There are fans and then there are FANS.
Walt Disney World is no stranger to mega-fandom. Indeed, long before “geek culture” was a popular term, Disney cultivated a thriving fanbase passionate for its films, parks, collectibles, and characters. These uber-fans don’t just love Disney—they take that love to the next level and make the Most Magical Place on Earth even more magical. Are you one of these?
1. Disneybounders
Image: Kevin Gaudin, Flickr (license)
We’ve talked about Disneybounders before on Theme Park Tourist. Disneybounders are creative Disney parks superfans with a penchant for creative fashion. The practice is similar to cosplaying but more subtle. Adults and children over the age of 14 are not allowed to wear costumes at Walt Disney World (except for at rare special events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or for Star Wars film premieres in Disney Springs), so Disneybounders get around this by wearing modern or vintage clothes inspired by Disney characters.
The nods can be as simple as just using the same color palette as a popular character or as vibrant as wearing carefully crafted modern versions of Disney character clothes. They’re not quite costumes, so that keeps them within Disney’s rules. I once accidentally Disneybounded as Mary Poppins (which I discovered when two different children at different times confused me for Mary Poppins when I wore a long black coat, scarf, and black hat), and it certainly gets you into the Disney spirit. While the practice is not without controversy, Disneybounders really do add a unique flavor of fun to Disney parks. They’re a colorful breath of fresh air in a crowd of a thousand t-shirts and rose-gold mouse ears, and their character meet-n-greet pics are usually a blast!
2. Pin trading junkies
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)
Love a good treasure hunt? Walt Disney World pin trading may seem like a bizarre hobby to the uninitiated, but to those who have taken the plunge, you know “there be gold in these waters”. It’s insanely addicting fun, and pin trading superfans aren’t usually hard to spot.
Maybe it’s the jingling lanyards you can hear a mile away. Maybe it’s the giant binder of treasured pins revealed at the pin trading commons. Maybe it’s the way that the best among them are quick to share tips and starter pins with young-pin-traders-to-be. The truth is, even without these, it’s easy to spot the best pin trading superfans by the look of sheer glee on their faces as they spot a treasured pin, run up to a cast member, and politely (but oh-so-enthusiastically) make a trade. The hunt is on!
3. Disney Historians
Image: Disney
Any guest can read up online or take a tour to get some behind-the-scenes trivia on Disney parks. However, visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth with a true Disney historian feels like having your own VIP tour guide—Disney parks are positively brimming with history and these superfans know the backstory of every attraction, park, and curiosity in the House of Mouse.
There is no bit of lore too obscure for these founts of knowledge. Even normally mundane attractions become instantly more interesting with a backstory told by these lore-masters. Did you know the Tower of Terror used to have only one drop, or that the Enchanted Tiki Room once housed an alternate version so abhorred by fans that they cheered at its closing? How about that Disneyland was once overrun by yippies or that Disney’s Animal Kingdom was originally meant to house an unparalleled fantasy land featuring a roller coaster ride through a dragon’s tower? These are just tidbits to the Disney history superfan, and there’s no telling what new stories you’ll learn spending time with them!
4. Hidden Mickey hunters
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
For some, searching for hidden Mickeys is a fun game to pass the time with the kids in the parks. For others, however, the hunt for hidden Mickeys is serious business and has even sprouted its own unique corner of fandom.
There are entire books dedicated to chronicling hidden Mickeys throughout Walt Disney World and Disneyland. For hidden Mickey hunters, the chase is similar to that experienced by pin traders. It’s the thrill of discovery, of looking to see if you might just be the first to notice that particular homage to the Mouse. For these superfans, locating a new hidden Mickey means an opportunity to share that find with the world, and this dedicated fanbase makes it a point to acknowledge the pioneers who found each one. Don’t forget to take pictures if you find one yourself!
5. Future Club 33 Members
Image: Josh Hallett, Flickr (license)
This one used to just apply to Disneyland, but Walt Disney World is fair game now too. I thought I was a pretty dedicated Disney parks fan until I met a future Club 33 member.
Club 33 is sort of a Disney superfan club for the ultra-wealthy. Indeed, the Disneyland Club 33 requires a $25,000 buy in followed by $10,000 a year in dues to maintain membership, and the wait list just to apply is insane—it was 14 years at one point! With locations hidden in all four parks, the Walt Disney World version is even more expensive with an approximate $35,000 buy in and $15,000 a year in dues. Talk about sticker shock. The perks include access to the clubs (some of which include special viewing areas for fireworks), premier passes for the member and their immediate family, private concierge, 50 1-Day Park Hopper Passes a year, access to instant Fastpass+ reservations, private concierge, and 5 days of guided VIP tours.
While Club 33 would seem hilariously out of reach for the average Disney visitor, there are dedicated fans who have made it a life goal to someday join Club 33, even if just for a year. Indeed, I know one who even managed to get in to the Disneyland location for a day! These are people who love, love, love Disney and want to experience everything Disney has to offer, even if it means years of saving and determination. Their enthusiasm for all things Disney is contagious, and they are extra fun people to visit the Most Magical Place on Earth with.
6. Challenge buffs
Image: Disney
We love Walt Disney World challenges here at Theme Park Tourist. Whether it’s conquering every Disney mountain in a day, eating or drinking around the world, or even (gasp!) hitting both Disney World AND Disneyland in one day, some Disney superfans gamify their park visits with insane goals. Every Walt Disney World trip becomes an adventure, and challenges can range from the serene (like an ultimate scavenger hunt) to the exhausting (like trying to ride every Walt Disney World attraction in a day—not sure if this is even possible!). Some visitors even turn this into a competition, breaking up into teams then comparing results. Even It’s a Small World can feel thrilling if a challenge is at stake!
7. Dapper Day participants
Image: Kevin Gaudin, Flickr (license)
Ever wish you could just visit Walt Disney World looking Dapper? You could think of Dapper Day as a charming cousin of Disneybounding. Dapper Day is a special event at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World where guests put on their finest fancy duds to tour the Most Magical (or Happiest) Place on Earth. Guests can opt to go modern or vintage, though the participants generally tend to lean towards the historical fashion side. The first time we saw a Dapper Day crowd all wearing garb from the 20’s and 50’s, we thought a flash mob was about to break out!
The events aren’t officially sanctioned by Disney, but the organizers work closely with Disney to set up each expo to include special events and a celebration of fashion from yesteryear and today. Anyone can participate. If you’re lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland on a Dapper Day, you might just think you’ve been sent back in time!
8. Star Wars superfans
Image: Disney
The subject of Star Wars and Disney parks is a surprisingly controversial one, but there’s no doubt that that familiar Galaxy Far, Far Away has made a huge impact. With the imminent arrival of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, that effect is only going to grow. Star Wars has brought with it Star Wars superfans—easily spotted by the wide-eyed reactions of glee to things like Hollywood Studios’ March of the First Order, A Galaxy Far, Far Away, or even Star Wars Launch Bay.
Star Wars fans have gotten a bad rap the last few years due to unfortunate behavior from vocal and toxic outliers in the fanbase. The average Star Wars superfan, however, can’t go on enough about their excitement about the Star Wars additions at Disney’s parks. They giggle with delight at seeing Captain Phasma accost guests along Hollywood Boulevard. They happily help their kids initiate into the Jedi order building their first lightsaber. They grin when the park’s roaming stormtroopers arrive, and when Galaxy’s Edge opens, they’ll be just as excited about the scenery as they are about flying the Millennium Falcon or taking on the First Order. Some Star Wars fans even organize to dress up and cosplay for Star Wars film premieres in Disney Springs. While they’re a somewhat newer addition to the Disney superfan family, Star Wars superfans are part of the magic at Walt Disney World now.
9. Insider experts
Image: Disney
We mentioned Disney lore-masters, but there is another type of Walt Disney World expert fan who you want on your team when planning your next trip: Disney parks insiders.
Disney parks insiders don’t just know all the ins and outs of planning the ultimate Walt Disney World vacation—they are thrilled to help you plan the same for your family! They’re like travel agents in their own right, quick to help you track down the best deals like renting Disney Vacation Club points or catching rare promotions. They know the best resorts, the best restaurants, which Fastpass+ reservations are worth it, and even which parks to visit on which day of the week. Having this type of superfan in your life is like having the entire archives of Theme Park Tourist as a human friend. They know the experiences worth splurging on, those worth skipping, and they love helping other people plan a great Walt Disney World vacation.
10. Kids… Just kids
Image: Disney
All of these superfans are great, from the Club 33 elite to Disneybounders, but one demographic surpasses all of them.
Kids.
Kids make the Most Magical Place on Earth truly magical. They are the true ultimate superfans of Walt Disney World. They see the parks through eyes untainted like we jaded adults. For them, Walt Disney World is a place where their imaginations can run wild. They really are pirates on the high seas. They really are Jedi in training preparing the fight the dark side. They’re really ready to take on any bad guys who jump out of the bushes or face down Maleficent’s dragon in a magical showdown. They are future Disney princes and princesses, writing their own parts in the story of the Magic Kingdom even as they experience it. Mickey and Minnie really do become their dear friends, and every new experience is an adventure.
We love our adult-only trips, but without kids, the Most Magical Place on Earth loses some of its luster. There’s a freedom of joy and celebration that kids bring with them that really makes Walt Disney World special. Truly, they are the best fans you will ever find.
Are you one of these types of superfans? Do you have one as a friend or family member?
