Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is unlike anything we've ever seen at Disneyland before. While Disney Parks' ability to create immersive worlds is unparalleled, Galaxy's Edge takes things to an entirely different level.
Galaxy's Edge isn't simply a Star Wars-themed theme park space, it's designed to make you feel like you're inside your very own Star Wars story. Every feature of the land and every inhabitant who works there is designed to help create this illusion that you are on the planet Batuu.
If you're a huge fan of Star Wars, then this whole concept is probably the sort of thing you've been dreaming of. It's a chance to pretend like you're part of the galaxy, far, far away and embrace everything that goes with it. For many, this will mean wanting to dress the part of somebody in the Star Wars universe.
However, Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge is part of Disneyland, and Disneyland has some pretty significant rules regarding what's allowed and what is not when it comes to dressing up in the park. Here's a quick rundown of what's allowed and what isn't when it comes to costumes and other forms of dressing up.
The Rules For Kids
The first thing to be aware of is that the rules are different depending on your age. As you might expect, the rules are far more relaxed for children. Specifically for those 13-years-old or younger, any sort of "costume" -- the sort of thing one might wear for Halloween -- is allowed. The only official restrictions would be related to costumes containing material that will drag on the ground, as the powers that be don't want anybody getting tripped up. In addition, proper footwear is always required when walking around Disneyland, so any costume that resulted in bare feet would not be allowed.
Beyond that, kids can wear basically whatever they want.
The Most Important Rule
If you're 14-years-old or older, however, the rules get a bit more restrictive and specific, but in the end, there's really only one really important rule. You can't wear anything in the park that runs the risk of making other guests think you work at Disneyland. Ultimately, the reason that Disneyland even has a rule against adults wearing full costumes is because of this issue. If you look too much like Cinderella, you might make other people think you're the actual person playing Cinderella in the park, and that's a level of confusion Disneyland needs to avoid.
So what does this mean for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge?
What's Not Allowed Inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Anything that could be considered a costume is not allowed. That includes anything that has a full mask as well as elaborate headwear. This means your replica X-Wing pilot helmet will have to be left at home. In addition, any sort of full character suit or costume is also off limits. That's probably not too shocking, as a full Chewbacca costume, regardless of how tall you are, is going to be confusing to guests if you walk past the actual Chewbacca character that can be found on the planet Batuu.
Your full body X-Wing flightsuit, or anything along those lines, is also off limits, which is probably not too shocking.
However, there is one item list that might be somewhat surprising. In terms of what you can't wear inside Galaxy's Edge, robes are off-limits. It's probably the simplest thing that anybody could do to change their look to something a bit more Star Wars. Simply throw a brown robe over your existing outfit, and now you look like a Jedi. However, robes of any kind are officially on the not allowed in Galaxy's Edge.
This is especially important to understand because you can actually purchase robes at some of the merchandise stalls on Batuu. That's right, some of the clothing that you can buy inside Galaxy's Edge can't actually be worn inside Galaxy's Edge.
What's Allowed Inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Because there are a lot adult Disneyland and Walt Disney World fans who want to be part of the magic, there have been many who have tried to still dress up like their favorite Disney characters inside the parks while still staying within the costuming rules. What has emerged is a concept known as Disneybounding.
Disneybounding is wearing outfits that imply a connection to a favorite character, without actually being a screen worthy costume. Wearing clothing that matches famous color combinations of Disney characters is a popular way to do it. The key is that this clothing is usually made up of everyday items you could buy in any clothing store.
If you want to dress like the classic Disney Snow White, rather than sewing or buying a perfect replica, instead, any blue top and any yellow skirt can get the idea across without causing your look to be confused for Disneyland cast members.
The same thing is perfectly acceptable inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Putting together a collection of your own clothing, including pieces with muted tones, vests, and layering pieces on top of each other will give you a look like the other inhabitants of Batuu. What's cool about this is that there's nothing particularly unique or special about the civilian clothing of the galaxy, far, far, away, so putting together an outfit that looks like it belongs on Batuu won't necessarily be that difficult.
The fact that clothing like this is acceptable is interesting because many cast member costumes follow these same design ideas. Cast members also have some flexibility when creating their own outfits, so there isn't a single look that is obviously that of a cast member. Although they certainly will be wearing name tags so there is one obvious way to tell them apart from the guests.
The fact that Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge is a world that exists within the Star Wars universe (along with the fact everybody plays along) is one of the most fun parts of the new land. As fans, we want to play along too, but it's important that we all understand the rules so that everybody has fun.
