Should childless adults be allowed to visit the Disney theme parks? At least one angry mom says no. Her tirade against park visitors without children went viral after she called for a ban on so-called Disney Adults. The grownups are clogging the lines so she has to wait forever with a cranky toddler. They’re in the way and demonstrating bad behavior, and they shouldn’t even be there, she said. It’s a family park, she proclaimed.
Thank God Walt Disney established Disneyland and the parks that followed with the mandate they should be places for all ages to have fun. That includes adults without children. Me, I don’t yearn to go to Disneyland. Been there, done that, but I have loved ones who go to Disneyland every chance they get. They don’t have kids, but so what? The Mickey Mouse ears come in all sizes.
The parents who dislike having non-parents invade their space say we couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like taking a toddler there. I think we do understand. It’s not like we have never seen a child. Ages ago, my late husband and I took his daughter and two-year-old granddaughter to Disneyland. Yes, it was challenging. Also fun. We didn’t pay any attention to who had children and who did not. I also went there as a young adult with friends. Why not?
I’m sure you could find parents at any theme park, water slide, Chuck E Cheese pizza parlor, puppet show, or playground who want to scream, “Get out of here! You don’t belong. This is for families.” We might claim our own spaces and scream back, “No kids here! This is for grownups.”
The word “family” is so loaded. In most cases in the U.S., it’s code for grownups with children. “It’s a family movie”=for children. It’s a “family restaurant”=bring your kids and if anyone complains, tough.” “It’s a family party”=games, food, and music will all be for children. If you don’t have kids, don’t bother coming.
Where does that leave us? Are we not part of a family even if it doesn’t include children? Too many people seem to think that if you never had children, you don’t have a family. How many times have you been asked, “When are you going to start a family?”
What is a family? As this New York Times article explains, there is no easy answer these days. The standard family definition of mom, dad and two kids has given way to many different combinations of people united by blood or love. It does not have to include children.
Online definitions abound.
From the Encyclopedia Britannica:
“a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption, constituting a single household and interacting with each other in their respective social positions, usually those of spouses, parents, children, and siblings.”
“A group of people, usually of the same blood (but do not have to be), who genuinely love, trust, care about, and look out for each other.”
My worn-out Merriam Webster’s has more definitions of family than I have space to list. They include: “a group of people living under one roof; people of common ancestry; a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation.”
Bottom line: a family is whatever you want it to be. Like me and my dog.
What do you think? Should childless adults be welcome into the Magic Kingdom without kids? Why or why not? Do you find yourself being excluded from “family” activities? What is a family to you? I welcome your comments.
photo by Bo shou at pexels.com
Childless by Marriage 
Sue,
I have heard it all now. Childless adults shouldn’t go to Disney parks simply because they have no children? That’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard. Walt Disney said it was for everyone to enjoy. And that lady complaining that only families should be there makes a good case for sterilization IMO. Things aren’t as clearly defined as they should be.
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We went before we even tried to have kids. All I remember thinking was, “my 10-year-old-self would have LOVED this!” And channelling her, I loved it too. Though I have no desire to go back. But yes, have friends and family who would. And let’s face it, a toddler would get cranky. They’re almost too young to enjoy it – certainly to remember it. So angry woman should have left it a few years. lol
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I guess I could see her point. (insert sarcasm) Much like the semi-fancy restaurant that I visited on vacation, I wanted to be catered to in a world of people like myself. But no, we were seated next to a crying child. In my motherless state, I was not prepared to witness what a child has to go through when he’s expected to sit still while grownups eat fancy food. (Poor kid). My friend (who has four children – at home) just said, “Why? Why would you bring a child here?”.
In my example, it’s unusual for a parent to make the choice to bring their toddler to that sort of venue. I could be disappointed but it’s certainly not a law (or a rule of the restaurant) to ban children. You just deal with it.
And that woman needed to “deal” with extra adults at a themed park that has adult appropriate rides, super cool shows, and yes, even adult beverages. Maybe a parent could prefer to have less people and hope to ban childless adults but that woman was outta line to decide she could define “family” and shun certain people.
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