Credit: Disney Parks BlogThe Disney Parks were made on the concept of a magical place where families and guests of all ages could enjoy time together. While that’s certainly the case for places like Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort, that doesn’t mean they are the only demographic needing some magic.
As much as the Walt Disney Company does to attract families and children, recent cultural shifts have seen the rise of Disney Adults. While social media might have a love/hate relationship with them, Disney knows where its under-tapped audience lies, and steps have been taken to bring them into the fold.
The Disneyland Resort recently announced the dates for Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite and tickets are already on sale for the special after-hours event. The official report from the Disney Parks Blog reads as follows.
“With twice as many event nights this year, Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite is back with galactic entertainment, novel-themed snacks and unique photo opportunities on eight separate nights at Disneyland park! This separately ticketed event will be held on April 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 and May 2, 7 and 9, 2024. Read on for all the details, including the dates these tickets go on sale, Magic Key pre-sale opportunities, plus a new “notify me” option that will be available to you while you’re waiting in the online queue to purchase tickets!”
The announcement goes on to mention that there will also be several new additions, as well as a pre-party celebration, before the event officially starts. It sounds like Disney is pulling out all the stops for a night in the galaxy far, far away, but a closer look at the perks offered indicates a change in course for this interstellar celebration.
Cosplayers Called to Disneyland Star Wars Nite
It should be stated that there is no age requirement or limit to participate in the event, but some of the events were definitely tailored to a more adult clientele. While it’s not stated explicitly that Disney is doing this as an attempt to draw in older audiences, a few of the special additions listed on the parks’ official post are definitely made with grownup fans in mind.
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Like many after-hours events, Disney offers special food and drink options, Meet and Greet opportunities, parades, and light shows, but the official announcement also encourages fans to come decked out in full regalia to mix and mingle with their favorite Star Wars characters. Disney is pretty strict regarding costuming, but this development might be a cosplayer’s dream.
The statement from Disney reads,
“Guests in Star Wars-themed costumes are invited to participate in a special cavalcade, where they will join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in a march down Main Street, U.S.A., culminating in a group photo in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, illuminated with galactic projections.”
Of course, guests wanting to dress for the occasion still have to follow Disney’s guidelines, but judging by the photos posted on the blog, it seems like the company is allowing more than just Disneybound outfits to the event.
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Like the Disney parks themselves, cosplaying is not mutually exclusive to an adult audience. However, adults do tend to have the better stuff. Furthermore, this is only the effort Disney has recently made to play to their older consumers in recent years.
Disney Adults as the New Norm
Star Wars Nite is just the most recent offering that subtly beckons Disney’s adult audience, but it’s far from the first. In 2023, Disney introduced several notable developments that clearly had older guests in mind, like the various classic villains at Oogie Boogie Bash, Throwback Nite directed at Millennials and older, and an entire cruise ship with far more adult experiences than ever before.
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Disney hasn’t forgotten its roots, as there are still plenty of opportunities for family bonding, and the younger demographic remains its biggest target. However, this strategy cannot be ignored as more and more embrace their Disney side.
Are Disney Adults taking over the way Disney markets? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!