It’s Not ‘Weird’ to Be an Adult Woman Who Loves Disney

Mink, a content creator, says she didn’t visit the theme parks frequently when she was growing up but held a prevailing passion for all things Disney, including an obsession with Disney Channel films that extended through college. "Ride-or-die Disney fans," as Mink puts it, these friends say they love every aspect of Disney: the history, lore, design, animation, all of it. At D23 Expo, Mink even served as something of a litmus test for in-the-know fans. She dressed as legendary Imagineer Tony Baxter, complete with rolled-up ride blueprints in a leather satchel. While we talked, several stopped her to rave about her appliquéd mustache and Imagineering hard hat. Others strolled past without a word.

Though it's not exactly niche to be an adult who's into Disney anymore, Mink and Sterling still feel some judgment come their way. “People just think it’s weird because they have this idea that Disney is for children,” Mink says. But for her, it's no different than a football fan traveling to see the Super Bowl in person. “Just because you don’t get it doesn’t mean it's weird.”

Ultimately, both have seen their fandom pay off in dividends across all aspects of their lives—especially in their connection to each other. “We have such a deeply rooted passion for the same thing,” Mink explains. “I feel like Sarah is truly my sister. She’s my best friend, I would do anything in the world for her, and we literally only met because we were both obsessed with Disney.”

Sterling echoes this. “The word magical is so corny, especially in a Disney context, but it truly is magical that I have these lifelong friends just because people love Disney,” she says. “The power of fandom is really, super-overwhelmingly emotional for me. I don’t know what my life making Disney content and participating in fan culture would be like without [Mink].”

Keshia Sih-Tseng

With steadfast originality and an open commentary on anxiety and mental health, Keshia Sih-Tseng is part of a crop of Disney style influencers, like Chelsea Watson and Tanya K. Olivarez, who are doing things on their own terms. Sih-Tseng scours secondhand stores, resale shops, and Rent the Runway’s $159 monthly unlimited subscription to piece together environmentally friendly Disney-inspired looks that she posts daily at @KeshiaSih. For D23 Expo this year, she went all out with Mulan through the decades, which she wore to each day of the event.

“I feel like it’s literally consumed my entire life,” Sih-Tseng says while dressed as a ’70s take on Mulan, her favorite princess. “All day, every day, I’m thinking about Disney.” Keshia has a full-time job in educational sales, but she hits Disneyland each Saturday and Sunday with a backpack full of looks and her husband, Kevin, on camera duty. It’s a slog, but she says it's worth it.