Have you ever been told you’re too old for Disney? Or maybe you’ve heard people make fun of Disney Adults like it’s something to be ashamed of? Well, guess what—Walt Disney himself would disagree!
In this episode of the Disney Magical Mindset Podcast, we’re breaking down five ways to be a Disney Adult—straight from Walt’s own philosophy. From keeping your imagination alive to not worrying about what others think, we’re diving into why Disney magic isn’t just for kids—it’s for everyone who dares to dream!
We’ll look at each of the Five Ways in detail:
If you’ve ever felt judged for your love of Disney, this episode is your reminder that Disneyland was built for the young and the young at heart. So put on those Mickey ears, grab your favorite Disney snack, and let’s unlock the magic together! 🏰✨
Welcome back to the Disney Magical Mindset Podcast, where we bring the magic of Disney into your everyday life. So, whether you’re in the parks or outside the parks, you can experience the magic, because the magic is already in you. I’m Ruben, your Disney magic mentor, and today we’re tackling something that every Disney-loving adult needs to hear how to be a Disney adult and we’re going to look at it according to Walt Disney himself. It according to Walt Disney himself. Let’s be real. If you’re a Disney adult, you’ve probably heard the jokes, the side eye and maybe even the comments about how Disney is just for kids. But here’s the thing Walt Disney built his magic kingdom for everyone, for everyone.
Today I’m sharing five ways to embrace being a Disney adult the way Walt would have wanted, so you can own your love for Disney without apology. So grab your Mickey ears and let’s dive in. I’m so excited for this episode because I’m a Disney adult and I’m sure you are too. That’s why you’re listening, and I just want you to be encouraged and inspired that, whatever stage of Disney adult life you’re in, this is for you. Own it, embrace it, enjoy it. Do not let anyone steal that joy, the thunder, the excitement of living the magic into your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, wherever you are. We’re going to live the magic together and we’re going to learn from Walt what a Disney oldster, as he would say, is all about. Are you ready? Here we go.
The first way to embrace being a Disney adult is probably my favorite and I think the reason why it’s at number one. It’s the most important. Don’t grow up, just grow. Don’t grow up, just grow. Don’t grow up, just grow. Walt Disney once said I do not make pictures for children, at least not just for children. I won’t play down to them. Too many people grow up. That’s the real trouble with the world. Too many people grow up, they forget, they don’t remember what it’s like to be 12 years old.
Isn’t Walt the prime example of a Disney adult, a Disney oldster? He never saw growing up as losing his childlike wonder. He saw it as an opportunity to grow in creativity, knowledge and curiosity. But that childlike wonder, that feeling of being 12 years old or that feeling of stepping into a Disney park, or that feeling of when you were a kid opening presents on Christmas day or your birthday, like that feeling never ends. And this is exactly what Walt is talking about? Think about it. What was in his 50s when Disneyland opened?
Talk about someone who’s not going to lose that childlike wonder, who’s going to grow but not grow up? Those are two different things. We have to constantly grow, right? I mean? Walt kept evolving from creating Mickey Mouse to building Disneyland. He didn’t stay the same and you and me will not stay the same. We shouldn’t stay the same.
But that magic of dreaming big, that magic of having a vivid imagination, that magic of curiosity that doesn’t ever have to leave you, it doesn’t matter what anyone tells you. I want to tell you I want you to hear me today that magic that you experienced when you were a child, that doesn’t have to end, that’s yours and you don’t have to let anyone take it from you. No one can steal that joy of childlike wonder that’s yours to keep. You get to embrace a lifelong learning, a curiosity and joy, rather than letting the world or the past or those who hurt you harden your heart to cynicism. You don’t have to allow the past to take away from the joy you deserve to experience today. That magic is yours, do you hear me? No one can take that away. No one has the right to take that magic away. You are the magic, my friends, and the magic is already in you. So today, instead of saying things like I’m too old for this, or or listening to those who want to tell you and me that we’re too old, how about we say things like how can I today continue to grow and enjoy this magic in new ways? How do I get to experience the magic today in different ways? Right, because it’s still alive, it’s still there. So don’t grow up, just grow and listen to Walt. Here’s what he said. Why do we have to grow up?
I know more adults who have the children’s approach to life. They’re people who don’t give a hang what the Joneses do. You see them at Disneyland every time you go there. They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures and they have a degree of contentment with what life has brought. Sometimes it isn’t much either. The second way to embrace being a Disney adult is to respect everyone of all ages with kindness. Walt once said adults are interested. If you don’t play down to the little two or three year olds or talk down, I don’t believe in talking down to children. I don’t believe in talking down to any certain segment. I like to kind of just talk in a general way to the audience Children are always reaching.
Disneyland was designed for people of all ages to enjoy together, from grandparents to little kids families, parents to little kids families, adults. Walt built it as a place where no one felt left out. One of the things I love to do when I’m in Disneyland and I’m sure you do too is to people watch. You know, sometimes just sitting on a bench there in Main Street or wherever you can find a seat, and just enjoy the sights, the sounds, the smells here in Disneyland. But just watching people having a great time, the smiles, the laughter, right, just seeing people from everywhere. Everyone who deserves to find a home at Disneyland is there, and this is exactly what Walt intended for his Magic Kingdom. It’s so beautiful how Disney brings generations together.
I’ve met some of the coolest people from this Disney community, some people who are like really close friends of mine, and I just love how Disney and being at a Disney park is about embracing one another’s different perspectives, right, whether it’s a child seeing Cinderella’s castle or Sleeping Beauty’s castle for the first time, or maybe you or me, a seasoned Disney fan, reminiscing about our first trip, that was decades ago oh, it’s so magical. And part of that magic is the kindness, it’s the acceptance, it’s the love that we feel in a Disney park. And you know what about kindness? Isn’t this the reason why we love the Disney characters that we love? We see the value of kindness in Disney storytelling.
I want you to think about the characters, some of your favorite characters that we’re attracted to, that we admire because of their kindness, because kindness wins right, love wins. There’s a reason why you love Belle right and the way that she treats the Beast. There’s a reason why we are enamored with Cinderella that even though she was treated poorly, she rises up and succeeds against all odds and challenges With such grace and humility she never wavers. Cinderella’s loving, kind and humble attitude is consistent throughout the entire movie, whether she’s in the home of her stepsisters or the home of her prince. We love this kindness, we’re attracted to it, we want it, we want to be people who are kind. I’m sure we want that and we also love to receive kindness. Why do you think you love Mickey Mouse? He makes us feel good. I was in the parks just a couple days ago ago and it felt so good. Every time I get to interact with Mickey Mouse. It’s the best feeling. Why? Because of the kindness, because of how Mickey makes us feel. Imagine if you and me had that same attitude and we made others feel that warmth and love and kindness. This is what it means to respect everyone of all ages with kindness.
Number three we’re going to embrace being a Disney adult by keeping imagination alive. Walt said every child is born blessed with a vivid imagination. But just as a muscle grows flabby with disuse, so the bright imagination of a child pales in later years if he ceases to exercise. It Isn’t it amazing how finding yourself in adulthood is simply getting back to who you were as a child. Just think about that. We get older and then we want to revert back and then, when we’re young kids, you remember that you just want to get older. Until you get older You’re like no, take me back. But this feeling of getting back to your childhood as an adult isn’t anything new. Isn’t anything new? Walt talked a lot about it and he lived it. He showed us how to grow but not grow up. Remember number one? We talked about that how to go to Neverland, how to continue to make our way flying to Neverland or Disneyland or wherever your magic kingdom is.
Imagination isn’t just for kids and fantasy isn’t just a land in Disneyland. It’s for the young and young at heart who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams do come true. Don’t ever stop dreaming. Don’t ever stop wishing upon the star. Don’t ever stop wishing upon the star. The moment you do that is probably the moment you grow up. So don’t ever stop building or growing your imagination muscle. Stay creative, whether that’s through Disney-inspired projects, collecting memorabilia, going to a Disney park, bringing it home in your home, or even just daydreaming about new experiences.
Imagination isn’t just about fantasy. It’s about problem solving, dreaming big and thinking differently. Walt’s vision for Disneyland came from imagining something that didn’t yet exist. So today or this week, what’s one way you can use your imagination in your daily life? If you love Disney and love going to the parks, good for you. You are exercising your imagination. Let your imagination be the ruler of your dreams, just like a child. You’ll be so much happier when you live in the here and now instead of operating out of your history or recent past. It’s hard to live your best life when you live this way.
In many ways, walt built Disneyland because it’s the place where he could use his eight-year-old imagination to create a world of fantasy, a magic kingdom that all the boring adults told him was impossible. And look at it now. Number four this is for all the Disney adults who love Disneyland, love a Disney park and being there, being there, whether that’s with others, your family, or being by yourself. Here’s number four. Don’t worry about what others say. Disneyland is for you too. Disneyland, walt, disney World, disneyland, paris, tokyo, disney, whatever it is for you. Here’s what Walt said In the wintertime you can go out there during the week and you won’t see any children. He’s talking about Disneyland. You’ll see the oldsters out there riding all these rides and having fun and everything. Summertime, of course, the average would drop down, but the overall year-round average it’s four adults to one child.
People love to mock Disney adults. I don’t know what it is about us man. Some of the greatest people that I have met are Disney adults, and I know Walt would have never stood for that. Disneyland was made for the young and the young at heart. In fact, walt himself loved spending time in his park. Remember he was in his 50s when Disneyland opened. He loved watching people enjoy his magic kingdom, so they too would be inspired to create their own magic kingdom.
Disneyland wasn’t just for kids. We know this. We just heard this powerful quote from Walt. In fact, walt also said you’re dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids growing up anyway. So enjoy your Disney. Continue to grow your love and passion for it, whether it’s wearing your Disney merch, planning solo park trips, which is okay.
I know some of you it’s a little bit of a challenge to be in the parks by yourself, but I love it. Just keep doing it, keep pushing yourself to it. There’s something magical about just being alone in Disneyland it’s okay. Or a Disney park, or where you just embrace it. You know what I mean. You’re enjoying the moment and you’ve and you’ve embraced and accepted and feel good about being there. You don’t have to feel guilty and feel good about being there. You don’t have to feel guilty. Do you hear me? You can feel great being in Disneyland or any Disney park, all by yourself. I mean, listen, I love being with friends. I just had a chance to spend time in the parks with friends, but I also enjoy my alone time. I love being with my family in the parks. There’s nothing like it. But I also have come to the place in my life where it’s okay to be in a Disney park alone. Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself in Disneyland.
And the final thing I want to say to number four, about not worrying what others have to say about us being in Disneyland. That Disneyland or a Disney park is for you and me. This one is personal and it’s an important one, something that I’m about to share, and it has to do with my childhood. So when we talk about people going to Disneyland or make fun of Disney adults, we never know their story and why it is that Disneyland means so much or a Disney park means so much, why it feels so good to be in Disneyland.
You know, for me my dad wasn’t always there growing up. I mean, there would be days where I sometimes wouldn’t see my father. You know where he would leave, and sadly, my dad was addicted for a majority of my life to drugs, and so it was a challenge growing up. I had to grow up pretty fast. I’m the oldest in the family, and so there was a certain level of responsibility that I felt that I had to take on in some ways to be that dad or that father figure in my family and in my life, when we would go to Disneyland together mom, dad and me. It was the time when I was happiest because I knew that I didn’t have to worry about him leaving. You know what I mean. It was the time that it was the best. I knew that for those hours we were there. You know, it was just me and dad and it was just us, you know, and no worries about leaving.
And so when we make assumptions that Disney is only for kids, we fail to understand why, as an adult, disney can mean so much, and it’s often the past experiences that shape our present. Disneyland is where my happiest moments were as a kid and guess what? It’s where my happiest moments are now with mine. So if we’re just willing to listen to someone’s story without judging, willing to show kindness because it’s a small world after all maybe we would get closer to Walt’s vision for the happiest place on earth, for the happiest place on earth. And, dad, if you’re listening to this, I love you and I’m so proud of you. All right, last one, if you’re still here. Thank you, number five. If you and me are going to embrace being a Disney adult, we have to stay playful and stay humble.
Walt said this Childishness. I think it’s the equivalent of never losing your sense of humor. I mean there’s a certain something that you retain. It’s the equivalent of not getting so stuffy that you can’t laugh at others. You look at Walt’s life. He believed in keeping a sense of playfulness while never thinking you’re too important to enjoy life. Just look at him with his girls, daddy-daughter days. I love just seeing him in action with his children, the way he would play with them in the pool and toss them up, how he would ride bikes with them at the Walt Disney Studios lot. I mean it’s just so wonderful to think about Walt and this playful spirit, how he would sit on Main Street eating peanuts, watching families enjoy Disneyland. He didn’t set himself above the magic. He was the magic, he was part of the magic and he loved sharing the magic with others.
Being playful means finding joy in the small things, whether it’s singing along to Disney songs, which I love to do, or riding Peter Pan’s flight to Neverland, which is my favorite, or making a silly joke, which I’ve got more than just dad jokes. Being playful is something you can still do today, and humility is recognizing that, no matter how old we get, there’s always something new to learn, experience and appreciate. Remember we said don’t grow up, just continue to grow. Remember we said don’t grow up, just continue to grow. So be playful enough to enjoy Disney and humble enough to know that joy isn’t something you outgrow. At the end of the day, being a Disney adult isn’t about age, it’s about attitude, right, right, it’s about keeping imagination alive, staying kind and never letting the world tell you that you’re too old for joy.
Walt believed in creating a place where dreamers of all ages could come together, and that includes you. If this episode inspired you, don’t forget to share it with another Disney-loving friend. I would appreciate it so much, especially this one. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, please leave a review. It helps more dreamers like you find the magic. Until next time, keep dreaming, keep believing, keep going to a Disney park, keep dreaming, keep believing, keep going to a Disney park and remember you are the magic, because the magic is in you. Don’t ever forget.
February 5, 2025
@rubenriosinspires
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