Disney Adult Phenomena Creates Change for its Parks

By: Ashley Ortega

Nov. 29, 2023

Story highlights

The history of Disney Adults dates back to 2017 and its influence continues to grow.
“I grew up with Disney movies and TV shows and now I work there. You would think my love for it would lessen, but it doesn’t. I’ll love it forever,” said Disney Cast Member, Natalie Flores.
Disney is making never-before-seen changes to its parks with their continuous attendance at the parks.

A display of all the Disney ears cast member, Natalie Flores, has accumulated throughout the years.

Natalie Flores’ Disney ear collection being displayed in her bedroom. Photo by Ashley Ortega

San Diego, CALIF. – It all starts when we’re young, starry-eyed and bushy-tailed. When the magic of Disney has entranced us. We dress up like the characters, make our parents buy us the toys and watch the movies so much we memorize every word. This can be the childhood for some who follow and consume Disney products and services.

For some, their love of Disney doesn’t disappear and they become a “Disney Adult.”

Disney Adults History Over the Years

A “Disney Adult” is classified as an adult who is obsessed with Disney to the point where they make it their main hobby, according to Urban Dictionary. This concept can be connected to the 2017 show “Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings” where cameras documented different couples’ journey to achieving their dream Disney wedding.

In recent years though, Disney Adults have become more prominent because of their growing popularity on social media. The hashtag #disneyadult has been viewed three billion times on TikTok and has 354,000 posts on Instagram. There are also a lot of Disney influencers who are popular on TikTok, one being TheMagicalMillenial who has 252,5000 followers on TikTok and 69,200 followers on Instagram.

The telling signs if someone is a Disney Adult are frequent visits to the park, vast knowledge of all things Disney, and their Disney merchandise. This reporter took a deeper dive into what makes a Disney Adult.

The Pieces that Create a Disney Adult

This reporter accumulated data and information from various sources including personal observations and social media review of Disney fans, as well as Disney Adults. The data was acquired through less analytical or numbers-based means, and there is no accompanying Excel sheet or Google sheet with the information. The infographic focuses on Disney Adult identifiers that can be used to recognize them at the parks or determine if one identifies as such.

The three main identifiers of a Disney Adult are Disney headbands, Disney apparel and pins. Disney Adults often possess multiple pairs of headbands, sometimes coordinating them with their outfits. Disney apparel, although not as prominent as ears or pins, constitutes a significant portion of the unofficial Disney Adult “uniform,” encompassing a variety of Disney-themed clothing items. The third identifier, pins, is highlighted as a major underground hobby among Disney goers. While casual Disney enthusiasts might purchase a pin of their favorite character, Disney Adults engage in pin collecting and trading as a serious hobby. They acquire various pins, pin packs, and limited edition pins and showcase them on clothing, hats, or Disney lanyards.

This is an infographic detailing the identifiers to look for in public when trying to identify a Disney Adult.

What makes a Disney Adult?

Because the Disneyland resorts are essentially the Disney Adult home base, the workers at the resort, also known as cast members, are the ones who typically interact with them. These interactions range from good to annoying.

California Adventure Cast Member, Cristobal Quezada, has worked at the Disney parks for two years. In his time, he’s witnessed all kinds of Disney park goers.

“Personally, I’m not a Disney Adult, but I do encounter them all the time at work,” Quezada said. “It really varies by person, but they’re not usually nice to cast members.”

Because of their extensive knowledge of all things Disney, a lot of the time Disney Adults feel they know more than cast members. This way, their attitude makes them a sore subject for the Disney workers. This does not speak for all Disney Adults, but just like with other groups, Disney Adults have their good and bad characteristics.

Natalie Flores, a cast member at Disneyland, has been working there for over a year. Flores, as opposed to Quezada, is a Disney Adult.

“I grew up with Disney you know,” said Flores. “I used to dress up as the princess when I was a kind and then when I got older I would go to the parks all the time with my pass. Then, I had the brilliant idea to decide to work there and it made my spending on Disney stuff a lot easier on the bank.”,

Flores grew up with Disney, and nostalgia keeps the magic alive for her. Her love for Disney has led to her accumulating a collection of Disney ears and pins. This is just one hobby of many among Disney Adults.

The collection of pins cast member, Natalie Flores, has gathered displayed on her Disney lanyard.

Flores’ pin collection which she’s been building gradually, is being displayed on her Disney lanyard in her bedroom. Photo by Ashley Ortega

Not all Disney Adults work at the Disney resort, the majority have jobs apart from it and their love for Disney is their hobby. Sofia Munoz doesn’t work at Disneyland Parks, she is simply a Disney Adult.

“It wasn’t until I was raising my daughter and watching all the movies with her that I really became a Disney fanatic, but it’s a super expensive hobby to have,” said Munoz. “It helps now that my daughter works as a cast member, but maintaining my pass alone used to be straining.”

While Munoz doesn’t have rooms designated for just Disney in her apartment, she has a vast DVD collection and various Disney decorations littered throughout her apartment. She also frequents the parks, which is something she and Flores share in common. Flores goes to the parks at least once a month, outside of work.

Changes Made to the Disneyland Parks

While the main attraction of visiting the parks so much is their love for Disney, there is also another incentive to spend their free time hanging around the Disneyland resort. This incentive is alcohol, which was only served in California Adventure until now.

With the serving of alcoholic beverages at California Adventure since its opening in 2001, it has been deemed the more adult-friendly park by people online. It’s been such a hit, Disney has decided to start serving alcohol at select Disneyland restaurants , which directly opposes Walt Disney’s original wish that Disneyland stay an alcohol-free zone. The only place in Disneyland where alcohol was served was Club 33, which was and remains only open to its exclusive club members.

Another change made to the parks is the addition of household items to their merchandise. While the stores at the Disney parks include the obvious children’s toys and clothing, they’re also adding more household items that children aren’t drawn to, but adults are.

All of these household items are themed, whether that be Mickey Mouse, Marvel, Star Wars, or princesses. Some of these items include kitchen towels, ceramic plates, home decor, bathroom accessories, etc.

Besides the addition of alcohol, the main way the Disney parks are catering to adults is by catering to their nostalgia. They’re doing this by including characters, merchandise and attractions that the younger generations might not appreciate. A way this is being accomplished is during their various theme nights.

The major, separate ticket, theme nights are “Sweetheart Nite,” “Disneyland After Dark,” and “Oogie Boogie Bash.” All of these nights occur after 8 p.m., so even the timing is already childproof. During these nights, especially “Oogie Boogie Bash”, they include appearances of characters that the older audiences appreciate.