In a damning new survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports and provided to That Park Place, the entertainment giant Disney is facing a harsh reality. Its embrace of divisive identity politics and abandonment of traditional family values is driving audiences away in droves.
Rachel Zegler singing the original song “Waiting on a Wish” from Disney’s Snow White live action remake – YouTube, Disney
The survey, conducted from January 5-7, 2025, sampled 1,408 American adults and revealed a startling trend—nearly a quarter of respondents, 23%, admitted to avoiding Disney movies in the past year because of the company’s political leanings. An additional 9% were unsure, bringing the total potential loss of audience to 32%.
On the surface, Disney might take solace in the fact that 68% of respondents said they had not avoided the company’s movies. However, when scaled to Disney’s reported streaming audience of 157 million subscribers for its ad-supported tiers among Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, the implications are staggering. If 32% of that audience—approximately 51.8 million people—chose not to watch Disney films due to politics, the financial losses are enormous.
The Financial Fallout of Disney’s Politics
Using the average U.S. movie ticket price of $10.70 in 2024, the 51.8 million viewers Disney potentially alienated translates to a loss of $558.5 million in annual movie ticket sales. This figure represents over half a billion dollars in missed revenue, a devastating blow for any company.
Scrooge McDuck in Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983), Walt Disney Productions
Moreover, the actual losses are likely far higher when factoring in premium ticket prices for IMAX, Dolby, 4DX, and 3D screenings, which command significantly higher fees. Additionally, Disney’s total potential audience is likely far larger than this sample size of people we can reasonably assume are or were “Disney fans.”
These numbers paint a bleak picture for Disney, once heralded as a bastion of family-friendly entertainment. The company’s pivot to politically charged narratives and identity-driven content is clearly alienating a substantial portion of its audience—a misstep with serious financial repercussions.
Survey Demographics Highlight the Divide
The Rasmussen survey provides further insights into the audience demographics and the growing divide in Disney’s appeal. The survey’s sample group consisted of 47% men and 53% women, reflecting a nearly even gender split. Politically, 34% of respondents identified as Democrats, 29% as Republicans, and 37% as “Other,” including independents and those unaffiliated with a major party.
An image of Peter Pan’s Flight at Walt Disney World via Blog Mickey YouTube
Breaking down the data by gender, the survey revealed that 28% of the respondents who avoided Disney due to politics were men, compared to 19% who were women. This suggests that men are significantly more likely to reject Disney’s offerings based on its perceived political agenda. From a political standpoint, Republicans and independents are driving the negative sentiment, as Disney’s left-leaning content has increasingly alienated conservative audiences.
A Self-Inflicted Wound
Disney’s identity crisis began when it shifted from creating universally beloved content to pushing divisive social and political narratives. Once synonymous with timeless tales like The Lion King and Cinderella, the company now faces criticism for abandoning its core audience—families seeking wholesome, apolitical entertainment. Instead, Disney has courted controversy with content that many perceive as incompatible with traditional family values.
MAKING SPACE – Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” introduces Alisha Hawthorne (voice of Uzo Aduba), Buzz’s long-time commander, fellow Space Ranger and trusted friend. Directed by Angus MacLane (co-director “Finding Dory”) and produced by Galyn Susman (“Toy Story That Time Forgot”), the sci-fi action-adventure opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
The financial implications of this Disney politics shift extend beyond box office losses. Disney’s reputation as a safe, family-friendly brand has taken a hit, with the survey indicating growing distrust among a significant segment of the population. This distrust could have long-term consequences, not just in ticket sales but also in streaming subscriptions, merchandise, and theme park attendance.
A Warning for Hollywood
Disney’s struggles serve as a cautionary tale for Hollywood at large. Audiences are increasingly weary of being preached to and are voting with their wallets. Companies that prioritize political messaging over quality storytelling risk alienating the very people who sustain them.
(L-R): Koril (Margarita Levieva) and Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©.
For Disney, the path forward is clear. To regain its audience and restore its legacy, the company must return to its roots—creating magical, universally appealing content that transcends political divides with an entirely new leadership team. The alternative is to continue down a path of diminishing returns, alienating the families that once made it a global entertainment powerhouse until all but the most loyal investors jump ship.
Are you surprised by the audiences response to politics and Disney? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Only 30%???’ World is doomed if all this only managed to disgust 1 of 3
In USA, worldwide the numbers will be far, far higher.
It’s 30% so far. Conservatives also traditionally don’t bother with surveys so the fact that so many who did participated said they were disgusted means the real numbers are likely 50-60%. Even if it was just 30%, that’s crisis territory for any business.
I miss the days when “Don’t put sexuality in children’s programming” was standard practice to the level that people had a hard time believing the woke would actually do it.
The nice thing is that when the pendulum swings back around, the woke won’t be able to claim lies like that they’d never do that.
“the woke won’t be able to claim lies like that they’d never do that.”
Wanna bet?
They’ll probably attempt it again, sure, but people will have the receipts next time.
Will not matter at all… they don’t care about being hypocrites, they don’t care about truth or reality. It’s the same thing as with those idiots from the other side (the hardest orthodox religions, etc…). They will repeat and repeat and repeat their lies, because they are quite literally brainwashed, and until that person/people will even acknowledge it, you can just pointlessly show up with the receipts…
30% is a huge loss. But will the message be received by Disney, as it has been for virtually every other venue in the USA. “DEI programs” are being removed by corporations faster than The Mayor of LA can fly to Ghana.