What costumes to bring on the magic for kids aged 3 to 9

[Broch]

HI We are travelling with our grandchildren and their parents next year. I see that some guests take their own Disney costumes like for Pirates night etc. Can you purchase or hire (rental) on board, or is it best to take your own? What costumes would you recommend for the ages of the kids above. Thank you for any help.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

No rentals that i have ever heard of.

 

Pirate costumes are available at Halloween or just about anytime on line . But its easy to throw together odds and ends to make your own too and its much cheaper.

 

Many have princess dresses for the girls and they wear them to formal or semi formal night on the ship.

Also they wear the princess outfits for photos in the atrium when the princesses have a meet n greet there. Makes for a great photo.

 

You can find them on line at the Disney store or sometimes Walmarts will carry them. They are generic but still look great on the girls. Many have the tiara, white gloves and dress shoes too.

Occassionally you will see young girls in a mini mouse dress too. Usually ages 7 and under dress in costumes accept for pirate night when even adults dress up.

Although if a 9 year old wants to dress up I say go for it!!

 

For boys I dont really see to many boys dressed in costumes accept for pirate night. I guess they might like Woody or Buzz if they were little guys.

[Broch]

Thank you so much for the information. We are in Scotland, so no wallmarts here, but we do have Disney stores here. I think the kids have some Disney dresses like snow white and Minnie, whether they still fit or not I do not know. However we have two days in New york before we board the ship so if they do not take them with them, I am sure, they will get to a Wallmarts or similar when shopping in New York. As long as we know what is the norm for young kids to wear and when, that would be helpful. Thanks

[ducklite]

On our recent Dream cruise we saw girls in Princess dresses on a daily basis both at dinner and around the ship. The only boys we ever saw in costume were pirates on Pirates night.

 

We were on a three day, so no formal night.

 

I wouldn't get too hung up it, the majority of kids didn't wear costumes, even on Pirates night.

[shanley]

This is the right time of year to pick up a few pirate pieces. Some girls, boys and grownups dress up on pirate night. But there is a lot who don't. The Disney will provide a pirate bandanna at dinner. The ship's stores also carry costume if you didn't bring them and really want to dress up.

 

As for princess, many girls have princess dresses. they were them at the princess gatherings for photo opportunities. Some girls wear them on formal night. Again, not all the girls.

 

Dresses are available in the ship store. They cost the same as at a Disney store, but certainly more than if you bought them at another chain. They are very good quality, better than Walmart dresses. Halloween is a good time to buy a dress and keep it until your cruise. Likely to get some really good deals Oct 30 and into November as costumes go on clearance.

 

My daughter did not have a princess dress when we cruised when she was 5 and she didn't even notice. She brought a Tiana dress with her when she was 7 and only wore it once. She brought all her pirate stuff when she was 7.

[Sauer-kraut]

Wait until after Christmas to see if they will go on sale the the Disney store. Also, I don't know how big Halloween is over there now (nothing like importing the American side of a celtic celebration/tradition) but after next week the costume shops should be clearing out inventory as well. You might luck out and find something reasonably priced. Even peek into the Oxfam and other thrift stores for dresses that might just be princessy enough after the new year. :wink:

 

I admire you wanting to pack all that extra stuff, but keep things simple and don't stress about the costume aspect.

 

Have a wonderful time!!:)

[Broch]

Wait until after Christmas to see if they will go on sale the the Disney store. Also, I don't know how big Halloween is over there now (nothing like importing the American side of a celtic celebration/tradition) but after next week the costume shops should be clearing out inventory as well. You might luck out and find something reasonably priced. Even peek into the Oxfam and other thrift stores for dresses that might just be princessy enough after the new year. :wink:

 

I admire you wanting to pack all that extra stuff, but keep things simple and don't stress about the costume aspect.

 

Have a wonderful time!!:)

 

Thanks for the very welcome replies with all good ideas. You are quite correct Sauer-kraut, Halloween does not have the same celebration factor as over the pond but from the commercial side of things I see that the shops are taking in much more stock in that line. In fact every year the stock gets more and more scarier. But again some great ideas. As there are 11 of us travelling of which 5 are kids, if one gets to dress up they will all want to. Kids will be kids. However with so many luggage allowances, we should be able to squeeze costumes in. But I appreciate your comments regarding simple, but then I need to get that across to their parents..

[lolakat]

We did a 7 night on the magic last year with our 3 yo DD. I didn't have time to buy costumes before the cruise. The store on board had pirate and princess constumes plus all the accessories for sale. The prices were the same as at the Disney store (about $50 for the dress plus about $25 more for accessories). You can get similar costumes cheaper on Ebay or at Walmart but if you don't want the hassle and cost is not an issue you can just buy in on board.

 

Our DD wore a "pirate princess" dress on pirate night and a Belle costume to the princess meet and greet. She didn't feel like keeping the costume on for the formal dinner night so she just wore a regular dress. I did see plenty of kids with their princess costumes on at dinner, mostly on formal nights.

[Broch]

We did a 7 night on the magic last year with our 3 yo DD. I didn't have time to buy costumes before the cruise. The store on board had pirate and princess constumes plus all the accessories for sale. The prices were the same as at the Disney store (about $50 for the dress plus about $25 more for accessories). You can get similar costumes cheaper on Ebay or at Walmart but if you don't want the hassle and cost is not an issue you can just buy in on board.

 

Our DD wore a "pirate princess" dress on pirate night and a Belle costume to the princess meet and greet. She didn't feel like keeping the costume on for the formal dinner night so she just wore a regular dress. I did see plenty of kids with their princess costumes on at dinner, mostly on formal nights.

 

That's good to know. As you can see we are doing 8 nights so I take it there will be a formal dinner. You mention the princess meet and greet, is this on the same night as the Captains formal dinner. How many formal nights are their on an 8 night cruise usually. I am well used to all the nights on RCL but as this is my first cruise with Disney everything is new. Thanks

[Sauer-kraut]

That's a good question as these NYC 8 day cruises are brand new. On 7 day cruises there was 1 formal 1 semi-formal. It might be 2 formal now because of the extra sea days on those sailings. Just my speculation so don't take it as fact.

I'd probably only be packing one dressy outfit and wearing that for both formal and semi-formal, if I'm lucky enough to talk my niece into going on a cruise. The luggage restrictions for domestic travel really don't leave a lot of space for extra fancy clothes.

[EJG]

We just got a truck load of pirate gear for our kidos at the dollar store for next to nothing

[Host Mick]

Here in CA, there's a lot of Spirit Halloween stores springing up in empty storefronts. It might be worth your while to drop by one and see if they do heavy discounting on 11/1. There's a bunch of pirate costumes, parts and accessories available.

 

Everyone might want to note to NOT buy any costume pirate swords, knives, muskets or pistols. You can't bring even fake weapons aboard a DCL ship.

[Broch]

Everyone might want to note to NOT buy any costume pirate swords, knives, muskets or pistols. You can't bring even fake weapons aboard a DCL ship.

__________________

 

Good point. I would not have thought of that, in fact all our family when they were young, got and still have swords etc. they got at a pirates night. They have been up in the loft for about 30 years and I thought Hey I know what they would be useful for, to take with us on the Dis cruise. I thought that if they were in your hold baggage they would be O.K. but if that is the rules they will just have to stay at home ( the swords I mean not the children LoL) I wish.