a magical experience at the happiest place on Earth.