Day 427: The Cost of Fun

Of course I love YouTube, and of course I follow a lot of different YouTubers and generally watch a lot of YouTube videos. So it should be no surprise to you that today's post is based on...yes...a YouTube Video!

This time, it's specifically from one of TheVlogBrothers, Hank Green. I'll let you watch the video and then I'll explain the rest afterwards.

So the basic point here is that in order to accurately decide which "fun" is worth the money we spend on it, we can do some simple math, right? 

He uses the following examples: 

The Superbowl : $2000 / 4 hours = $500 / hour of entertainment

Vidcon : $150 / 32 hours = $4.6 / hour of entertainment 

Movies: $10 / 2 hours = $5 / hour of entertainment

Video Games: $60 / 40 hours = $1.5 / hour of entertainment 

Comics: $3 / 0.33 hours = $9 / hour of entertainment 

Books: $17 / 15 hours = $1.13 / hour of entertainment 

TV : $128 / 136 hours = $0.94 / hour of entertainment (per week)

So, being the Disney person I am, what did I do? If you remember back to THIS POST, where I spend how many hours calculating how long it would take you to experience everything in the Magic Kingdom, I'm no stranger to crazy statistics of Disney. Which means that this was way easier. 

Let's take me for example, since that's the easy thing to do. In the next year, I'll be spending 18 days or so (maybe 16-17 depending on length of future trips) at Walt Disney World. Or at least 18 days where I use my park ticket.

I have an annual pass, which the average price is $634 for the regular pass. I honestly don't know if that's what my family paid for it, but that's the number we're going to use. 

So, let's look at this. Assuming I spend an average of 12 hours in a Disney Park each day (take or add a few here and there because of other things and band trips and extra magic hours and what not), then here's the equation: 

Disney World: $634 / 216 hours (18 days x 12 hours/day) = $2.94 / hour of entertainment 

Seems like a pretty good deal, huh? Of course, you have to add on the price for your room, and your food and everything. But if you add even that on, the number of hours you are enjoying goes up, meaning that everything stays pretty equal. 

What does this mean? 

Walt Disney World is a better value than the SuperBowl. Or continuously going to a movie or anything. So to those that say Disney is too expensive, maybe you're right...but just remember how much there is to do (25 hours in the Magic Kingdom alone!) and the quality of what you're getting and the fact that MY ANNUAL PASS amounts to $2.94 / hour of entertainment when things like a two hour movie are $5 / hour of entertainment. Yeah, seems like a pretty good deal to me. 

Yay statistics! 

Have a magical day!