Disney is one of the world’s most pervasive story telling corporations – the creator of iconic films, beloved characters, and the most popular theme parks in the world.

After 100 years of operation, Disney has become a cultural phenomenon. For its biggest fans – sometimes called “Disney adults” – it evokes something like devotion.

Dr Jodi Eichler-Levine is Professor of Religion Studies and Berman Professor of Jewish Civilization at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, USA. She also writes Faith in Disney, an online newsletter about the intersection of Disney and religion. She is writing a book on the same topic.

Joel Callen is a self-confessed ‘Disney nerd’, originally from the Central Coast of New South Wales, now living in Los Angeles. He says Disney is a significant part of his life, verging on the sacred.