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Person in Black and White Striped Socks Lying on Bed
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Culture > Entertainment

Why Disney Movies are a Universal Go-To Regardless of Age

Myna Chadalavada
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.

Disney movies hold a certain charm that appeals to the inner child of every individual whether they are 2 or 62. Growing up, I had never watched all the classic Disney movies. My family was never big into them and they knew I was a little bit too Dora and then later on Hannah Montana-obsessed to watch anything else. However, when I was around 14 to 16-years-old is when I actually started watching the classics. Once I started, I never stopped. I often joke that the movies catered towards 5-year-olds appeal to me because of my childish nature. The songs, the characters, the scenery in Disney films just know how to capture my attention. The truth is that at 21-years-old, the remarkable makings of Walt Disney still hold the same magic they did when I first started watching. There is no doubt in my mind that these movies are timeless and appropriate for all age groups. Whenever I need to destress, whenever I’m looking for a reliably happy movie, or whenever I’m looking for something to watch after a long day, Disney is my go-to. 

disney app on smartphone?width=1024&height=1024&fit=cover&auto=webp
Photo by Kon Karampelas on Unsplash

Upon talking to others about this, I found that the majority of people shared this feeling. Disney movies are a reliable, classic go-to that everyone regardless of age goes back to. I was curious about why these movies are timeless in all senses of the word and here are some of the reasons I came up with. 

  1. Bringing Out Your Inner Child

Not only do you get lost in the magic for two hours but the characters and the music remind you of your childhood. Whether you sing along to the songs that everyone has memorized, fall in love with the adventures the characters go on or even get addicted to the serotonin released at the happy endings, the magic of Disney will remind you of happy, simpler times. Everyone needs that sort of peace, regardless of age. 

  1. Jokes

The more I rewatch Disney movies, the more I notice the hidden jokes in the story. These movies are made by adults after all. Kids don’t usually pick up on these adult jokes, but when we sit back to enjoy Disney movies at a later age, some of those cleverly hidden jokes we never realized existed within our beloved childhood movies. When Maui said, “When you use a bird, it’s called tweeting” to Moana or when the Genie says, “I thought the earth wasn’t supposed to move until the honeymoon” at Jasmine and Aladdin’s wedding, it not only adds to the appeal factor of the movies as adults but it gives us something new to laugh at. 

  1. Music

Do I even need to explain? Disney music is what we are all here for! These soundtracks often feature songs that are too easy to sing along to and just take us back to a magical place. Nobody can resist the power of music, especially not the catchy tunes of Disney. Something about “Bare Necessities” just begs for you to dance and sing along.

  1. The Cliche Quotes that Everyone Secretly Adores

The iconic mantras of Disney are plastered all over t-shirts, mugs and every cheesy Facebook meme your mom posts. These lines age with grace and don’t ever lose their magical touch. You simply can’t deny that warm and fuzzy feeling you have after you’ve just watched a Disney film. The storylines, quotes, and songs leave you feeling like you can conquer the world. Okay, conquering may be dramatic, but do not underestimate the power of Disney. 

  1. Everyone Loves a Good Happy Ending 

There’s a reason why animations like Disney’s are called feel-good movies. The persistent optimism and knowing that there will always be a happy ending is the reason we turn to these films for comfort. Each happily ever after offers a joy not found anywhere else. I am willing to bet that you still sit down to enjoy a Disney movie here and there, simply to take in all the jokes you never understood, enjoy the music and see that perfect happy ending that allows you to get in touch with your inner child and alleviate the stress of adult life.  

Luckily enough for us, the happily-ever-afters don’t have to end. With Disney’s raging successes to this day, I don’t see the production company ever letting go of Walt Disney’s dream. For us, this means that we can look forward to decades of Disney movies to come and decades of magic that lives on within us, no matter how old we are.

Photo of the castle during daytime with Christmas decorations
Photo by Craig Adderley from Pexels

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Myna Chadalavada

U Mass Amherst '22

Myna is a senior neuroscience and biochemistry double major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is passionate about her research in emotion regulation and wants to find a way to use her words to change a life. You can find her in the greenhouse, on a rooftop garden writing poetry, the 23rd floor of the library with a book in her hand, or a room with a piano.