Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World really get dressed-up for Halloween time, and you can too. You can add some Disney flair to your parks attire anytime, and kids and adults alike are especially encouraged to wear costumes to the Halloween parties at the Disney parks. The Halloween party at Disney California Adventure Park (at Disneyland Resort) is called Oogie Boogie Bash—A Disney Halloween Party and the one at Walt Disney World is called Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Today, we are giving you tips on what kind of costumes to wear to these parties and on other days in the Disney parks. We will cover Disney’s guidelines for party and non-party days as well as our tips for having fun with your costumes while staying safe and comfortable.
Costume Rules for Disneyland and Walt Disney World
First, we think it is helpful to know that guidelines for costumes are different at Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party than they are during regular Disney park hours. Additionally, costume rules are different for guests 14 and over than they are for guests 13 and under.
It can get a little twisty, and ultimately Disney cast members must use their discretion. With that in mind, we have included all of Disney’s current (at the time of writing) guidelines about “inappropriate attire” below. These guidelines are as they appear on the Disney website. The first sections applies specifically to regular park hours at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. When there is an exception for a rule during after-hours hard ticket events—like Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party—we have placed that exception below the standard guidelines in italics. We have also added some other commentary in italics.
Keep in mind that Disney can change these guidelines at any time, and cast members have discretion to determine whether any attire is inappropriate. Disney also asks that you use common sense and remember that the Disney parks are “family friendly” when choosing your attire. These guidelines were current at the time of writing, but we suggest double-checking for updates before your visit.
Dress Code FAQs From the Disneyland Website
Our additional commentary appears in italic font.
Inappropriate Attire (according to the Disney website)
Attire that is not appropriate for the theme parks (and which may result in refusal of admittance or ejection) includes but is not limited to:
- Costumes may not be worn by Guests 14 years of age or older
- For special events, like Oogie Boogie Bash, guests may wear appropriate costumes but may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other Guests. Guidelines on what is considered appropriate are listed below. Guests under 14 are allowed to wear costumes during regular park hours.
- Masks may not be worn by Guests 14 years of age or older (unless they are for medical purposes).
- This rule against masks for guests 14 and older DOES still apply to special events.
- Clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics
- Excessively torn clothing or loose fitting clothing which may drag on the ground and create a potential trip hazard
- Even for special events, or for guests under 14, costumes should not drag on the ground. Keep this in mind when deciding on capes and long dresses.
- Clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment
- Clothing with multiple layers are subject to search upon entry
- When choosing clothing, consider how large or layered costumes may slow you down at security or even when entering and exiting attractions.
- Visible tattoos that could be considered inappropriate, such as those containing objectionable language or designs
- Bare feet
Dressing for Special Events
There are specific costume guidelines for special events such as Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party. Before brewing up ideas for your next disguise, please take a moment to review our latest rules and regulations:
- All Guests may dress as their favorite character, but may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other Guests.
- Costumes must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, objectionable or violent.
- Costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
- Costumes may not contain sharp objects, pointed objects or materials that may accidentally strike another Guest.
- Layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and may be subject to additional security screening.
- Costumes may not reach or drag on the ground (e.g., full-length Princess dresses)
For Guests Ages 13 and Under
Costumes and some masks may be worn, as long the mask does not cover the entire face and eyes are visible.
- Note that guests 13 and under can wear costumes and SOME masks both during special events and during regular operating hours at the Disney parks.
- Elsewhere Disney states: When worn by younger Guests, masks may not cover the entire face and must provide unobstructed peripheral vision at all times with openings that allow the eyes to be fully seen.
For Guests Ages 14 and Older
- Capes may be worn if the length does not go below the waist.
- Themed T-shirts, blouses, sweatshirts and hats are acceptable.
- Acceptable accessories include: transparent wings, plastic Lightsabers, toy swords and tutus.
- Headwear may be worn as long as it does not cover the face.
- Masks of any kind may not be worn, except for medical purposes.
Guests who do not adhere to these guidelines may be refused entry into, and/or removed from, the event, unless his or her costume can be modified to meet the above standards. While we encourage creativity, we also value safety and good judgment. The above costume guidelines apply throughout the duration of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party and/or other costumed events. Please note: all rules, regulations and guidelines are subject to change without notice.
Take-Aways from Disney Costumes Guidelines
Phew! That was a lot, but you can see that these guidelines generally go along with protecting your safety and wellbeing as well as that of other guests. Disney wants to make sure that children and other guests are not scared or confused by guests dressed in clothing resembling that of cast members and that you are not wearing anything that could injure you or another guest. Below, we are listing some take-away from these guidelines, and we will have further tips as this article goes on:
- If you are visiting Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park or any of the parks of Walt Disney World Resort during regular operating hours, do not wear a full costume UNLESS you are under the age of 14. If you are an adult who wants a little Disney flair on a regular day at the parks, opt for things like themed shirts, fun headgear, sparkly make-up, clever accessories like Disney purses or jewelry or do something like wearing the signature colors of your favorite character on regular “street clothes.”
- If you are 14 or older, do not wear a mask to the Disney parks at anytime unless it is for medical purposes. If you are 13 or older, you can wear a mask, but make sure you can see out of it and that others can see your eyes. You may also want to consider whether you will find a mask comfortable during your visit and whether your loved ones might be disappointed that your face is covered in photos.
- Avoid costumes that can poke, trip, entangle or generally make harmful contact with other guests. Very large wings, trailing capes and dresses or giant staffs can look cool, but they can also hurt other guests (and might be kind of a hassle to carry around all night). Even if some of your costume elements are allowed into the parks, you may be instructed to stow them during attraction experiences for safety purposes. Avoid anything that looks or acts like a weapon.
- You are allowed to wear large or layered costumes, but keep in mind that your costume may trigger extra security screening at the parks. This can cause hassle and delay for you and others. Consider this when making your costume choices and also consider whether your costume may hinder you in enjoying other activities like sitting comfortably, eating easily or entering attraction vehicles.
- Think about whether you would be comfortable wearing your costume to visit a kindergarten class. If the answer is “no,” we suggest that you do not wear it to the Disney parks. Disney asks that you avoid anything frightening, offensive or dangerous.
Tips for the Best Costumes to Wear to Disneyland and Disney World
With those guidelines in mind, here are five tips for selecting the best costume to wear to the Disney parks.
- First, review your intended activities for your Disney parks visit. Some folks attend Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to meet “rare” characters and capture some great photos with them. If you are one of those guests, maybe you want to wear an elaborate costume. However, if you are attending one of the parties because you want to experience short attraction wait times or stake-out a great viewing location for Halloween entertainment, you will probably want to wear a costume that is more comfortable. Choose a costume you can sit in!
- If you are disappointed with the rule against wearing masks, get creative with headwear to complete your costume. Alternatively you can explore some face paint or make-up that could enhance your costume without obscuring your face. Keep in mind that security cast members have the final say on how much face paint is too much, so you will want to go with something that is not full coverage. Opt for things like fairy glitter, sea monster scales at your temples or a little puppy nose for your perfect Slinky Dog costume.
- Only carry handheld accessories that are easy to stow. An item like a “poisoned apple” or Belle’s “provincial” basket might complete your look, but we advise opting for handheld items that are easy to tuck into a bag. When you stop to eat or hop on an attraction, can you stow that item? If it is too large to, for example, store in the seat back pouches on the Incredicoaster, it might end up being more of a hassle than a fun accessory. Also keep this in mind when it comes to headgear or any other accessory you may need to remove for attractions (like fairy wings). Again, this advice may apply differently to you if you are not looking to ride attractions… or stop to eat.
- You saw in the costume guidelines above that Disney says large and layered costumes may be subject to extra screening. We generally advise wearing layers to Walt Disney World and especially Disneyland in order to deal with temperature shifts. That advice absolutely still applies to after hours events. It seems like the layers Disney is referring to in this rule are anything unusually voluminous that could conceivably be used to conceal contraband. Think: puffy dresses, large capes and similar items.
- Finally, be aware that cast members may ask you to turn off some lighted costume elements during attractions. This is not stated in the costume guidelines, but it is something we have personally witnessed. If you have something like a light-up tutu, we suggest being able to easily access an off-switch.
Ideas for Comfy Costumes to Wear to the Disney Parks
If there is a theme to our advice on what costumes to wear to Disneyland and Walt Disney World (and what to wear on regular days as well) it is probably that we value function over fashion. We love to experience the Disney parks with all of our senses and for the maximum amount of time. While we like costumes and themed clothing, we always adjust what we wear so that we can keep our focus on our experience in the parks and not blistered feet or scratchy clothing. Maybe our philosophy does not fit with yours. If it does not, then we love seeing your great outfits and elaborate costumes. If our philosophy does fit yours, then we have some further advice for you.
First, you may want to review our general advice for what to wear to the Disney Parks. We have (1) 5 Basic Principles of What to Wear to the Disney Parks (2) What to Wear to Disneyland: Part I, Base Layers (3) What to Wear to Disneyland: Part 2, Cold or Wet Weather (4) What to Wear to Disneyland: Part 3, Shoes and even (5) What to Wear for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disneyland.
And, when it comes to costumes in particular we have (1) 5 Super Easy and Comfortable Disney Halloween Costumes and (2) 5 Simple Disney Costumes to Assemble from Everyday Clothing plus (3) Disneyland Costume Inspiration From Our Home to Yours. We also have some “everyday” princess touches in (4) How To (Comfortably) Dress Like a Princess in Disneyland.
Those four costume articles have specific ideas for costume items you can comfortably wear to Disneyland and Walt Disney World. For some overall advice, we would suggest focusing on costumes that can be constructed from regular clothing. With costumes based around t-shirts or other conventional attire, you should be able to comfortably move through a crowd, adapt to changing weather conditions and climb in and out of ride vehicles. The less you have to worry about unwieldy costume pieces, the more you can focus on the fun of Oogie Boogie Bash or other Halloween fun.
Thank you for reading this post on selecting costumes for Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Do not forget to take a look at our easy Disney and Pixar costume ideas here:
- 5 Super Easy and Comfortable Disney Halloween Costumes
- 5 Simple Disney Costumes to Assemble from Everyday Clothing
- How To (Comfortably) Dress Like a Princess in Disneyland
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