In your opinion does Disney film do more to contribute to conformity or individuality?

[Spencer Wright]

That question has interested me for a while. I tried asking it on the Disboards on facebook group a while back, but it got so nasty I had to delete it in less than an hour.

Most all people were just saying that it doesn't do either, and that its just entertainment. It was quite disappointing, but I thought some of yous might have more civil and thoughtful reflections.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I guess for me, it contributes to individuality. In Europe and especially Ireland, being a Disney person, ie having Disney memorable in your house, having Disney tattoos, having regular vacations to Disney parks / Disney cruises, wearing Disney themed clothes etc would be seen as outside the norm. We dont have the same emotional and nostalgic ties to Disney that American people do. In Ireland, and Europe , Disney is seen as a kids thing, you bring your kids to a Disney park, you bring your kids to see a Disney film in the cinema. you bring your kids to see Disney on Ice etc etc.

Adult Disney fans would be very much a sub culture, and not something that would be mainstream. Being an adult Disney fan would not be something that Irish people would identify as.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I guess for me, it contributes to individuality. In Europe and especially Ireland, being a Disney person, ie having Disney memorable in your house, having Disney tattoos, having regular vacations to Disney parks / Disney cruises, wearing Disney themed clothes etc would be seen as outside the norm. We dont have the same emotional and nostalgic ties to Disney that American people do. In Ireland, and Europe , Disney is seen as a kids thing, you bring your kids to a Disney park, you bring your kids to see a Disney film in the cinema. you bring your kids to see Disney on Ice etc etc.

Adult Disney fans would be very much a sub culture, and not something that would be mainstream. Being an adult Disney fan would not be something that Irish people would identify as.

Very interesting! I live outside of Philadelphia (about half way between NYC and DC) where loving Disney and WDW is basically just a part of the mainstream. I live in an area where many people have tattoos which include Disney characters, and I can hear at least one person talking about there recent or upcoming WDW trip a couple times a day.

Do you think the inclusion of Star Wars or Marvel might change things? Or are they still niche interests in Europe?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Very interesting! I live outside of Philadelphia (about half way between NYC and DC) where loving Disney and WDW is basically just a part of the mainstream. I live in an area where many people have tattoos which include Disney characters, and I can hear at least one person talking about there recent or upcoming WDW trip a couple times a day.

Do you think the inclusion of Star Wars or Marvel might change things? Or are they still niche interests in Europe?

You would NEVER hear conversations like that in Europe when out and about in daily life. Tattoos are pretty mainstream now, but specifically Disney tattoos, like you see in the parks, would not be mainstream.

In Ireland for example, we just have 2 Disney shops in the whole country! Both are located in Dublin, the capital city. The main one is located in the city centre and the second one is located in a mall in the suburbs. To put things into context, Ireland is roughly the land size of the State of Indiana and our population is approx 5 million people.

Over the last few years, Disney merchandise has become more available. This is mainly due to a chain of stores called Primark / Pennys. They are a low cost department store, similar to JC Pennys. In UK and Ireland shopping at Primark / Pennys would be very popular with the under 35 Instagram / social media people as they have low cost highly fashionable and trendy clothes.

Star Wars and Marvel are their own speciality sub cultures and the Disney connection is not really that relevant to most in those fan communities.