Disney+ Special Faces Backlash, Accused of “Ruining Christmas” For Kids

The Disney+ streaming service is facing yet another backlash, this time from parents who feel the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever movie is ruining Christmas by openly telling kids that Santa Claus isn’t real.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever still with children being shocked — Credit: Disney+

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever is part of the long-running Wimpy Kid franchise by Jeff Kinney and the first animated feature to feature Wesley Kimmel as Greg Heffley, the protagonist of the series. As the name of the movie implies, it’s a Christmas feature in which Greg is hoping to receive a video game console, and hijinks and chaos ensue.

What is really ranking some Disney+ subscribers, however, is that the Wimpy Kid movie tells a lot of small children the one thing that a non-parent ever wants to tell a kid: Santa Claus does not exist.

FAO parents of smallies
Just an fyi…. The new diary of a wimpy kid movie on Disney gives away all the magic of Santa. He goes and finds the presents in the hot press and then at the end it’s the same presents left out from Santa.🥺 It’s rated 6+ 🫣 A lot of very upset kids 💔

— Liam Clause 🧑‍🎄 (@EvertonLiam79) December 14, 2023

Social media is currently full of parents who are shocked and upset that the Disney+ Wimpy Kid openly reveals that the patron saint of Christmas might be more of a cultural myth and symbolic spirit of yuletide festivity than an actual person who comes to houses and delivers presents.

Twitter user @Anne_Marie_PA makes the point that the Wimpy Kid movie is rated “6+” on Disney+, an age range that is not unreasonable to still believe in the literal magic of the season. She says, “*Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Christmas Cabin Fever* For anyone with young kiddies take note that this movie ruins the magic of Christmas as it reveals presents don’t come from Santa. Crazy to be rated a 6+ by Disney.”

*Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Christmas Cabin Fever*

For anyone with young kiddies take note that this movie ruins the magic of Christmas as it reveals presents don't come from Santa. Crazy to be rated a 6+ by Disney. https://t.co/hKXOYiJnD8

— Anne Marie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇪🇺🌊💙💛 (@Anne_Marie_PA) December 15, 2023

@ashleypureheart went a step further and actually made a meme, posting, “I haven’t seen Cabin Fever, but after reading the article, I made this meme.”

I haven’t seen Cabin Fever, but after reading the article, I made this meme. https://t.co/ADXXysDgU2 pic.twitter.com/QwK6pI5W1N

— AshleyPureHeart: Mystics Without Borders, we won!! (@ashleypureheart) December 17, 2023

On the other hand, other users, like @IanKirbyOG, took the opposite stance, saying, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid takes place in the real world, so it’s time for those parents to get real and shut up. Santa doesn’t show up in the movie for a reason.”

Some Twitter users have also pointed out that because the Wimpy Kid movie is rated 6+ on Disney+, subscribers do not have the option of using parental controls to filter it out, as those options are designed to remove mature-themed material. Presumably, Bob Iger did not think of that while warning parents about updated controls.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever is currently streaming on Disney+. In addition to Wesley Kimmel, the movie features the voices of Hunter Dillion, Erica Cerra, Chris Diamantopoulos, and Ethan William Childress and was directed by Luke Cormican.

Do you think that Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever ruins Christmas for some kids? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments below!