Do you dress your princesses up?

[minniem]

Hi all...we are off on our trip in a little over 2 1/2 weeks...my question to all of you is:

Do you dress your little girls up when you go on vacation or just let them enjoy the parks in regular clothes?

As we are getting closer and closer to going I am feeling like I am spending a lot of $$$ just getting ready to go...(ie: clothes for kids (shorts and such), supplies, groceries, etc.) I want my 2 girls to be able to dress up but I don't know if I want to spend the $$$ on a costume. My DH thinks it's a bad idea, b/c he doesn't want to deal with packing the costumes and carrying them around.

I think my DD5 would like it, and I also have a DD2 that would want to b/c her big sis was dressed up, but I don't think she would really "get" it.

I also have a DS7 who I wasn't planning on dressing up but I don't want him to feel left out.

I decided not to do BBB b/c of the $$ factor. I think they will get just as much out of it if I dress them up, but I'm still on the fence on whether to do it.

Just wondering what everyone does and if they think it's worth it?

Thanks!

 

[dancin'girl]

Last year we had reservations to eat at the castle and DD wore her costume on that one day. Actually, we took the dress off after we finished eating. We carry a backpack, so I just stuffed it in. We saw little girls in costume everywhere! While we were there DD definitely caught the princess costume bug - she wanted us to buy every dress we came across. I felt bad saying no, but they were just too expensive!
This year we are returning to Disney and DD has a ton of dresses. Too many to bring, in my opinion, but I know she will just LOVE wearing them to the parks, so I'm going to let her. We can just stuff them into the backpack again. All of the dresses were purchased at either the Disney Store (under $40) or at Target ($14) and Toys R' Us ($15). DD just loves these costumes and the prices didn't break the bank. She managed to collect them over time this year - birthday, Christmas, Easter.
If your looking for something inexpensive, try Target. The dress isn't as fancy as what you'll see in Disney, but it is still satin with sparkles and sequins.
DS doesn't care for wearing costumes, so he might just pick out a baseball hat while were in Disney and he can wear that.
I know what you mean about spending to get ready for the trip. I feel like that's all I have been doing lately!
Good Luck!!

 

[heatherleigh]

I remember being one of those parents who saw the other little girls dressed up at the park, and thinking it was absolutely ridiculous. That was before I had a princess, myself. I decided to go ahead and let my bigger girl dress up as her favorite, "seeping bootie" and take her to the BBB just to do hair & makeup.

I would just do your middle-aged girl because she would get the most out of it. The little one is too small and the big one probably isn't as "into" princesses. Although my small one would probably like to do it too, I figure it will be too much of a hassle.

 

[cassandrap83]

If they wanted to, I'd let them.

But, the only time they dressed up last year was for our Princess breakfast at Akershus.

 

[Tam1067]

My DD has dressed up twice--once for dinner at Akershus (when she was about 4) and the other time for breakfast last year at CRT (when she was 7). She's been to CRT two other visits but did not dress up those times. She has no interest in dressing up in the parks because she's practical and likes to be comfortable. If you do have them dress up, I'd bring extra clothes in case they get uncomfortable. I'm one for no hassles if possible, and to me, carrying costumes is a hassle.

 

[Kimberly Hill]

I choose to purchase princess dresses and other customs from designers who use child-friendly fabrics, like cotton, so my daughter will be comfortable. She WANTS to dress up and can't wear Disney dresses because they're not finished inside and she has sensitive skin.

We've had very good luck with Ollie Girl! and Zoe Diva Designs. The Jessie sundress she's talking about on the Ollie Girl! Facebook page is for my daughter and we have 2 applique outfits from Zoe Diva (Nala/Simba skirt set and Silvermist skirt set) coming as well. I can't wait to see them! Both of these ladies participate on the DISboutiquers thread.

 

[JoeMickey]

DD who is now 10 did it last year, we started about age five, she had already been there a couple times when I packed Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty costumes and during the night Fairy Godmother came and put them on the bed she was so suprised and wore them to the parks. Every year since she has taken a couple of them she just loves the attention the CM's give her. Unfortunately she has outgrown it now. I did convince her to wear the Christmas Belle costume to MVMCP last year and she enjoyed it.

Cherrish those memories.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

For our last 2 trips , we took every princess dress DD (6) owns, which is 5. Yes, we packed 5 princess dresses and yes she wore every one.

When we go this September, she'll be a week away from turning 7. I think out of the 5 only one of those will probably still fit her. I doubt if I'll buy any just for the trip unless I can find a Belle gown cheap (her Cinderella should still fit) . She's getting out of the stage of dress-up at home.

She loves to dress up at the parks though and just eats up all the attention she gets, so who knows what I'll do.

 

[disneyaway]

I am not sure that we will be bringing her costumes because they are hot and scratchy and not really comfortable in may weather for her. Instead, I am planning on making her a princess t shirt from the creative dis board and pairing it with a tulle skirt. So it is princess-y but still comfy

 

[Evi]

I'm going in Dec with 2 nieces and have decided I'm going to have the dresses custom made. I'm going to let them wear them on halloween and then take them to disney. I plan on letting them wear them to go to the princess dinner or to Cinderellas dinner but it will be a 1 time thing. I'm not going for bbb because and please don't flame me for this but, I don't like the quality of what they do for what they charge. I can spend the morning with the girls take them to get a manicure and hair done beautifully at a salon for a fraction of the cost. I just see all these little girls with same hairdo and glitter everywhere and there not the pictures I want for the girls. I've already priced out the dresses $25 each, crowns $15 each at bridal store, manicure $15 each and I can do there hair or take them to the salon for $25 each. I'm figuring under $200 for both girls. I purchased glittery converse for there shoes so they can walk around comfortably. We will be on photopass and I'll have camera so I can take as many pics as I want.

Personally I'd rather use the money for mad hatters tea party and a few other kid specific activities. But that's just me.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I just dress DD up to go to the princess meals. It might be a little different this time because she's getting more into the dresses and such, but I don't go out and specifically buy a dress for our trips--- I only buy when it's a super duper can't refuse it deal.

 

[Mommy2JulietJocelyn]

My DD4 absolutely Loves getting dressed up - If I did not bring any with us she would pout ALL DAY LONG no matter what we were doing. SHe has custom clothes/dresses that I make including her new favorite - Jesse for Toy Story. She will only wear dresses. My other daughters like to dress up in their customs for DIsney too. Each of my DD's (I have 3) has one offical Disney Princess or Fairy dress coming with us. DD6 also wears her Tink wings -they light up.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

My DD5 found the princess dresses too uncomfortable to wear at all let alone all day at the park. But she did get the red polka dot Minnie dress at the Disney Store. She looked so cute but she wore it to Chef Mickey's twice and then we went back up to the room and changed before heading to the parks. She wore lots of princess t-shirts while we were there but being comfortable was most important to us We did see plenty of dressed up girls in the parks but DD5 had no interest. I tried to get her to go to BBB but she wasn't interested; she doesn't like having her hair done and there is no way she'll let anyone put anything near her face I'm hoping she'll want to when she's older

 

[starsweeper]

I know lots of parents do it, but I think dressing them up in costumes each day is too much, plus the costumes look hot to wear and not very comfortable. I'm only dressing my DD for the Storybook dinner during our trip in 2 weeks (and plan to take street clothes for afterwards if she is uncomfortable). I bought some tops from babyGap with Disney characters for DS and DD, and found some beautiful tops at Sears with their favorite characters. DD also has some light-weight tulle skorts to wear so she can twirl and be girly, but cool and comfortable.

 

[melancholywings]

DD did it on 4 different trips to DW and DL and loved every second of it. It really did make a difference on staff interactions as they would call her by the princess name, or ask her 'where's Dopey' or some other character specific questions. She ate it up.
I searched ebay for park dresses and I think we ended up having 5 or 6 of them, she'd wear a tank top and shorts under them so if she wanted out (which she never did) she could. And every day she'd wear a new one. We go in Jan so the weather was perfect for it.
I have noticed that it's something that's done more at Disneyland than Disneyworld. The last trip she out grew them all and then declared that Disney Princess were too babish. But I'm glad I got that moment when I did.

 

[princessmom29]

I sew, and we do customs for DD for the trips. She loves hleping me pick out fabrics and design the outfits she will be wearing. I use mostly cotton fabrics that are light and comfy. It started because she doesn't like the princess dresses as they are "itchy" so I wanted an alternative for her to wear that would be as comfortable as street clothes and still really cute. My goal is for her to be 100% comfortable and haqvesomething she wants to wear. She is a dress girl so we did lots of jumpers with tees underneath, and elastic waist pants or leggins. They are really comfy, and you can make them really special with applique and embellishments.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Hmmm...the kids' closet in the Treehouse on our last trip was full of costumes (for DS4 and DNiece7), so I am absolutely biased. However, the kids LOVE all the extra attention, so we do it. I made some of the costumes myself or added cotton to the inside of existing costumes for comfort. I'd just ask your kiddos if they want to dress up and go from there. Have fun!!

 

[TwinsinCA]

My daughters each have 3 princess dresses we bought at Disneyland. But they have never worn them TO the park. I didn't want to worry about them getting stained, torn, wet, etc. Luckily, they didn't really care either way. They were happy to just use them to play dress up at home.

 

[Kelrykengab]

Last time we went my 3 yo daughter dressed up as Belle the day we were going to CRT and to my surprise she stayed in it all day from the bus to going home. It was such an amazing experience for her. The bus driver had the whole bus sing to her and after everyone got off the bus he knelt down on one knee and gave her a toy ring and a special pin. Also, all day long people were saying "Hello princess". This year my 2 girls (now 5 and 22 months at the time we travel) will wear their Minnie dresses to Chef Mickey's and their princess dresses to Akershus. If they want to stay in them all day that is up to them and if they don't I will be bringing extra clothes in our backpack.

 

[Srackangast]

I took my girls to Wal-Mart and picked out some really cute pink material that had Minnie polk a dots on it. My friend made them matching sun dresses. very easy and cheap. Took DD7 at that time to BBB in that dress and just had her hair and makeup done. She was a little sad that she wasn't getting the head to toe like the other girls yet she was proud that no one else had a dress like hers. DD18 mths at the time loved her dress because it matched her big sister.