Visiting the happiest place on earth is a treat but have you considered that preparing for the trip can be fun too? Planning your outfits for the Disney Parks can be a great way to get excited. This is especially true if you are going to take some DisneyBounds. What is DisneyBounding? I am glad you asked. Let me tell you all about DisneyBounding: the what, how and why it is my new obsession.

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Disney’s Dress Code

There are a few rules that, as adults ((people over 14 in this case), you need to follow at Disney Parks across the world.

• You cannot wear costumes or proper cosplay of any Disney characters.
• They don’t allow floor length dresses/gowns.
• You cannot wear any clothing with offensive slogans.
• Clothing (top and bottoms) and shows must be worn at all times.

With this in mind, especially the first rule, a quiet phenomenon has erupted; DisneyBounding.

What is DisneyBounding?

Dressing up as your favourite character is such fun,. especially when they spot you from their parade float. However, as adults, we are not allowed. Instead, you can put together an outfit that gives enough hints of who you are without breaking the rules. This is DisneyBounding. Then, when you hit the park, you can try to spot other Bounds and work them out, while people are sussing out yours. It is a very cool way to feel involved and to recreate some Disney magic.

Why Adults Can’t Dress as Disney Characters?

Keeping adults out of costumes ensures little ones don’t get confused between random people and the hired (and highly trained) character actors. It would be a little shocking to see Belle all boozed-up, Snow White drop an S-Bomb or Tiana throwing up after too many rides on Test Track. Even if you are on best behaviour, the cast members spend a long time learning the voices, mannerisms and flourishes of their role. Its no joke and diluting that would really spoil the magic.

How do you DisneyBound?

So, instead of a full out costume, we are aiming to echo the outfit of a certain character with colours, themes of their story and famous things from their films or TV show. Things to consider are:

Main Outfit

Think about the character you want to emulate. Most people go just for the colours while some try to aim for the silhouette too. I am a colour girl as it is the easiest thing to reproduce. I love a dress or top and skirt combo so i aim for that but trousers, shorts and tights are all handy ways to break up a fit into different colour blocks. For some inspiration, just check out the DisneyBounding on Instagram!

Accessories

Pins, hats, earrings, Mickey/Minnie ears, necklaces, hair bands and other small additions give some more fun clues. Adding a little badge easily brings in those story notes or hints of the actual person. What jewellery or hair accessories do they have? Do they carry anything specific? Its all those little touches that will level up your Bound.

Bag

You could bring a bag that goes with the theme. Hardcore Disney shoppers may have a Loungefly bag that matches but at £60-100 a pop, that is so far beyond my budget. Instead, I opt for a cheap and cheerful bag that goes with the accessories (a shell for Ariel, mouse for Cinderlla, apple for Snow White, Cow Print for Jessie).

Alternatively (and I have to give 37 Disney Street credit for this one) I tae a clear bag which I can use every day. The idea is to print a scene or something from each film and pop it in the front clear panel. One bag, a million outfits!

Hair

Of course I am not suggesting wigs or hair dye but I would say that styling your hair as your chosen person is fun. Bear in mind that things may get bumped during rides so make sure you hair is still comfortable and not full of pins. Try a side plait for Rapunzel or Elsa, a top bun for Tinkerbell or Cinderella, a bubble ponytail for Jasmine, side buns for Princess Leia and a fake bob for Snow White. Mind you, if you are aiming for a horribly early rope drop, this might be an effort too far.

A quick note on partner Bounds: Trying to get Mr Fluskey into a DisneyBound can be tricky but giving him a themed t-shirt that matches my outfit seems to work well. If you have a partner or friend that wants to join in with your outfit, discuss options and then decide whether you are putting it together or if you trust them to do it.

Why is it Called DisneyBounding?

The term DisneyBounding goes back to 2011 and blogger Leslie Kay who had a Tumblr blog called DisneyBound. It was the clothes she was wearing when she was “Bound” for Disney. She began sharing her outfits and inspiration and started a movement.

There is still a DisneyBound website sharing ideas so check it out for some more inspiration.

Some of Our Past DisneyBounding Outfits

Snow White & Grumpy DisneyBound

Me:

• A red bow hairband – Matches Snow White’s.
• Blue top with puffy sleeves – To represent her top.
• Yellow skirt – To emulate the yellow bottom of the gown.
• An exceedingly cute red, wicker apple bag – Her apple scene is iconic!

Mr Fluskey:

• A top covered in Grumpy – I’m saying nothing.

Cinderella DisneyBound

This day in Disneyland Paris was freezing so I also wore cardigan for most of the day but in the sun, it was almost manageable. This outfit had:

• A pale blue dress (from the Pretty Dress Company which I LOVE) – Cinderlla’s ball gown.
• Black choker – Her jewellery for the ball.
• In a warmer park I would have worn my clear, glittery jelly shoes but it was about 9°C in this picture and didn’t get much warmer – Glass slippers.

Ariel & Flounder DisneyBound

Me:

• A red hairband – Ariel’s red hair.
• A purple top – Her shell bra.
• The dark shiny green skirt – The mermaid tail.
• Red crab earrings – Little Sebastians.
• A little, glittery shell bag- General underwater things.

Mr Fluskey:

• A yellow and blue striped t-shirt – Flounder.

Minnie DisneyBound

So this was kind of based on the Mickey and Minnie love story. I wanted to wear yellow shoes and my proper Minnie ears but we actually lost some of our luggage on the way to Walt Disney World. Luckily, I had all these bits with me and cobbled them together.

• Red dress with white polka dots – Minnie’s iconic dress.
• A Minnie hair clip – Her colours and ears.
• The cutest tights with Mickey and Minnie kissing – These just made me squeal when I found them.
• A Mickey backpack.

Mr Fluskey:

• Our lost luggage meant he had to buy a Mickey Mouse t-shirt at Zara.

Dory and Nemo DisneyBound

Me:

• Blue top – Her main blue body
• Yellow skirt – Her cute yellow tail
• Black belt – Her black back
• Starfish necklace – The Pixar starfish that melted our hearts

Mr Fluskey

• An orange and white striped top

Belle DisneyBound

• Yellow dress with a slightly frilly skirt – Belle’s ballgown
• Red Rose Hair clip – The rose is so important!
• Chip bag – More Beauty and the Beast hints

Mr Fluskey:

• A cool handmade shirt with Beauty and the Beast stained glass design

Rapunzel and Pascal

Me:

• Purple dress – With a fun corset front
• Hair flowers – Planned to do a plait but decided this was cuter
• Sundrop earrings – A Rapunzel must have

Mr Fluskey:

• Green shorts
• Green top
• Pascal pin – You probably can’t see it from here

Tinkerbell and Peter Pan DisneyBound

Me:

• Green dress – Her iconic outfit
• Hair doughnut – You’ve got to have that blonde bun.
• Wing hair clips – These will go on the back of my hair to be her little fairy wings.

Mr Fluskey:

• Green shorts
• Green top
• Green cap with red feather – Close to the Pan hat as I think we are allowed

Spiderman and Deadpool

Me:

• Blue top – The main part of his suit
• Red skirt with straps – A weird combo outside of Disney
• Spiderman earrings – Just in case you didn’t get it
• Spiderman ears – The bow meant Mr Fluskey wasn’t feeling them
• Spider in a web necklace – An old Halloween purchase

Mr Fluskey:

• Deadpool t-shirt
• …that’s it.

Some of Our Future DisneyBound Outfits

I actually have most of these outfits ready to go for our next trip to a Disney Park…whenever that may be.

Pooh & Piglet DisneyBound

Me:

• A pink playsuit – Piglet’s pink belly
• Piglet ears
• Blue balloon pin -My favourite piglet moment is him with the birthday balloon

Mr Fluskey:

• Yellow shorts – Pooh’s shorts
• Red t-shirt – Pooh’s yellow fur

Three Bounds With the Same Hot Pink Bow Belt

• Marie from Aristocats – A white dress with the pink belt and cat ears
• Fairy Godmother from Cinderella – A blue dress with the belt and a wand
• Charlotte la Boueff from Princess and the Frog – A pink dress with the pink belt, a big blonde bun, a tiara and a frog pin.

Ursula DisneyBound

• Black skirt
• Purple top
• Shell necklace

The Floating House from Up

• Multicolour polkadot dress – For the balloons. (This would work for Inside Out too!)
• House Ears – Stashed in a box and ready to go

Final Thoughts on DisneyBounding

DisneyBounding brings back some of that childlike magic at the Disney Parks. The thrill of the characters recognising themselves in your Bound is honestly really exciting. Creating the outfit, matching the outfit and then showing it off is so rewarding. Plus, spotting other Bounders in the parks, and have them work out yours is another layer of fun for the day.

Who would you DisneyBound as? We would LOVE to see your pictures!

Rosie xx