Why Do Childless Disney Adults Make Everyone So Angry?
Childless Disney Adults are the most hated people on the internet. This has become cliche, and strikes me as mildly unfair. Surely the Taliban, Epstein associates, those twin brothers who fight retired boxers, and travelers with stinky feet who remove their socks on airplanes are all worse.
For the better part of the last decade, hating on Disney Adults has been all the rage. The last time we discussed the topic in a dedicated post was in A Childless Millennial’s Guide to Disney, back in Summer 2019. That was written as an indirect and joking response to a viral Facebook post in which one mother ‘bravely’ stood up to the scourge to humanity that is adults without kids visiting Disney.
As we noted back then, editorials proclaiming that childless millennials going to Walt Disney World are weird were nothing new. It had already long been an increasingly common topic, and a tried and true tactic for outlets to garner clicks, including from Disney fans who were hate reading. In the 7 years since, the term has ‘evolved’ from Childless Millennial Disney Fans to just Disney Adults, which is probably because there’s a whole new generation of Disney fans without kids who are younger than millennials.
Before we get going, I want to point out the obvious and make clear that our perspective on Childless Disney Adults has not changed in the last ~7 years. Given all that has happened in the intervening time, “let people enjoy harmless things that make them happy” feels more appropriate now than ever.
And even though we’ve become parents in the time since, we spent nearly two decades in the trenches as Childless Disney Adults. We are still diehard fans who understand and identify with many of the defining characteristics of Childless Disney Adults (or in our case, just Disney Adults).
Honestly, more than anything, I’m surprised that this is a topic that warrants revisiting in 2026. For one thing, fandoms have proliferated and become increasingly mainstream, Disney included. Personally, I don’t mind being included in a club that counts Ryan Gosling, John Stamos, Neil Patrick Harris, Ariana Grande, Chris Evans, and Vanessa Hudgens as its members.
For another thing, the degree to which it’s still somehow socially acceptable to ‘pile on’ to Disney Adults is, ahem, curious. I guess social norms about acceptance and so forth don’t apply when the subject is a group believed to be “deserving” of derision. They (or we) are not actually equivalent to the Taliban, despite what some commentators might suggest.
According to social media and the throngs of viral articles, Childless Disney Adults are weird, privileged, socially-awkward, sheltered, selfish and/or self-indulgent; they’re obsessive fans who refuse to face real life and responsibility, choosing instead to remain ensconced in the familiar and comforting bubble of escapism offered via Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Allegedly, Childless Disney Adults monopolize theme parks that actually are aimed at small children, often at the expense or at least to the detriment of families with young kids. If you’re a certified Childless Disney Adult hater, you can insert more derogatory and demeaning language as you see fit; they won’t be anything worse than what we’ve all heard countless times in the past.
If you want to distill all of that down, you could say that Childless Disney Adults are the real life personification of Peter Pan Syndrome. Before we discuss why Childless Disney Adults are mercilessly mocked, it’s probably worth at least touching upon what prompted this post, which is (another) indirect response to (another) new article deriding Disney Adults.
The latest article to go viral combined two topics that are catnip for critics: the dreaded Disney Adults and going into debt for Disney trips. It’s an alchemy of outrage-inducing subjects so shrewd that you’ve really gotta hand it to ’em.
After seeing the article in question plastered all over my feeds, I gave into temptation and started reading. I made it only a few paragraphs before recognizing that it was a human interest article with no there there. (If you’d like to read it yourself, a quick Google search for Disney Adults and debt will take you there. I’m not giving it more oxygen with a link.)
My unprofessional opinion is that going deep into debt for travel or a hobby is a very bad idea. But with household debt reaching a record of $18.8 trillion and credit card balances hitting an all-time high of $1.28 trillion per the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a lot of people are taking on a lot of debt for a lot of reasons. Those trillions of dollars probably aren’t all on Disney stuff. (If so, the stock would surely be performing better.)
Frankly, this is my issue with so many of these pieces. The exact same article could just as easily be written about literally any fandom that involves obsessiveness, addictive behavior, and spending…which is pretty much all of them.
For instance, in addition to being a diehard Disney fan, I’m a big Detroit Lions fan. I see social media conversations about spending on season tickets, merchandise, and more that might raise eyebrows among outsiders. This isn’t unique to Lions fans, nor is a fixation on fantasy football drafts and rosters, the explosion of online sports betting, etc.
There are undoubtedly fans with unhealthy obsessions (arguably all of us who have been in the fandom since the 90s!), and when the Lions inevitably go to the Super Bowl, a huge number of fans will go into significant debt to be there. And yet, I am confident that no think pieces will be written about that phenomenon.
In my life, I’ve been a fan of a number of things, from bands to video games to authors to filmmakers. Every single one has its share of acolytes who devote a large amount of time or money (or both) to their fandom. But for the most part, even the most hardcore fans are harmless. And the same is true with adults who have an affinity for Disney.
So why, if every fandom has this dynamic, and articles could just as easily be written about Trekkies, Mario lovers, Potterheads, WWE enthusiasts, or fans of any professional sporting team, do Childless Disney Adults receive outsized attention?
I have a few guesses. The first is sort of hinted at above, which is that it’s a tried and true way to get views. Mainstream media figured out the formula long ago, and knows that both those who dislike Childless Disney Adults and those who are Childless Disney Adults will read or hate-read, as the case may be.
But in order for that to work in the first place, there has to be an appetite among the public for such pieces. I would posit that this exists for Childless Disney Adults in large part due to exposure. It’s partly a self-fulfilling prophecy, with more articles begetting more articles.
Honestly, I’m surprised that this formula still works a decade later. Perhaps rebranding from Childless Disney Millennials to Disney Adults has helped sustain interest? I figured this whole subject would’ve been played out years ago.
There’s also the fact that the broader public has a greater degree of exposure to Childless Disney Adults than they do to other fandoms. The parks are a physical destination, and unlike conventions for other fandoms, they draw tens of millions of members of the general public in addition to fans.
It isn’t just seeing them firsthand ‘on location.’ Disney Adults are also highly visible via social media, and that often presents exaggerated outliers to the general public as if they’re representative examples. Imagine if your only exposure to NFL fans was the social media accounts of the ones sporting face paint and elaborate costumes. I’d be afraid to ever attend a Raiders game, expecting a post-apocalyptic Mad Max style scene.
Some hardcore fandoms are almost entirely underground, comparatively. Unless you yourself are really into Star Trek or Zelda or Doctor Who or whatever, there’s a good chance you won’t encounter those fandoms at all. And if you’re into those things, you probably won’t be hypercritical of the fandoms (unless it’s for gatekeeping purposes). The biggest exception to this is a more visible fandom like Swifties, and it’s probably not coincidental that they stir up similar ire among the general public.
Childless Disney Adults are also an easy target. If you’re not part of the in-group, it can be fun to punch down. There are a ton of different ways to identify them as “problematic” (see the above incomplete laundry list), and distinguish them from yourself. At least your hobby isn’t bad like that!
It sure beats being introspective and recognizing that everyone has unique interests that could be construed as eccentric or quirky from the outside. And that pretty much anything taken to the point of obsession can be unhealthy.
Nevermind having the awareness to realize that there’s also nuance with Disney Adults, just as with all fandoms, and the extremes are more attention-grabbing but atypical; they are not reflective of all or even most adults who visit the parks without children.
Finally, there’s the belief that the existence of Disney Adults is detrimental to families. That those without children are clogging up lines, creating crowds, contributing to price increases, etc., at destinations where they shouldn’t be the dominant demographic.
A big part of this is the pervasive perspective that Disney has abandoned young families in favor of adults. Supposed examples of this include the proliferation of bars & lounges, more intense roller coasters with height restrictions, an increased focus on adult toys and merchandise (e.g. popcorn buckets and Spirit Jerseys), removal of playgrounds, and more upmarket product offerings aimed at adults (or at least, guests with more disposable income).
It’s fair to say that Childless Disney Adults present a growth opportunity for Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Otherwise known as DINKs in the real world, this demographic has disposable income, and often a lot more of it than do young families, since they don’t have the expense (in time or dollars) of kids. So it’s fair to say that a pivot is occurring to some extent and guest demographics are shifting, but this is true to a much broader extent than Disney.
This is actually a fascinating topic, and we’ve touched upon it in several posts, including in Disney’s Positive Changes Aimed at Attracting More Middle Class Families. Where it loses me, though, is the notion that the DINK demo is detrimental to young families.
To whatever extent that there’s tension within the fandom between families and couples or solo guests, it strikes me as unnecessary, unproductive, or misdirected. Adults also enjoying Disney is not the actual problem, nor is their increased presence in the parks.
The argument we’ve made, repeatedly, is that Disney can and should attract both. It doesn’t have to be either/or, and Disney has demonstrated that with recent special offers (e.g. kids eat free, 50% off tickets, etc). That per park annual attendance is still millions below 2019 levels is proof that this “why not both?” approach is doable.
Disney aiming upmarket is worthy of analysis, but it’s a different topic. And it’s a trend happening in the travel and hospitality industries as a whole, and is almost incidental to the ire aimed at Childless Disney Adults. At least, I haven’t seen it as the focus of these articles.
One of the big reasons I assumed the appetite for articles about Childless Disney Adults would evaporate is because, quite frankly, none of them have anything interesting to say. Ironically enough, the pieces are as utterly devoid of substance and as vapid as they claim their targets to be. Once you’ve read one, you’ve read them all.
This is unfortunate, because there’s probably a fascinating psychological, sociological or anthropological approach to the subject. I would love to read something like No Sense of Place or Bowling Alone, but written through a Disney lens. Humans are inherently social creatures, biologically wired to seek connection and belong to groups. If we are losing that in some aspects of our lives, it would stand to reason that we’re seeking it elsewhere.
There’s probably an academic article that could be written about the secularization of society, and how people have filled that void with Disney. Or how eroding trust in institutions has resulted in people turning to brands like Disney as pillars for their belief systems; the whole DeSantis vs. Disney kerfuffle is probably an illuminating case study. Those are just a few of many worthwhile angles that could be explored. None of them would be uncritical puff pieces, but nor would they be incurious ragebait.
It would also be fascinating to parse the various subcultures within the fandom, as there’s a wide array of reasons why Disney resonates with different people. Disabled guests, themed design enthusiasts, and animation appreciators (just to name a few) all have wildly different reasons for being drawn to Disney.
Even as a Disney Adult, I would be fascinated by actual deep dives into the topic. I’d hazard a guess that most diehard fans recognize that it’s possible to have an unhealthy obsession or relationship with something, and develop a cult-like reverence for the company. Just as is possible with literally any fandom or hobby!
It would nevertheless be interesting to read a deconstruction of what, if anything, makes Disney fandom unique in this regard. Because as a layered fandom with a huge flywheel of passive and participatory products, there are ways that Disney does differ from something like Star Trek, NFL teams, bands, etc.
Instead, we’ve been treated to junk-food journalism that can generally be boiled down to “Childless Disney Adults are all weird and creepy. Let’s take the most extreme examples we can find, portray them in the worst light possible, and paint with a broad brush to demonize the rest of the fandom, so we can point and laugh at them, while reassuring ourselves that our hobbies are much more sophisticated and (actually) adult.”
When this is the core “thesis” of these pieces, it is thus no wonder that Disney Adults reflexively recoil against them. No surprise that we become defensive, pointing at the many obvious and abundant ways that the product can appeal to (or is even aimed at!) adults without kids.
If this article were a sincere response to those pieces, we could devote thousands of words to dissecting the meticulous level of Imagineered detail that goes into the parks, much of which is over the heads of children. We could list the world-class dining, bars, and entertainment aimed squarely at an older demographic. We could showcase resorts, spas, golf, recreation, etc., that is not for kids.
We could rattle off a few Walt Disney quotes, discuss the motivation for and origins of the ‘Vacation Kingdom of the World’ and EPCOT Center, or even reiterate our argument that Walt Disney World is America’s Best City. All of that might be reassuring, but it’s unnecessary. If you’re an adult fan of Disney, there’s presumably a reason for that, and you don’t need to be reminded of what that is.
This is not a substantive rebuttal in part because it’s being written on a website called Disney Tourist Blog, so it would be preaching to the choir. More importantly, because there’s no point in offering a sincere rebuttal to arguments made in bad faith. The mainstream articles in question are not attempting to analyze or understand. They exist for the purpose of pointing and laughing, identifying a group and ‘othering’ them so their readers can claim superiority. (And, of course, garnering clicks.)
As a fandom, we need to come to terms with the reality that we are the internet’s favorite punching bag.
Articles like the one in question aren’t going anywhere any time soon. However, every hate-click or hate-share is still a click or share, an act that helps guarantee that another such article will be written. I’m cognizant of the fact that this post also only helps further fan the flames, which is why I’ve ignored the other 1,358 articles over the last 7 years.
There’s no winning this ‘argument’, but you cannot lose if you do not play. Perhaps naively, I’m mostly hopeful that this blog post sparks introspection. Not necessarily about what makes our fandom tick, although that wouldn’t hurt. More importantly, that we don’t have to take the bait every single time.
Maybe I’m just getting older (wiser???), but I don’t have the energy or patience for arguments I perceive as being in bad faith. Not everyone has to approve of my hobbies. I have a bunch of silly interests, that are deeply unserious as compared to studying Socrates or quantum mechanics. No one seems to bat an eye at the other dumb ones that aren’t Disney, though.
With that said, “let people enjoy things” cuts both ways. Which is to say that you don’t need permission from anyone else to have hobbies. You are not obligated to justify enjoying this or any other fandom, helping others understand the appeal. They say that “living well is the best revenge,” but I prefer it a bit colder of a response to the critics who feel sorry for us: “I don’t think about you at all.” (Well, except I did just write this whole diatribe. Minor detail. Starting right now…back to not caring!)
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What do you think about this whole ‘childless adults doing Disney is weird’ thing? Think we should just ignore it, or try to “beat” the stereotype? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Well, their first mistake is in thinking that we care what they think. At least my group, the Gen Xers that grew up with going to the parks. We OWN the parks, as if it wasn’t widely known, as they were actually built for us! Of course we really don’t care what anyone thinks, so…
At least Disney got rid of the Wagon People! Maybe next will be the Stroller People. You know, those families with strollers so large they can carry a 12-course meal into the parks with them and take 3 hours to get through security. And the endless seas of strollers blocking great picture spots or ruining photo opps. And clogging up every pathway almost as bad as the Let’s All Walk Side-By-Side people? Or the ECV People…
Seriously, I do have to laugh at this nonsense, as you note how ridiculous it is. my brother and I were on a trip to The World with friends who had the opportunity to leave their kids home with Grandma for a couple of days and get away. Yeah they went to WDW, so what? I got them We’re Celebrating buttons at City Hall that said “No Kids” and it was glorious. Dirty looks fro wackadoodle helicopter moms and others. Never mind the multiple trips we’ve been there together WITH their kids and grandma once. Good times! Especially the time we were a little, say dehydrated after a long day in the parks and many beverages the night before. We were on the Great Movie Ride and Trav grabbed a plastic bottle from the diaper bag that he thought was apple juice. Yeah, he barely kept that huge swig of moonshine down. Hilarious!
It’s just a different experience as an adult. you can ride everything or nothing and still enjoy the parks, or even just the property. I once was in FL for work during a gap in my AP and well I still went to WL and sat at Geyser for food and drinks and did a couple of work calls from there. So what? SOME of us just love WDW and being there.
My husband and I are West Coast Disney Adults sans kiddoes. When my husband is away (and sometimes when not), I am a solo Disney Adult. Considering how frequently we go, even the highest tier Magic Key is a massive bargain. Even so, we are NOT going into any sort of debt as we are also fortunate and smart about our spending.
Although, I tend to wear my joy on my sleeve, I try my best to be respectful of all who are also reciprocating. I WILL talk to you in line if there is a reason and you seem open to engaging. I also regularly gift a pin to other kiddoes if they express an interest in (almost) any I have on display. And will offer to help bring a little happiness to others if I can.
When my enthusiasm gets a little much to contain (I am looking at you, human-sized Olaf in Paint the Night!), I will apologize to the people around me. To a one, they ALWAYS say that they don’t mind. Many say they are enjoying my excitement. I have NEVER, in person, ever had someone throw me side-eye – that I could see at least – or toss an insult to me.
The internet loves to hate behind often made-up names, faces, avatars, etc. But when faced with true joy in person, most cannot help but fall into their own happy place. I see too many otherwise “too cool for school” teens and adults happily wearing their ears or brandishing their new lightsabers to believe the haters are vast in number. The snark for DA is primarily online, aka fake news, in my experience. And for that, I am grateful.
The parks can be magical places, and I enjoy seeing others experience that. It’s a vibe of which I cannot get enough.
Oh yeah, this is 99.9% (if not moreso) an online phenomenon and not one happening in the parks. That’s not to say rude words have never been uttered, but I never heard them in my nearly two decades as a Childless Disney Adult visiting weekly or more.
I’d take that a step further and say most of the internet sentiment is coming from people who don’t care for Disney in the first place (whether it be for families or adults), and this just gives them another ‘angle’ for their hate.
That’s funny, because I have the pin from the movie Tomorrowland on my parks pack. One day I was sitting down with my beer at Studios over near Star Tours and a family with a little boy was there. He said Mom, look, he has the pin! So I pulled one out of my bag and offered it to them. I’ve probably seen a happier kid, but not many. Always carry extras.
One time I saw a boy jump out of a stroller near Japan pavilion, pick up a piece of trash and throw it properly in a trash can. I said Great Job Buddy just like Putty (Patrick) in Soarin’ preshow and gave him one of those big round stickers like from Buzz Lightyear.
We used to play the carnival games at Dino-Rama sometimes just because. We didn’t really want the plush prizes or other stuff, so we would offer them to kids in the parks.
These days, always offer the item to the parents to give to their child because well, society has changed and not for the better and that affects the inside of the magic bubble too, sadly. And yes, there are perverts and actual weirdos who do go to the parks, though Disney Security is damn good. Still, you don’t want to be accused of anything just because you’re one of those bizarre Disney Adults walking around with a beer in your hand…
I am so tired of people dumping on Disney adults. Let people like what they like. Let people spend their money how they choose. Let people do things and go to places that bring them joy. Why is it ok to spend tons of money on NFL or video games, but not Disney?
Also, these hit pieces rest on the assumption that Disney parks and movies are for kids, which as I think everyone on this site knows, is not true and not what Walt intended at all!
I’m a Disney adult! Not childless… I’m an old grandma who did disney with my kids and grandkids. I still love disney and I go twice a year, alone! I enjoy it as much as the kids, if not more.
I also love to watch kids with their families enjoying it. However, as an older adult, I take my time to thoroughly enjoy EVERYTHING! I feel sometimes that the families are rushing to get on every ride and not enjoying the complete fabulousness of the parks.
Adults or not, slow down and take it all in. Disney truly is amazing.
I would expect to see a small burst of new articles on this because apparently on her last podcast episode, Kylie Kelce said that she thinks WDW is for adults because they’re the ones who can appreciate the magic and food/drinks, and her guest (Brenda song, of Disney Channel fame) agreed and said she and her husband (the Macaulay Culkin) take their kids to Disneyland a lot and have more fun than the kids.
Obviously they’re not saying that their kids don’t care about their Disney trips, but Kylie is popular for her ties to a “legitimate adult sport” and goes to Disney as a mother with young children, but she offered an unintentional defense of Disney adults. People is already calling it “controversial” lol.
Anyway, my husband and I love being APs and we’re recent DCL converts, so we’ll keep going regardless of what anyone else thinks!
Ohhhhh. This was the missing piece of the puzzle (for me) and explains why, beyond the New Yorker piece, I was seeing more in ‘The Discourse’ about Disney Adults in my sports social media circles. Oddly, I never saw that podcast mentioned, but that would nevertheless explain the spike. Thank you for this context.
Unrelated, but I enjoy Brenda Song (and Culkin’s cameos) in Running Point. It is a so-bad-it’s-good popcorn show that Sarah and I can both enjoy.
Kylie Kelce grew up in Narberth and while I never knew her personally, I used to watch the 4th of July Fireworks in Narberth. Narberth is an enclave within Lower Merion where long ago the Notable Neighbors of Narberth had an opinion that Lower Merion was not serving the specific Needs of Narberth, so Naturally they Negated their bond with Lower Merion and created their own local enclave.It’s amusing to see an online personality with roots in Narberth carve themselves out a lane of Notable Parent Sharing Opinions. She comes off as fairly non-confrontational but she’s not shy with those opinions, that’s for sure.
As for criticizing Disney adults who have no children, it’s the cynical crowd who tend to enjoy more traditional “adult” entertainment who are the worst. It’s human nature to lambaste what we see as uncool. For no real reasons, sports, gambling, horror movies and strip clubs are considered cool. G-rated entertainment, such as we find with Disney movies, parks and cruises, is considered uncool and should therefore be experienced only, “For the kids”. So, what could be more uncool than visiting a Disney park without kids? (Cue Nelson Muntz pointing and shouting, “Ha-ha!”.)
Yeah, it’s the same old schoolyard bully mentality; no different than some kid who has never been to a Disney park making fun of a girl wearing mouse ears because he is secretly jealous of someone who is happy and had a good time.
I thought long and hard about using the word “bullying” early in the article, but ultimately cut it because it felt overly emotional and hyperbolic–and I worried about losing some people too early.
But since you’ve brought it up and anyone reading this now made it to the comments…that is exactly the tone of some of the commentary about Disney Adults. Not the article to which this is indirectly responding, but certainly on social media. And it’s often coming from the types of people who otherwise make a big show about being ‘above’ this type of behavior.
Now obviously, Disney Adults are not a protected class or anything approaching one. But we are uncool outcasts (minus Stamos and Gosling), and often neurodivergent, autistic, etc. Interesting how we’re nevertheless a socially acceptable punching bag.
I really enjoyed this post—it makes a strong, thoughtful case for why “Disney Adults” deserve a lot more understanding than they often get online. I like how it pushes back against the easy stereotypes and reminds readers that enjoying something joyful, nostalgic, or comforting as an adult isn’t strange at all—it’s just human.
This ginger is lame and so is this article, its a mental health issue to spend money to “find magic” when its all around you in the real world. Also, many of these adult disney are obese, socially awkward and have other issues.
Nothing screams that you have “found the magic in the world all around you” like trying to troll someone for possibly being a redhead, then implying it’s ok to make fun of people as long as they’re overweight and awkward. I look forward to your upcoming meditation app so that you can share how you reached such an enlightened state.
Seriously though, if you’ve decided to play Biff Tannen in life, go all in. If you want to throw out annoying smug-isms about “finding the magic in the world”, you need an entirely different persona to pull that off.
I can see both sides of the argument around Disney Adults. My wife and I have taken a few trips to Disney without our kids and those were among our favorite vacations, so I can see the appeal of enjoying the parks child free. Kids don’t necessarily have a monopoly on the magic that the parks offer.
I might draw some ire for this, but one aspect that can be frustrating is when adults bog down experiences that, at least from my perspective, are directed primarily at children….for example, character meet and greets. I’ve seen many lines (in the parks and on cruises) with way more adults than kids and it always makes me scratch my head, especially when they lack some situational awareness and try to carry on a 5 minute conversation with a character while a kiddo waits in line behind them. I can understand the idea of suspending disbelief to experience the magic, but for those of you that have waited 30+ minutes in line to chat it up with Minnie Mouse, when was the last time you did the same to sit on Santa’s lap at the mall? To each their own, but I believe most would agree that a 40-year old man waiting in line by himself to recite his Christmas list to Santa seems….odd. But a subsection of Disney Adults don’t find anything odd at all about doing the same with Stitch or Snow White. An adult acting more giddy than a 5-year old to meet a character doesn’t help with the general public’s perception of Disney Adults, and honestly I can’t blame them.
I don’t think you deserve ire for voicing a calm objective opinion, but I would like to similarly offer a rebuttal, since I think your perspective here could be broadened. Once again the sports analogy is of great use – Instead of thinking of visiting characters as a childish pursuit, instead think of it like getting to spend some time and take pictures with a favorite team’s mascot. We all know it isn’t *really* Mickey Mouse we’re standing in line to see, but the emotional impact of the experience activates the same psychological chemicals in us – the joy of being a part of the thing we love. Plus, as a Disney Adult who is not trying to wrangle children, I’ve often been able to to offer to take pictures for the families around me so that they can focus on experiencing the moment with their kids without having to rely on the robot cameras that are becoming ubiquitous. Thus, it ends up being a win for everyone when all these events are accessible without judgement to a greater array of ages and backgrounds.
“and when the Lions inevitably go to the Super Bowl”… You are a true Lions fan, keeping the faith for a team that hasn’t been to an NFL title game since 1957. I say that with sincere admiration, having grown up in Michigan in the 70s and 80s in which cheering on a winning Michigan football team meant being a fan of U of M.
Completely off topic and maybe only tangentially related, but everytime you use world-class to describe something I wonder if you or Sarah are fans of For Your Amusement podcast. The hosts at first glance fit the “Childless Millennial Disney Fan” mold, but are really just two dudes who love rides and themed environments.
I recently found the FYA YouTube channel/podcast and after being a reader of this blog for many years. FYA is to youtube/podcasts what Disney Tourist Blog is to blogging/articles. Absolutely love FYA!
I have actually never heard of “For Your Amusement” until now. Which isn’t a knock on them at all–I’m just not a podcast person anymore. Used to listen to WDW Today and WDW Radio religiously, and am friends with plenty of podcasters…I just don’t listen to them. That probably boils down to no longer having a commute, and now listening to the Hot Dog Song a lot more.
I go to Disneyland with my family and solo as well. I have a thick skin and no amount of chatter online is going to change my behavior. I did the CA ticket deal for my family, and I had one additional 3-day ticket just for me.
That being said, I think there are issues with people letting themselves become paypigs for Disney. The New Yorker article had specific examples of people going to into debt for vacations and merchandise, and justifying it *because* it’s Disney. There’s a cult of personality element to it that we should be aware of.
I think it displays a level of empathy for other people when one says, “It’s okay to not do this. It’s okay to not take the trip. You don’t need that pin or popcorn bucket this month. Save your money.”
The top things that paint some Disney adults in a bad light to me are 1) fervent addiction to merchandise like pins and long lines for popcorn buckets, 2) mobbing the more kiddie or childish attractions on day one (Bluey Show), and 3) never criticizing Disney or looking at a ride in a critical light. Some of the more aggressive influencers don’t do us any favors either.
OK, I gotta tell you, I’m amazed at how many ladies have mentioned husbands who don’t support their Disney addiction so they go alone or take trips with girlfriends to do the stuff their husbands aren’t interested in.
Gentleman, need I remind you that the beauty of two people joining together is they bring different experiences and likes to the union expanding our horizons. Our differences push each other into new situations that can lead to learning, growth and plain outright unexpected FUN!
I can not tell you how many times I’ve done something only because she wanted to do it and in the process ended up having a great time.
I’m so grateful for all the experiences I never would have known had it not been for her.
Who knew the art of glass blowing, trying my hand at making maple syrup or going to a pumpkin patch for our pumpkin could be so fascinating. Honestly some of the stuff wasn’t all that great. But we were together.
I don’t know your wife, but I bet, for most of you, there’s a heck of a lot worse things to do then spending time with her. Especially at WDW. COME ON! They sell beer now.
And do it with an open mind and a smile. I’m sure all these lovely ladies gladly go without you because they’ve given up on you. They know what it’s like to have your story butt around with that sour puss on your face. You know the look.
YOu know what? I’m sure they’re doing stuff for you that they haven’t enjoyed in years so get over yourselves and rekindle that spirit that brought you together.
Need I remind you, “Happy wife, happy life.”
To your point, Sarah listened patiently as I recapped the NFL draft, explaining the culture fits and smart durability picks, as well as how the Lions got an absolute steal in Keith Abney.
actually regarding trying things to please the wife, the same is true if not more true about having kids,.. I got out into the world way more than had I been ‘child-free’,.. with the benefit that when you explore the world with your child you feel you are at the center of the universe,. nice feeling that
I’d suggest we are ‘Child free’ rather than ‘childless’.
Not having children may be a choice – or it may be a sad fact. I find ‘childless’ pejorative.
sure Geek, but Child-free makes being without a child seem like a blessing. How about barren vs indiscriminately breeding? Does that work? Nope,. back to the drawing board
I get what you’re saying, but it’s not my term–and back when ‘Childless Disney Millennials’ was first coined, it was meant to be pejorative. My term would simply be “people” or “guests” or something that draws no distinction between demos (accept where appropriate–e.g. special offers aimed at young families). Because the whole point is that it shouldn’t really matter whether you’re a single rider, couple, or the Brady Bunch.
I’d also add that when we were going through fertility struggles, that slight language tweak would’ve been a distinction without a difference for us. To each their own, but I find all of that substanceless stuff to be another type of in-group vs. out-group signal.
Two things that come to my mind about when it comes to this trend:
1. Compared to many fandoms, the general population is probably more likely to have had a brush with the Disney environment/setting than they have with other fandoms (far more people are likely to take that once in a lifetime trip to a Disney park than they are to attend a Star Trek or DnD convention or even attend a pro sports game, I would guess). I wonder if this leads more people to feel some connection to the “argument” and more compelled to sit in judgement than they do with something they have no firsthand experience with.
2. I suspect a higher proportion of the Disney Adult community are women in comparison to many other fandoms that don’t seem to face the same types of tired critiques. Your paralell point about Swifties often receiving the same kind of derision as Disney Adults in media/social media spaces makes me wonder if there might be a bit of (conscious or unconscious) misogyny at play here.
Interesting observations! The first one is a point I made in the article, distinguishing theme parks that millions of people in the general public visit versus Trekkie (or whatever) conventions that only group members attend.
When it comes to the sports in particular, I would assume every family has at least one close relative who is big into a team (or teams). Articles critiquing that are never going to land as well because they’d hit too close to home–whereas it’s easier to “other” Disney fans.
Debt isn’t a good thing, but I am personally comfortable in making the value judgment that it’s subjectively superior to go into it for a memorable vacation than it is for sports gambling. As far as “addictions” go (if we wanted to frame it that way), Disney is a pretty harmless one!
Just an experience to share. I had saved for years, used every trick, and hosted a “last” Disney excursion for me and a first for my granddaughter, who was turning 8 post Covid. We stayed at my bucket list resort, the Polynesian. My other grown kiddos decided they had to come too. Okay! That’s a win-win. We spent the four days, broke into different groups throughout the days — always a few groups without the gk. And had one big meal together each day somewhere. Awesome. Point: You never know who’s really traveling without kids. And divvying up kiddo duties? Great for everyone, especially if the family is like ours — scattered across the nation. But here’s the real story: As I was checking in, a frail senior in a wheelchair was telling a cast member that she had come to the Poly every year since she was a small child; to her this was her second home that she always was so happy to return to. And that is gold. Have a lovely day and I try to get to know those folks in line with you (my small town habit, it was rude to ignore neighbors). They all have stories that bind us. And to heck with the mean girl articles.
Sorry for the unedited ending. I try to get to know those folks in line with me, maybe you, but probably not. Some ignore my hello. That’s fine. Others love to chat and share their stories. One of my best memories is a woman with grown daughter from New Orleans who gave up their curb spot for that grandkid of mine to watch the afternoon MK parade. We had the best time sharing stories of their reason for coming, ours, where we came from, why we loved Walt Disney World over the years. And I try to pay that kindness forward. Potential friends, even momentary ones, are everywhere. BTW. Been back after that trip with different grown kids and spouse celebrating an anniversary. We do WDW differently on those trips; few rides, table service restaurants, the architecture and theming noticed. Watching other tourists — loved those young Japanese kawaii theming Disney characters! Cheers.
I completely get what you’re saying, and always make a point of chatting with elderly guests. Generally speaking, I’ve found that they are more likely to be open to conversation than other guests (a generational thing?) and usually have interesting stories. It’s rarely their first visit, but on the rare occasion that is, I can sometimes turn the tables and share some quick ‘wisdom’ for the parks (not something I normally do unsolicited, but it’s just different with older guests than it is a young family).
I can only speak for myself, but as someone who enjoyed WDW as an amazed 23 year-old going for the first time with my extended family, and then as a parent multiple times thanks to DVC, and now starting to transition into adults-only/girls trips with either my husband or a good girlfriend to do the stuff our husbands aren’t into, I think more than anything I enjoy feeling very safe — for me and my family.
The parks are clean. I don’t have to worry about parking and driving in traffic and getting anxious about the inevitable traffic jam in the lots at the end of the night. If my kids want food and I don’t want to deal with it, I can mobile order for them and they can run to QS and grab the order (they’re teens now.) If they want to hit the pool earlier than us, I know where they are and I can putter and finish my coffee and they can go down and grab some loungers and use the pool. Our son is OVER the parks and just wants to relax in the room most days. He left after a few hours of doing Epcot with us and rode the Skyliner by himself back to the room. If we were back home, most of these things would require driving him somewhere or else keeping a semi sulky teen with us all afternoon while we forced togetherness on him, LOL.
When I travel with my (girl)friend and we leave the park at the end of the night, we feel safe in the crowd and on transportation getting back to the resort. I’m not turning my brain off that there’s perverts still out there, but there’s so much video surveillance and common crowd hubbub, I’m not as concerned about randos.
It’s so nice to just walk everywhere! I enjoy European travel for the walkability in their cities. WDW reminds me of that. I enjoy walking around the Boardwalk/Beach Club area. I choose to walk from MK to VGF/Poly because it’s scenic. I cannot wait for the walking trail to reopen between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge. So much of WDW is the atmospheric enjoyment for me. I’m happy touring each resort to see holiday decorations and smelling the unique scents of the lobbies.
The rides are great, the festival snacks are fun, and more than anything, the CAST MEMBERS are SO polite and helpful and friendly. I know folks like to pile on them that so much has changed and gone downhill, but have you traveled anywhere else and seen customer service? Disney is STILL tops in our book for pleasant interactions with staff. I’m very aware of the abuse these poor folks are getting by an increasingly hostile and entitled John Q Public. I have stories for days of waiting in line outside MK Guest Services and seeing the poor lady in there get SCREAMED AT because it rained the day before and a guy wanted his money back. Another time a young man was running an Epcot gift shop booth and was accused of being antiSemitic because there wasn’t any Hannukkah merchandise at that particular gift hut. The poor kid apologized for the shop not having anything for them to buy RIGHT THERE, but said he knew there were other huts that had merch to buy. Blue Umbrella CMs getting yelled at when rides go down. They’re more than happy to give you a replacement LL, folks! Don’t need to turn purple and yell at them. I know it’s annoying, but please, they don’t control the ride breaking down. I think the fireworks glow stick CMs must need PTSD therapy after trying to herd the crowds off the walkways. And they’re still nice! IDK. I am so frustrated by crappy customer service, I really appreciate the good service at WDW. It may not be 2010 level perfection, but it’s better than 99% of what’s out there as far as I’m concerned.
Amen! Agreed in why we live European travel and WDW, the walkability ! And those poor cast members! The service is top notch. The Disney cruises are more expensive than others, but it’s the only one my adult children want, service is amazing!
Some of this is precisely the point of the article mentioned in the post, “Walt Disney World is America’s Best City.”
I’d also add that I wholly agree about international travel. One of the huge reasons why we so strongly recommend that WDW fans step out of their comfort zones and visit Tokyo Disney Resort (aside from it being incredible) is because Japan isn’t really outside comfort zones at all. It is basically what so many fans love about WDW, but at national scale.
There’s a reason why Kyoto is our favorite city in the world, and probably isn’t coincidental that it’s somewhat akin to a theme park in living, breathing city form. (An odd comparison to one of the world’s great historic places, but I stand by it.)
Tom, organize a tour to Kyoto and we will go,..
When you are spending extremely valuable park time waiting in a seemingly endless line, there is a tendency to direct your ire toward the folks standing between you and your goal. And a 40 something guy or gal sporting mouse ears makes for a convenient target. I know my wife became unreasonably annoyed at adults park goers wearing robes and waving wands at Diagon Alley while waiting in line for Gringotts. And I have to admit, for a little while I sorta joined in as well.
Personally I have encountered rude childless adults at Disney- shoving past kids, cursing etc. That being said- I have come across plenty of rude adults with children. So my assessment is *ssholes come from all walks of life lol
Tom, this was possibly the best article you’ve written in quite some time. My wife and I have been coming to WDW since there was one park, paper tickets and just Shades of Green to stay at. We’re going back in a few weeks for my birthday with our son, so even though he’s 50, we technically won’t be “childless”. The grandchildren are all in college or grad school but maybe we’ll be able to go with great grandchildren some day. Anyway, on to a few of your points.
We do one or two rides a day, mainly because we’ve done all of them at one time or another and know them from memory. If a wait is too long there’s always another ride or another day. We tend to avoid the “Magic Kingdom” because of “privileged parents” wielding strollers the size of semi-trailers. (Hint to the commenter who was almost run over.l: Don’t jump out of the way, next time stop dead in your tracks and watch what happens!) We mostly go for the dining at places like Vicky and Al’s and Narcoosies. We’ve actually “grown up” with some of the staff in those places over the years. Seen a few go to that great Cinderella’s Castle in the sky too.
With the exception of the food festivals at Epcot, we’ve never had an alcoholic beverage in any of the parks, unless you want to include dinner at Monsieur Paul’s and similar inside venues.
The problem as I see it is that, with the advent of social media, everyone has suddenly become a critic with an oh-so-important opinion and, given the billions of people who read this stuff, they can always find like-minded people to recognize and reinforce said pearls of wisdom. It’s actually kind of humorous to watch.
We go to Disney to enjoy ourselves as we see fit. We don’t get in people’s way or deprive anyone, especially families, of anything. If some have a problem with Disney’s prices, don’t blame us childless Disney adults, but rather see Disney’s apparent obsession with increasing profits aimed at driving up their stock price to satisfy Vanguard and BlackRock. This is what, in my opinion, drives most of these increases.
Finally, my attitude toward the purveyors of all of this criticism and other such epic nonsense, including those decrying us childless Disney adults, is best summed up by Rhett Butler’s famous line at the end of GWTW that begins, “Frankly my dear . . . .”