The Different Kinds of Disney Fans

[JustOneBite87]

I'll never understand the fans that care more about the theme parks than anything else. The parks wouldn't exist without the films and the films are the source of all the magic in the parks.

I go to Disneyland around twice a year and although I generally have an nice time providing I have money to spend on the outrageously priced food throughout the day, it's nothing comparison to how I feel in the comfort of my own home watching the films that inspired it all and formed what was once the heart of the company.

[Flanger-Hanger]

and the films are the source of all the magic in the parks.

This statement ignores the original attractions that developed they're own fame and nostalgia over time like Pirates and HM.

[Elladorine]

Hand-drawn animation will always be my first love, whether or not it's Disney. It's just that Disney is usually the best at it when it comes to animation quality and likable characters IMO, plus they tend to do the types of stories I'm most drawn to. But I'm not a snob about other types of animation since it's something I love in general; I was very interested in CG back in the mid-80's and it's been amazing to see it evolve into what it's become today. I also remember not being able to wait for the premier of The Nightmare Before Christmas back when nobody else knew what it was or thought that it just looked creepy. And I love the work of a lot of other studios, serious rivals/enemies according to many hardcore enthusiasts.

Anyway, my love of animation trickles down into other areas, whether it be various merchandise or the theme parks. Animation lead me to other entertainment created by Disney so there's a lot out there to enjoy (or ignore, depending on my taste). I don't hold elitist expectations, I don't boycott non-Disney animated films, I don't get my panties in a twist over the Princess line, I don't angry at the current state of Disney Channel. I also don't worship the ground Walt walked on, nor do I plan every single vacation around Disneyland (yes, I absolutely love the place and even had my honeymoon there, but it's not the reason for my existence).

I suppose I'm a realist. I'm just a fan that loves the art, stories, music, and characters, and I carry a deep respect to those that have created and continue to carry on the tradition and legacy that Walt brought us. And anyone that has a problem with that can go to hell.

[jazzflower92]

When I was young I really had my Princess Phase.I kinda of wish I had Princess Tiaina when I was young.Mainly because I kinda of am glad that there is a black princess that I could dress up as.Although Princess Jasmine will always have a special place in my heart.I was possibly thinking when I have a daughter to name her Tiana.Believe me my mom defaintly is a grown woman but she still will not be embrassed to say she is a Disney fan.In fact she hops aboard any Disney or Pixar movie coming out.So,being a Disney lover runs in my family.

[JustOneBite87]

and the films are the source of all the magic in the parks.

This statement ignores the original attractions that developed they're own fame and nostalgia over time like Pirates and HM.

Allow me to amend my previous statement from "all" to most of the magic in the parks stemming from the films that inspired the core concept of the park in the first place.

[pap64]

I also don't worship the ground Walt walked on, nor do I plan every single vacation around Disneyland (yes, I absolutely love the place and even had my honeymoon there, but it's not the reason for my existence).

Funny you mentioned that. There are some people on Tumblr (big shock I know ) that worship wither Disneyland or Walt Disney World in a way that is almost unhealthy. Like, there are some confession blogs that have posted like how they wish to DIE at one of the parks, how they know every single detail about the park, and some girls have even mobbed the characters by dragging them around or holding their arms violently (like I CAUGHT JACK SKELLINGTON).

I guess that makes me a realist too, not just Disney but any fandom really, because I am always shocked to see just how far people will take their fandom. I love Disney, it is one of my passions in life, and visiting WDW is the highlight of the year for me, but some fans and fangirls take it to an extreme that make the rest of us look bad by comparison.

[SWillie!]

Enigmawing, thanks for typing up my response for me!

[bradhig]

I am more of a casual fan even thou I like the sequels.

[Elladorine]

and some girls have even mobbed the characters by dragging them around or holding their arms violently (like I CAUGHT JACK SKELLINGTON).

Well, to be fair I'd like to catch Jack Sparrow.

*clears throat*

But seriously, it happens in every fandom, and I just get ticked off anytime someone tries to tell me why I'm not a "real" fan of whatever the current subject happens to be. And when someone's obsession becomes too much . . . well, perhaps it's best I don't say anything more.

Enigmawing, thanks for typing up my response for me!

[universALLove]

Enigmawing, thanks for typing up my response for me!

same here! She summed up how I feel.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Allow me to amend my previous statement from "all" to most of the magic in the parks stemming from the films that inspired the core concept of the park in the first place.

Wasn't the "core concept" a place "where the parents and the children could have fun together"? Not really anything to do with the movies. Alot of insipration came from European parks, World Fairs, and Walt's own take on American nostalgia.

Up until the 80s most Disney park related offerings involving characters were either in Fantasyland or areas of entertianment. Post-Eisner is when they became more prevelant eleshere because it was an easier to bank a concept on a known moneymaker than come up with something original (which is also why more non-Disney properties, like Star Wars, were sought out).

I dare say we could come up with another description for the 90s Fans that emphasizes their views of the parks based on what they've known in their lifetimes in visiting them starting in that decade, and this view could be applied to older people too if they never went before then.

I will also say on a broader note that the "90s Fans" irk me the most because of their supreme lack of knowledge about anything (not just movies) Disney related outside of that decade, and even within (don't see much love for The Rocketeer among that group, although those fans have started to figure out what Newsies is because of the Menken connection). This may make me sound "elitist" or "snobbish", but I know that I would not be as big a fan as I am today if I knew the company's catalogue was so limited, or thought so little of everything else.

I get nostalgia plays a big part, and I'm sure they're aware of other stuff, but it seems a shame they still force themselves to fit into a limited box.

[Mooky]

The Disney Fangirl: Similar to the nutcase, but this one's far worse since it is a fangirl at the helm. You know, the kind that spends 12 hours a day on Tumblr searching for Disney stuff, create stuff based on Disney (I'm talking to you Simple Disney Things ) and just dream, think and live Disney. I believe Mooky (or was it Wondy?) did an excellent mockery of the fangirl a few years back... If only she would come on down and show us what she is capable of...

I wish I could take the credit for that stroke of genius, but it was all Wonderlicious .

Enigmawing, thanks for typing up my response for me!

same here! She summed up how I feel.

I'm in total agreement!

[estefan]

You know, I was thinking how would you categorise somebody who is a Disney fan, but considers the likes of Anastasia, An American Tail and The Prince of Egypt to be their favourite Disney movies? Because, believe it or not, such people do exist.

Though, in regards to Anastasia, Don Bluth seemed to make such an effort to make it appear like the Disney films of that era, I don't blame people for assuming it's from the Mouse House.

[Avaitor]

I'm a proud 90's kid, but even I think 90's Disney fans are obnoxious.

Sadly though, there is a big resistance towards older properties in our generation, to the point that it seems like most people may age think that Star Wars is the first movie ever made, and that the music industry started with Thriller. It's just as bad with Disney's work, as a lot of these people only consider The Little Mermaid and the films made afterwords to be their favorites, while forgetting about the existence of Walt's films.

I do think that the first Disney film you see in theaters is easily one of the ones that will stick to you the most (for me, it was The Lion King), but teens and younger adults today don't give any of their earlier films as much thought, unless they're a big princess fan, in which case Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty come to mind.

It's sad and crazy IMO.

[Flanger-Hanger]

You know, I was thinking how would you categorise somebody who is a Disney fan, but considers the likes of Anastasia, An American Tail and The Prince of Egypt to be their favourite Disney movies? Because, believe it or not, such people do exist.

I'd say the fall under the "casual" category. They like to watch Disney movies sometimes, but they don't always check the distribution label to confirm it, or care if they're wrong.

Though, in regards to Anastasia, Don Bluth seemed to make such an effort to make it appear like the Disney films of that era, I don't blame people for assuming it's from the Mouse House.

I'd say Fox is partially to blame for that too. I don't think Bluth designs the marketing campaigns (or DVD covers) for his movies.

Sadly though, there is a big resistance towards older properties in our generation, to the point that it seems like most people may age think that Star Wars is the first movie ever made, and that the music industry started with Thriller

Or all B&W movies are boring because they are in B&W.

[pap64]

Another thing I want to mention about the theme park fanatics is that they are also the ones that tend to freak out the most whenever changes happen at the parks or there are some issues involved. And I don't mean big issues like the yeti on Everest not working, the closing of Snow White's Scary Adventures etc, I mean small issues like a stain on a carpet in a show, some missing paint etc. And I don't mean pointing them, I mean LITERALLY FREAKING OUT and quick to declare "THE PARKS SUCK NOW THE MAGIC IS GONE".

I get it. Having been to WDW last July, the magic truly lies in the details each attraction and show has. The stories are better told when the attractions are working properly and the illusion works better when you are not reminded that it is all an illusion. However, some theme park fanatics take it to the EXTREMES whenever they notice a minuscule detail working, and write three page long rants on their park blogs and start to claim that the magic has been ruined for EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN THE WORLD.

That I find super obnoxious, and you can bet that these are park fanatics that go to one of the parks EVERY, SINGLE, DAY and do nothing but sit down and start counting everything wrong at the park. Maybe I am naive and ignorant, and yes, I also understand the value of having something work properly so I get more bang for my buck. But just look at how many are complaining about the many constructions and refurbishments going on at WDW. They want the park to be very bright, clean, pretty and fully operational, but they also want the park to be very bright, clean, pretty and fully operational even with issues going on. In other words, if rides break down and are in dire need of updates, and Disney doesn't do anything about it, it's bad. If Disney DOES take notice that there are issues around and decide to work with them, then that's also an issue with that too.

Let me use an example...

Imagine that your house is in dire need of a makeover. The paint is starting to fade, the floor creeks when you walk, and it looks ugly, period. That requires money to get it done. Once you have the money, then you can finally update the look to your house. But, uh oh.... If you want the makeover to be done and over with ASAP, it means that the construction must happen 24/7. Not only that, you have to carry on with your life. You still have to fix your meals, do the laundry, take care of the kids and still move on with life, even with ALL the construction and updates going on. It might be obnoxious at first, but if you want the house to be awesome again, you have to put up with it until it is done, and life has to go on.

The Disney Parks have that mentality at play: they must remain operational, even with construction and updates going on, because fans demand the parks to be open all year long.

You can't wish for progress and then detest it when it comes. I get it, we all want those construction walls to come down so the park is more "magical". But if we want the park to be magical, we must also accept that the park will always be in dire fix of something.

I mention I find these fans obnoxious because they seem to only do that: visit the parks to bemoan their current state. They do every single day and then they go on forums or blogs and write how it sucks for everybody, speaking as if their emotions speak for EVERYBODY in the world.

I should mention that not all park fanatics are not this hysterical or anal (pardon the foul term) about it. There are many that actually use their park time for great coverage and for something better than just bemoaning.

No offense to any of the theme park fans here on the forum, not saying that ALL park fanatics are like that, and I understand some decisions and issues are baffling to stunning. But at the same time there is no need to go batshit insane whenever something goes wrong at the park.

Are we quick to forget that when Disneyland first opened, it was a whole disaster as many of the attractions failed to work properly, and some attractions had to undergo drastic changes just so they could be operational within the first year of park opening? Let me put it this way... if the WORST thing you experience is that a head didn't pop out during the graveyard scene in Haunted Mansion, then you got off lucky and shows how far Disney has come since Disneyland.

Just sayin'...

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm a proud 90's kid, but even I think 90's Disney fans are obnoxious.

I have more sympathy for the ‘90s fan because there’s an aspect of me that understands that higher affection for the films released when they were born. I would dismiss it as all nostalgia, but are there fans who only liked the movies released around the time they were born from the ‘60s and ‘70s? I'm sure there are, of course, but it such a large quantity like with the '90s? I think a large factor that created the nostalgia comes from the ‘90s films being high quality Disney, where the studio meandered through the '60s/'70s to the '80s.

I also have to admit that, while I have opened up to older Disney films as I’ve got older and I recognize the greatness of most of them, only 2 or 3 Walt-era films give me the same interest one of the ‘90s films would, partly because I find many of them so old-fashioned and sometimes dull. Of course the ‘90s films have their own egregious flaws (particularly the beginning of “side kicks” who never allowed one silent moment), but I get more satisfaction from them than I would get from, say, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which is one of the most boring films to me. Some degree of Disney films are timeless, but they are also grounded in the period they were made in, and the newer films are (obviously) more tied to my time period than the older ones are.

[Avaitor]

I'm a proud 90's kid, but even I think 90's Disney fans are obnoxious.

I have more sympathy for the ‘90s fan because there’s an aspect of me that understands that higher affection for the films released when they were born. I would dismiss it as all nostalgia, but are there fans who only liked the movies released around the time they were born from the ‘60s and ‘70s? I'm sure there are, of course, but it such a large quantity like with the '90s? I think a large factor that created the nostalgia comes from the ‘90s films being high quality Disney, where the studio meandered through the '60s/'70s to the '80s.

Well I do agree there, but I tend to side on the "Renaissance is overrated camp" since I just can't get back into a lot of the films from that era as much as others, partly since I keep on finding and focusing on the animation flaws in the earlier New Guard films, and I'm just not that big on musicals. I tend to come back to Walt's films more than anything because I love the work of the artists from that period, the Nine Old Men and beyond, more than anything. But I'll be the first to admit that a lot of these films are flawed too, and the three DACS from the 60's are significantly weaker than Walt's other non-package films.

Oh, one of my biggest faults with 90's fans are the ones who completely ignore the original Parent Trap's existence in favor of the Lohan remake. I like both, I grew up with both, but maybe it's just because I adore Hayley Mills, but I don't get why Lindsay's is so much more revered today other than the original looking "older".

[ProfessorRatigan]

I have to say I'm a realist. Enigmawing's post above pretty much describes how I feel perfectly.

That being said, I was born in 1991, so the 90s Disney WAS my experience. That was my childhood. I don't think we should deny that a person's personal experience can play a definite role in shaping their tastes. I hate the people who act so uppity and stuck-up if you happen to say, "Yeah, I think Disney's best and most consistent period of films came from that era." Most of my favorites are from 89-99. (Mermaid, Beauty, Hunchback, Hercules...)

I do agree with the idea that the first Disney film you see in a theater is going to be one that sticks with you. Everyone I know who is into Disney has that one movie they remember seeing as a kid. For me, that was Hunchback. I was four, and I only vaguely remember the experience, but it did stick with me. All these years later, that's still the film I have the biggest connection with. And I don't think it has anything to do with nostalgia, because while Hunchback was the first theatrical Disney I ever saw, I was part of the VHS generation, and Aladdin was the first film I remember seeing. As a kid, Aladdin was the special one that I watched and re-watched and had all the merchandise for, but as an adult, I like it less, and see a lot of flaws in it, whereas with Hunchback, my appreciation only grew the older I got.

[Alphapanchito]

I guess I'm a disney realist, but I think I have some purist in me. I'm not afraid to point out flaws from walt-era films, but I almost always gravitate towards those films. I always have felt that they have a special magic that I can't quite point out. Maybe i can, I really think they tend to provide better escapism, which is the main reason why I watch movies. But I don't know if I can provide the exact reason why they do this better.

I'm a young'un, and some of these movies and shows happened to be made 50 years before I was even born. I can't explain it though. I always got a thrill watching them. A thrill that isn't there when I watch something like The Little Mermaid (even though I love it). The fact that I can watch new movies that were super popular in their day, but now aren't heard about as much. Not to mention the quality and brilliant cinematography that went into some of them (20,000 leagues will always be my favorite movie). Even still, watching just old Wonderful World of Color or Disneyland episodes makes me feel all tingly and happy inside. I can't explain it though. It feels like nostalgia.. but.. I wasn't there during this time. So it isn't.

I feel the same way about the parks. I love all the original rides. I lave all the animatronic driven rides (I get to ride spaceship earth with the lights on for the 30th anniversary on the 29th! Sorry, excitement). I love horizons, even though I only got to ride it when I was about 4 years old.

Maybe i'm a Hipster Disney Purist fan, but I think i'm more like Appreciator of Disney. Thats a bad title. But I think I just love disney so much (parks and movies) that seeing the origins of Disney stuff, and how it has changed for the better or worse. And sadly, I tend to say for the worse. But it seems to be getting better.