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

[Chef Mickey]

Well the thing is that there is growing vitriol amongst the general public for Disney Adults, and many are quick to assume that any adult that enjoys going to Disney's parks (some even include Universal in the equation) is automatically a Disney Adult.

And as Poseidon Entertainment put it in the video - it actually does affect people who like the parks as fans of themed entertainment, because Disney is responding by catering more and more to Disney Adults, making the experiences in their parks worse for theme park fanatics like me.

The Parks are part of my childhood, so if that make me a "Disney Adult," so be it. Doesn't change my life. "Disney Adults" probably have more money than the people calling them that. Lots of people sit at home all year and criticize what others do.

I'm incredibly critical of the company and basically hate them for ruining what used to be amazing. I've realized I basically don't like IP besides the classic Disney, storybook stuff. Buying Marvel, Star Wars, etc just doesn't feel Disney anyway.

 

[Chi84]

They're not. Though yes, there is some overlap between the two. Please watch the video and think about the points being made rather than knee-jerk posting.

Is it really too hard to comprehend that a person who likes ALL theme parks including Disney's theme parks does not automatically make them a Disney brand worshipper? Why is this an outlandish statement?

I watched the video. The definition of Disney Adults contains so many improbable juvenile characteristics that anyone who qualifies wouldn’t have the wherewithal to afford Disney parks.

Even accepting they exist, Disney adults and his definition of “theme park fans” would maybe (generously) account for 20% of the people who visit.

The video sounds like a paid advertisement for Universal.

 

[Stripes]

I mean, I actually agree. That's the point. The internet has collectively decided two things:

Disney Adults = bad
Adults who go to Disney's parks without kids = Disney Adults

and this collective agreement has been harmful both to an interest/hobby of mine as well as the quality the parks are offering me.

Respectfully, who gives a crap what “the internet” or anybody thinks about you or me or anybody else enjoying our lives as we see fit?

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
-Steve Jobs

 

[Tom Morrow]

The Parks are part of my childhood, so if that make me a "Disney Adult," so be it.

It doesn't. Again, that's the entire point of this thread.

A Disney Adult is someone who lives and breathes the Disney brand and makes the brand their entire identity. Not someone who enjoys theme parks including Disney's.

The video sounds like a paid advertisement for Universal.

He regularly criticizes Universal as well so no, it isn't.

 

[Chef Mickey]

It doesn't. Again, that's the entire point of this thread.

A Disney Adult is someone who lives and breathes the Disney brand and makes the brand their entire identity. Not someone who enjoys theme parks including Disney's.



He regularly criticizes Universal as well so no, it isn't.

I basically hate everything they do now, lol.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

A Disney Adult is someone who lives and breathes the Disney brand and makes the brand their entire identity.

That’s your definition. We all probably have our own definitions of the term.

It’s not something I really think is particularly important- people can call me a Disney adult all day long. I guess I kind of am?

 

[DisneyHead123]

Have not had time to watch the video, although hopefully I can soon.

Regarding the rise of various “fandoms” - to my mind this is basically a story of increasing neurodivergent, or ND, traits. As an ND mom parenting an ND child, I have spent an obsessive amount of time wondering about this. I am not in the “more awareness leads to more diagnoses but there’s no increase in ND traits” camp, I am in the “ND diagnoses and ND traits among NT people are really on the rise, like exponentially” camp. Why is that? Many theories, but again, I don’t know.

On the topic of why Disney and other fandoms have exploded, however, I think “because hyperfixation” is basically the answer. (That doesn’t necessarily speak to why Disney would be a special interest for many, but to my mind that’s fairly obvious… it’s designed to be ultra appealing and sell a pleasing narrative about goodness always winning in the end and so on. I think adults have always loved Disney for that reason, but in the past they modulated their attention differently for whatever reason.)

 

[Stripes]

A Disney Adult is someone who lives and breathes the Disney brand and makes the brand their entire identity. Not someone who enjoys theme parks including Disney's.

And if someone is a “Disney adult” and Disney’s movies and parks make them happy (more than other companies’ movies and parks), who are you to judge? Disney, far more than any other entertainment company, has amassed a fanbase that cares about the company itself. No other studio has anything like D23 Expo. Loads of people enjoy Warner Bros. or Universal movies, but there’s not many that care about Warner Bros. or Universal. There’s a reason for that. Disney and Pixar are arguably the two greatest animation studios on the planet. The MCU is the highest grossing movie franchise of all-time by a very wide margin.

Some people obsess over sports teams and make NFL franchises their entire identity to the exclusion of all other sports teams. There are Apple fanboys. Tesla fanboys. Google fanboys. More power to them. You be you.

 

[Tom Morrow]

That’s your definition. We all probably have our own definitions of the term.

If you YouTube search "Disney Adult", you'll get a pretty good idea of the general internet's definition of a "Disney Adult", whether universally true or a huge exaggeration.

Some people obsess over sports teams and make NFL franchises their entire identity to the exclusion of all other sports teams. More power to them. You be you.

But most other common obsessions (like sports teams, etc) don't have widespread mean spirited mocking of those who enjoy them.

 

[Stripes]

But most other common obsessions (like sports teams, etc) don't have widespread mean spirited mocking of those who enjoy them.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you are disturbed by the mean-spirited mocking of your love and appreciation for Disney’s theme parks because you feel unfairly characterized as belonging to the Disney adult basket when in actuality you belong to a different weird, nerd basket called “theme park enthusiasts.” Well, I hate to break it to you, but there’s plenty of jerks that will mock you for loving theme parks too.

Also, just because somebody has a particular attachment to Disney’s parks doesn’t mean they are obsessed with Disney. My mom loves Disney’s parks and is quite passionate about them but she doesn’t enjoy Universal’s parks. However, she doesn’t really care about Disney outside of their parks. Does that make her a “Disney adult?”

Sports team fandom is mainstream and has wide engagement. Any fandom that isn’t mainstream gets mocked by jerks.

 

[Agent H]

I have a couple thoughts on this topic I would like to voice. Only one is directly related to the first Poseidon entertainment video.(I generally really like that creator. I just happen to disagree with the sentiment of it)
1. It doesn’t matter if you’re slightly biased towards one specific Ip or character. We all have bias’s. It’s unavoidable. I however do not think that means anyone who does have such a bias is automatically going to accept anything with that Ip or character attached to it. On the contrary wouldn’t it make more sense for such people to be more critical when they feel it’s being done a disservice? I think this demographic is more a strawman than anything else. This is just my experience but I’ve never met anyone who I know for certain would accept literally any product based on their favorite thing. If anything I feel like people’s “enemy” (other than Disney. You know the people who actually make the decisions people are unsatisfied with)in this situation should be a specific category of average guest who go and treat the parks like trash and seem largely apathetic. I have witnessed this.
2. Jerks are jerks. Anyone who pushes in front of children to meet characters or buy a popcorn bucket deserves to be called out for it. Not all “Disney adults” act like that.
3. What’s wrong with someone being happy about a Disney character topiary at flower and garden? They’re made specifically so people can look at them and marvel at how well it represents their favorite character. I know that’s something he specifically saw but If Poseidon wanted to make a point about people superficially interacting with something because it represents an Ip they like (A point I’ve already made clear i disagree with) he should have chosen something with an objectively higher standard attached to it Like a ride or a show.
4. (And I don’t want to sound mean when I say this) If people on the internet are mistaking you for something you’re not you can either correct them or ignore it. They are probably strangers who by the sound of it are wrong about you. Why should you care what they think?

 

[Poseidon Quest]

Bumping my old thread because I can't help but feel like this influenced the creation of this guy's video:

I actually forgot about this thread. It's a bit messy and doesn't have a true clear thesis, but it's really just a series of grievances tied together under the topic of superficiality in the Disney fandom. It also gave me a reason to develop in more detail what exactly makes someone a theme park fan, versus why many people who exclusively go to Disney will never understand the Disney parks in the same way.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

If you YouTube search "Disney Adult", you'll get a pretty good idea of the general internet's definition of a "Disney Adult", whether universally true or a huge exaggeration.



But most other common obsessions (like sports teams, etc) don't have widespread mean spirited mocking of those who enjoy them.

You don't think there is widespread mean spirited mocking of across other common obsessions like Sports teams? Go to New York wearing a red sox jersey, or head out to Michigan wearing OSU red. Or got to any bar on a Sunday and see the people with the lap tops getting laughed at as they play pretend manager of their fantasy team. In almost any area where people have subjective personal preferences you are generally going to find people mocking other people if they don't like their particular flavor/team/sport/interest.

Although honestly, any response that starts out with "If you YouTube search..." unless it is in answer to the question how do i find great cat videos, is basically useless (although to be totally fair i did find a great Jambalaya recipe on Youtube once.) Why would anyone care what some random online poster says is a "Disney Adult?" Its a completely subjective term with no practical meaning. Do i get 10% off if i can prove i qualify as a Disney Adult per....what? A bunch of lonely people sitting in their parent's basements coined a phrase, of which there is no universally accepted definition, no objective measure of who is or is not part of this definition, and of which there is no consequence of being perceived as part of said group or not....who cares.

 

[Andrew C]

Also, just because somebody has a particular attachment to Disney’s parks doesn’t mean they are obsessed with Disney. My mom loves Disney’s parks and is quite passionate about them but she doesn’t enjoy Universal’s parks. However, she doesn’t really care about Disney outside of their parks. Does that make her a “Disney adult?”

No. Alone that doesn’t.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney adults have dropped any sense of being a responsible consumer and will purchase without thought

It hurts everyone else.

But sleep well in your bed if you can’t see this

 

[Chi84]

Disney adults have dropped any sense of being a responsible consumer and will purchase without thought

It hurts everyone else.

But sleep well in your bed if you can’t see this

Didn’t you say in another thread that you purchased LLs?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Didn’t you say in another thread that you purchased LLs?

Yeah…. DVC owner too. I love sir Walter - but spending money with Disney is spending money with Disney.

 

[Chi84]

Yeah…. DVC owner too. I love sir Walter - but spending money with Disney is spending money with Disney.

Just own it. I think he said he “observed without praising” his credit card purchase them, which seems like a silly way to excuse doing what you criticize others for doing.

Disney doesn’t know your “feelings” when you give them your money.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah…. DVC owner too. I love sir Walter - but spending money with Disney is spending money with Disney.

Not without pause

Find me purchasing lighting lanes and after hours…or $300 for port orleans…we’ll talk

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Just own it.

Exactly. If I’m an adult visiting multiple Disney properties each year (plus I saw lion king on broadway) I’m definitely a “Disney adult” - who cares?