OPINION: Why would any family pick an Irish staycation when Disneyland is better value?

It's summer. You have a few weeks off from the 9-5 and you want to treat your kids to a family holiday somewhere nice, but due to cost-of-living increases and bloated hotel prices you need something a little cheaper than a villa in Crete. 

For most people, a holiday on a budget means a disappointing all-inclusive on a packed beach in Benidorm, or skipping the sun altogether and going with something much more affordable closer to home. 

But what if cheap home holidays are a thing of the past? 

Ireland has long been seen as a bit of a rip-off for tourists. Sure, they have a wonderful time due to the natural beauty of the landscape, hearty food and rich culture, but let's not pretend it doesn't cost a kidney to enjoy yourself here. When a certain tourist hotspot in Dublin charges just shy of €10 for a pint of Guinness, we can hardly claim to be value for money. 

But despite this knowledge, we don't often acknowledge that what's expensive for tourists is expensive for us too.

And I'm not talking about groceries. 

We spend most of our lives disengaged from the kind of cultural activities usually marketed to visitors, but when summer rolls around and we're despairing at the price of flights abroad (made no cheaper due to the ongoing Aer Lingus strikes), we find ourselves in the same boat. 

And not only are we rowing in the same direction, there are only so many seats, with demand for hotels skyrocketing over the past two years. 

Holiday homes and AirBnBs have also shot up in price, leaving people with no other options but day-trips to parks and activity centres, and camping sites close to beaches. 

Families can still have wonderful holidays without doing very much, but if you want something a little special, things become tricky. 

There are a couple of options for families choosing to stay in Ireland this summer, including the Hidden Valley Resort in Co Wicklow (three nights in a basic glamping lodge for two adults and two kids is just under €500), while a room with two double beds at Fota Island Resort in Co Cork costs €996.30 for three nights. Neither of these options includes the price of the activities offered, which includes laser tag, boating, and arts and crafts. 

Center Parcs in Longford is the top pick for most families. Operating in Ireland for just five years, it has rave reviews and offers over 100 indoor and outdoor activities as well as access to a terrific swimming water park. 

It seems ideal on paper; you can book a lodge with your own kitchen and sitting room, order shopping from the park's store to stock the fridge without leaving the site, and enjoy hundreds of activities in beautiful surroundings, all without stepping foot on a plane. You may breathe a sigh of relief as you realise you might actually get to relax without being attacked by mosquitos all while keeping the kids happy and saving a few euros in your pocket to boot. 

But relaxation comes with a heavy price tag these days. 

According to the booking website, three nights in a three-bed lodge for two adults and two children at Center Parcs in Longford comes in at a whopping €1,499. 

Looking at the figure on my screen, I couldn't believe it. After all, that works out at about €500 per night. But I told myself it must be because it's short notice; after all, the dates I chose (July 26 to 29) are only three weeks away at time of writing, and surely anywhere would be as expensive. 

But then I decided to look at Center Parcs in the UK. Applying the same dates for Whinfell Forest, I was shocked to see the price come up as £929, which is just under €1,100 when the currency is converted. 

For some reason, Irish people are being charged €400 more for exactly the same thing as their UK counterparts. 

I decided to check another spot, just to see if it was a fluke. But the price for Sherwood Forest came out even cheaper at £899 (or €1,062). And I got the same result when I checked the other sites, Longleat Forest, Elveden Forest and Woburn Forest, all of which are charging £999 or €1,180 for a three-bed woodland lodge. 

These prices are much more reasonable, but they're still higher than I'd like for a place where the vast majority of activities are not included. Unless your kids are spending every day either walking or at the pool (which is free) from morning until evening, you're talking serious money. 

Out of pure curiosity, I decided to check what three nights in Disneyland Paris would cost just to compare. It turns out three nights at the Toy Story themed Disney Hotel Cheyenne for two adults and two children costs just €220 more than three nights in Center Parcs Longford. This includes tickets to the parks every day. 

You and your kids can enjoy Disneyland and stay in a Woody's Roundup room with one double bed and a pull-out bed for just over €1,700. 

Disneyland or Center Parcs... when the difference is just over two hundred quid, it's not exactly what I'd call a difficult choice. 

Naturally, you have to consider getting to the famous home of Mickey Mouse, but when Ryanair is offering a return flight for €188 it's certainly something to seriously consider. Families looking to sight-see on their way to Paris could also consider taking the ferry from Rosslare and exploring some of real France before heading to Disneyland for the kids' dream holiday. 

Even if you factor in the cost of flights (approximately €752 for four people), bear in mind you don't have to pay for the rides at Disneyland. You can hop on rollercoasters and ride on tea cups until your heart's content, while 45 minutes of archery at Center Parcs Longford costs €26. 

Thirty minutes of the Mini Captains' Adventure costs €33 for an adult and child, while 30 minutes for Aerial Tree Trekking costs between €39 and €45. It's hard enough saying no to children, particularly on holidays, but paying for activities for two kids during a three-night stay could easily add up to the price of a flight to Paris. This is especially true for activities which requires an adult's participation. 

Obviously Disneyland and Center Parcs offer entirely different experiences, and a preference for one or the other is going to differ from family to family... but strictly in terms of value for money, I know which one wins. 

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to brush up on my French. Es-tu?