Disney Adults: Exploring (and Falling in Love With) a Magical Subculture

I love this book. Thank you AJ! and I thought I was the only one that as an adult, love Disney! Beautifully written and very enjoyable!

I got the audiobook - had to listen to AJ read this!! I loved her take on the fandom - very well researched and entertaining!

I enjoyed reading this book, it cast a light on different types of Disney and proved that we are no more cringe than any other fandom. Highlighting that we are in fact an open, happy and generous subculture

This is a great read! Buy it.

Thank you for writing the book, “Disney Adults”, I truly relate. I too am a Disney Adult. All things Disney, transports me into a world in which I have always wanted to be, even as a child. Who doesn’t want a fairytale ending, love, acceptance, triumph, inner beauty, Truth, overcoming adversity, a Voice, kindness, friendship or just plain being silly and full of laughter and joy? But that really isn’t the real world most of the time is it? Realistically, life is about a lot of suffering. My family was very unhealthy and my childhood was hard. So, to be transported into a world, such as Disney, is just extra special. I am 59 years old, a native Floridian, single, female, with Disney shirts, shorts, and Micky ears, with my first trip to Disney at age 10, having gone to Walt Disney World every year with family, friends, neighbors and by myself. Watching Disney movies and having an entire Christmas tree dedicated to Disney ornaments brings so much happiness. Even my friends from different backgrounds and religions come to see my Christmas village and my two Christmas trees, with one dedicated to Disney, brings such delight and joy during Christmas time for everyone, with even the men having tears in their eyes and big smile as across everyone’s face and in their heart. But then to visit the magic Kingdom in person is truly “magical”, transformational, because I am emotionally and physically part of the whole experience. People talk about having experiences of a lifetime when being in nature, visiting other countries, being part of a winning team, etc., which I have also experienced on numerous occasions throughout my life. Well, as a “Disney Adult”, that is my experience also. Walt Disney knew exactly what he was doing when he created everything Disney! It makes your heart sing with joy. Who doesn’t like a cheerful little mouse with a big smile and a positive attitude or a romantic scene of an adorable, beautiful little dog sharing a spaghetti dinner with a hot trot dog? After all, why do you think Positive Psychology and Neuroplasticity is so popular nowadays? We all need more positivity and to change our brain plasticity and our neural networks. There is just so much violence, blood, aggression, hate, negativity, unacceptance, judgment, deceit, lying, arrogance, unforgiveness, narcissism, anger, cruelty, ego, selfishness, and the list goes on and on and on! We all need more Disney. Honestly, I think that is the biggest reason for “Disney Adults”, at least, that’s what I would like to think considering that is my experience. Simply being transported into a world that just does not exist in the real world, which is truly a shame and a crisis. More and more, people are turning to addiction, which isn’t exactly a problem if it doesn’t make problems for your life and you remain in reality and well balanced. We all have addiction and many addictions, whether we admit to it or not; such as Disney, reality shows, influencers, food, work, sports teams, musicians, money, you name it, we all have addiction. But wouldn’t you rather have an addiction that gives you joy and pleasure that doesn’t ruin your life? The haters of the world can go ahead and make fun of and judge “Disney Adults”, but I am going to continue to live, thrive, and be emotionally intact, while enjoying one of my favorite places on earth, Disney! And as the Taylor Swift song of “Shake it Off “ says …'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, playAnd the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hateBaby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shakeI shake it off, I shake it off (whoo-hoo-hoo).So, just like anything else in life, shake it off! Thank you again for writing the book and for giving others a Voice and confirmation that our love for Disney is not unwarranted and shared by many many others!