I wanted to add a few comments about the trip as well:
Though I too was completely frustrated with the events surrounding the Machu Picchu experience, the ruins themselves are pretty impressive since they were undiscovered by the conquistadors and thus preserved.
We had heard stories, and I was terrified that once we got there we would be shoulder to shoulder with other tourists. We got up long before sunrise and stood in a frustrating, unorganized line to get on the first bus to the top in order to get the perfect view of the ruins without tourists, the one you see in all of the posters. I was very pleasantly surprised that not only were we able to get this view, we had it for quite awhile. It turns out that all of the tourists kind of head up to get the same view, and very few people immediately go walking around the ruins. Even once everyone starts milling around the ruins, they are so big that it really doesn’t feel that crowded.
If you do end up going to Machu Picchu, make sure to make the hike up to Wayna Picchu. It is a killer hike, mostly straight up, but the view is worth it. Also, if you want to feel like Indian Jones, take the hike down the back side to see the Temple of the Moon and the Gran Caverna. These are smaller ruins and slightly overgrown, but we had the place to ourselves. I really enjoyed that!