To not get Disney?

[Fridaysgirl]

I'm talking about adults here, not kids.

Why do grown men and women feel the need to wear Minnie ears, buy mugs, bags and T shirts of Disney related stuff?

And why in god's name would you pay £££££s to go and gawp and an artificial pink princess castle when you could pay far less to see something real? Or cuddle a Minnie/Mickey Mouse (or should I say a stranger dressed up)?

Please can someone explain all this to me?

I'm the same OP. I know a couple of women in their 30s who go every year, and then post millions of photos of them in Minnie ears cuddling Donald Duck and talking about how excited they are. All I can think is You realise that's just a sweaty 22 year old in a duck suit, right...?

I find the whole thing odd and yes OF COURSE people are entitled to like what they like, but that doesn't mean I'm not sometimes going to find it weird or inexplicable.

Well another person here who has been to Disneyworld as an adult and I loved it - it's actually MUCH better without kids! Have you been to Florida? There's thousands of things and experiences to do.

You do you, I'll do me.. off to book my next trip (with DD in tow, she better keep up).

OP, you say “I just don't understand the need for such total escapism in the artificial. There are so many genuinely really lovely things to see and do on the planet.”

But many people do both. If you are cutting out the escaping thing, YOU are the one who isn’t seeing the whole of the moon.
Try living a little!

I also don't "get" it. My friend (mid 20s) was all giddy about how Donald Duck kissed her hand at Disney. It's a bloke in a suit and he does that to everyone because it's his job.
Each to their own and whatever, I would never say something to her face, but I do think it's strange.

I'm talking about adults here, not kids.

Adults can do what they like. I find it more concerning that adults are happy to expose their children to Disney's messages -

• to be the female heroine of the film, you must be slim and beautiful
• the male villain, lucky chap, has the option of being ugly or handsome
• if you're fat, you can be a comic character or a grandmotherly type
• if you're downright ugly, you must be evil unless you later get transformed into someone else
• if you're disabled, you're not allowed to exist at all

People buy Disney merch because they like Disney.

Adults go to Disneyland either because they went as a child and loved it, or because they wanted to go as a child but their family couldn't afford it.

Let people enjoy things, OP. I don't get why people like clubbing but they do, so that's all that matters.

Are you all of those things ScreamingValenta or are you appropriating?

I’m several of those things and I don’t mind Disney films at all.

I'm some of them, hardrainsgonnafall. I don't like to see people pigeonholed or marginalised by a characteristic, whether I share it or not.

Then don’t watch. Simple.

My point is that we won't stop that happening in society, hardrainsgonnafall if people continually expose their children to films that show those things leading to a happy ending.

It's fun, its magical. My boys love Disney too. We have been to DLP with the kids loads of times and I have been with just my girlfriends also. I love it, most of my PJs are disney related. I dont know what it is about the characters but they are nice to look at, a nostalgia or comfort thing perhaps.

I can't see what's not to like, what is wrong with having a bit of fun. I really dont understand posts like these, it's like you want to feel superior as you are so grown up not 'getting' disney.

I guess the same question could be asked about grown men liking WWE. At the tours they dont even sell kids merchandise as 80% of the audience are adults! It us purely a bit of fun, escapism, fiction. Like watching a film or going to the theatre I guess.

ScreamingValenta it doesn’t happen everywhere though does it.? And pockets of society will always do their own thing regardless. People aren’t as stupid and controlled as you make out.

Why does anybody like any sort of escapism? Because sometimes reality is a bit shit and people need a break from it. That’s why people go for beach holidays/Disneyland/to the cinema/climbing mountains etc. Nice to do something different.

To be fair screamingvalenta that is probably the majority of films still today, it’s not just a Disney thing!

We've just booked to go next year for the third time in four years.

Honestly, Disneyland Paris is such a great holiday for me as well as our kids. Hotel rooms are almost totally soundproof with blackout curtains so no guilt about our crying baby or being woken up by other people's different schedules. Entertainment and food can all be included with a choice of 40 or so totally family friendly restaurants which serve proper food and wine - a real departure from the Hungry Horse type pubs we are used to at home. The rides are fantastic with brilliant queuing systems to make it easier on everyone (Parent Swap and Fast Passes). Toilets and communal areas are spotlessly clean - no dogs, no cigarettes held at eye level. The fireworks and parade is second to none. It is totally relaxing for me and us. The kids love it. We have never queued to meet any characters but they do like it if we see one in passing.

It's also not necessarily that expensive. We have paid just shy of £3000 including flights and transfers for 6 people for 5 nights in August, half board. This summer we went on a similar package and literally only spent a further €200 on 2 McDonald's meals and some lovely toys for each of the 4 children.

@ScreamingValenta if that is what you took from disney films then I am sorry. This could be true for 99% of films these days. What I leanred and what most kids learn is to have courage in their ideals, to be kind, to be responsible, to do the right thing though it may not be easy. Lets take the disney princesses who always get a bashing.

Snow White: being sweet natured
Cinderella: being kind and posetive no matter what situation you are in. It literally is have courage and be kind
Aurora: being positive no matter what
Ariel: if you some someone or something it will require a certain amount of sacrafice
Belle: don't judge a book by it's cover. Each of these movies thought a lesson. The waist size was the last thing on my mind as I watched them as a kid

it's like you want to feel superior as you are so grown up not 'getting' disney.

It’s not superior though, it’s just trying to stop others having fun for no reason. No one is forcing them to go but they complain anyway. 🤷🏻‍♀️

That's a fair point, Musicalstatues but it does seem to be Disney in particular that children are exposed to, to the point of saturation. Disney seems to be a default that people think is 'safe' for their children.

Looking at some other franchises aimed at children - I'm not a Harry Potter fan (I find it boring) but I will say I don't think it promotes those unhealthy messages to the extent that Disney does; and the Shrek films subvert it.

Hardrainagonnafall - totally.

People I have met that dont get disney seem to belittle people that do. I see no need for it at all.

redappleandaquamarinebow1987 In a way, you prove my point because the Disney films suggest that all those positive attributes come alongside being beautiful.

if that is what you took from disney films then I am sorry Fortunately, when I was growing up, I hardly ever saw them. That's probably why I can recognise their negative messages more easily that people who've seen so much of them that it's become normalised. I was 14 by the time video recorders became a household norm, and in those days there were no dedicated children's channels on the television - Disney films were only really shown at Christmas, and you wouldn't get to see one if dad wanted the James Bond on the other channel!

@ScreamingValenta they don't just come with being beautiful. At the same time they are movies. It is up to the parent to actually parent and show these examples in the real world with people and enviroment the child knows. Also if I was just obessed with how pretty they are rather then being kind thoughtful and courageous my mum would have set that record straight. I got a teen magazine taken off me after I went on and on about how pretty one of the girls was in the advert

they don't just come with being beautiful

So why are there no Disney films where the heroine is unattractive, or doesn't fit the conventional ideals of beauty - e.g. fat and beautiful.

@ScreamingValenta because 99.9% of movies don't. Movies are still also about escapism and moving away from the everyday where people come in black and white and it is easy to tell at a glance who belongs into which box

@ScreamingValenta also kids enjoy heroes or heroines looking extra pretty or hamdsome because it is part of human nature. Nothing to do with disney. The characters have been described like that in the original story for a reason. Look at the greek or roman statues we have always idealized physical beauty with good

@ScreamingValenta also Disney did hunchback of notre dame that dealt with exactly that issue