Walt Disney was the co-founder of Walt Disney Productions, beginning as a cartoonist alongside his brother in the 1920s. About a century later, Walt Disney has become a mass media company that almost everyone is familiar with, if one hasn’t already seen Walt Disney’s films or attended its theme parks.
Disney World and Disney Land, known as the happiest places on Earth, are the essence of many wonderful, enchanting memories for both children and adults. It’s a place where people can believe in magic and in happily ever afters. It’s also a place where one can dress up as an iconic Disney character from his or her favorite story.
Although Disney’s policy prohibits adult guests above the age of 14 from dressing as identical characters, in an effort not to confuse young children, Disney Bounding is a concept many older guests have explored in order to have fun dressing up without breaking any rules.
Disney Bounding is the perfect opportunity for you to get creative by pulling together a more contemporary take on a Disney character, even if you are not able to attend the theme parks at this time. Many have sewn their own clothes or have pulled items from their closets and local thrift stores in order to create an ensemble that represents a character without totally mimicking the character’s look.
Some prefer buying a pair of Mickey Mouse ears that complement a character, pairing the accessory with a matching t-shirt. Other’s will wear clothing pieces that make up the color palette of the character they wish to be or create makeup looks and hairstyles inspired by their character. The possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to this concept, as there are hundreds of Disney characters to choose from. Many have explored styles to represent objects from films or souveneirs from the theme parks as well.
Recently, I created by own Disney Bounding attire by putting together an ensemble to represent the character of Alice from the film Alice in Wonderland. For this character, I wore a denim blue dress over a white t-shirt, using a dark blue bandana to replace Alice’s black headband. Rather than Alice’s black shoes, I chose comfortable white vans that matched my shirt. No one could mistake me for the identical character, but I did recieve compliments throughout my time at Disney World. When I met Alice in Epcot, she was thrilled to see that my outfit resembled her own.
While visiting Hollywood Studios, I paired a Star Wars t-shirt with army green shorts and white, high-top converse. Even if I didn’t resemble a Star Wars character, I felt as though I fit the aesthetic of Galaxy’s Edge. It made the experience much more thrilling, as if I was a part of the film series.
I can’t wait to return to Disney and create more looks in order to represent my favorite characters or films. It is always fun to pretend to be someone else for the day, even if not everyone is aware of who you are hoping to be. As long as you have a fun time getting creative with different styles, you can sprinkle a bit of magic into your experience, whether it be planning a future trip from home or attending the Disney parks.