Disney content creators have exploded in popularity since 2020, with many using TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to create content focused around Disneyland and Walt Disney World. We recently spoke with a popular Disney content creator who creates daily content in and about the theme parks and also focuses heavily on Disney merchandise releases and pin drops.
This is another story in a series we’ve been doing here at Mickey Visit to learn more about Disney fandom, including the rules Disney YouTubers follow when filming in the parks and how that contrasts with the more problematic issue of “live streamers” who have gained a following on TikTok. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Hallmark’s first-ever Disney World Christmas movie debuting and limited-time Disney Vacation Club discounts.
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Disney Content Creation Surged After 2020 Closures
Content creation at Disneyland and Walt Disney World has exploded since 2020. The 2020 pandemic resulted in a steady increase in TikTok usage and, with it, more creators on the platform, many of whom turned to social media to help fill the void left when Disneyland remained closed for the entirety of 2020.
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We recently spoke with one of these content creators, who began building her brand during the pandemic, about the rules and etiquette she believes creators should follow when capturing content in the parks, especially when they have a large platform.
Megan Powell began her content creator journey as The Magical Millennial prior to the 2020 pandemic in the 2018 era on Instagram, when she changed her name to the handle. According to Megan, the origin of the name was simply because she “really liked Disney, and then I am a millennial, and I take great pride in that.”
But it wasn’t until after Disneyland shut down due to the 2020 pandemic in 2020 that Megan’s content became more intentional when she downloaded TikTok and began making videos. She shared that the pandemic inspired her to reconnect with Disney: “I was kind of looking for a way to bring Disney kind of back into my life in a very uncertain and isolating time, so I started making my own TikToks.” Her content began gaining followers, leading her to start creating videos in Walt Disney World, which opened prior to Disneyland in late 2020.
Once Disneyland reopened in 2021, Megan continued making content and saw her audience begin to grow, “I just kept bringing my phone, kept filming a few things in the parks, and yeah, people seem to follow and like it, and it was kind of a new era of social media in terms of like vlogging and covering things that were new at the parks, and Disneyland definitely changed post COVID.”
This was a change from her earlier content, which was mainly voiceovers. She shared that her first viral video was actually a lip sync video, “That’s kind of the style that I started with, like fun lip sync audios from various shows and trending sounds.”
Megan began to notice that people were starting to ask her questions about herself and the parks, so that’s when she started talking directly to the camera and showing her personality in her content. “That’s how I kind of build a little more of the audience and a community rather than just posting silly videos from time to time.”
Now years later, Megan has amassed a considerable following on TikTok with 610K followers and 305K followers on Instagram.
Disney Content Creator Shares Her “Rules” for Creating Ethical Content
Like other well-known Disney YouTubers, Megan Powell has developed her own set of rules and etiquette for filming in the theme parks. She shared some of her top guidelines for content creation, many of which align with the practices we’ve heard from other YouTubers and creators we’ve interviewed.
Megan shared with us that one of her top rules is being “honest and upfront” with her audience. She shared, “I’m gonna show me, I’m gonna show my opinions, share my opinions on things, and if I don’t like something, I will tell you I’m not gonna like it.” This also extends to her food reviews, with her disclosing that, “I’ll definitely be honest about if it actually tastes good or not.”
This focus on authenticity was a consistent trend in her responses to our questions around etiquette and content creation: “I think that’s really important in this day and age to just be authentic because I don’t want people to seem deceived, especially when they are spending so much money to go to Disneyland or go to Disney World.”
She went on to share that she doesn’t change her personality to appease an audience or a brand, “I will be honest in my thoughts, and so we might disagree on a few things, but, you know, everyone’s got different tastes, so I like to like at least portray my personality, my authentic self in my content, and it’s again, it’s not always for everyone, which is totally fine, but if I’m not, if I’m not genuine, then to me it’s like kind of what’s the point of the magical millennial, do you know what I mean?”
This authenticity also expands to free merchandise and experiences she receives as she acknowledges, “it’s important to be transparent about that for sure.”
When it comes to filming in the parks, she shared that she “always asks permission” to film other people. But when it comes to cast members, she has a hard rule on not filming cast members, sharing, “I don’t like to film cast members, and, whether that’s a still, whether that’s the horizontal or vertical way I’m filming, I really do not like to include cast members in my videos because most of the time they do not want to be filmed.” She went on to say that she does not feel it’s “fair” to put their name or face out there.
One of the most contentious issues surrounding filming in the parks is capturing minors in the background of photos and videos. Megan said protecting children’s privacy is a priority in her content, explaining, “Especially for like Instagram stories or any stills, no kids in the background, and if there is, I will put an emoji over their face so you can’t see them.”
For videos where she is in one place talking to the camera, she also makes an effort to find quieter, more isolated locations to film. A look through Megan’s social media shows this approach in practice, with many of her pin unboxing and food review videos filmed in corners of the parks, often with a wall behind her and no one in the background.
Respecting the experiences of guests is another key part of her approach: “the last thing I wanna do is intrude on anyone’s experience at Disneyland or Disney World.” She also acknowledged concerns about creators being disruptive in the parks, particularly when it comes to noise. “I just don’t be a nuisance so I make sure that I’m keeping my noise to a minimum.”
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This respect for others, especially towards cast members and children, follows a similar pattern to the etiquette of YouTubers who spoke to us as well.
While the trend of content creation at Disneyland and Disney World might annoy some guests, it’s clear that the most reputable creators emphasize the importance of the guest experience, consistently noting that it should remain the top priority when creating content in the parks. We have more from our discussion with Megan coming soon. Make sure to join our Mickey Visit newsletter so that you don’t miss it.
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