Latest news with #DisneyAdults
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What it really means to be a Disney adult, according to an expert
Swifty. Gamer. Backpacker. Foodie. All these labels bring vivid images to mind, but one group elicits particularly strong feelings from fans and observers alike: Disney adults. Whatever you think of when you hear the term, Disney expert AJ Wolfe, owner of and wants to challenge that in her new book by the same name, 'Disney Adults.' 'Stereotypes are there for a reason, but what are the reasons that people are attacking this particular subculture? And what does that say about them versus us, as well?' she asked. Wolfe spoke with USA TODAY about what she discovered and her own experiences as a Disney adult. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Question: Disney has been popular with adults from the very beginning. It's not a new phenomenon. Can you tell us about that? Wolfe: There have been Disney adults for 100 years, really since Walt Disney started his whole empire back in the 1920s. Walt has a pretty well-known quote that says, 'You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." He knew from the very beginning that he had to make sure to entice the people who held the purse strings. What we've seen Disney adults evolve into though is an online subculture – primarily online, although things are starting to put their tendrils into in-person meetups and communities. Love theme parks? Thank Disneyland. Here's why. People have this idea of what a Disney adult is. What do you want people to know about them? Stereotypes come out of truth, right? There are some of us who are obsessed and obnoxious and selfish and problematic, but every fandom has those people. That's called humanity. That's what we are, as a culture in general. What people aren't really looking at – especially with Disney adults and I think with a lot of subcultures – is what's below the water when it comes to the iceberg. Online, what algorithms are pushing is what people are watching: the extremes. You're not seeing the reality. Every culture, every subculture, the majority of what's going on is stuff you don't see, stuff you have no idea about, so that's what we're doing with the book. It's really kind of showing how broad and extensive this subculture is and also pros and cons of it. Let's talk about some of those pros. What's great about this particular fandom is that people are finally finding their tribe. I think a lot of Disney adults don't fit anywhere else, and this is some place that they fit exquisitely. They find their best friends; they find their partners. You can find people you'd never find in your regular community or your workplace or your school. I think because a lot of us don't fit anywhere, we're very open and and happy to welcome everybody who finds some sort of solace here or who finds Disney to be interesting or compelling or curious or whatever. We're happy to talk to you about it. We're happy to bring you on where you are. We are also very willing to help each other, so you see a lot of positives within the Disney community of fundraisers, charity work, people helping other people in the community and doing outreach outside of the community. But the most important one, especially for me personally, is you find your tribe and your community, which honestly you can't be healthy without. For many fans, Disney brings back core memories and a deep emotional connection that they feel when they go to the places Disney has created. This is something that I really wanted to figure out while writing this book. How does Disney do this? Like, we're lining up to give them more money. How did they get such a hold on us? What it all stems back to for a lot of us as Disney adults is family and emotional connections. I blame our parents and our grandparents 1000% for bringing us to those Disney movies, for bringing us to Disney World and for having such a fabulous time while they were there that we kind of cottoned on to that and said, 'This is when my dad and I really connect. This is when my grandma and I have something in common, and I remember this time.' And now, with the world doing what it's doing and people just being high anxiety and feeling stressed and just regular life, you're going to want to try to get back to that feeling of safety and predictability and warmth and being taken care of, and so a lot of times people will go back to Disney. It's a cycle because as you grow up with these things, you want to pass them on to your kids so they have the same experiences, and it raises another generation of fans. Exactly. The thing that's also interesting about that is when I was raising my son, who's 11 now, we could have gone to Europe for vacation. We could have gone to Costa Rica, but that's harder than just going to Disney because Disney is so easy. They speak English, they take dollars, but it's still this experience you get to have. It's the easier choice. It can be really hard to try to figure out an entirely different city that speaks a different language. And so I think when you have little kids, sometimes it's just, "We're going to go to Disney for a little while because we know what to expect." You want your kids to experience what you experienced, but also it's the devil you know. Can you talk about that feeling of FOMO a lot of Disney adults have about the latest snacks, the latest merch? The marketing is unbelievable, and I'm not going to lie, the whole Disney adult community is doing this marketing for Disney for free. Disney has become a 24-hour news cycle. Hungry is the perfect word for the information, details, hot goss on their happy place, and that's exactly what they're trying to key into, because that's going to bring them that dopamine hit, that joy, that little feeling of "I know what's going on and this person doesn't know what's going on." There's also this weird hierarchy of "How much do you know, and do you know more than other people? Do you have this pin? Do you have that Loungefly bag? Have you tried that snack? Have you been on that ride?" It's just this wild subculture of one-upmanship and FOMO, and "I have to right now book this trip because I have to be on that new ride." It's fascinating. I'm all caught up in it, too. Can you speak to some of the cons and address some of the criticisms people have of Disney adults? Absolutely, and we have a whole chapter in the book about it. Two main points that kind of keep coming up are, first, people are loving something that general society considers to be for kids. It's like you are not allowed, as an upstanding citizen, to like something that was built and created for children. We heard Walt's quote. We know it wasn't built and created for children, but people are like, 'Disney is for kids. Why do you like something that's for kids? That's weird.' And so that's verging on a lot of other weird things that people are uncomfortable with. Sometimes Disney adults can be othering towards other theme parks. As far I'm concerned, a rising tide lifts all boats. Disney's going to get better because Universal's getting better. Universal's going to get better because Disney's getting better. I do feel like this is great for all of us. Can we just be cool? I think we shoot ourselves in the foot a lot when it comes to themed experiences because we're not willing to open our minds. Of course you can love something for free, but a lot of experiences cost money. Can you tell us about the role of money plays with Disney adults? That's interesting that you say you can love something for free because what Disney has definitely done, even more so in the last couple of years, is there's a lot of their experiences that you cannot have unless you have a certain amount of money. Can you go to Disney cheap? Sure, but not that cheap. Those tickets cost at least $100, and so I think there is a feeling among Disney adults that Disney is out-pricing a lot of people and that they're getting to the point that it's just going to be a luxury item, at least for the parks, and they cannot afford to go anymore. I think you're starting to see, 'Oh, only rich people can go to Disney. Only rich people can have these experiences.' And Disney, in the past five years, has made a lot of their amenities that used to be free into paid amenities. You can't get them anymore unless you pay for them, so it's an evolving space. People will still pay it. That's the thing. No Lightning Lane needed: How to save time in line at Disney World, Disneyland without paying extra Is there anything else you want people to know? Most importantly, the thing about this particular subculture and this book in general is that we are talking about humanity here. It's aspects of any group or community or subculture that you're seeing. I think you're going to see more and more and more subcultures emerge online, and you're going to see a lot more of our friends and connections and chosen family be people we've never met before. So just sort of thinking about that and how do we comprehend these communities? How do we involve ourselves in these communities? How do we not be scared of these communities? Realize that there's so much more to these groups than you might think. Give yourself some time to really explore.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Dating App for Disney Adults Currently In Development
A new dating app is currently in development that is designed specifically for Disney adults to find a romantic match (and make friends)! It can sometimes be difficult to find other people who share the same level of enthusiasm and love for Disney, which is where this app comes in to bring fans together. Keep reading for everything that has been shared so far about this new app designed for Disney adults! READ MORE – New Disney Adults Dating App in Development TikToker Joe @joethebeardednerd described in a video that he was inspired to create a dating app for Disney adults after he was stood up on a date. He said, 'I did what any other Orlando local does, and I went to Disney,' which prompted him to come up with the idea of developing a Disney dating app. The app is called 'Single Riders,' a play on Disney's Single Rider service at the parks. The new app will have both a dating side and a friendship side for those who want to go to Disney but don't have anyone to go with. I especially like this idea of having a friendship side, as sometimes it's easier said than done to find others who have the same level of passion for Disney and want to spend time in the parks. I expect that a lot of users will take advantage of this side of the service. In a post from Joe via the singleridersapp account, he encouraged people to share in the comments what they would like to see in this dating app and shared that a beta program is opening up later this year. There were some good suggestions in the comments! TikTok user Robyn McGurgan shared, 'I go to the parks alone and it would be AWESOME to have a feature that shows if other singles are at the parks at the same time!' There were several more suggestions and questions in the comments, including those asking if this would be available on the West Coast as well, which the account confirmed would be the case. An older version of this concept is Mouse Mingle, a paid dating site for Disney fans that was launched in 2015 to bring together people who love Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel. The concept of a Disney adults dating service is something that people have shown interest in, as Disney in general is a topic that many people can connect through. READ MORE – You can see the post about the new app from Joe via the singleridersapp account on TikTok below: Don't Miss the Latest Disney News Don't miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips. The post New Dating App For Disney Adults to Serve Single Riders appeared first on Mickey Visit - Disney News & Planning Tips. Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Kennedy: Disney Adults Are Weird, Man
'Disney adults', for the most part, get a bad rap (rightfully so), and now they are getting their own dating app. The app is designed for like-minded singles to hang out in a theme park made for kids, without kids. Kennedy has many, many opinions on the whole thing and shares why these people need to grow up. Follow Kennedy on Twitter: @KennedyNation Kennedy Now Available on YouTube: Follow on TikTok: Join Kennedy for Happy Hour on Fridays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
National Post
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- National Post
Dating app aims to help Disney singles find their happily ever after
Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are about to get some competition — particularly for those who are on the hunt while at a Disney theme park. Article content Single Riders, a play on the lines at Disney World for solo guests or those willing to ride alone, wants to connect Disney lovers with fellow fans. Article content Article content Joe, one of the app's developers, announced on Single Riders' social media accounts that it will allow Disney and other theme park enthusiasts to plan dates at various parks and discuss their shared interests. And for those who simply want to build platonic friendships, that's an option as well. Article content The developer, who described himself as 'more of an ideas guy' than 'genius coder,' invited fans to submit ideas and what features they would like to see on the app. Article content Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by Single Riders App (@singleridersapp) Article content 'I go to the parks alone and it would be AWESOME to have a feature that shows if other singles are at the parks at the same time,' one person wrote. Article content Another asked, 'Can there be an option to make friendships too? Like Bumble has. Sincerely, married Disney adults who would love Disney friends.' Article content Joe responded: 'Yes, absolutely we will have that option.' Article content Article content A second person suggested: 'Give date options around the parks while you have noted that you have met up!' Article content Several commenters believed that including filters like location, age, height, education and political affiliation, which other dating apps offer, is the way to go. Article content
Scotsman
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Top 20 Disney Adult Capitals of the UK for 2025
Walt Disney World Resort The subject of 'Disney adults' can make some people smile from ear to ear, whilst giving others 'the ick'. Love them or loathe them, the devoted fandom are here to stay. But, whether you're looking to join the community or steer clear, where are you most likely to bump into Disney adults in the wild? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... New internal data from reveals the UK locations that are home to the highest number of Disney-loving grown-ups. The data is based on ticket purchases by solo travellers and couples for Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland California over the past 12 months, totalling a huge 44,000 tickets and 2000 locations analysed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While London takes the top spot, some surprising contenders have made the top 20 list, including Swansea, Dundee, and Warrington. Northern cities are also particularly well-represented in the rankings, suggesting that the magic of Disney is strongest in the North of England. Disneyland Paris The Top 20 Disney Adult Capitals of the UK London – Estimated 1,523 Disney Adults Glasgow – Estimated 1,347 Disney Adults Liverpool – Estimated 1,037 Disney Adults Manchester – Estimated 753 Disney Adults Belfast – Estimated 505 Disney Adults Birmingham – Estimated 493 Disney Adults Bristol – Estimated 462 Disney Adults Leeds – Estimated 393 Disney Adults Nottingham – Estimated 388 Disney Adults Edinburgh – Estimated 357 Disney Adults Newcastle Upon Tyne – Estimated 280 Disney Adults Cardiff – Estimated 278 Disney Adults Sheffield – Estimated 274 Disney Adults Southampton – Estimated 265 Disney Adults Leicester – Estimated 251 Disney Adults Hull – Estimated 243 Disney Adults Warrington – Estimated 239 Disney Adults Swansea – Estimated 238 Disney Adults Dundee – Estimated 227 Disney Adults Wigan – Estimated 225 Disney Adults Key findings include: London is the UK's Disney adult capital with over 1,500 ticket bookings. Glasgow comes in second with 1,347 purchases, outperforming much larger cities. Liverpool, Manchester, and Belfast round out the top five. The North dominates the list, claiming 8 of the top 20 spots. Wales is represented by Cardiff and Swansea, while Scotland sees three cities in the rankings. Smaller locations like Wigan, Dundee, and Warrington outperform several major urban areas which didn't make the top 20 list, such as Brighton & Hove, Coventry, and Milton Keynes. Chris Bradshaw, Marketing Director at said on the findings: "This data shows that a huge number of adults across the UK enjoy travelling to Disney parks solo or in a couple without children. Cities like Glasgow and Liverpool ranking so highly also suggests that the Disney fandom is thriving well beyond the capital, and even some smaller areas like Dundee and Warrington. From our internal data, we're seeing that Disney parks are no longer viewed just as family destinations. Increasingly, they appeal to adults who are eager to experience the nostalgia, themed dining, and seasonal events that make Disney parks unique. This shift has a direct impact on how we approach marketing and packaging trips for a grown-up audience and we welcome any Disney adults who want to experience the magic of Disney with us.'
