Disney World Is Allowing All Guests — Even Adults — to Wear Halloween Costumes to Magic Kingdom

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure.

If you’ve ever dreamed of dressing up like your favorite princess and posing in front of Cinderella’s Castle or donning your best Captain Jack Sparrow attire for a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean, now’s your chance. Even though the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party events were canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Magic Kingdom is transforming into an autumnal wonderland, complete with adorable seasonal treats, Halloween-themed character cavalcades, and plenty of Mickey jack-o-lanterns and fall foliage from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31. Plus, for the first time, guests of all ages — yes, even adults — can wear their Halloween costumes to Magic Kingdom during regular operating hours during this period.

Typically, guests ages 14 and older are not allowed to wear costumes to the Disney theme parks, although some costumes are permitted during special events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and Disney Villains After Hours. Of course, there are still a number of rules that limit acceptable costumes even during these events — you can find the full guidelines on the Disney World website.

According to a recent post on the Disney Parks Blog, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31, kids and adults can wear their favorite costumes to Magic Kingdom, but costume masks are not permitted for guests ages 14 years or older. Don’t forget to wear your approved face coverings, too — they’re required in the theme parks.

Because adults usually aren’t allowed to wear costumes to the theme parks, a trend called “Disneybounding” has gained popularity in recent years. Disneybounders use normal clothes to channel their favorite characters rather than wearing a full costume. To Disneybound as Snow White, for example, you might wear a yellow skirt with a blue top and red cardigan, using the colors of the princess’s costume as inspiration for a modern-day twist on the outfit. You can find entire Instagram accounts and blogs devoted to this Disney-themed trend — just search the hashtag #disneybound (which currently has over 1.3 million posts) to see what creative Disney fans have come up with.

Elizabeth Rhodes is an associate digital editor at Travel + Leisure who covers all things theme parks. Follow her adventures on Instagram @elizabetheverywhere.