“Walt Disney Makes Adults Happy” Disney Adults Have Dominated Disneyland Since The Park Opened

Disney Adults are often the brunt of many social media jokes, with many folks commenting that Disneyland is meant just for kids. I couldn’t disagree more as many aspects of the Disney Parks, even the Disney Cruises, are geared for adults as well.

In fact, Walt Disney himself would even agree as Disney Adults have dominated Disneyland since the park first opened!

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Walt Disney Built Disneyland for Everyone

Walt Disney came up with the concept of Disneyland when he was visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his two daughters. As he watched them ride the merry-go-round, he came up with the idea of a place “where adults and their children go and have fun together.” Keep in mind these iconic words, Walt Disney wanted Disneyland to be a place of fun for both adults and their children. Not just children!

Disney adults have been present at Disneyland since its opening in 1955. In an interview with Fletcher Markle on September 25, 1963, for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Walt Disney was asked about the ratio of adults to children in the guest attendance at Disneyland. Walt Disney answered, “four adults to one child – that is, we’re counting the teenagers as adults. But of course, you can go out there in the wintertime or during the week, and you won’t see any children. You’ll see all the ‘oldsters’ out there riding all these rides and having fun. Summertime (of, course) the average would drop down. But the year-around average is four adults to one child.”

It is true that since the beginning Disneyland has been filled with “oldsters” enjoying the park. There have always been attractions that appealed to adults like The Golden Horseshoe Saloon, for instance. Walt Disney even celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary there. Disneyland was a common spot for “date nights” which is a tradition that is still alive today. 

Even notable figures were excited to see Disneyland in its early years with the park welcoming celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, and Debbie Reynolds along with political figures like Richard Nixon. Celebrities still frequent Disneyland today with some even bending the rules.

Disneyland is for Everyone

What even is the official definition of a Disney Adult? Well, a Disney Adult is any adult who is a devout fan of The Walt Disney Company. Most often a Disney Adult is someone who is a frequent visitor of the Disney theme parks like Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

Another common joke thrown at Disney Adults is that they are also “childless millennials” although this stereotype doesn’t apply to everyone. Many Disney Adults who enjoy the parks do so with their children and Disney Adults can be of all ages although there is nothing wrong with adults enjoying Disney without kids. Walt Disney himself would approve.

For Disney Adults, especially those who are annual passholders, Disney also exists as a “third place” to connect to others in their community. The third place is a term that refers to places where people spend time between home (their ‘first’ place) and work ( their ‘second’ place). Events that take place at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland demonstrate a good example of how this third place is utilized among Disney Adults.

Disney also is a place that allows adults to feel safe. The safety that both Disneyland and Walt Disney World offer puts many families’ minds at ease. Due to their intense security measures to enter their shopping districts or theme parks, this is one large public space where you can truly feel safe. You can read my take on if the area around Disneyland is safe here.

And of course, the most common reason that is presented as a reason for being a Disney Adult- visiting Disney to escape the reality of life. I love escapism as much as the next person but I do feel, based on the reasons above, that Disney offers even more beyond just this escape from reality. Many Disney Adults have spoken at length about their connection to Disney as a respite from trauma and other struggles, but a day at the parks even offers a break from the mundane circumstances of day-to-day life. Who wouldn’t want that?

Disney Offers Plenty for Adults to Enjoy

Disney continues to offer experiences that are targeted toward adults and it’s something we’ve seen them continue to expand on. At Disneyland, the Disneyland After Dark events have been popular with adults and have demonstrated just how well Disney can create offerings that appeal to its older demographic. We would love to see Disneyland continue to expand on special entertainment options like we’ve seen at the after-hours events!

Over in Walt Disney World, a new lounge exclusively for guests 18 and older is opening in EPCOT which is a theme park that tends to appeal to many adults so this location makes sense. Disney is clearly aware of the large demographic of adults who love spending time at Walt Disney World.

Disney Cruises is even good at creating strong offerings for adults with their cruise line fleet offering adult-only lounges, pools, and dining experiences.

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Many adults have also created their own fan events with Dapper Day being one of the best examples. This long-held Disney tradition started by locals has evolved now into a full convention that takes place three times a year at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

It is clear that it is a large misconception that Disney is “just for kids” as Disney clearly knows otherwise. Disneyland is a place for everyone and Disney Adults have dominated the parks since the opening years.

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