Distinction between "theme park enthusiast" and "Disney Adult"

[Poseidon Quest]

Hate to break it to some of you, but to non-Disney people like most of my friends and family, everyone posting on these boards would a "weird" Disney Adult in their eyes.

Which is exactly why parks fans are important in allowing Disney to remain the industry leader.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I don’t fall into either of these categories. I’m definitely not a theme-park person—only Disney parks interest me—but nor do I fit your description of a Disney Adult. For me, the parks bring to life the wonder, magic, and happiness I’ve associated with Disney since childhood. IP is a big part of that for me, but I also value the stuff that’s original to the parks.

I suppose I identify as a Pixie Duster. How that relates to your two categories I’m not sure.

I‘m definitely an amusement park person but I’m even more-so a Disney person, as a kid I’d spend hours sitting on my bike watching the carnies set up the rides at our state fair, the engineering was (and is) just as fascinating to me as actually riding the rides. In High school we moved to a city with a good local amusement park and I spent most my free time as a teenager there, either as a passholder or an employee, when I go visit my family I still can’t help driving by (even if it’s closed) to look at the changes and for a bit of nostalgia. I’m still an amusement park fan, and still can’t resist stopping when I see a carnival for a ride or two, but I compare everything to Disney now and very little measures up, I even struggle with Universal because most of it doesn’t measure up in my opinion.

I probably fall into the pixie duster category too and have no problem with that. Disney standards have unfortunately fallen off a bit but it’s still miles ahead of everyone else in my opinion, that doesn’t prevent me from enjoying an Orbiter ride at a carnival just as much now as I did as a teenager though.

 

[LeighM]

I consider myself to be a Disney Adult but mainly because I grew up on Disney. My grandfather always watched the western movies. Grandma liked the old movies like Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Mom had me watching everything from the beginning of Disney. Every Sunday, my family would watch The Wonderful World of Disney together. I was lucky to be a child during the Disney Renaissance and experience the magic of The Little Mermaid when it first came out. I remember waiting for the Disney Store catalogue and seeing everything that was out of our budget expect for the small bottle of "pixie dust" my Mom managed to buy me for my birthday. Waiting for the free preview week of Disney Channel. The fun of the original Disney Store in my local mall. And watching TGIF on Fridays and being excited for the WDW special episodes hoping that one day I would be able to go to the parks. I didn't get to go to the parks until I was in my late 20s or early 30s (not counting the time Mom took me when I was 2 because I have no memory of it). I love Disney history and thoroughly enjoyed reading Disney Wars. I'm currently humored by the people who complained about Michael Eisner complaining about both Iger and Chapek and wishing someone like Eisner would come back. I appreciate everything Disney has to offer for those that enjoy the parks, those who love the movies, cruising, whatever. What I'm not is a type of person who is blind to Disney's faults or the type of person that has to criticize everything they do. My complaints about Disney recently have to do with their decisions in the parks and making it so hard for others who grew up on Disney to experience that "Disney Magic" for themselves. I knew someone who went recently with their family and came back and said that it was fine for a one and done kind of trip but they didn't see what the big deal was over. Disney lost the chance of having several repeat visitors because of a lackluster WDW vacation. And it's sad to see someone who has always loved Disney entertainment walk away loving Disney less because of their theme park vacation. I'm hoping Iger and others can recapture what made so many true Disney Adults keep returning to the parks. Maybe I've got a lot of Pixie Duster in me as well LOL.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Hate to break it to some of you, but to non-Disney people like most of my friends and family, everyone posting on these boards would a "weird" Disney Adult in their eyes.

Which is why the distinction needs to be made. Not everyone who loves WDW/Disney Parks is obsessed with Disney, the brand.

 

[Chi84]

Which is why the distinction needs to be made. Not everyone who loves WDW/Disney Parks is obsessed with Disney, the brand.

The people referenced don’t care, so they won’t be impressed at all by the distinction.

 

[LittleBuford]

Which is why the distinction needs to be made.

Why, though? I guess I don’t understand what’s at stake. There have always been different kinds of Disney (parks) fans, and there always will be.

 

[Chi84]

Why, though? I guess I don’t understand what’s at stake. There have always been different kinds of Disney (parks) fans, and there always will be.

There are some who think WDW was at its best many years ago and has been declining ever since. They don’t make room for different kinds of Disney parks fans. They believe we’re all settling for less because we don’t know better.

 

[dreday3]

Which is why the distinction needs to be made. Not everyone who loves WDW/Disney Parks is obsessed with Disney, the brand.

Oh geez louise, who cares? Why is this important in real life?
Oh, its not.

Just enjoy your vacations and whatever you like, that’s what life is about. If I worried about what everyone said about me...

My ears are burning.

 

[Chi84]

Oh geez louise, who cares? Why is this important in real life?
Oh, its not.

Just enjoy your vacations and whatever you like, that’s what life is about. If I worried about what everyone said about me...

My ears are burning.

Now why would that be?

 

[Jrb1979]

There are some who think WDW was at its best many years ago and has been declining ever since. They don’t make room for different kinds of Disney parks fans. They believe we’re all settling for less because we don’t know better.

In some ways it was much better when I was growing up. I was more impressed with the dark rides that was in Epcot back then. IMO Horizons, Works of Motion and Body Wars blows away any of the new attractions they have since added They had good stories and didn't have IP slapped on it. It feels now that it's less about the ride and more about the IP they can attach to it.

I will give you a good example of what you said. I believe it was you who mentioned it before that Six Flags Great America was better when Marriott owned it. Now it's a park you would never visit again.

 

[Touchdown]

I’m a roller coaster enthusiast, I love theme parks. By far this is my bigger passion, however I’m a child of the Disney Decade and have a deep knowledge of most of the Disney cannon. While I might own most of the movies (that’s something I also collect) outside of my Disney parks clothes (which is a subset of my large theme park apperal I have) and a few Halloween decorations you wouldn’t know it from my home decor. I also do not think I would be as a big a consumer of Disney media without my early park experiences. That is not something I would say about my theme park fandom (early trips to small NH parks and BGW would have cemented that without WDW.)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

For most of WDW's existence, it was possible to have a WDW vacation without being constantly bombarded by Disney, the brand. Sure, the characters and IP were always there, but they weren't everywhere. There was always a balance. You could spend a week at WDW and see very little "Disney" stuff if you wanted.

I love how people think Walt showed some kind of restraint and left IP out of the parks, as if there is some inherent value in that.

The reason there wasn’t more IP in DL on opening day was because there wasn’t that much IP owned by WD yet.

Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Peter Pan, Dumbo…what big IP did he leave out in some big display of creativity? I’m guessing if there was no attraction (Bambi) there was still some representation.

A man who slapped his name on everything wouldn’t have used his hard-fought IP wins in a park named after himself? A man who went on TV to promote his films and his park (synergy before it was synergy) would then not want to further promote within the park?

What % of his IP did he use?

DL was a snapshot of his mind and the culture at the time, and how the former interpreted the latter. It was a combination of the practical and the branding.

If you think he wouldn’t have been over-the-moon proud of The Lion King and The Little Mermaid and wouldn’t have wanted to feature them in the park(s) then you don’t understand ambitious businessmen.

This narrative some go on about wherein there is great virtue in using a Country Bear vs. Winnie the Pooh just because one is well-known is bonkers. It’s just calling back to the nostalgia for a time when non-IP attractions were made out of practical necessity to fill the space because there wasn’t enough IP to do so.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It's always annoying when I see someone say that The Great Movie Ride was "boring" because they didn't know what any of the movies were. The purpose of the ride was not to point and shout "Look I know that thing!"

Again, proving my point. Of course it was made with movies expecting to be recognized, not solely as a lecture in film history. Most of the films chosen were considered iconic by people who were old enough to have been making decisions/working on it in the late 80’s when it was put together.

Many of those movies have not carried over to younger generations since and are only shown on TCM. They have aged out of pop culture. “Singin’ In The Rain” used to be referenced often even in cartoons in the 70’s and 80’s, but rarely now.

I loved it, but I’m 51. 15 year olds today would be understandably bored except for Indy, Alien and Wizard of Oz.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Oh geez louise, who cares? Why is this important in real life? Oh, its not.

This kind of attitude are why the parks, and the Disney product at large, is not as good as it could be.

It was better when some people, like those in charge, did care.

 

[dreday3]

This kind of attitude are why the parks, and the Disney product at large, is not as good as it could be.

It was better when some people, like those in charge, did care.

The parks aren't as good as they can be because I don't care if someone calls me a "Disney Adult" because I enjoy going to the theme parks.
Makes perfect sense!

 

[kingdead]

The one thing about "IP" rides is that perhaps the popularity of the IP lets the ride builders get lazy with the ride itself? Thinking of something like the Little Mermaid ride. But yeah, there is absolutely no way that you're not going to see Disney tie-ins in a Disney park. Maybe not in EPCOT, but that has its own problems.

Personally, I think of people who are really into the merch as the dreaded "Disney Adult." Wearing clothing with the characters out in public and not just in the parks, having a huge Funko Pop collection, pushing someone out of the way to get that Figment popcorn bucket. This goes double if you have these things and absolutely will not let children play with them because "the value."

 

[Jrb1979]

I love how people think Walt showed some kind of restraint and left IP out of the parks, as if there is some inherent value in that.

The reason there wasn’t more IP in DL on opening day was because there wasn’t that much IP owned by WD yet.

Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Peter Pan, Dumbo…what big IP did he leave out in some big display of creativity? I’m guessing if there was no attraction (Bambi) there was still some representation.

A man who slapped his name on everything wouldn’t have used his hard-fought IP wins in a park named after himself? A man who went on TV to promote his films and his park (synergy before it was synergy) would then not want to further promote within the park?

What % of his IP did he use?

DL was a snapshot of his mind and the culture at the time, and how the former interpreted the latter. It was a combination of the practical and the branding.

If you think he wouldn’t have been over-the-moon proud of The Lion King and The Little Mermaid and wouldn’t have wanted to feature them in the park(s) then you don’t understand ambitious businessmen.

This narrative some go on about wherein there is great virtue in using a Country Bear vs. Winnie the Pooh just because one is well-known is bonkers. It’s just calling back to the nostalgia for a time when non-IP attractions were made out of practical necessity to fill the space because there wasn’t enough IP to do so.

Yes Walt did put in IP in the parks but it was done strategically. Now they shoehorn IP in where ever they see fit.

I'm sorry but Frozen, Guardians and Remy have no business being in Epcot. Epcot had an amazing theme when it first opened and some of the best attractions in all of WDW. The park felt different like the way AK feels different compared to the other parks. I would have loved to see the Rhine River cruise in Germany or the Mt Fuji coaster in Japan over Remy and Frozen.

 

[kingdead]

Yes Walt did put in IP in the parks but it was done strategically. Now they shoehorn IP in where ever they see fit.

I'm sorry but Frozen, Guardians and Remy have no business being in Epcot. Epcot had an amazing theme when it first opened and some of the best attractions in all of WDW. The park felt different like the way AK feels different compared to the other parks. I would have loved to see the Rhine River cruise in Germany or the Mt Fuji coaster in Japan over Remy and Frozen.

Guardians I don't get but I can see why Disney is putting IP-themed properties into EPCOT--back when it opened, being able to go to a different "country" was exciting. Now air travel is easier and more importantly if I want to "see" a different country I can pull up a video of the famous sights on my phone in under a minute. If I want to make food from that country, I can find recipe sites and specialty grocers in under a minute. If I want to watch TV or movies or listen to music from that country, again, under a minute.

However, you can only hang out with Remy and pals in one place on earth. (Well, what, three now? But it's a little more of a select experience.)

 

[LittleBuford]

Personally, I think of people who are really into the merch as the dreaded "Disney Adult." Wearing clothing with the characters out in public and not just in the parks, having a huge Funko Pop collection, pushing someone out of the way to get that Figment popcorn bucket. This goes double if you have these things and absolutely will not let children play with them because "the value."

Apart from the pushing (no excuse for that!), what’s wrong with such a person? Who are you to judge them? As @dreday3 pointed out, we’re all weird Disney Adults to the general public. Why can’t we all just enjoy Disney as we each choose to?

 

[Californian Elitist]

You’ve probably never really seen the extent of the truly strange behavior of a Disney adult until you’ve worked at a Disney park. I didn’t know such a type of fan existed until I became a CM.

I don’t fit into any of these categories. I’m certainly not a Disney adult. I do have a healthy balance of Disney fandom in me, and it’s actually simmered down significantly over the past couple of years (haven’t owned an annual pass in years, no longer regularly go to parks, quit my D23 membership many years ago, don’t tend to buy much Disney merchandise anymore, and am not eager to watch the new films, for the most part). I’m not a theme park enthusiast either. I am passionate about one theme park, and that’s it. I don’t travel to different places specifically for theme/amusement parks, and I certainly don’t prioritize them for things to do when I travel (visiting a theme park is the last thing on my list, if the thought of going to one even crosses my mind). And I’m certainly not a pixie duster. I can’t and refuse to overlook the issues in the parks (I’ve literally been trained not to do that). This is one of the reasons I no longer regularly go.