Credit: DisneyIn the era of “woke” television and movies, there is an increasing call for Christian Disney content that adheres to more traditional, ‘family’ values. As approximately 67% of the population in the United States alone, Christianity is of significant interest to Disney.
This is true both politically (think Ron DeSantis) and economically (think blockbuster turnout to ‘woke’ movies). To account for this population sector, Disney Plus has a significant library of Christian and family material in the spirit of inclusion.
Walt Disney+ Subscription Service Inclusion Efforts
There’s been much conversation about the Disney Channel and changes at Walt Disney World, most of which reflect the term coined “woke.” It’s become an umbrella term for progression and change, often taking classics like Snow White and repurposing the material in a way many find offensive.
Christian Population Demographics for Disney
It’s estimated that in the U.S. itself, there are around 165 million whose religion surrounds Jesus Christ. In the two Disney states, these numbers are 70% for Florida and 64% for California.
That’s a substantial number. Accordingly, Walt Disney Studios and Parks accommodate. In the Disney+ settings, there are options to limit the target audience to a younger environment.
Some scenes in the Disney movie repertoire can be edgy and push boundaries. Setting the threshold to the FCC rating that the family is most comfortable with, PG or PG-13, leaves ample content opportunities.
Christian Disney Content: Traditional and New Material.
The interest in Christian Disney content increased as many expressed concerns with “woke” Disney film messaging. While the content focus is primarily family-based, available pieces focus on messaging through Jesus Christ.
Examples include integrating the Santa Claus concept without undermining religious values or embracing Toy Story and other Pixar pieces as a family. These include traditional options like Finding Nemo and other safe neo-classics like Inside Out.
Reports on demand for Christian content are shown clearly in the “Rise of Biblical Responsible Investing.” This means an effort for stock traders to limit their choices to companies that follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. These trading decisions, therefore, impact a company as large as Walt Disney Studios as the Christian market is so large.
Traditional Christian Disney Content
Many of these Disney film examples include things like the Tim Allen classic about Santa Clause and other animated features that offer families chances to discuss values in a chosen manner. In other cases, Walt Disney World park changes can either promote or detract from faith, especially as it relates to children. Some examples of Christian options include:
- Animated classics like Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Sleeping Beauty.
- Park character meetings, where Christian themes might not be present, but the family can offer context and use the experience to add faith to the trip.
- Identifying the faith-based section of the Disney library allows the Christian parent to control television input from Disney animation.
Modern Disney Christian Content
Among the more modern versions of Christian content are examples that use stylish cinematography to make Christian values accessible to younger audiences while competing with social media. Some examples include:
- Star Wars: Ahsoka is a female-leading science fiction (though it does have strong Christian values, it also includes violence).
- National Geographic options show the world’s wonders without Disney Animation, giving Christian parents a say in how kids perceive the world.
- The Muppets Mayhem can’t be forgotten, harkening to the beloved Muppet tradition while staying funny and family-friendly.
There are many options for Christian values within a Disney Channel original movie and the overall tones of its classics. How families apply these options varies, but the Walt Disney Company does account for this audience in the spirit of inclusion.
What’s your favorite piece of Christian Disney content? Who does it best? Share in the comments below!