Viewers Are "DONE" With Disney Preaching to Children

Walt Disney started a small animation studio 100 years ago, creating some of the best early animated films targeted at children and adults alike. Similarly, he opened Disneyland Resort in 1955, hoping to inspire parents and their kids to have fun together. 

The man behind Mickey Mouse has remained a beloved cultural icon for decades. But some former fans believe current Walt Disney Company executives are damaging his legacy, from making political statements to including LGBTQIA+ and racially diverse characters in films.

Overwhelmingly, the public supports such progressive stances. The company has long been internally accepting, with public inclusion efforts growing more common in recent years and angering the “anti-woke” crowd.

Weeks ago, a TikToker started controversy after arguing that Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and other House of Mouse productions shouldn’t explicitly state life lessons in every film or Disney+ show.

“The most critical point, Mr. Iger, is about the content itself,” he said, speaking directly to CEO Bob Iger. “It’s okay to have a good, old-fashioned tale without shoving a message in audiences’ faces every single scene. Let the audience discover the message and lead with good storytelling and original characters first.”

But some parents don’t want Disney content to include moral lessons, explicitly or not. Content creator Clayton Morris (@realclaytonmorris) asked his audience for their thoughts on Monday:

@realclaytonmorris

Are pedantic companies turning you off too? #disney #movies #cancel #news #woke #disneyworld #cancelculture #viralvideo #trending #dailyshow

♬ original sound – Clayton Morris

“Do pedantic companies turn people off?” Morris asked. “Do they offend you, trying to talk down to you or preach to you? Are you turned off by that?”

“I absolutely grow tired of all the moralizing in Disney products,” he argued. “But is that a measurable economic sentiment?”

Recent box office flops like Lightyear (2022), Strange World (2022), and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), combined with low attendance at Walt Disney World Resort, have left many conservative talking heads declaring the end of the hundred-year-old corporation. And Morris’ audience agreed.

“I cringe when I hear or see anything Disney,” said @pipercavender67. “I’m sorry I even played Disney for my kids… Happy I never took them now.”

“Yes,” @jones.plantation0 agreed. “Done with all corporate social engineering!”

“Yes, Disney is DONE in my eyes,” @extremelyrelaxed wrote.

Despite the backlash, the company reported record profits in multiple divisions in its last financial update. Though many have protested, Mickey Mouse and his friends aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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