I know I talked about Asterix Park in a previous post, but the Magic Kingdom is really the benchmark theme park. For reasons I will explain:

Stevenson, you spend most of your last day's post focused on trying to find a comparision to the life of Walt Disney. You fail to address the question you set out to answer in about why people keep coming back. In fact, you don't even attempt to try to think critically about theme parks and what sets Disney apart. I've been critical of your efforts and your analysis all week, so I'll help you now.

Think about your typical carnival or theme park for a moment and here's what comes to mind:

1. Questionable roller coaster safety

2. Rigged "Games of Skill" / Pseudo gambling machines

3. The (mostly undeserved) reputation of "carinval folk" for being sketchy.

4. Trash / Dirty bathrooms

5. Dirt or cracked asphalt ground

6. Scary clowns

7. Can't find your car in the parking lot.

Compare to Disney:

1. Although there have been a few incidents of Disney "Cast members" getting hurt (apparently Pluto got killed by a float in 2004), and at least one recent incident of "line cutter rage", the whole Disney ethos is that of a safe place. In fact, you spent the whole week complaining about it.

2. You'll find a few video games in Tomorrowland by Space Mountain, but only game of skill you'll find are the checkers boards set out on Tom Sawyer island.

3. Did you notice how every college kid working at the park has the name of their university on it? That's to tell the park guests that good clean-cut kids, like the ones you hope to raise, are working at the park. There are critical things to say about this strategy, but at least appreciate the societal prejudice about theme park personnel that's Disney is trying to overcome.

4. Disney parks are ridiculously clean. In fact, you spent the whole week complaining about it

5. You did take a picture of the ersatz streetcar rail at the one Disney Park. Good job.

6. Disney seems to understand that their costumed characters might scare the living daylights out of some people and/or get mobbed. Access to these unnatural walking cartoons is carefully managed.

7. You covered parking lots, but that you are a childless adult, your understaning of the experience is deeply flawed. How far did you walk from the tram to the car? I bet it wasn't more than 250 yards. In fact, I bet it was less than 100 yards. Moreover, if you remembered that you were "Goofy 24" or whatever, I bet you had no trouble finding your car at all. Now reimagine yourself with three kids. One is in a stroller (crying from exhaustion). One is a tween (looking dazed), and the middle one is asleep on your shoulder, somehow managing to weigh 8 billion pounds Aren't you glad you got them into the car so quickly. Did you refill on the Hess station on the way out? Did you notice that the gas prices were pretty good? Yeah... well maybe you didn't notice that but a Dad notices that. It makes him fill one iota less Cranky (Cranky999). As he gets onto the tollroad, he notices that all three kids are asleep, and he thinks, "That was a nice time, and the price wasn't too bad, all things considered, I wonder when I can come back."