Disney Adults

Exploring (and Falling in Love with) a Magical Subculture

De: AJ Wolfe

Narrado por: AJ Wolfe

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A fascinating and enlightening deep dive into the infamous Disney Adult community from the woman behind the popular website The Disney Food Blog.

Disney Adults are grown-ups who derive singular, almost obsessive, joy from all things Disney. They devote countless hours and millions of dollars to Disney offerings, whether or not they have children. They’re avid fans of the films, devotees of the Disney theme parks, collectors of the vast world of Disney merchandise, cosplayers who dress in clothing inspired by Disney characters.

Their ranks are so large and their cultural impact so distinct that they have their own moniker and are an economic force unto themselves. They’re often maligned in the larger culture and put on a particularly high pedestal of cringe. But in truth, their obsessive fandom hints at a universal desire for pleasure and joy, for magic and escape.

There are darker sides to Disney mania that can’t be ignored, but the ranks of the Disney Adult community are broad, deep, and ever-growing. Disney Adults are a telling microcosm of modern America, highlighting the value we place on magic and escapism, and what we deem to be “acceptable” sources of joy.

Disney Adults dives deep into a misunderstood subculture, exploring the lives and experiences of a fascinating community to better understand its devotees’ unwavering passion for all things Disney, why it offends, and why it matters.

©2025 AJ Wolfe (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Wonderful

Well written. Well researched. And well executed. No one else except AJ could’ve narrated this. She is welcoming and engaging. I am a Disney Adult myself, and this book put into words what I’ve always felt. 10/10

Love love love

At the moment she was talking about the closet full of Disney stuff at the beginning, I laughed thinking of my own Disney stash. And I knew I was going to love the book. I was not disappointed.

AJ is the best!

I meant AJ at her book signing in Winter Park Florida two weeks ago. I started reading the book but then when I saw was available on Audible I listened to the audiobook instead because that's my preference. I have always loved her voice and she reads this so professionally well and the book is so enjoyable for us Disney Adult nuts!

Finding Out Who You Really Are, By Another Disney Fan!

Being a fan of Disney for over 30plus years now, it’s really wonderful to hear about all the things about that brand you never knew.
I’m so grateful to AJ for writing such an incredible book about what it means to be someone who loves and admires a specific brand! In our case Disney!
My main area of interest has always been Walt Disney World Parks. I have vacationed and also Honeymooned there.
I am a big fan of AJ’s YouTube channels along with both other large and small Disney content creators.
My mother always would tell me as a young adult, save your money and go to Disney all you want once you retire. Well, I’m glad I never listened to her, as now at 57 and I’m disabled and really can’t visit the parks like I once did in my youth.
I live vicariously through these creators that are lucky enough to be able to do what I once was able to do without issues of mobility.
So a big thank you, to you AJ for your never ending love and enthusiasm for what so many of us love to be, Disney Adults!! ❤️

Perfectly encapsulates the Disney Adult both the gifts and the curses!

Perfectly encapsulates the Disney Adult both the gifts and the curses! Thank for this much needed book in our community:)

Deeply Insightful and Moving

This book was so deeply insightful and moving. The audiobook was smooth and easy to listen to. I loved every second of it.

Relatable

Great narration, good viewpoint of multiple issues, and tragically self aware of the issues with Disney adults

Love the data and stories

While i was hoping for a real deep dive into the psyche of what makes a DA I leave pretty satisfied at the amount of data and serious thought put into the discussion as to the why and how we exist. I was not expecting the personal stories and I must say they were really great. A couple of them really impressed me and 1 or 2 even made me jealous 😅.

There are a few parts here that could be a little triggering, especially for LGBTQ+, but it is all done very well and I wouldn’t say it’s anything that should stop you from listening to this book.

After its all said and done I’m left wanting more because I really enjoyed the ride I went on and it was totally worth the 8 hour wait in the stand by line 😂. I somehow feel more connected to my fellow DAs and I hope we can keep growing stronger as a community.

not just for Disney Adults

an amazing book, if you are new to disney adulthood or been one for decades. this book is a wonderful breakdown to the subculture of disney and the people who love the house of mouse...and if you love AJ'S voice overs for the DFB channel videos, you'll love this book!!!

Very In Depth

First of all I loved hearing AJ read this book because as a long-time follower of DFB, her voice is unique and soothing and has grown to be an association with Disney parks for me, as I'm sure it has for others as well.

Secondly, I will say that this started off full steam ahead in defining and digging into what makes Disney Adults what and who they are. I appreciated the psychology aspect of it as well. It was very well thought out and the individual stories really helped nail down the realities of the psyche within this particular group.

I think it may have veered a little off track towards the end where the focus was more on the Disney history and brand and I venture to guess that because this was a personal project it was sprinkled with a few personal leaning views that cannot be shared on the major platforms. I didn't find it making much difference to the book as a whole, and it would probably fit better in a memoire. I found myself losing focus on listening towards the last hour and a half but that being said I still enjoyed the main topics of what the book was about.

I would still recommend this book to anyone who desires more understanding of why adults love Disney, because I truly think anyone could align the definitions and psychological ties to their own deep seeded interests and things that release endorphins in their brains. It really does a wonderful job in causing us to appreciate each other's interests instead of critiquing them. I suppose the history of the brand content could even add a little more understanding to anyone who is not really a huge fan of Disney who is reading the book to get a better understanding of what has shaped Disney through the years and what has shaped their friends and loved ones love of all things Disney. Maybe that was the intent and I can appreciate that. I don't know that it will cause people to suddenly want to love Disney, but maybe they will realize that the historical part of Disney and what makes it what it is, is for adults, not children, to appreciate and understand.
My own personal view to anyone that would question why adults love Disney is that children cannot acquire any knowledge of Disney unless an adult wants to introduce them, therefore adults would need to think pretty highly of Disney to be able to make that introduction. Walt Disney himself was an adult when he began creating the brand. His desire for families to be able to enjoy things together is the biggest factor in why any part of the brand, even the parks, can be loved at any age. If there weren't adults who loved Disney, there would be no children who loved Disney; there would be no adults to create and imagine the stories and concepts of Disney; thus the brand would cease to exist. That can be said of anything that adults love so I hope this book will inspire us all to stop critiquing any interest we don't love or understand. At the end of the day, something caused us to have and form our personal interests and there is room for all of us to love the ones we love. So thank you, AJ, for spending the time on this project and delving into the depths of it all.