ChaneIe Hill has an entire room that is dedicated to The Walt Disney Co. A display case houses hundreds of dollars worth of Disney merchandise. A vanity displays Disney makeup products. A station for accessories is outfitted with Mickey Mouse ears, character jewelry, and more. For taking photos and making TikToks, the walls are covered with Disney backgrounds.
Hill lives in San Francisco Bay Area, works as a medical assistant and is a Disneyland Pass holder. She makes six hour trips to Anaheim every year.
She said, “It just makes it feel magical.” “You can let go and immerse yourself into the Disney experiences.
Hill, 37, is a self-described “Disney adult”, a term used to describe someone who loves all things Disney, and spends a lot of money on Disney-related experiences and products.
Reddit user, asking if they were right for not having catering to their wedding in order for Minnie and Mickey Mouse to appear at the reception, made viral a story about a Disney-loving bride.
Although the original Reddit post was removed, the viral tweet caused a storm with hate. The story featured a couple who were portrayed as “the absolute worst” Disney adults.
Every few weeks, a new article about a Disney adult goes viral. The comments tell them to “grow up”, get a real job, or travel abroad. They’re a beloved subject of hate online aEUR” the hashtag #disneyadultsaretheworst has almost 7 million views on TikTok.
James Demetriades is an attorney from Connecticut who has heard all of the complaints made by Disney adults. Demetriades (28 years old) has been to Disney World more than 30 times.
He took three trips to Disney World in 2021. He estimates that each trip costs around $2,000. He now visits his family or with his boyfriend but used to travel alone when he was in college or law school.
He said, “As an adult it’s all about having that escape and those bits of nostalgia that can be returned to.”
Jodi Eichler Levine is a professor at Lehigh University who studies religion and Disney’s connection to religion. She studies how religions interact with Disney and how Disney functions as a religion.
Eichler-Levine suggests that Disney can be seen as a religion for some because it is a pilgrimage.
She said that people view their Disney trips in a reverent light. People will talk about how they were transformed or make important memories. They’ll also go there to commemorate life events such as announcing a baby or after they’ve finished treatment.
Demetriades believes that a big part of his love and connection to Disney is his family. Demetriades grew up in Florida going to Disney World every year. He said that Disney movies were a way for him and his sister to bond and connect with each other.
Hill’s childhood memories of Disney movies are tied to her family’s affordability. Hill, who suffers from a chronic illness called hidradenitis suppurativa said that watching Disney movies gives her great comfort when she is in pain.
Hill and Demetriades are just two examples of Disney adults with meaningful connections beyond simple fandom.
Eichler-Levine has spoken out to defend Disney adults and said that those connections were “tremendously misunderstood.”
Adult Disney critics often resort to personal attacks on their characters and their sanity. The term “crazy” is often used.
“They’re normal. They aren’t crazy. She said that people who dislike Disney adults are often not taking the time to understand what makes this so powerful for so many.”
Hill stated that she is often asked by her coworkers about going alone to Disney, but she ignores them. “It doesn’t matter if I seem strange to someone, but it doesn’t matter. “I am confident in my love of Disney.
Eichler-Levine encourages Disney adults who criticize them to “lead from empathy.”
“Are there structural criticisms that can be made of Walt Disney Co.?” Sure. However, just because something is considered capitalistic does not mean that it is necessarily pure capitalist. It’s possible for something to make money, but it can also bring great joy and meaning to people.”
Hill and Demetriades shared the same sentiment: “If it doesn’t bother anyone, it shouldn’t bother anyone.”
Hill stated, “It’s something which simply makes us happy.”
