The impetus for this essay arises from both clinical and sociological observations of the Disney parks' seduction of adults. I refer to this as “the Disney phenomenon.”

At first glance, the regressive allure of Disney parks may seem a manifestation of narcissistic insecurities. Here we present two different cases of response to Disney that suggest Disney's allure is not merely an escapist fantasy. Although narcissistic pathology is on the rise, it is unlikely to explain the enduring attraction to Disney. These cases show how the fantasy of an ideal love, or object, is ‘resurrected’ in visiting the parks, with consequent costs to the individual.

The parks are designed as a sacred space and seem to function as a reminder of spirituality in a society that is more and more secular. Moreover, we note that the parks contain several subtle and explicit references to human mortality and the transience of life caducity of our existence.

This essay explores interpretations of the Disney phenomenon and its psychological benefits and costs to the individual. The Disney experience appears to offer an attempt to address existential loneliness and the incomprehensibility of death by creating a religious cosmology of its own. In modern times, splitting fantasies as the ones fostered by regressive mechanisms similar to Disney's, appear to be particularly dangerous.