I loved people-watching at Tokyo Disney. It was probably my favorite thing to do.
Japanese Disney-goers are awesome! Everyone gets into the spirit. They don’t just throw on a Disney t-shirt and Mickey Mouse ears. They put significant effort into their looks. Group dressing is a BIG thing, from identical, matching pairs to well coordinated groups of several people. All genders and ages participate. Coordinating your look is just as much of the Disney experience as the food and rides!
I saw just as many men in their 20’s dressed up as little girls. Actually, I saw more adults dressed up than kids! Here’s a sample of some of the fun outfits.
I was surprised by which Disney characters were represented the most. In the USA, Mickey, Minnie, Disney Princesses, and Star Wars characters are everywhere. In Tokyo Disney, Duffy & Friends is huge!
Other characters from Disney animated movies, TV shows, shorts, and video games are also super popular. I didn’t know half of them. I was constantly asking my kids to explain who they were.
One outfit that I easily recognized was the school uniform. I didn’t quite understand why there were whole groups of kids walking around wearing them, but apparently it’s very trendy. My kids thought it was ridiculous that I assumed they all came to the park after school. I guess my age, or lack of coolness, is showing!
FACT: At Tokyo Disney, there is a difference between dressing up and wearing a costume. When we were there in December, people were dressed up. Adults can only wear costumes during the Halloween season from mid-September through October 31. Kids aged 11 and under can wear Disney costumes year round.
Tokyo Disney-goers not only love dressing as their favorite characters, but also, many of them LOVE the plush characters themselves! When we were at the Horseshoe Roundup Show, many guests put their stuffed friends on the tables, facing the stage, so they could watch too. Hmmm.
NEW LOOK POLICY: As of April 2023, Tokyo Disney’s “look policy” changed to allow cast members to choose their preferred costume, rather than assigning one to them based on their gender. The new unisex costume standards provide the same guidelines for all genders regarding hairstyle, hair color, makeup, nails, and other costume accessories. Cast member costumes will still coordinate with the area of the park the cast member is working.
This is NOT a good look for you Cabana John!
Biggest Surprise While People Watching…
… the lack of strollers and wheelchairs in the park. If you’ve ever been to one of the stateside Disney locations, you know that there seems to be a wheeled device for every other person on foot. In Tokyo Disney, we saw countless toddlers walking around wearing backpacks just like everyone else in their group, even the grandparents. It was shocking to see the differences between families in the US and families in Tokyo.