Name something better than actually being a princess (or prince) for the day! Unfortunately, as an adult you’re not able to dress up as a Disney character at either Disneyland or Disney World, this is due to confusing kids if you’re outfit is that good. When you reach over the age of 14 you aren’t allowed to wear actual Disney character costumes, however, there is a way around this and that is called Disney Bounding!
It’s not a known thing and many people have asked me about it. So I thought I’d write this post as there also doesn’t seem to be a lot about this incredible thing when searching online for blogs.
What is Disney Bounding?
Disney Bounding is the art of dressing inspired by characters, some clever Disney fans created this, where you can use your normal clothes and tailor them to be inspired by your favourite characters. The idea is that you’d take the character and find clothes or accessories which fit in with the character, for example, red polka dot trousers for Minnie Mouse, blue dress for Cinderella or a baggy oversized pink t-shirt for Boo!
The idea is to get as creative as possible, think outside of the box and find a style that not only reflects the character but also suits your fashion! It’s about having a bit of fun, and being able to embrace the magic that Disney has to offer!
Why Should you Disney Bound?
It’s all a bit of fun! When else do you get the chance to dress up and not feel a bit like a prat? There is no judgement at the most magical place on earth, so you can embrace it!
It’s a lot easier than it sounds, you can be as minimalistic or extravagant as you wish. You also get to feel like an absolute princess or Disney character, and you’ll all of a sudden feel like a little kid again!
Where can I get Character Inspo?
Not sure where to start? Think about your favourite character, the colours they wear and what you already have in your wardrobe. Luckily many people have adopted this, you can search the hashtag on Instagram and browse Pinterest for some character inspiration. There are so many incredible outfits out there, and they really inspired me for my trip to Disney.
I’ve created a board on Pinterest for some inspiration, which you can find here.
What Did I Dress as?
I wish I’d known about Disney Bounding on my first visit in 2015, but fortunately, I knew about it my second visit round! I decided to dress up inspired by Cinderella, I didn’t want to wear a full-on ball gown so found a cute pleated powder blue midi skirt (this was what I based the rest of the outfit around!), teamed it with a white crop top and wore my checker vans for comfiness!
My version is very minimalistic and you may not have known who I was dressed inspired by, but that’s the beauty of it. My friends both dressed inspired by Minnie Mouse and Stitch, taking on the colour palettes of each character.
I hope I’ve inspired you to try Disney Bounding on your next visit to Disney! What are your favourite Disney characters? I’d love to know! Also, how would you channel your inner character? Let me know in the comments! If you’re heading to Paris and want to explore more than Disneyland, you can read my three days in Paris itinerary for some inspo!