If you're heading to Disneyland soon, you're probably thinking about a very important question as you pack your bags: Can adults wear costumes at Disneyland? Good news and bad news: The bad news is that guests 14 and older are not allowed to wear costumes when visiting Disneyland. The good news, though, is that there are still plenty of ways to show your affection for your favorite characters without wearing a full costume.
According to the official Disney website, the Anaheim and Orlando parks actually have pretty extensive dress codes for guests ages 14 or older, though much of it is common sense: keep it family-friendly and comfortable, and you'll probably be fine. If you want more details, though, it's easier to list what 's not allowed than what's allowed: clothing with "offensive material," which includes "obscene" language and graphics; "excessive" Clothes that “are torn” or are very loose (and may pose a tripping hazard if they drag on the floor); and clothes that “expose too much skin and may be considered inappropriate for a domestic environment.” Additionally, if you wear many layers of clothing, you may be searched when entering the park; visible tattoos that may be considered "offensive" need to be covered up; and you must wear shoes. Sorry, Barefoot fans.
Of course, adults cannot wear costumes or masks.
The general reason for not allowing adults to wear costumes in parks is to maintain the magic of the park experience—especially for children—but also for safety. For many, adults and children alike, official character meet-and-greets and encounters with walking characters are one of the highlights of a visit to Disneyland; The highly detailed costumes, makeup, hair and wigs worn in the performances truly bring the world of Disney to life. Therefore, guests arriving at the park wearing similarly detailed costumes may create some problems: firstly, it may distract from the official meet-and-greets and character encounters walking around; secondly, for young children, it may be really disturbing. Puzzled. Young children may not be able to tell the difference between real Disney character actors and regular people in costume, which can cause trouble for adults and may be upsetting for the children themselves.
As Travel + Leisure observed, it's also important for security reasons that guests are not "mistaken for staff." If you need any help at the park, it's crucial to know who is actually working there and who is a visitor just there to have a good time. Granted, if you needed help, you'd probably go to a non-character actor first - but still. In many safety-related situations, the visual cues provided by the detailed costumes that Disney cast members actually wear are important.
Hey, really need some help.
Why does this rule specifically come into effect at 14:00? This age may be a little arbitrary, but regardless, 14 seems to be the age at which Disneyland considers you an adult. According to official Disney policy, anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a guest 14 or older; however, once you turn 14, you can run around the park with friends (as long as you follow all other rules, of course and policies). I don't think it's a coincidence that the "no costume" rule also kicks in when you turn 14.
There are a few times, however, when adults are allowed to wear costumes at Disneyland—namely, special events like Disneyland's Oogie Boogie Bash and Disney World's Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The same general rules about everyday wear still apply—your costume doesn't have to be family-friendly and "must not be obstructive, offensive, offensive, or violent"; material from other guests"; your costume can't be so long that it drags on the floor; and you can't bring anything that could "be mistaken for a real weapon."
But at these events, the cape only needs to be waist-length or shorter. You can definitely wear “themed T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts and hats”; “headgear” – such as hats, headbands, mouse ears, etc. – is fine “as long as it doesn’t cover your face”; you are welcome to style your Add some strategic accessories like wings, a plastic lightsaber, or a tutu. At both U.S. resorts, costume masks are prohibited for guests 14 and older, but at Disneyland, masks are allowed for medical purposes. But please note that even if your costume meets all of these guidelines, costumed guests are not allowed to take photos or sign autographs with other guests.
But even though those 14 and older aren't allowed to wear formal attire during regular, non-event visits , there are plenty of ways to dress up like your favorite characters in the parks. For example, DisneyBounding—wearing a palette that mimics the look of your favorite Disney characters rather than a full costume—has become increasingly popular in recent years. The term itself comes from fashion blogger Leslie Kay, whose website DisneyBound was one of the first and still the most famous Disney-themed style blogs, dedicated to designing outfits with easily accessible, everyday clothing that captures Disney spirit. Various fictional characters. Additionally, Disney now has its own line of dresses, the Disney Outfit Store, which combines character and park-inspired themes with vintage-inspired tailoring for a unique take on the Disney sartorial philosophy. And, hey, there's always a good old themed T-shirt. This one mimics the look of the Ghost Host uniform, but is still clearly a T-shirt—that is, there's no danger of being mistaken for an actual haunted house owner.
Whatever you wear, take inspiration from Disney's park dress code policy: keep "safety and good judgment" in mind, but also let your creativity guide you. have fun!
