Credit: Orlando WeeklyA major consensus of Disney fans would agree that the Disney Parks are an experience that goes far beyond the average vacation spot. Even places like Universal Studios can take more than a few notes from the happiest places on earth, but could there be a different side to Disney’s gift for immersion.
When Guests visit Disney, they are transported away from the chaos of everyday life to a realm of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. It is a grand and glorious understatement to say that Walt Disney World goes to extraneous measures to separate itself from the rest of Orlando, Florida.
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For a place immensely popular amongst families with kids, Disney seems to have fallen from grace prior to 2020. Guests are getting drunk and disorderly, Cast Members are getting assaulted, and some are even relieving themselves outside of the restroom. With all that going on, why do Guests keep returning for more?
As if to explain this spell Disney has on its audience, a recent post in r/WaltDisneyWorld has Guests sharing exactly what makes the experience magical for them. In spite of the “EPCOT drunks” and tremendous wait times, many frequent visitors find them being drawn further into Disney’s bubble.
Disney’s “Bubble” is an actual phenomenon noticed by many Guests, and several Reddit users clarify it as a major factor in their Disney addiction. However, some of the language they use to describe it sounds less like a popular fanbase and more like a cult.
u/Mjb06 writes,
“The bubble is a big thing for me. It feels like all my responsibilities and stress don’t exist inside the bubble.”
Although it’s a weird way to put things, many Guests share this unusual, almost cult-like attitude towards the Parks. It’s as if they’re devotion to Disney blinds them to its issues.
u/ShinyGallinule provides an excellent example when they write,
“All my life Disney is where I have celebrated everything worth celebrating. Giving that up forever would be like giving up a part of my soul….”
And u/miqetom goes even further by saying,
“It’s a religious experience. We are programmed for wonder, and will return to any source of wonder.”
Disney and Disney Adults have both been compared to a massive cult on more than a few occasions. In fact, some onlookers have made an outright investigation of the matter such as the Sound’s Like a Cult podcast. Comments like the ones before certainly don’t help the case.
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Whether it’s thanks to the Disney Bubble, the desire for escapism, or simply enjoying the rides and attractions, we all have our reasons for our devotion to the house of mouse. It might venture into fanaticism on occasion, but it’s hard to shake that magical fix and u/mickey_is_bored says it best when they write,
“For me Disney represents the ability to be free and believe in fairytales even in tough times. It lets me be a kid at heart where the world can sometimes be too harsh on those who tend to enjoy living life to the fullest while trying to keep fairytales alive.”
Have you succumbed to the Disney cult? Tell us at Inside the Magic in the comments below!