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Reddit user said she spent her wedding catering budget on performances fromDisney actors. - Some people criticized the user's decision, while others defended her love of Disney.
A Reddit user who said she spent her wedding catering budget on performances from Mickey and Minnie Mouse actors has sparked a polarizing debate after sharing her story on the platform on June 5.
Screenshots of the since-deleted Reddit post went viral on
Online comments soon spiraled into a wider debate about "Disney adults," a term referring to Disney superfans who often dedicate time and money to visiting Disney resorts and parks as well as collecting Disney merchandise. Disney-themed weddings are also particularly popular.
The Twitter debate attracted comments from many fans who defended the choice, as well as from academics who have studied the phenomenon, one of whom went viral for comparing the fanbase to a form of religion.
The original post was uploaded on Reddit, where the user received criticism
The story was originally posted in a subreddit called r/AmItheAsshole (often abbreviated to AITA) where users typically share controversial experiences, asking other users to comment on whether they think they were at fault for the situation. These posts often go viral, as the community has more than 4 million members, but there is frequent speculation about whether the stories people share are real or fabricated.
The post was titled, "AITA for not having catering at my wedding?" and the user said that she and her husband are "huge Disney fans," and decided to spend money they initially set aside for catering at their wedding on having Minnie and Mickey Mouse performers attend the celebration.
Some of their guests then complained that there was no food at the wedding on social media, according to the post. The user did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
—Ash (@theashrb) June 5, 2022
The post, which was seen by Insider, received 2,400 comments, many more than most other recent posts on the forum which have hundreds. Most of these comments seemed to react negatively to the story, saying the user was at fault in the situation and that it was "rude" of her to not feed her wedding guests.
The post is no longer available to view, and a message says it was removed by moderators of the subreddit.
The story went viral on Twitter, sparking debate
On June 5, a screenshot of the Reddit post was reuploaded to Twitter by a user called Ashley Rouen-Brown, who captioned the tweet saying, "If I went to a wedding like this, I too would be talking shit about it." The tweet went viral, receiving 40,000 likes.
A further 7,000 people reshared it, adding their own thoughts in captions above the post, many of which were critical.
—Scott Matla (@scottmatla) June 6, 2022
"I just think it's funny that as adults they value Disney World THAT much," one comment with 115 likes said.
In a statement provided to Insider, Rouen-Brown said they thought the story went viral because not providing food is "such a shocking thing to do to your guests."
Rouen-Brown also described the couple's love for Disney in the story as "bizarre," adding that "like everything in our childhood, there comes a point where you have to let go."
Some members of the "Disney adult" community previously told Insider they often receive judgment and online trolling as a result of their outward love of the brand, but still remain proudly committed to the fanbase.
Further controversy ensued as an academic went viral comparing a love of Disney to religious belief
On June 6, Jodi Eichler-Levine, a religious studies professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania reshared a screenshot of the original Reddit post, saying that a love of Disney should be treated in the same way as religious belief.
In a thread of tweets, Eichler-Levine wrote, "Religion is a way of making meaning in the world through stories and rituals. It is about a network of relationships with the human and non-human." She went on to say that, "All of this happens at Disney."
—Jodi Eichler-Levine (@jeichlerlevine) June 6, 2022
Eichler-Levine continued by comparing the "promise of magic" during visits to Disney resorts with emotional religious experiences by saying, "I've seen people cry at the fireworks. Many times."
The thread received a mixed response, with 6,000 likes and 3,800 quote tweets, triggering a wider debate about Disney-adults
Some Twitter users said they disagreed strongly with Eichler-Levine's suggestions, arguing the comparison was "harmful" and suggesting it was more akin to an addiction.
However, others agreed with Eichler-Levine, saying that they thought going to Disney World can be a "healing experience" because it can help people connect to their "inner child," and create "fond memories" and nostalgia.
—John W. Baker (@bakerjjw) June 7, 2022
Some people who said they agreed with Eichler-Levine identified as Disney adults themselves, saying they felt a special connection to the brand and its characters.
Dr. Amy M. Davis, a film studies lecturer at the University of Hull in the UK who also tweeted that she agreed with Eichler-Levine, told Insider that being a fan of Disney is just as "normal" as being part of any fandom.
"Everyone alive today has grown up with Disney, and see no reason to stop enjoying it just because they're no longer children, given the variety of entertainment it offers its fans," she said.
Eichler-Levine and Davis did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.