Calling my fellow millennials, grab your coffee, and let’s have a chat about some Disney trends that have got to go.
Magic Kingdom
Millennials have had a huge influence on modern Disney parks, from the way we plan trips to the trends that fill Main Street. And honestly? A lot of it has been pretty great. But as Disney keeps evolving, not every trend we helped popularize has aged as magically as we’d like to think. Some feel a little overdone, others a bit outdated, and a few might just be holding the parks back from their next era of creativity. So with all due respect to our millennial Disney-loving hearts, it might be time for Disney to retire a few of these trends.
As we were saying, since Disney’s all about keeping things fresh and magical, it’s about time for a few updates. Specifically, here are four of our millennial trends that Disney needs to retire ASAP!
Minnie and Mickey Ears Might Be Giving Us Headaches
I’m sure this one’s going to hurt, but we’ve got to talk about Minnie and Mickey ears. Yes, they’re cute. And yes, we all wore them proudly for Instagram pics circa 2014. But what about now? It kinda feels like it’s mostly us Millennials who are rocking them while Gen Z is looking at us like we’ve just hit the geriatric ward. Also, let’s be honest: are the ears really that comfortable? The headache by hour three says no. Plus, I don’t know about you, but they don’t always fit with our “I need to look effortless but chic” Disney park fit these days. Maybe it’s time to pass the baton to the next trend. Maybe something that lets us keep our Disney vibes without squeezing our heads into oblivion.
Minnie Ears
PhilharMagic Is Nostalgic (But Maybe Too Nostalgic)
Look, the 90s hits in Mickey’s PhilharMagic are timeless. There’s no argument there, but the attraction itself is giving CRT TV. The visuals, the theater effects, and the overall vibe are a bit like stepping into every movie from our childhood. While the nostalgia factor is strong, Disney’s known for keeping up with the times, so maybe this show could get a refresh with some modern animation or nods to newer classics like Encanto or Frozen II.
Mickey’s Philharmagic
The “Instagram Walls” Era Is Fading
Raise your hand if you’ve taken a photo in front of the Purple Wall, Bubblegum Wall, or any-other-wall at Disney. I know I’m guilty as charged, but lately, that whole “Instagram wall” trend feels like it’s been losing steam. Maybe it’s because we’ve all moved on to reels and TikToks, or maybe it’s because a blank pastel wall just isn’t cutting it anymore. Now, you can’t deny that Disney’s got so many iconic backdrops we can work with, like castle shots, character meet-and-greets, scenic ride moments, etc. I’m not sure that we really need to spend precious park time anymore hunting for a wall that, let’s face it, no one outside of Disney circles recognizes.
Epcot’s Iconic Bubblegum Wall
Live-Action Remakes Are Too Much of a Good Thing
Sure, the live-action remakes are fun and all, but do we need every millennial classic to get the live-action treatment? At some point, it starts to feel like they’re just mining our nostalgia instead of creating new magic. Plus, these movies hold such a special place in our hearts because of their animation. The original Lion King is absolutely unbeatable, and while the live-action version is gorgeous, it didn’t quite hit the same. How about we give the remakes a rest and let the next generation fall in love with their own animated classics?
©Disney
Look, Disney will always be the place for us Millennials. I mean, it’s where we grew up, where we make memories, and where some of us are already bringing our kids to. But part of keeping the magic alive is knowing when to let go of trends that have run their course, and I think we’ve hit that point already. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
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These live action films just show that Disney’s well of original ideas has dried up.
A trend that we’d love to see end is replacing attractions rather than genuinely expanding. We’re all for new attractions, IP-based is fine with us, but stop taking away things in order to do it. Another trend we’d love to see change is the lack of focus on the full spectrum of Disney guests. We have yet to see how the Fort Wilderness cabins (our favorite ‘hotel’) going DVC will really impact us long term, maybe we’ll go DVC, maybe we’ll rent points, maybe we’ll have to stay elsewhere. But the blatant focus on appealing only to the very wealthiest guests is an ugly look to most people, regardless of what they can personally afford. Disney is not instilling the loyalty in the newer generations that it instilled in previous ones (largely because Disney has no respect for what guests love), and people who can afford to go anywhere for vacation are not going to choose Disney over and over, regardless of what Disney does. It won’t replace destination and event travel for people who can afford those things. Disney needs to take a closer look at where their bread and butter are really coming from. If too many people feel priced out of the parks, the rest of the loyalty (movies, Disney+, merch, etc.) will go. Knowing that they can’t afford the ‘full’ DIsney fandom experience will lead people to take their entire focus elsewhere. I see it happening with the Millenials and younger people whom I know…
Just s quick note….Mickey’s Philharmagic was recently updated and does include Encanto now
Hi Reenie! There was an update to include Coco, but nothing for Encanto yet.
I agree about the live action movies. The only one I thought was really done well was Cinderella.
I agree with previous comments. Disney has wasted MILLIONS on awful live action movies!!! Probably because some useless executive thought it was a great idea. NOT!! And, several proposed renovations are poorly planned and will probably be colossally disappointing once finally complete…years later than projected.
Buzz Lightyear brings out the inner 90s/early 2000s kids in a way most other rides don’t. We will fiercely protect PLENTY of rides that, aside from history and nostalgia, aren’t very good by today’s standards. Can Buzz not just be left alone for the same reason? Can it just be there as our 90s cartoon representation? Also, let’s not pretend like Buzz is the most outdated thing in Tomorrowland – please bfr. It’s literally next to Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor and Carousel of Progress
Having just got back to the UK after our 1st trip since 2017 and our 1st trip with kids, if anything needs updating its Spaceship Earth, Tomorrowland Speedway and carrousel of progress (there’s nothing Tomorrowland about either of the latter) and I appreciated some will come at me for this but space moutian is also rubbish and uncomfortable compared to make rides, this desperately needs a revamp similar to the one in Disneyland Paris as it’s much better
I’m 34 and I will NEVER stop wearing my ears to Disney!