The internet is divided on how happy adults should behave in the happiest place on earth.
The debate started when 27-year-old TikTok user Sarah Rachul, known as @everydayisdisney on the platform, posted a clip of herself became emotional when she saw Goofy at Disney World in Orlando, Florida on May 3.
Now Rachul is speaking to the Post about the cyberbullying she endured after sharing her candid experience on social media, and why she is “concerned” about young people on TikTok.
“When you see Goofy coming around the corner after waiting 3 years to hug him again,” reads the text displayed on the video.
The park lifted its ban on cuddling with guest characters on April 18. It had been in place since 2020 due to COVID-19.
Rachul’s clip now has over 1.8 million views and over 7,770 comments, some of which shamed him for his extreme reaction.
“Ohh k yeah it’s ok with disney adults but some of y’all need to remember there’s another adult in the costume lol,” one TikTok cynic remarked.
Screenshots quickly resurfaced on Twitter where discussions continued.
“We have to do something for the adults of Disney”, a defendant.
“Disney is for kids” another pointed out.
But the Disney superfan had good reason for her emotional reaction, she explained. “It may sound silly but my daddy’s favorite character was Goofy and when I hug Goofy it’s like hugging my daddy again,” Rachul captioned the video.
Many followers took note and praised the bereaved woman for sharing her insights into the stages of grief.
“Please take the time to read the caption. The grieving process is different for everyone,” one TikTok user commented.
“DISNEY CHARACTER PERFORMER HERE!! This is why we go to work everyday ♥️ This artist loved it all, so happy for you my love ♥️,” another TikTok user said in the comments.
Despite the wholesome clip Rachul shared, it continued to go viral and sparked a rash of mean comments aimed at Disney’s so-called adults.
Rachul told the Post that while she wasn’t surprised by the backlash — “I was also raised to have thick skin” — she worries about the effects cyberbullying could have on younger generations.
“I dug into some of these video/points and comments duos and a lot of the people behind the account are in college/high school/college,” she explained. “These are really formative years for learning how to treat others and I’m concerned about how cheeky people have become in line when criticizing strangers.”
When her grandparents, who were Disney Vacation Club members, passed away, Rachul and her parents began a regular tradition of visiting the park in their honor. His last trip to the park was in 2019.
“I was surprised by my own reaction to the idea of hugging [Goofy] again,” recalls Rachul. “The tears came out of nowhere. All the cast members were wonderful too and Goofy gave me a long hug and a lot of special interaction because he could see it meant a lot to me.
Post columnist Johnny Oleksinski gave his take on childless millennials vacationing at Disney in 2019.
“Why do the same old safe and boring thing when you could buy a roundtrip Norwegian Airlines flight from New York to Paris right now for $280, get an Airbnb, and sit along the Seine drinking rosé?” he asked adult Disney Parks fans.
But for those who never want to grow up, the media giant announced in February that it was working on an actual residential neighborhood in the Coachella Valley.
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