Credit: Disney“May Walt Disney World bring joy and inspiration and new knowledge to all who come to this happy place … a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn together.” Those words were part of the official dedication for the Walt Disney Word Resort when the Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971, and it’s a sentiment that’s continued to ring true for the Disney parks all around the world. However, one group of dedicated Disney fans has gained more than their fair share of ire and disgust for enjoying the parks without children–a group derisively nicknamed “Disney adults.”
Disney adults are typically a group of people who enjoy visiting the Disney parks without children. They’ve grown in infamy due to social media platforms like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok giving them a platform to make and share videos and content from the parks. Unfortunately, this has also brought comments questioning their sanity, insulting them or the parks, or just a generally negative attitude towards older Disney guests. Even Urban Dictionary has gotten in on the fun, describing a Disney adult as “A millennial adult, with or without kids, that can’t stop talking about Disney, including the movies and the parks. Even if they do have kids, they’re still way more obsessed with it that their kids ever would be.”
Some Disney adults have begun to ask for adult-only spaces within the resorts, like age-specific after-hours events, nightclubs, or even adult-only days, which has continued to add fuel to the fire of “demanding Disney adults.” They’re consistently the butt of jokes online for enjoying a Disney trip so enthusiastically, especially as the Walt Disney Company has found itself under fire over the last few years for a variety of issues. However, one creator on TikTok actually makes a great point as to why so many people enjoy visiting the Disney parks, whether or not they’re aware of it, and it comes down to having a third space, or community space.
What is a third space?
A third space, or third place, is defined by sociologist Ray Oldenberg as “locations that facilitate social interaction outside of the people you live or work with and encourage ‘public relaxation'” (per Today). “Third places tend to foster light, pleasant conversation and are free from expectations of productivity.” Most people have two spaces, their home and work, but often lack an easily accessible third space. Oftentimes, third spaces can be something as simple as a restaurant or bar you regularly visit. Other times it can be the gym or an exercise class. For kids, it’s often school or extracurriculars.
However, as prices skyrocket and money becomes an issue, finding a third space is becoming more difficult, especially for the young adult crowd. Just as recently as a few years ago, teens and young adults could hang out at the local shopping mall and know they were relatively safe and able to find a way to pass a few hours with their friends. Now, shopping malls are fading away with the advent of online shopping, taking away yet another public area to hang out.
Enter, the Disney theme parks. While still expensive, an annual pass is a decent option for many locals, giving them access to several parks that essentially operate as mini cities with restaurants, bars, shows and events, all with their own security measures, ensuring that everyone is safe with the parks at all times. Cast members are able to enjoy the parks even more easily, with free admission and ease of access before or after work, making the parks a “go to” hangout place. It makes sense then that there would be such a large group of millennial to Gen Z “Disney adults” enjoying the parks.
Disney Adults and the Parks
On TikTok, creator @keilenabb (Keilena Burch) stitched a video that starts by saying, “our generation is so depressed because we don’t have a ‘third space.'” She expands that idea in terms of Disney adults, explaining that, “the idea of a third place is why I think Disney adults are so happy. Like when I was working there, all my friends were co-workers, so we all had free tickets to the parks. So, we get off work, we go to the parks. I had a day off, I go to the parks. You always have the option to do something that isn’t sitting at home or work or school and it’s free.”
@keilenabb #stitch with @Christian likeeeeeeee if u see me moving back this is why #disneyadult #dcp #disney #thirdplaces ♬ original sound – Keilena Burch
She continues the video by saying that since she’s moved back to New York, all she wants is to move back to Florida to work for Disney again, because of that “free and fun third place.” She explains that although she was making less money working for Disney, she actually had more money because much of how she was enjoying her time was either free or didn’t cost much money. And the comments agreed with her.
“Yes!!! And its a giant walkable community. Its safe. Its bougies. Its contained. Its magic,” one comment said. “This is exactly why I pay for my AP,” said another. It seems as though Keilena may have also helped destigmatize Disney adults in her video as well. “Never understood disney adults until right now, thank u,” stated one commenter. Another agreed, “Youve helped me accept disney adults and i never thought this was possible.”
Most, if not all, of the Disney resorts around the world feature a downtown district along with the actual theme park. Disneyland Resort in California not only has Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, but also has Downtown Disney. Walt Disney World Resort in Florida not only has Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT, but also has Disney Springs. Shanghai Disneyland has Disneytown while Tokyo Disneyland has Ikspiari. Basically, guests can enjoy the parks for all that they offer, but they can also enjoy a shopping, dining, and entertainment district all in one that’s right on Disney property, making it really easy to find something to do without having to spend much.
As more and more of our interactions happen online, we’re quickly losing those in-person connections and spaces to meet up and spend time together. While adult Disney fans will likely never truly lose the negative remarks and free themselves of online discourse, their passion and desire to hangout at the parks makes a lot of sense when put into that perspective. Even if they themselves don’t recognize that’s why they’re doing it, it’s an added bonus to just visiting a place that holds a lot of magical memories for a lot of people. Especially for cast members who work long hours, being able to easily visit a Disney park before or after work without spending too much money can be special in its own right.
What’s your opinion on Disney adults? Do you think the Disney parks are a valid “third space?” Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!