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Disney Parks and Resorts like Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort have been topics of contention for many Disney fans in recent months, mainly due to the bad behavior of Guests who are visiting said Disney Parks or Disney Resorts. Many Disney World or Disneyland Guests are adults who do not have children, i.e. “Disney Adults,” and these adult visitors have been receiving a lot of negative attention from other Disney visitors — but apparently, Walt Disney himself had something to say about them back in the day!
In 1963, Walt Disney (the creator of the Walt Disney Company, alongside his brother Roy Disney) spoke about the importance of adult Disney visitors — and one TikTok user has shared footage of the moment in time, showing that Walt Disney was well-aware of child-free adults’ presence in Disneyland.
@donaldclarence Walt Disney discussing Disney adults in 1963. #waltdisney #disneyland #disneyhistory #disneyadult
Walt Disney revealed in the video (which has been shared by Donald Clarence and shown above) that the ratio of visitors for Disneyland was 4 adults to 1 child (including teenagers, who were counted as adults). He also shares that “during the winter time and…during the week, you don’t see any children”. The visitors were, according to Walt Disney, the “oldsters” who he would see “riding all these rides and having fun and everything.”
There you have it! According to Walt Disney himself, the group of Disney fans in the demographic known these days as “Disney adults” have been taking Disney vacations or enjoying Disney rides on their own since Disneyland’s inception!
Walt Disney during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Credit: D23
Walt Disney had also said the following in an effort to promote inclusivity and emphasize the purpose of Disneyland: “To all who come to this happy place: welcome. Disneyland is your land. 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.”
Credit: Disney
Controversies related to the Walt Disney Company have been popping up constantly lately, with some controversies being related to the current Disney CEO Bob Chapek and others being viral videos that demonstrate Disney Guests’ shockingly bad behavior or Cast Members’ valiant efforts to handle job-threatening situations.
Do you consider yourself to be a “Disney adult” who frequents Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks like the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios?
