A guide to lolita Disneybounding!

I've been mulling over writing this for a while and decided I finally have worn lolita to the parks enough to warrant a quick guide on wearing lolita fashion at Walt Disney World (WDW) in Orlando, Florida (that can potentially be applied to Disneyland Resort in California). I cannot guarantee that everyone will have the same experience, but I am trying to take more than just my personal experiences into account when I draft this so this can be helpful to a lot of different people.

Not only is this going to be a guide to make sure that you're not turned away at the entrance for resembling a character, this is also going to include some handy tips on how to prepare to go on rides and walk around all day with maximum comfort. I hope you enjoy it!

Let's start off with the bad news: generally, because most lolitas are grown adults dressing in a fashion that can be easily interpreted as a costume, there are a lot of horror stories where lolitas are asked to leave by security because they don't want to cause confusion with Disney cast members. Some may remember this story, although I have very little sympathy for this person. Why?

• Allowing random adults who are unaffiliated with Disney presents a liability issue. If a family gets confused and thinks they can line up to take a photo with you, and you end up blowing up at them or squeezing their child too hard or doing something that can ruin their experience, they'll think they can sue Disney for recovery when Disney had nothing to do with it.
• It can disrupt the other visitors. If some families believe that you're cute enough to have a photo with, there are some who just want to try and run to Space Mountain as quickly as possible. Generally, photos with characters are taken in purposeful areas that are out of everyone's way, and chances are, you're not in one of those when you're getting stopped for photos. A crowd can develop quickly the moment you say "yes" to a photo, and people can have trouble getting around you as a result.
• This may seem a bit obvious, but you need to be working for Disney to do anything that puts you in the same capacity as a cast member. Sadly, taking photos with a family is included in that, so if you want to make sure you go largely unnoticed at a Disney park, don't encourage those photos. Just tell them, "Disney may have a problem with my outfit if I stop to take photos with your family. I appreciate your compliment though!" and move on. I haven't been stopped yet for photos, but that can happen when you're going with more than one lolita in Disneybound outfits. 

So this probably is disheartening to hear--however, there are some great ways to get around this.

This will probably be a hard one to pass off at the parks...

1. Avoid colours that can be equated with a Disney princess. Thankfully, aside from Alice in Wonderland, most popular colours in lolita won't get you confused with a princess. If you do decide to take the risk and wear... Say, a yellow dress, wear it without a petticoat, or a wig that would make your hair colour different from Belle's. Sax dresses should be fine, just try to coordinate it with another colour and make sure your hair colour isn't close to Alice's blonde. Thankfully, due to my skintone, most people won't confuse me for most of the princesses, but I try to follow this rule of thumb anyways. You don't want to wear very literal interpretations of Disney characters because it can increase your chances of getting kicked out. 
2. Don't wear your poofiest petticoat. This is for two reasons--petticoats are a pain to wear on a lot of rides (Space Mountain, I'm looking at you), and it makes you look much more princess-y than normal. Wear a dress that would look nice with minimal poof, or if you do decide to wear a larger petticoat, refer back to hint #1 and ensure that you don't have the same hair + colour scheme as a well-known Disney princess. 
3. Mickey ears! Mickey ears are surprisingly the easiest way to get past security and to not be confused with a cast member. This is especially so for the customised embroidered ones that you can get at the parks. Generally, both attendees and cast members will assume you are just a huge Disney fan and nothing more when you wear mouse ears. They're also offered in such a wide range of colours and sizes, you can have a lot of fun coordinating an outfit around your ears! I generally forgo traditional hair accessories for a Disney hat of some sort, or just keep one on hand if I feel like I might get kicked out. If you're curious to know where to get your hats embroidered, you can ask a cast member. Both Magic Kingdom (the Chapeau) and EPCOT (Mouse Gear) have hat stores near the entrance that also provide embroidery!

I added wing clips from kawaiigoods.com!

As an added note, Magic Kingdom is the park that is potentially hardest to get into when you're dressed in lolita thanks to Fantasyland. The other parks are much easier to enter when you are wearing the fashion.

Now that the major warnings and tips are out of the way, here are additional tips that would make your trip easier.

They are soooo cute!!

1. Buy cute character card pass cases! WDW uses a tap card system in their parks, and with how big most lolita bags are (and the desire to just wear a backpack), it can be a pain to take it out when needed. (You don't just need your cards to enter the park, they're also used for Fastpass, so they also end up being used to get on rides. If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you may also need to tap the card to charge things to your account and use the Disney Dining Plan. I am constantly taking mine out since I have an annual pass and want to get discounts!) There are some adorable Duffy ones available, but if you do a cursory eBay search, there are both official and unofficial pass cases for almost every character!
2. Magicbands are an even better alternative to the traditional ticket. Magicbands were only phased in relatively recently--they are basically wristbands that store all your information so you don't need to drag around your cards anymore. They sell plenty of pretty covers and colours for your Magicband, and I've seen a lot of people paint their own as well. They sell also sell a lot of cute decorations so you can rori-fy those wristbands. (Or you could just hide it under a sleeve... But where's the fun in that?)
3. Go for a braided hairstyle or something very simple. The rides can really tangle up your hair and wigs, so braiding it or maintaining a simple hairstyle at the parks is your best bet. Since my hair is sooo long. I usually just go for braiding it in some way.
4. Limit yourself to one bag. The great thing about Disney rides is that they are still a lot of fun, but were made keeping a family (with all the backpacks for their kids) in mind. All rides have a carry pouch in the front that you can slide most bags into, but I find them too small for most lolita bags. However, most of the rides never go upside-down, so a staff member will allow you to keep a bag by your feet. I actually try to sandwich my bag between my legs so it doesn't move around in the car, and you're usually good to go on most WDW rides. However, you are not allowed to keep them on your lap. If I'm not wearing a petticoat that day, I also try to squeeze it between me and the side of the seat. If you had more than one bag, none of these methods would work very well, and you'll have to constantly put your bags in a locker.
5. Wear an offbrand piece over your lolita outfit on rides. Whether it's a longer coat or vest, you may want to bring something easily washable to wear over your lolita. You can't guarantee that the seats are clean, and you normally can't just ask to be seated somewhere else without having to wait in line for longer and potentially pissing off some people around you. You could also bring a small towel to lay on the seat, but I'm usually too impatient to do that or am afraid I'll leave the towel behind, so I just go for this option. However, all Disney parks are absolutely meticulous with clean-up and I've never actually had anything stained while I was at a park--but it's always good to take precautionary measures when you're wearing an expensive dress.
6. Pack an extra set of shoes--preferably those extra comfy athletic slip-ons from Adidas or Nike. Even the comfiest pair of lolita shoes take their toll on your feet while you're running around, and most lolita bags can fit a simple pair of slippers inside. Just make sure that the lolita shoes you are wearing also fit inside the bag for when you make the switch. 

I'm still salty that there's no purple available. =(

The least lolita-friendly rides (excluding the water rides because... Well, it's obvious. Ride those at your own risk!):

• Mission: Space: I went on this ride for the first time a couple of years back wearing Magical Etoile with zero petticoat and it was super hard to find a place to put my bags. If I wasn't wearing my hair down that day, the restraints would have messed up my hair, and the ride moves around A LOT. I felt self-conscious for the stranger sitting on one side of me since I kind of "overflowed" into his seat. I would try and get on the edge of the ride next time so I have some more space to put my stuff and can just have a friend on the other side of me. The good news is is that by far, Mission: Space has the biggest container for your bags and my biggest lolita bag has fit in there.
• Rock 'n' Roller Coaster: This is probably the most roller coaster-y of all of WDW's attractions (it goes upside-down!). So, for obvious reasons, it's pretty hard to ride this in lolita. They provide a decent amount of space around you though, but I still wouldn't ride this with a very large petticoat.
• Expedition Everest: For a lot of the same reasons as Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, this can be a bit of a pain to ride in lolita.
• Space Mountain: Probably my favourite Disney ride, but with the worst seat design. I have to ungracefully pick up my skirt and tuck it around the restraint since it's supposed to go between your legs. I always look an utter fool getting in and out of it, but it's totally worth it because... Well, SPACE!
• Tomorrowland Speedway: this ride tends to be the dirtiest. You don't really want to wear lolita on it. I never am interested in riding it anyways with the rest of Tomorrowland calling for me, and it's probably my least favourite ride since it's Go Karts with even less... Go. If you do end up wanting to ride it however, follow tip #5 above. 

I didn't include rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on this list because I feel like they represent the average for most Disney rides. You have similar experiences with this ride than you would on Dumbo or the Flying Carpets. They have pretty large seats and constraints that don't really interfere with your outfit, and move slow enough where you can feel comfortable keeping your bags at your feet. The rest of the rides are like Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, or Haunted Mansion, where you really just sit in a ride car and watch things to by. They're as lolita-friendly as a theme park ride could be!

WDW (or any Disney park really) is a great place to visit while dressed up. A lot of the staff members either wear lolita themselves, know what it is, or just really appreciate that you're going to the extra nine yards at Disney! I haven't had a problem with people being rude or aggressive with me, and I've just had a fun time all around.

I can't imagine going to Disney in an outfit that isn't covered with Disney references, and I hope this inspires you to do the same on your next Disney vacation! If you do end up going to Disney, let me know and show me your photos, I love seeing Disneybound lolitas!

Make sure to take lots of photos with your favourite characters too!

If enough people are interested, I might do a lolita guide for Universal Studios Islands of Adventure as well!