Now You Just Might Be A Disney Adult If…

There are many characterizations that people consider a classic sign that someone is a “Disney Adult”. Do you identify with any of these traits? If you answer “yes” to any of these scenarios “You might just be a Disney Adult!”

What Is a “Disney Adult?”

Most of us have heard the term “Disney Adult” before and probably cringed slightly. The term has been coined by non-Disney fans as a sort of jab towards adults who love all things Disney. The truth is there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a Disney Adult. The notion that Disney is only for kids is flat-out false. Walt Disney in his opening day speech said:

“…Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

Walt Disney

Disney was always meant to be a place where families could come together and have fun no matter how young or old they were. Life can be full of ups and downs and we all need a little escapism from time to time. There has been a recent increase of videos on social media attacking those who prefer to travel to Disney over other locations around the world.

But, Disney Adults are actually very cool!

Mocking others or treating them as oddities for simply enjoying something that makes them happy is a sad waste of time. Let’s take this moment here and now to reclaim the term “Disney Adult” and embrace it as a positive label!

What Makes Someone a “Disney Adult”

How exactly does a person get the label “Disney Adult” in the first place? You’ll probably get a different answer from everyone you ask. Here are just a few traits that Disney fans say identify someone as a true “Disney Adult”. Can you answer “yes” to any of them?

You Have Minnie Ears for Every Occasion

If you have enough Minnie Ears to open your own Disney Store you are definitely a Disney Adult! I can say that before writing for KennythePirate, I (Christina) owned about 3 different pairs of Minnie Ears.

Before that, I used to prefer wearing my Arribas Brothers crown I purchased at Epcot rather than ears, but thanks to my enabling co-writers I now own upwards of 30 different pairs of Minnie Ears. (I regret nothing).

If you are like me and have a pair of ears to match every season, every park and every occasion. You are a true Disney Adult!

You Cry Watching Fireworks

There is something about the magic of Disney that brings a flood of emotions to the surface. The feeling that anything is possible, dreams can come true and pixie dust is real is a magical experience. If you find yourself getting choked up or flat-out balling during a Disney firework show you are 100% a Disney Adult.

If you ask people which show gets them the most you will most likely hear them say: “Happily Ever After” at the Magic Kingdom. It’s no secret that Disney brought this amazing fireworks display back to the park at the request of many fans.

Happily Ever After tugs at Disney lover’s heartstrings unlike any other show and then to top it all off, Tinker Bell flies out of Cinderella Castle and soars high above guests. If that doesn’t make you cry I don’t know what will.

You Compare All Scents to Disney Smells

If you have ever been somewhere other than Disney and a scent instantly reminds you of a specific ride or place in Walt Disney World, you are a true Disney Adult.

Engraining Disney smells into your sense memory implies a long history of frequent visits. If you can instantly identify something related to Disney simply based on its smell, you are a true Disney expert!

To see what Disney fans say are the best smells in Disney click HERE!

When People Talk About Countries You Think They Mean the Ones in Epcot

To Epcot’s credit, the details behind every single World Showcase country are exquisite. It’s not hard to imagine you are actually visiting the country of origin when you are standing in one of the 11 countries in Epcot. Each one is uniquely detailed to match the famous architectural structures you would see if visiting in person.

I can’t say that there have not been moments when someone shows me a photo of a place they visited abroad and I say “that looks just like Epcot”. If you feel like a trip around the World Showcase is better than traveling around the world in 80 days you are most certainly a Disney Adult!

To see which pavilions fans prefer, check out the Best and Worst countries in Epcot!

You Plan Spontaneous Trips Based on Special Events

Have you ever made a last-minute trip because Disney announced a special event or specifically scheduled your whole vacation during a certain time of the year to attend a festival or party? You are definitely a Disney Adult!

Sometimes the beauty of a last-minute trip is that you have to deviate from your usual plans and discover things you wouldn’t have normally done. My family once planned a last-minute trip to Disney two days before leaving over the busy 4th of July holiday. We set our expectations low and had one of the best trips we ever took by trying new restaurants and following a slower pace.

Looking to discover more outside of the theme parks? Check out these 11 things to do without setting foot inside a park! and what to do when you need a break from Holiday crowds!

You Visit Multiple Time a Year

If you find yourself visiting Disney more than once a year you are definitely a Disney Adult. The true initiation process begins with buying that coveted Annual Pass.

Knowing that you can make spur-of-the-moment trips and visit multiple times is the best feeling. It makes each vacation more relaxing because the stress of trying to jam-pack a year’s worth of things into one stay is gone.

You Wear Matching Shirts, Disneybound and/or Match Your Outfits to the Park You’re Visiting

We’ve all seen the matching family shirts and the reluctant dads who wear them throughout the parks. Whether it’s the classic “Best Day Ever”, “Hakuna Matata” or Mickey Silhouette design, if your travel party is all about the matching shirts, you are definitely Disney Adults!

Another way to amplify your Disney Adult status is by Disneybounding, or simply knowing what that means.

Disneybounding is a way of dressing like a specific Disney character using regular clothing instead of costumes. Since adults cannot wear costumes to the parks, except for Halloween parties, this is a way for us to pay homage to our favorite characters while obeying Disney rules.

You Break Into Song Spontaneously

If your first response to someone saying “Let’s get down to business” is “to defeat the Huns”, you are without a doubt a Disney Adult. Disney Adults need no encouragement or excuse to break into song and you can bet they know every single word to every Disney tune.

When the opportunity presents itself, you can be sure that we are going to finish the lyric whether you asked for it or not.

You Watch Videos Online and Follow Disney Blogs to Stay Connected to the Magic

Every Disney Adult knows that the “Disney Blues” are a real thing. Everyone handles withdrawal from The Most Magical Place on Earth differently, but hard-core Disney Adults will often scour the internet in search of videos and articles about Disney news and tips in order to live vicariously through the creators.

I won’t deny that I do this often. It allows me to stay connected to the magic when I cannot be there in person.

If you are reading this article and all our content from KennythePirate.com you are already a Disney Adult!

You Have Several Disney Soundtracks at Home

If you are the kind of person who owns several Disney entertainment soundtracks you are definitely a Disney Adult. As music lovers, my family has purchased almost every special soundtrack Disney has released over the years.

I can remember playing the 5-song Illuminations: Reflections of Earth soundtrack on repeat in our hotel room as a kid. There is something extra special about Disney music!

Check out what Disney fans think are the best entertainment and attraction songs!

You Love Meeting Characters

Character hunting is one of the biggest things that non-Disney Adults use to label us as Disney Adults. They don’t understand why talking with your favorite character or getting a hug from Mickey Mouse is so special. Of course, as adults, we see character meets differently than children, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still magical.

I have never been made to feel stupid for being an adult meeting a character. In fact, some of my best memories come from character meet and greets with a travel party full of adults. You just have to be willing to immerse yourself in the story and talk to the character about things in their world. If you do, you will never feel silly because they will make it feel completely real.

Even if you aren’t a big character fan, they have a way of roping you in anyway so you might as well just lean into it and embrace the hug!

You Plan Your Trip Out on a Spreadsheet Months in Advance

Disney Adults know that visiting the Disney Parks is not just a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of vacation. It requires lots of planning.

Non-Disney Adults are at a greater disadvantage by not understanding how the system works and often find themselves missing out because they thought they could wing it. In this case, it 100% pays to be a Disney Adult!

You Know the Words to All of the Original Ride Theme Songs

You also might be a Disney Adult if you find yourself singing along to the music on Disney attractions. It’s hard not to want to join in when the music is so catchy. If you know all the words to these famous tunes, you have definitely been on the attraction over and over and that makes you a Disney Adult!

You Point with Two Fingers

I have literally been called out on this by my family. I had no clue I was doing it, but on several occasions when a random stranger has asked me for directions at Disney World, I have subconsciously used the famous two-finger “Disney point”.

Even though I have never worked for Disney in my life, watching Cast Members use the Disney point over and over again has rubbed off on me. If you find yourself doing this too, you are a full-fledged Disney Adult!

You See Hidden Mickey’s Everywhere

One of the most classic signs of being a Disney adult, or just a Disney fan in general, is seeing Hidden Mickeys everywhere you go. Any kind of three-circle cluster suddenly becomes a magical discovery.

I am 100% guilty of seeing Hidden Mickey’s everywhere I go and I am not sorry. Sometimes they really are just out there waiting for Disney fans to discover!

You can see from the list above that being a Disney Adult sounds WAY more fun than being a regular adult. It’s time we embrace who we are and the message it represents. Next time someone rolls their eyes at you or questions why you are going to Disney…again, you can simply smile and know they are the ones missing out, not you!

How many of these Disney Adult characteristics do you you possess? Let us know in the comments below and check out more articles from our Disney fan surveys HERE!