My Disney dilemma

My wife and I are about to take our two kids to Disneyland … and I'm absolutely terrified.

Not because I don't want to go. My nearly 3-year-old carries his Mickey Mouse stuffie everywhere. He sleeps with it. Eats with it. When he sees Mickey in real life, he'll lose it. I can't wait for that.

Here's the problem: I'm really worried about how much it's going to cost. The price of visiting Disney and competing amusement parks has been rising for years. But the upper end of what it can cost, depending on the experience you want, has entered rarefied air.

In a recent Business Insider documentary, we dug into Disney's history to better understand the real reason the Mouse House has gotten so expensive. When Disneyland opened in 1955, admission was basically pocket change. Back then, it cost 50 cents for a child and $1 an adult, to get in, or $6 and $12, respectively, in today's dollars adjusted for inflation. Going on the rides cost more.

Today, admission plus rides can run close to $200 a day, although the lower tiers are cheaper. Then there's the food. The merchandise. Not to mention the enormous crowds and the endless lines if you don't pay for a line-jumping pass. The happiest place on Earth? My wallet might disagree.

One hardcore Disney fan who still visits multiple times a year told us she's cut back on extras and avoids premium shortcuts or add-ons.

Another family dropped nearly $10,000 on Disney World and came home with a list of what they'd cut next time.

There are Disney-specific budgeting stories, too, showing how families save on tickets, food, and hotels. I'm taking notes.

My real fear isn't the credit-card bill. What if my kids love it? What if they beg to go back? What if this trip becomes such a core memory priceless, one might say that they measure other vacations against it?