What does ‘Disney knees’ mean on TikTok? Viral slang term explained

If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok, you may have noticed the viral slang term ‘Disney knees’ popping up in video captions and comments. Here’s what it means.

On TikTok, the slang term ‘Disney knees’ has gone viral, referring to a specific pose often seen among Disney actors or former Disney stars with music careers.

The pose features inward-pointing knees bent toward each other, typically during performances, as a way to appear edgier or more dramatic. This quirky stance has become a hallmark for performers like Demi Lovato and others with Disney Channel roots.

Origin of ‘Disney knees’

The phenomenon gained attention before the term was officially coined. On May 18, 2020, TikToker xaviermartinnn_ uploaded a video reacting to a clip of Demi Lovato performing ‘This Is Me’ from Camp Rock. “So are we not gonna talk about he legs,” he wrote in the caption.

In the clip, Demi is seen standing with her knees pointed inward – a posture that xaviermartinnn_ humorously recreated. This video earned over 119,000 likes, planting the seeds for the ‘Disney knees’ trend.

By 2021, the term began circulating online. On May 14, 2021, X user brotaminz posted a compilation of Disney actors striking the now-famous pose, captioning it, “Someone said ‘Disney knees’ so I had to do my research.” The post has since garnered over 329,000 likes and 32,000 reposts.

TikTok creators followed suit, with theonlycb3 mocking the pose in a viral video viewed over 36 million times. “Rate my Disney knees 1-10,” he captioned the clip.

The trend saw a resurgence in 2024 when TikToker disneyworld__isacult shared a compilation of Disney knee poses set to Demi Lovato’s ‘La La Land,’ which racked up over 4.2 million views.

Another TikTok by 2tswizzle, featuring clips of former Disney stars Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter performing the trend, went viral with almost 29 million views.

In 2025, ‘Disney knees’ has continued to be a beloved topic of discussion and mimicry on TikTok, as creators are still sharing videos of themselves or others recreating the pose. Whether it’s nostalgia or humor, the trend has kept people entertained.

If this isn’t the only TikTok slang that’s confusing you, you can check out our guide here to learn more about the most popular phrases on the app.