Why I Am Unapologetically a Disney Adult

Growing up as a 90s kid, Disney was a staple in my household. I mean, 90’s Disney is so iconic with movies such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Sleeping Beauty just to name a few. Twenty years later, I still watch Cinderella at least once a month, and have quite a few Disney merchandise (including Grogu items).

I am currently 27. Since my mom died, I have been devolving into the vault of childhood favorites as a method of comfort and watch a few from time to time. I have Mickey Mouse Pandora bracelets. I occasionally go to the Disney store when I’m in the mall. In some ways, I guess you can say I am a Disney adult. 

What is a Disney Adult?

According to Urban Dictionary, a Disney Adult is “a millennial adult, with or without kids, that can’t stop talking about Disney, including the movies and the parks. Even if they do have kids, they’re still way more obsessed with it that their kids ever would be.”

The Disney Adult debate has been huge on the Internet for years. There are articles on Her Campus, the Tab, and Buzzfeed — just to name a few.

Here is my take on it. An article on the Best Nest entitled In Defense of Disney Adults said it best – “adulting is hard,” adding that for most people “childhood was the last time that we felt at peace.” The article stated that “what Disney does for people is it takes them back to the childhood dream.”

And, I agree. Personally, I think it is best not to judge someone for loving something. I do think that if it impacts their daily live in an unhealthy way – failure to pay bills, neglecting responsibilities, etc. – then it becomes a problem worth taking a hard look at. If they are in fact doing those things, then I think that it is perfectly okay.

That said, everyone has their thing that they love to do in their spare time. For me, it’s a ton of different things. For others it’s going to the movies, hiking, and shopping. For these Disney adults, it is watching Disney movies and going to the Disney parks. There is that nostalgic factor of going back to the movies from childhood, and there is something about going to Disney World (or any park for that matter) and being a kid again.

Another argument is that many of these millennials who are going to Disney parks are childless and should make room for the kids. But, let me add this – Disney is marketed for those at every age. To put it in perspective, my 88 year old grandmother is obsessed with Frozen. I personally think that they should try to make sure that the kids have a good time, such as letting them get first dibs to give them the ultimate experience, but there is no age limit.

And, as for me, I think I will always be a Disney Adult or an adult Disney fan. I wear a bit of the magic on my wrists with Alex and Ani or Pandora bracelets. From time to time, I turn on Disney Plus and watch a few old classics. I follow Disney Content Creators on Instagram. For me, it’s a small reminder of the memories I made with my mom. When I was little, she took me to Disney World a few times, and when I was older and went to Disney on a school trip, she demanded that I bring her home a sweatshirt. It reminds me of the simpler days. However, I probably won’t take a lot of trips to the parks regularly, or rock a pair of Minnie ears on a day that’s not Halloween.