Can Americans afford a Disney vacation?

Can Americans afford a Disney vacation?

Many Americans will take on debt this summer for a family trip to a Disney theme park. So why is the happiest place on earth breaking their bank accounts? Teo takes Clare on a fantasy trip to Disneyworld to find out, and see if Clare can have a truly magical experience on a budget.  We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here [https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML] to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio [https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes] in Seattle. Sources in this episode: * Disney’s Magic Kingdom Raises Prices [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLl2S2Cx7is], CNN News Room, 2014 * Disney and the Decline of America’s Middle Class [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html], New York Times, 2025 * Can America Afford Disney? [https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-too-expensive-middle-class-americans/], Disney Tourist Blog, 2025 * How Much Disney Can America’s Middle Class Afford in 2025? [https://touringplans.com/blog/how-much-disney-can-americas-middle-class-afford-in-2025/], Touring Plans Blog, 2025 * The U.S. Economy Depends More Than Ever on Rich People [https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/us-economy-strength-rich-spending-2c34a571], Wall Street Journal, 2025 * Even Disney Is Worried About the High Cost of a Disney Vacation [https://www.wsj.com/business/disney-parks-price-hikes-consumers-0bf4dbd6?], Wall Street Journal, 2025 * Why do people keep coming back? [https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2026/04/14/disney-world-disneyland-fans/89427065007/], USA Today, 2026 * Consumer Expenditure Surveys [https://www.bls.gov/cex/], Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023 * How Do People Afford Disney? [https://www.reddit.com/r/Mommit/comments/1musn25/how_do_people_afford_disney/], Reddit, 2026  * Earnings Report [https://investors.thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/news-details/2024/The-Walt-Disney-Company-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-Earnings-for-Fiscal-2024-11-14-2024/], Walt Disney Report, 2024 * Summer Travel Survey [https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/survey-summer-vacation/], Bankrate, 2025 * Disney Survey [https://www.lendingtree.com/debt-consolidation/disney-goers-debt-survey/], LendingTree, 2024 * Global Attractions Attendance Report [https://aecom.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/reports/AECOM-Theme-Index-2023.pdf], AECOM, 2023 * The Walt Disney Company [https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/], 2026 * What’s The Current Disney Commission Rate For Travel Agents? [https://mainstreetagencytravel.com/news/whats-the-current-disney-commission-rates-for-travel-agents], Mainstreet Agency Travel, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Does shopping at Costco actually save you money?

Costco is a beloved brand, famous for its bulk deals and $1.50 hot dog lunch meal. But can shopping there really save you money? Clare tells Teo about her quest to find out, and the surprising ways that some people work the system of wholesale retailers.  We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here [https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML] to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org You help make Control F a reality by supporting the show. Donate to KUOW at this link [https://donate.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes] to keep us in your feed and free for everyone. Sources in this episode: * Consumer Price Index data [https://www.bls.gov/cpi/], U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics * Most and Least Expensive Supermarkets [https://www.consumerreports.org/money/prices-price-comparison/most-and-least-expensive-supermarkets-a3157951568/], Consumer Reports * Cost of Living Index (COLI) data, The Council for Community Economic research * Interview with David and Susan Schwartz, authors of The Joy of Costco  * Interview with Jordan Page * Interview with Tan Vinh and Chris Solomon See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Does immigration enforcement reduce crime?

President Donald Trump has turbo-powered immigration enforcement efforts in the U.S. As of March 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was detaining approximately 60,000 people. The agency is now the best-funded law enforcement organization in the country. The Trump administration claims that expanded immigration enforcement will reduce crime. But does the data support that? Teo tells Clare about the recent history of immigration enforcement in the U.S. and explains what information we have on its relationship to crime.  We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here [https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML] to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio [https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes] in Seattle. Sources in this episode: * ICE Detention and Deportation by the Numbers [https://austinkocher.substack.com/p/ice-detention-and-deportation-by], Austin Kocher, Substack, 2026 * Deportation Data Project [https://deportationdata.org/index.html], University of California, Berkeley, 2026 * The Human and Financial Costs Rack Up as Immigration Detention Expands [https://www.npr.org/2026/03/26/nx-s1-5742745/ice-immigration-detention-costs-economy], Martin Kaste, NPR, 2026 * Rethinking Immigration Enforcement, Charis E. Kubrin, Scholars Strategy Network [https://scholars.org], 2025 * Immigration Enforcement and Public Safety [https://www.nber.org/papers/w32109], Felipe M. Gonçalves, Elisa Jácome, Emily K. Weisburst, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper, 2024  * Immigration and Crime: Taking Stock [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-22839-1], Charis E. Kubrin and Graham C. Ousey, SpringerBriefs in Criminology, 2023 * Immigrant Organizations and Neighborhood Crime [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00111287221084289], Young-An Kim, John R. Hipp, Charis E. Kubrin, Sage Journal, 2022 * Effects of Immigrant Legalization on Crime [http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/aer.p20151041], Scott R. Baker, American Economic Review, 2015 * 7 Reasons to Abandon the Secure Communities Program [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2492655], Charis E. Kubrin, Criminology and Public Policy, 2014 * Does Immigration Enforcement Reduce Crime? Evidence from Secure Communities [https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/680935?journalCode=jle], Thomas J. Miles and Adam B. Cox, The Journal of Law and Economics, 2014 * Interview with Professor Charis E. Kubrin, University of California, Irvine, 2026 * Interview with Phil Neff, University of Washington Center for Human Rights, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Why am I seeing so many sports gambling ads? (a.k.a. The Kalshi Question)

Sports gambling ads are proliferating: In stadiums, on TV broadcasts and on apps across the internet. The multi-billion dollar industry has exploded in the past five years. So what happens when that momentum is translated into gambling on politics, culture, and even war? Clare tells Teo about the meteoric rise of sports gambling, and the way it’s changing norms about betting on real world events.  We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here [https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML] to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio [https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes] in Seattle. Sources in this episode: * US Sports Betting Revenue & Handle [https://www.legalsportsreport.com/sports-betting-states/revenue/], Legal Sports Report * #Sponsored: A Systematic Literature Review and Theoretical Framework of Gambling Sponsorship Research [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00913367.2023.2288829?src=getftr&utm_source=wiley&getft_integrator=wiley], Journal of Advertising * The effect of television advertising on gambling behaviour: a quasi-experimental study during the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12854864/], Addictive Behavior Reports * The Financial Consequences of Legalized Sports Gambling [https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3736252.3742536], Conference on Economics and Computation * Sports betting legalization: How we got here [https://www.espn.com/sports-betting/story/_/id/23561576/chalk-line-how-got-legalized-sports-betting?EWEB_BNCP=true], ESPN * Attorney General Mayes Charges Kalshi With Illegal Gambling Operation, Election Wagering in Arizona [https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-charges-kalshi-illegal-gambling-operation-election-wagering], Arizona office of the Attorney General * Nevada Gaming Control Board Granted TRO Against Kalshi [https://www.gaming.nv.gov/siteassets/content/about/press-release/ngcb-granted-tro-against-kalshi.pdf], Nevada Gaming Control Board * Interview with Luke Burbank, co-host of TBTL * Interview with Victor Matheson, professor of economics, editor of the Journal of Sports Economics * Interview with Chris Louis, professor at the Boston University School of Public Health * Superbowl advertisement [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfLUbLIULDw] for Fanatics Sportsbook, featuring Kendall Jenner * Fans were stunned by this NFL wild card weekend, a breakdown [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JffcA2VeWE], Jomboy Media See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Who decided my dog is ‘too big’ for my home?

Only 11 percent of rental units in the United States allow “big” dogs – but what does that mean? Is a labrador a big dog? How about a pit bull? And why does your landlord care so much, anyway? Inspired by the story of one dog who ran afoul of an HOA rule, Clare tells Teo why so many dogs end up booted from loving homes to shelters and how advocates are trying to stop it.  We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here [https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML] to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio [https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes] in Seattle. Sources in this episode: * Data on dog weights from Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital * Data analysis on pet restrictions in housing from the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative, based on Smart Apartment Data * 2025 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report [https://theaawa.org/hills-2025-shelter-report/], The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement * Pets & Housing Data 2025 Edition [https://heyzine.com/flip-book/2025petsandhousingdata.html], Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative  * Interview with Dr. Jessica Bell, Veterinarian and professor at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine * Interview with Alexandra Alvarado, American Apartment Owner’s Association * Interview with Ross Barker, lead of the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative * Interview with Tor Berg, Poochie’s dad See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.