26
Credit: DisneyDisney Adults have more power than we realized.
The phenomenon of childless adults enjoying Disney Parks and Disney entertainment became controversial in recent years, with many mocking adults for anything from hugging costumed characters at Walt Disney World Resort to getting engaged at Disneyland Paris. Some so-called “Disney Adults” share their experiences online, often leading to harassment and cyberbullying.
Last month, though, a popular TikToker (@annoyedlemon) and mother shared her experience dealing with “Disney Adults” during a Walt Disney World Resort visit. She recalled being “fuming mad” that her then five-year-old had to wait behind grown adults to meet a Disney Princess.
“If you are one of those f**king people standing in that line to get your picture taken with another adult who’s wearing a f**king costume, and you’re taking up that space that other people who have young children or have people with them that believe these characters are actually real… you’re wasting my motherf**king time,” she said. “You’re a full-grown adult knowing that you’re basically taking pictures with a mall Santa Claus.”
Though Disney Parks fans tried to explain their emotional connection to Disney and its characters, she doubled down in follow-up videos and comments. “Disney adults have ruined Disney World and made it inaccessible to so many families,” she wrote.
Her account was later banned for violating TikTok’s “hateful conduct” policy. She returned with an hour-long podcast on Spotify to discuss her experience with Disney Adults that she claimed “ran her off” the Internet.
In retrospect, the TikToker said she should have made it more clear that she was discussing Disney influencers and vloggers making content at the Parks, not once-in-a-lifetime adult Guests or neurodivergent adults who believe in the magic of Disney characters. Still, she said Disney Adults should just own that they like Disney without needing an emotional defense.
“You can’t all be going to Disney World to heal your inner child,” she said. “You can just come out and say you enjoy going to Disney. I don’t need the American Idol voice story… the sob story.”
Additionally, she claimed that the adult Guests waiting to meet the Disney Princess were intoxicated, regularly cursing, yelling, and running into her daughter’s stroller without apologizing. She described her visit as “hot,” “aggravating,” and “not magical.”
In the aftermath of her viral video, social media users found the names of her family members and left hateful comments on her account. She was almost grateful for being banned to free herself from harassment but defended her original statements.
“I’m sorry that I upset so many people,” she said. “But I’m not going to be sorry about what I was frustrated about.”
Are you a Disney Adult? Share your thoughts on the term with Inside the Magic in the comments.