so as someone who moved to Orlando because of Disney {and warmer weather than Indiana :) } I LOVE this blog - so fun seeing you love your Disney experiences, dress for Disney, and share the joy your children are experiencing too - love everything about this!!!
generally something Lululemon or athleisure - I tend to "wear my Disney" via jewelry like a ring or bracelet and do solid simple colors for my clothes - black shorts always with pockets, solid top, sports bra, and a good pair of white sneakers - the lululemon crossbody is my fav bag to carry as well - we are a Disney family and have been going since my 3 were babies so we've done all the phases :) your family looked perfect, LOVED LOVED LOVED the coordinating pajamas - so so cute!!
most importantly, did you have FUN?? the magic of Disney is like no other!
We had so much fun! It really delivered on all the magic we hoped for, and seeing my daughter hug Elsa — I can't describe it. I was all, "Disney! Take all my money! This moment is worth it!"
I'm also so excited to go back, because I'm not anxious or overwhelmed at the thought of it anymore. I know what to expect and we can do it even better next time. <3
Girl! I LOVED planning what to wear for our trip to Disney a couple years ago. It took me by surprise, actually! I planned cute outfits for the girls based on where we were going and their favorites, and Parag and I coordinated with them. It was the most fun! 10/10
We've been to Disney a few times now (as well as Universal Studios) and in Florida at least, I think footwear is by far the most important thing. I guess Disneyland is a bit more compact but in the Disney World parks, everything is so so far apart. Comfortable shoes & socks are vital. (And bring spare socks in a ziploc bag if you go on the water rides.) Also, the ears in the parks are super expensive, at least $30 each. You can buy them online or in packs like Sams Club had earlier this year and it's a lot cheaper. I just bring them with me and give them out as a surprise in the hotel before the day starts.
I have a Magic Key/Annual Pass to Disneyland so I’m there fairly often. I tend to at least wear one Disney specific piece of clothing and I love to match my outfit to my plethora of themed Minnie ears. My favorite outfit is a pair of Tiana themed denim overalls which I was worried about pulling off, but my 90s teen style must still live inside of me, because I make it work and have Tiana themed ears to match!
I agree about wearing dresses - they’re so hard to navigate unless you wear something knee length with shorts underneath. Athleisure all the way!!
Your family’s outfits were perfect! You all looked too adorable and perfectly Disney-fied for your trip!!
I want to know what ears you have! They were such a fun thing for me to wear, made the whole trip better. Already eyeing others to add to my collection...!
The last time I went to Disney world was in 2000, so I was floored by all the matching family tshirts in the park went I travelled there last year. I had seen some videos on TikTok ahead of our trip so I packed a few Disney-themed tshirts in our suitcase along with the princess dresses for my daughter. Star Wars tshirts from the Gap, different versions of the “mickey stand” tshirts from Uniqlo and other princess themed tshirts from H&M/Uniqlo.
Aug 17, 2023·edited Aug 17, 2023Liked by Elizabeth Holmes
This was so fun, and timely!! I took my three sons (8, 4.5, 2.5) to California Adventure just last week during our vacation from Michigan. We did one day, chose specifically for Cars Land and Avengers Campus. I wore my Everlane weekender tee dress (which I added on the list of multiples!) with bicycle shorts!! ... a lesson I picked up from a week at Disney World last year. I got my kids (and my best friend's daughter) matching Etsy tees featuring "Radiator Springs" text in that quintessential postcard font. The Disneyland cast members - including Lightning and Mater's "handlers" - heavily complimented the tees. It definitely is a fun conversation piece during meet and greets / lines.
I love it! My boys were so into Cars at the height of the pandemic, I didn’t realize what a huge part of California Adventure otherwise I would have dressed them for it! Still, it was our favorite area of the whole day. Will definitely do better next time!
As a travel agent who specializes in Disney I’m there (both costs) often and help tons of families get to Disney I have lots of thoughts on this (or maybe so many thoughts 😉)!
Weather is a much bigger factor in wardrobe choices in FL than in CA (This week has been brutal—real feel 112 degrees 🥵). though you definitely need to consider the temps in both locations.
For all the parks comfort is key!! But you don’t have to sacrifice cute for comfort! I love a good athletic dress jazzed up with Disney accessories. Fanny packs, Loungefly mini backpacks, and bauble bar earrings along with Minnie Ears are super popular ways to add some Disney “character” to basics!
I’m not huge on matchy-matchy family shirts, but bright colored shirts on kids can be super helpful in keeping up/spotting/not losing a kid in the park—also can help kiddos spot mom or dad!
Let’s talk shoes!! Some people swear only tennis shoes for the parks while others have their favorite sandals. No matter what—make sure you don’t take new shoes! Break in your shoes well before your vacation and again let me repeat—comfort over cute!! But there are certainly options that check both boxes!
One final thought—there are so many amazing small shops that create beautiful and creative Disney clothes and accessories! Check them out as you shop for your perfect Disney ensembles!
Re: matchy-matchy families -- I remember several family trips to Disney World as a child in the 90s and my sister and I were always in some kind of matching/coordinated, but not Disney themed, outfit and oversized hairbows. As the older sister I didn't like the twinning nearly as much, but my mom thought it would help to keep me and my sister from getting separated
(side note: my mom was notorious for putting those same bows in our hair for youth sports so she could ID her kids from the sideline).
Just want to give a shout out to the old felt cap Mickey ears! My parents went to WDW as part of their honeymoon and my mom got Mickey ears with her name embroidered on the back. On their first Christmas, they didn’t have a tree topper, so they jokingly used her ears. Although they aren’t together anymore, it’s been a tradition on our family tree ever since! No angel or star, but her 1980s Mickey ears! Haha
We lived in NorCal for five years and drove down for the first time when our kids were 6 and 4: Disaster! They were scared of EVERYTHING, even Winnie the Pooh ride and the Jungle Cruise captain literally skipped part of the ride to get my screaming kids off the boat! After waiting in line for Peter Pan for over 30 minutes, my 6 yr old refused to go on, so my husband stayed with her and I took the 4 yr old: the ride broke down so she was lucky!
But I digress... the BEST advice I got was to buy Little Golden Books/those first level paperback reading books that feature Disney characters to use as autograph books (don't forget the Sharpies!) The characters, especially Princesses and Fairies (do they still have that special Tinkerbell and the Fairies area? It was big circa 2007), really put effort into beautiful, special, artistic handwriting (or they did back then)). One year I found a (heavy) beautifully illustrated history of the Disney parks and dragged it around and even the characters were impressed!
I think you hit the most important parts but definitely comfort and sun protection are key! Also if anyone wants to wear a costume make sure you check their rules about it - only kids under a certain age are allowed (except special events) so you’ll have to ’Disneybound’ instead.
Annual pass holder here! When I moved to LA 4 years ago I didn’t have any “Disney outfits” now I’m the proud owner of 2 hats and 3 headband ears. Dressing for the day and the “type” of Disney day/night I’m going to have is definitely part of the fun. My pro tip is if you’re doing the day to night thing, why not transition your Disney wear from day to night too? We get a locker and daytime always consists of one of my Disney hats to shield my face from the sun (I know you also take care in this area) and then when the sun goes down, the ears come out. It’s a fun transition after dinner (get a reservation so you know you get some dedicated sit down time - and a nicer bathroom to do a clothing change in)! Glad your family had such a great time!
My last visit to WDW was November '22 with my husband's family. There were 11 of us between 8 and 74 and it was fantastic! One of my top packing items was a variety of supportive footwear. I knew we'd be in the parks at opening each day and then head back to the hotel for a bit before either going to the pool or just re-grouping and going back to the park. I primarily switched between 2 pairs of arch-support sneakers (low arches with a side of plantar fasciitis anyone?) and then later in the day sometimes switched to arch support flip flops (especially if I knew we were largely done with rides for the day).
We didn't do matching T-shirts but some of us had Disney tops. I wore a Donald Duck T that my mom bought in the park in the 70's! We did have sequin ears scrunchies for us girls to wear if we wanted and did some fun hairstyles for Star Wars in Hollywood Studios. I also wore my classic Minnie ears in the MK.
I've found that a shorts/T-shirt combo is easiest in the park with the heat and ease of movement with rides. My phone is nearby in a back pocket and I brought a few extra tops to change part way through the day if I wanted. That said, I'd probably bring a visor next time.
For anyone with kids young enough to do the Bippidi Boppity Boutique who also enjoy Star Wars: When we visited Star Wars land my nieces loved making their own droids. Later that day they went to the boutique and we took pictures of them all dressed up with their droids. The pictures were fantastic and they loved it. Highly recommend!
About 25 family members went 20+ years ago as part of a wedding weekend event. OMG, the adults had more fun than the kids! One of my favorite pics is of the two of us, in full ridiculous Disney garb, with Goofy. We spent a fortune, ate so much junk food, and stayed till they kicked us out. It truly is a magical kingdom.
My cousins have this mantra of ‘wear the ears’ aka when you do a thing, do it right, do it to the fullest. I love it as a general guiding principle!!
Wear the ears! Yes!
so as someone who moved to Orlando because of Disney {and warmer weather than Indiana :) } I LOVE this blog - so fun seeing you love your Disney experiences, dress for Disney, and share the joy your children are experiencing too - love everything about this!!!
oh my goodness, Julie! You are the expert! So I need to hear — what do YOU wear to Disney?
generally something Lululemon or athleisure - I tend to "wear my Disney" via jewelry like a ring or bracelet and do solid simple colors for my clothes - black shorts always with pockets, solid top, sports bra, and a good pair of white sneakers - the lululemon crossbody is my fav bag to carry as well - we are a Disney family and have been going since my 3 were babies so we've done all the phases :) your family looked perfect, LOVED LOVED LOVED the coordinating pajamas - so so cute!!
most importantly, did you have FUN?? the magic of Disney is like no other!
We had so much fun! It really delivered on all the magic we hoped for, and seeing my daughter hug Elsa — I can't describe it. I was all, "Disney! Take all my money! This moment is worth it!"
I'm also so excited to go back, because I'm not anxious or overwhelmed at the thought of it anymore. I know what to expect and we can do it even better next time. <3
okay now we have to plan your visit to WDW!!!
3 of my family members work for the Mouse, so we are truly a Disney family :)
Girl! I LOVED planning what to wear for our trip to Disney a couple years ago. It took me by surprise, actually! I planned cute outfits for the girls based on where we were going and their favorites, and Parag and I coordinated with them. It was the most fun! 10/10
You guys looked SO CUTE, I loved all the pics!
We’re taking our boys to Disney world for the first time next spring! Bookmarking this to come back to when I start planning what to pack!
We've been to Disney a few times now (as well as Universal Studios) and in Florida at least, I think footwear is by far the most important thing. I guess Disneyland is a bit more compact but in the Disney World parks, everything is so so far apart. Comfortable shoes & socks are vital. (And bring spare socks in a ziploc bag if you go on the water rides.) Also, the ears in the parks are super expensive, at least $30 each. You can buy them online or in packs like Sams Club had earlier this year and it's a lot cheaper. I just bring them with me and give them out as a surprise in the hotel before the day starts.
I have a Magic Key/Annual Pass to Disneyland so I’m there fairly often. I tend to at least wear one Disney specific piece of clothing and I love to match my outfit to my plethora of themed Minnie ears. My favorite outfit is a pair of Tiana themed denim overalls which I was worried about pulling off, but my 90s teen style must still live inside of me, because I make it work and have Tiana themed ears to match!
I agree about wearing dresses - they’re so hard to navigate unless you wear something knee length with shorts underneath. Athleisure all the way!!
Your family’s outfits were perfect! You all looked too adorable and perfectly Disney-fied for your trip!!
I want to know what ears you have! They were such a fun thing for me to wear, made the whole trip better. Already eyeing others to add to my collection...!
The last time I went to Disney world was in 2000, so I was floored by all the matching family tshirts in the park went I travelled there last year. I had seen some videos on TikTok ahead of our trip so I packed a few Disney-themed tshirts in our suitcase along with the princess dresses for my daughter. Star Wars tshirts from the Gap, different versions of the “mickey stand” tshirts from Uniqlo and other princess themed tshirts from H&M/Uniqlo.
This was so fun, and timely!! I took my three sons (8, 4.5, 2.5) to California Adventure just last week during our vacation from Michigan. We did one day, chose specifically for Cars Land and Avengers Campus. I wore my Everlane weekender tee dress (which I added on the list of multiples!) with bicycle shorts!! ... a lesson I picked up from a week at Disney World last year. I got my kids (and my best friend's daughter) matching Etsy tees featuring "Radiator Springs" text in that quintessential postcard font. The Disneyland cast members - including Lightning and Mater's "handlers" - heavily complimented the tees. It definitely is a fun conversation piece during meet and greets / lines.
I love it! My boys were so into Cars at the height of the pandemic, I didn’t realize what a huge part of California Adventure otherwise I would have dressed them for it! Still, it was our favorite area of the whole day. Will definitely do better next time!
As a travel agent who specializes in Disney I’m there (both costs) often and help tons of families get to Disney I have lots of thoughts on this (or maybe so many thoughts 😉)!
Weather is a much bigger factor in wardrobe choices in FL than in CA (This week has been brutal—real feel 112 degrees 🥵). though you definitely need to consider the temps in both locations.
For all the parks comfort is key!! But you don’t have to sacrifice cute for comfort! I love a good athletic dress jazzed up with Disney accessories. Fanny packs, Loungefly mini backpacks, and bauble bar earrings along with Minnie Ears are super popular ways to add some Disney “character” to basics!
I’m not huge on matchy-matchy family shirts, but bright colored shirts on kids can be super helpful in keeping up/spotting/not losing a kid in the park—also can help kiddos spot mom or dad!
Let’s talk shoes!! Some people swear only tennis shoes for the parks while others have their favorite sandals. No matter what—make sure you don’t take new shoes! Break in your shoes well before your vacation and again let me repeat—comfort over cute!! But there are certainly options that check both boxes!
One final thought—there are so many amazing small shops that create beautiful and creative Disney clothes and accessories! Check them out as you shop for your perfect Disney ensembles!
Re: matchy-matchy families -- I remember several family trips to Disney World as a child in the 90s and my sister and I were always in some kind of matching/coordinated, but not Disney themed, outfit and oversized hairbows. As the older sister I didn't like the twinning nearly as much, but my mom thought it would help to keep me and my sister from getting separated
(side note: my mom was notorious for putting those same bows in our hair for youth sports so she could ID her kids from the sideline).
Smart mom! I bet those bows helped in tons of situations! 🎀
Ohh, can I get your biz info (website, email) for trip planning help? Looking at Orlando early 2024!
You can find me on IG @pineapples.and.pixiedust feel free to drop me a DM! 😊
Just want to give a shout out to the old felt cap Mickey ears! My parents went to WDW as part of their honeymoon and my mom got Mickey ears with her name embroidered on the back. On their first Christmas, they didn’t have a tree topper, so they jokingly used her ears. Although they aren’t together anymore, it’s been a tradition on our family tree ever since! No angel or star, but her 1980s Mickey ears! Haha
We lived in NorCal for five years and drove down for the first time when our kids were 6 and 4: Disaster! They were scared of EVERYTHING, even Winnie the Pooh ride and the Jungle Cruise captain literally skipped part of the ride to get my screaming kids off the boat! After waiting in line for Peter Pan for over 30 minutes, my 6 yr old refused to go on, so my husband stayed with her and I took the 4 yr old: the ride broke down so she was lucky!
But I digress... the BEST advice I got was to buy Little Golden Books/those first level paperback reading books that feature Disney characters to use as autograph books (don't forget the Sharpies!) The characters, especially Princesses and Fairies (do they still have that special Tinkerbell and the Fairies area? It was big circa 2007), really put effort into beautiful, special, artistic handwriting (or they did back then)). One year I found a (heavy) beautifully illustrated history of the Disney parks and dragged it around and even the characters were impressed!
I think you hit the most important parts but definitely comfort and sun protection are key! Also if anyone wants to wear a costume make sure you check their rules about it - only kids under a certain age are allowed (except special events) so you’ll have to ’Disneybound’ instead.
Annual pass holder here! When I moved to LA 4 years ago I didn’t have any “Disney outfits” now I’m the proud owner of 2 hats and 3 headband ears. Dressing for the day and the “type” of Disney day/night I’m going to have is definitely part of the fun. My pro tip is if you’re doing the day to night thing, why not transition your Disney wear from day to night too? We get a locker and daytime always consists of one of my Disney hats to shield my face from the sun (I know you also take care in this area) and then when the sun goes down, the ears come out. It’s a fun transition after dinner (get a reservation so you know you get some dedicated sit down time - and a nicer bathroom to do a clothing change in)! Glad your family had such a great time!
My last visit to WDW was November '22 with my husband's family. There were 11 of us between 8 and 74 and it was fantastic! One of my top packing items was a variety of supportive footwear. I knew we'd be in the parks at opening each day and then head back to the hotel for a bit before either going to the pool or just re-grouping and going back to the park. I primarily switched between 2 pairs of arch-support sneakers (low arches with a side of plantar fasciitis anyone?) and then later in the day sometimes switched to arch support flip flops (especially if I knew we were largely done with rides for the day).
We didn't do matching T-shirts but some of us had Disney tops. I wore a Donald Duck T that my mom bought in the park in the 70's! We did have sequin ears scrunchies for us girls to wear if we wanted and did some fun hairstyles for Star Wars in Hollywood Studios. I also wore my classic Minnie ears in the MK.
I've found that a shorts/T-shirt combo is easiest in the park with the heat and ease of movement with rides. My phone is nearby in a back pocket and I brought a few extra tops to change part way through the day if I wanted. That said, I'd probably bring a visor next time.
For anyone with kids young enough to do the Bippidi Boppity Boutique who also enjoy Star Wars: When we visited Star Wars land my nieces loved making their own droids. Later that day they went to the boutique and we took pictures of them all dressed up with their droids. The pictures were fantastic and they loved it. Highly recommend!
About 25 family members went 20+ years ago as part of a wedding weekend event. OMG, the adults had more fun than the kids! One of my favorite pics is of the two of us, in full ridiculous Disney garb, with Goofy. We spent a fortune, ate so much junk food, and stayed till they kicked us out. It truly is a magical kingdom.
Love this topic so much! My husband and I have annual passes for Disneyland for the family so are always looking for fun, stylish Disney attire.
Sometimes it’s so hard to find stylish women’s Disney stuff! You should totally do a newsletter with more outfit ideas linked 😀