Walt Disney was a conservative man, and his rules regarding dress for guests and Cast Members (Disneyland employees) reflect this. Most famously, Walt forbade Cast Members from wearing moustaches despite sporting one himself. Nowadays the dress code has relaxed somewhat – women are allowed to enter the park wearing halter tops, for example – but may still trip up a few guests. To avoid the embarrassment of being asked to change, take a look at Disneyland’s rules.
Rules for Modest Dress at Disneyland
Contraband clothing at Disneyland includes transparent clothes, gang patches, offensive or obscene T-shirts, excessively torn clothing and bikinis. Male and female guests are required to wear shirts and shoes.
Rules for Wearing Costumes at Disneyland
Guests under the age of nine are permitted to wear costumes – Disneyland is usually full of miniature Snow Whites and Cinderellas. Adults, however, are not allowed to wear costumes or clothing that could be mistaken for a costume. While this seems harsh, there is sound reasoning behind it. An adult dressed as Captain Hook could pose a danger to children who thought he was a legitimate Cast Member.
Additionally, many homemade and storebought costumes are of poor quality. If other guests mistook costumed guests for Cast Members, they might get an impression of cheapness and bad craftsmanship. As the characters in Disneyland are costumed with extremely expensive, well-crafted clothing and accessories, it is understandable that Disneyland would prefer to protect that image. Lastly, a guest in costume may find his or her enjoyment of the park hindered as other guests ask for photos and autographs.
Unless a couple is getting married in the theme park by arrangement, Disneyland does not permit wedding gowns to be worn in the park. In April 2010 a British mother, Natasha Nerula, was refused admittance to Disneyland Paris because she was wearing a cheap op-shop wedding dress for fun.
Dress Codes for Disneyland Restaurants
The Blue Bayou restaurant has a casual dress code, as does the Napa Rose. Club 33, the exclusive members-only “secret” club, has a stricter policy. According to the official site, the Club does not allow cutoffs, tank tops, flip-flops, sandals, shorts, bare midriffs, sweatpants or beachwear.
Dress Codes for Grad Nites, Bat Day and Gay Day
Grad Nite at Disneyland was authorised by Walt Disney in 1961. As such, schools can and have been denied admittance if their students failed to follow a semi-casual dress code. This code is similar to the regular dress code of the park – no revealing or offensive clothing, heelies or overly unkempt clothing.
Bat Day and Gay Day, while well-known Disney events, are not affiliated with Disneyland. Both events are simply large groups of people turning up to the parks on the same day, with a group discount due to their large numbers. Bat Day guests are generally dressed in Goth clothing; the Gay Day “uniform” is simply a red shirt, although many guests dress up in more elaborate outfits. In both cases, Disneyland is permitted to refuse admittance to guests dressed obscenely or inappropriately. Club wear, fetish gear and clothing that could be mistaken for costumes are not permitted. In reality, many guests have found that Disney dress codes are more lax on these days.
The basic reason behind Disney’s dress codes is simple: “Will this outfit spoil someone's Disney magic?” If an item of clothing may spoil someone else’s “happy place”, be it with a political slogan on a Tshirt, inappropriately revealing clothing or a Halloween Snow White costume, it is likely to be against Disneyland’s rules and you may be asked to change.
Sarah Tennant - Sarah Tennant is a onetime English major who lives in New Zealand with her husband and two small children. Her interests range from ...
Join the Conversation