Halloween at Disney: Costumes Allowed at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

By Admin

Start typing ‘costumes allowed’ in your search bar and Google will auto-complete with ‘at Disneyland’.  It’s a popular search term because Disney Parks implemented a strict costume policy a few years ago (for security purposes) that does not allow anyone 14 and over to dress up.  This is a total bummer for loyal fans who enjoy dressing up with the whole family at Disney theme parks.  It all started because some guests were cosplaying Disney characters so well at their theme parks that other visitors were mistaking them for staff members and even asked to have their picture taken.  Some of our official Disney costumes are THAT GOOD!  But that doesn’t fly at Disney parks; they quickly solved the issue with this policy affecting teens and adults, and even restricted certain types of costumes, masks and accessories for kids under 14 at their theme parks.  This is kind of unfair because not everyone visiting Disney is a professional cosplayer, but we all have to pay the consequences of superb costuming.  However, there is good news!  What some people may not know is that Disney makes a special exception during one time of the year: Halloween!  Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is the one time that guests over 14 can dress up to enter Disney parks.  Just don’t go too crazy; even though Disney bends their costume policy a bit in October, it does not mean that you can show up in any costume you want.  

We get the occasional customer inquiring about appropriate costumes to wear to Disney’s Halloween party, so we decided to address some of those questions in this blog.  The following are some examples of outfits that are A-OK according to Disney costume rules.  It is important that you know these guidelines to avoid accidentally breaking the rules--that could end up getting you kicked out of the parks!  For example, you may not carry ANY accessories or props that resemble realistic weapons of any kind and even the costume design cannot include any sharp objects.  Sounds obvious now, but sometimes even an innocent costume design can be found to be in conflict with the policy.  The policy breaks down even further.  Kids 13 and under may wear masks that don’t obstruct vision but adults are completely forbidden from wearing any type of mask.  The older guests (14 and over) actually have a whole lot more to consider as the policy is even stricter.  You should not wear layered costumes or dresses, they cannot be long enough to touch or drag on the floor, capes are only allowed if they hang above the waistline; bottom line, play it safe.  You should aim for things they actually allow.  Needless to say, all costumes must be family friendly; otherwise, there is always Universal’s Halloween Horror nights where you can see more gruesome outfits--though they don’t allow you to dress up!

OK to Wear

Starting with kids 13 and under, there are plenty of costumes that meet Disney’s criteria.  The particular rule that is different for this age group is that they are allowed to wear certain types of masks that leave the eyes exposed and don’t cover the whole face.  Some superheroes and Disney movie characters are out as options but there are still plenty of good ones.  Below are some popular costumes that you may see at Mickey’s No-So-Scary Halloween Party.  These examples were selected taking Disney theme parks costume policies into account.  None of these are offensive, potentially harmful to other guests or so elaborate that they could be confused for professional Disney costumed staff:

For Boys

Jake (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates), Miles from Tomorrowland, Winnie the Pooh’s Tigger, Woody from Toy Story and Peter Pan -- what do they have in common?  They are all Disney characters, they are not scary and their costumes all abide by Disney’s policy; all of this makes them excellent choices for Halloween at Disney.

The costumes you wear to Mickey’s party don’t have to be Disney originals, we just thought these would make ideal examples since they match the Disney theme perfectly.  You can find more boys’ Disney costumes like these in our store.    

For Girls

These are some girls’ Disney dresses from our collection.  They don’t drag on the ground and they certainly don’t offend anyone.  Disney costumes for girls can vary from princesses like Aurora, Jasmine and Ariel to characters like Minnie Mouse, Doc McStuffins and her beloved patient, Lambie.

The variety of options is endless since Disney has created an empire out of classic fairy tales and characters that appeal mainly to girls.  Tough your little one may dress up as characters from non-Disney franchises, keep in mind that they should all look like this more or less.

For Men

The following men’s Disney costumes are acceptable options at Disney parks.  Keep in mind that you may not wear a mask of any sort and head wear is allowed as long as it does not cover the face.  Disney’s concern is that every guest is recognizable and is in no way hiding his/her identity.

Costumes like Jack Skellington without the mask, Star Wars Rebels’ Kanan (which btw, the lightsaber is acceptable) and the Mickey Mouse outfit are excellent choices.   However, Disney seems to encourage the use of themed t-shirts instead of full costumes as they specify this in their policy.  The Thor t-shirt kit and the Mad Hatter Jacket and Hat set may be best suited.

For Women

Good news for women visiting Disney theme parks during Halloween!  There are SO many costumes that are acceptable for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party that you might actually have a hard time choosing.  

There are character outfits like Jessie from Toy Story, the simple Minnie Mouse kit (Disney approved), plain princess dresses like Rapunzel’s, the villainous Maleficent dress, Theodora from Oz: The Great and the Powerful, and the classic Alice in Wonderland dress.  The list does not stop there; you can see many more options like these in our women's Disney costumes collection.   

Examples of What NOT to Wear

For the record, we wanted to leave you with some clear of examples of costumes that are NOT allowed at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.  Just see the rules for yourself and you will agree that although it would be wonderful if you could wear these outfits, they definitely don’t play by Disney’s rules.

All of the costumes above break the rules.  They are either nice enough to be confused with professional Disney staff, too “sexy” and possibly offensive, include overhead masks, or drag on the floor.  If you're still not sure if your costume will be accepted at Disney, contact the park directly and they will best clear your doubts.