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Thread: Parenting in the Parks: Princesses & Pirates: Dressing Up in the Parks

  1. #1
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    Parenting in the Parks: Princesses & Pirates: Dressing Up in the Parks

    Princesses & Pirates: Dressing Up in the Parks by Adrienne Krock

    The Parenting Panel shares strategies for the days that their children play 'Dress Up' in the Disney Theme Parks.

    Read it here!


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  3. #2
    Registered User amyuilani's Avatar
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    Probably in an EP bug

    So often I have seen parents purchase these expensive princess dresses for their daughters, and then freak out every time a child has the nerve to be a child. Kids like to play, and they will get messy. Parents know this and purchase costumes anyway, and then they expect that kids will somehow turn into statues as to not ruin their own clothing. These costumes are expensive and they will get messy. That's life. Think of it this way: kids grow so fast, and they will grow out of that costume so soon. Before you realize it, they will be wearing things that are far worse, and you will long for the days your kids were still in costumes, playing like the princesses they became when they wore those costumes. Isn't $65 a small price to pay for the memories of your child being happy?

    DISNEYLAND CAST MEMBER - 1996-2005
    The best memories of my life...

  4. #3
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    Our costume days, in the park, are behind us currently. We still wear Disney shirts to the parks (and in daily life.). Things I knew about my kids led to choices made ahead of time. Our middle daughter, has always been more fashion over comfort, while our youngest (and the oldest) daughter has sensory issues with clothing. It actually surprised me on our first trip when the middle one (then 7) wanted her Princess dress off before the youngest (4 1/2) did. But, knowing it would come off at some point, and that the Princess dresses are itchy, they had shorts and a tanktop on under the dress, so it was a quick moment of whipping it off and rolling it up to stick it in the backpack.
    It all adds to the fun. We have pictures of our middle daughter doing Jedi training in her Aurora dress, and the girls would get tickled when the Jungle Cruise CMs would call them princess.The girls also have worn pirate costumes. I have made Alice dresses and Ariel costumes as well.


  5. #4
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    DW made Darth Vader and Elsa shirts for our two: much easier to deal with than a full costume in the July Anaheim heat.

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by amyuilani View Post
    So often I have seen parents purchase these expensive princess dresses for their daughters, and then freak out every time a child has the nerve to be a child. Kids like to play, and they will get messy. Parents know this and purchase costumes anyway, and then they expect that kids will somehow turn into statues as to not ruin their own clothing. These costumes are expensive and they will get messy. That's life. Think of it this way: kids grow so fast, and they will grow out of that costume so soon. Before you realize it, they will be wearing things that are far worse, and you will long for the days your kids were still in costumes, playing like the princesses they became when they wore those costumes. Isn't $65 a small price to pay for the memories of your child being happy?
    I completely agree with you. I was guilty of this, initially. We started out with a little Rapunzel dress for our older daughter when she was about 18 months old for Halloween. I kept hiding it in the back of her closet and she kept pulling it out to wear it. My husband was the one who said, "It's just a dress. Let her wear it!" Seriously, what do we have to gain by saving it in her closet when she could be wearing it and enjoying it? We have found that the Disney dresses/costumes are made pretty well and they last a lot longer than I thought they would. I wash them all on the gentle cycle and hang them up to dry. They are "well-loved," and some, like her Cinderella dress, look awful. But she loves to wear them, so we let her. My favorite is the amount of glitter that falls off the first few times they wear them. They leave a trail all over the house and wherever they walk! Also, with sales (at the Disney Store right before and after Halloween when they clear out the current year's design of dress to get ready for the new ones), and with an AP discount, we have rarely paid full price for a dress.

    candles, I am actually sad thinking about the day when they don't want to wear princess dresses or a costume to the parks!

    ehrawn, I love that Elsa shirt! What a great idea!
    Elizabeth & Matt, established 2008 *Katie born 2/2010 *Josie born 2/2012 *Jayson born 3/2015
    AP holder 2010-2016, Disneyland fan since the '80s
    WDW *1984 (or maybe 1983), *2013

  7. #6
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    I am pretty sure N would, if they would let her through the gate. She looks 15 now. I know the rule is 9, but they seem to allow for slightly older kids, as long as they look like kids. I think she was 12 the last time she wore a costume to DL. Now, she still can get into her Tinkerbell costume, she just doesn't close the snaps on the body suit.


  8. #7

    My youngest DD will still wear her princess dress to the parks, though we didn't take them on our most recent trips, mostly because we are stroller free and they tend to ditch the dresses after awhile for comfort. We've done the Disney park dresses, Disney store dresses, and Disney store princess "dress" nightgown. The park ones last the longest (hold up well to wear and tear) and the nightgowns are the most comfortable. I recently commented that our next WDW trip won't include a suitcase dedicated to poofy dresses. Makes me a bit sad.

    Shannon
    Mommy to 3 Princesses and 1 Prince
    Miss M(16), J(13) and R(10), and Mr. N(9)

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