Everyone’s heard of the “Disney adult”, or seen cringe compilations of millennial women wearing the classic uniform: Mickey Mouse ears, a tiny backpack (probably with wings) and as much tacky merch as they can stack on. Online, people love to hate on grown adults who never let go of childhood interests. It’s made easier by the influx of content thrown out of them crying meeting their favourite princesses or paying through the roof to jump queues of children.
Whether you love or hate Disney, you have to agree that they’re at best annoying. But how did they become one of the most popular groups of people to slate?
We did some serious research into the phenomenon of full grown children, and have narrowed down some of the internet’s best excuses for cyberbullying.
People think dressing up like kids is kinda strange
@quackmoment Disney adult cringe #meme #cringe #funny #disney #disneyadult #goofy #fyp
With the exception of Halloween, most adults retire their princess dresses before they’re old enough to go to uni. Disney adults seem to take a lot of joy in cosplaying as Tinkerbell on a random Thursday in Orlando, as a break from their standard uniform of Mickey jumpers and patterned leggings. Aside from the slight discomfort of watching people who pay taxes plan “Disneybound” outfits with military precision, the constant consumption of fast fashion by people who can definitely afford to make better choices is a bit disconcerting. No, I do not want to see your 101 Dalmatians Shein merch.
It’s lowkey for rich people
@dearanddarling Why so serious? #DisneyBounding #Disneyland #DisneyCouple #transition
Tickets for Disney World can be insanely expensive, with a day ticket costing around £100. That’s enough to cover your food shopping for a month. Add in your hotel stays, added experiences, flights and food and you’ve got a pretty big holiday.
That’s not accounting for the small fortune you can blow on merch needed to fit the stereotype- those ears don’t come cheap at £45. What in the disposable income is going on here? If you always found “my personality is Disney” a bit smug, it’s because it is. Taking more than your annual leave to go to Orlando multiple times a year screams privilege.
Mickey is your landlord now
@otavio.travels When You’re just trying to survive an 8-hour shift in 90° heat and now you’re comforting a crying adult
#fyp #disney #disneyland #disneycharacters #relatable
Lest we forget that Disney is a huge media monopoly that has swallowed a huge amount of smaller studios. Pledging your allegiance to a brand is crazy when you take a minute to touch grass. It’s less harmless fun and more free advertising for a company that will put you into crippling debt for a keyring. Queuing several hours to meet an actor in a costume is very dystopian, and has bred a cult-like following that’s quite hard to respect.
People think Disney is dominated white millennials
@.bopps POV You’re sitting next to a Disney adult on seven dwarfs mine train in Disney World, and they are crushin it #disneyworld #disneyparks #fyp #pov #disney
I know it’s cool to hate on millennials, but when you’re looking at an overwhelming majority of white, middle class, middle aged parents, it’s hard to feel empathy for their cringe. Disney adults are hated for this and unfortunately get this stick. Matching shirts in front of Epcot isn’t magical, it’s giving cursed family vlog. Their addiction to consumerism is treated like it’s a given, not a once in a lifetime opportunity to indulge in childhood dreams. We’re all forced to watch insufferable people flex their middle class comfort under the guise of wholesome fun, and it’s not cute.
Sure, a lot of Disney adults are a bit stuck in childish fantasies, and that can be seen as quite sad. We love to hate, and people expressing their interests earnestly are really easy targets for keyboard warriors. It’s impossible to tear ourselves away from the hate scrolling on TikTok, and reading edgy comments about them. Despite the slander, they persevere in their magical worlds, parading online with their ears held high.
In a way, a whole fandom has transformed itself into the cartoons they hold so dear – you kinda have to respect it, no matter how much Disney adults are hated by some corners of the internet.
Featured image via TikTok @claytonfarris4ever @thecelyvazquez
