To quickly clarify: this isn't about the wonderful theme park; it's a reference to the remark that may or may not still be in use: 'They just want to live in Disneyland!' It refers to individuals who, regardless of their adult ages, do not want to take on adult responsibilities.
When Junior High English teacher Ellen Peck wrote The Baby Trap, the remark was occasionally used in a negative manner toward couples who chose to not have children. In recent years, though, I've noticed it can be equally valid for those who do have children- instead of Mrs. Peck and those she influenced who did not want to sacrifice or adjust for the sake of children, Phase 2 involved those who simply handed the responsibilities for their kids to others so they still did not need to sacrifice or adjust. One absolutely appalling statement I read not long ago: an individual stated that she and her husband were planning an extended, 'round-the-world vacation, intending to leave their kids behind, and someone made the statement 'I applaud you for not allowing your children to interfere with your life!'
But whether that particular instance was extreme or not, it's popular. Couples who could manage on one income take the approach of how much more- more money, more stuff, more options- they can have if mothers do not sacrifice their 'earning potential' for the sake of taking care of their children. If anyone is tempted to think it a modern approach, it is not- it was even addressed in a book called Your Bible And You, by Arthur Maxwell, originally published in 1959!
Mr. Maxwell warned people about the consequences of making 'the almighty dollar' a higher priority than one's own children- too many did not heed his advice. These days, you may hear younger generations- mainly millenials- referred to as Echo-Boomers; you may have heard (or said) that they are outrageously materialistic, spend-happy, irresponsible... but the term Echo-Boomers reflects where they have obtained these 'values.' If you put money, stuff, and options as a higher priority than your kids, they have probably been watching you every step of the way. After all, it'd be difficult for young people to take or even know any other approach when all they've seen are members of the older generation 'Living in Disneyland.'
I recently noticed Mrs. Peck is now described as a 'feminist,' but despite her anti-parenthood stand, she herself did not have a positive viewpoint of the subject. A quote from her interview in People magazine, 1976: A recent feminist-approved children’s book is titled Mommies at Work. The feminists seem to be treating children like something that can somehow be squeezed into the liberated woman’s life. And, unfortunately, for both women who want to be 'liberated' from the day-to-day responsibilities of raising their children, and guys who want to be 'liberated' from the responsibility of supporting their families, the climate in the United States has only become worse since she made that statement. Too many individuals- male and female- take the approach that their children must adjust and sacrifice for them, rather than the other way around.
One might be tempted to think it cannot become worse- but it has. In the same interview, Mrs. Peck remarked: Once you’ve had a child, you will never again not be a parent. Perhaps she was fortunate to have not seen what I've seen in recent years: 'parents' who no longer want to be bothered with their kids kicking them out into the street, dumping them in shelters, and even taking advantage of 'Safe Haven' laws to give up their children instead of babies. I've even heard of individuals who adopted kids, later deciding they didn't want to be bothered, and sent the kids back where they came from.
Disneyland is a wonderful place, but, as a concept, responsible adults don't want to live there.