Best Plus Size Disney World Outfits: 2023 Style Trends
Best Plus Size Disney World Outfits: What Clothes to Wear
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What to Wear to Walt Disney World for Plus Size Guests: Head to Toe
Yay! You’re headed on a Disney vacation! One, I’m so excited for you and two, I’m also jealous at the same time. What a fun trip to plan. I’m so happy you landed on my page. As a plus size person myself, I want to share all the deets so you can have a comfortable trip focusing on the MAGIC at the most magical place, not on ill fitted or sticky clothing. Plus, we will have you looking too cute to boot for all the cast member photopass pictures!
When I start to think of Disney outfits I go for two key concepts: comfortability and functionality
Consider the weather: summer months and winter months
Depending on the dates that your vacation is planned, you’ll need to consider the weather when making choices on clothing to wear at Disney World. If you’re visiting in the summer months you can expect it to be hotter hot multiplied with humidity. If you’re going in the winter, you can expect cooler temps with it being quite a bit colder in the morning and evenings.
HUGE TIP: You should always anticipate rain. It may rain the whole day, it may rain for several days, or it may notoriously rain for 20 minutes. I’ll get into some water friendly outfit options a little later in this post.
Starting at the top with your pretty little head!
Mickey ears are almost a must, but not always. Using Mickey ears to hold your hair out of your face, especially when you start to sweat, can really help. I either buy my Mickey ears from small shops, on etsy, Amazon, or in the parks. Honestly, buying a new pair of Mickey ears in the parks is my little souvenir gift to myself.
You’ll definitely want something to hold your hair back. Did you just flash back to those college days? Yeah, me too! I’m talking about throwing your hair up when you get a little too warm or when you’re riding Big Thunder Mountain. Having a hair clip easily ready to toss your hair up is everything! There are even Mickey Mouse shaped clips. You can find these at Target, Walmart, most big box stores and of course – Amazon.
I’m not much of a hat person, but if you’d like to really block that sun I suggest bringing a hat. They sell super cute baseball caps with Mickey Mouse ears on them. Since I don’t wear hats too often, I would suggest grabbing a solid, either white or black, ball cap that can be worn during and after your Disney trip with multiple outfits.
Wear Light Clothing: Disney T-Shirts
There are plenty of cute plus size Disney shirts out there. Grab a t shirt with your favorite character. BUT you need to make sure those tops are light and breathable especially if you are visiting in the summer months. Another great option is a tank with thicker straps. I say thicker straps because if you’re wearing a bra you’re going to want something that is supportive and that often means thicker bra straps or even a sports bra. Again, being comfortable is a key component.
If you’re visiting during the winter, it would be a good idea to check the weather multiple times leading up to your trip. Ideally I would go for short sleeve cute t-shirts and a long sleeve sweater or a light jacket. While it may look cold in the morning, especially if you are rope dropping say Magic Kingdom, however, the Florida sun will likely come out and warm up. You could always also go with a light long sleeve shirt as well. It is always nice to have options during this time of year when it can quickly go from cold to warm.
The Bottom Half: Protect those thighs
Keeping comfort in mind, we now also mix in function here. Go-to favorites are biker shorts, especially in the summer months. But I’m only wearing them if they have pockets. Next up are athletic leggings, again they need to have pockets. I get my favorite biker shorts and leggings from Old Navy. Their powersoft is SO comfortable and have great pocket options. They come in a range of sizes available online and in-store. Every now and then I will wear a pair of high-waisted jeans or jean shorts. The good news is that you can get all 4 of these from one store! Again, Old Navy is my go-to for jeans but I have also found some solid pair of jeans at Buckle. I love that jeans make me feel snatched together and have plenty of, you guessed it, POCKETS!
Notice that with all of these options my thighs are covered and protected by material. You DO NOT want those thighs touching in the Florida humidity. You’ll be out of the game after the first day in the parks. There is little to no quick recovery time from chub rub or chafing.
One Simple Layer: Disney Dress
While I love a good Disney t shirt with black leggings, I usually wear an athletic dress at some point on our trip. Give me a midi dress, with pockets, if it has a built in bra – I’m sold. I have several simple black dresses appropriate for Disney parks. If you look for a tennis dress these are made to be breathable. Don’t make the mistake I did and wear a super cutsie dress that showed all of my sweat down my back as we waited in line at 8am for rope drop. If you get a solid color dress then it is easy to pair with Mickey ears and wear it after your trip as well.
Shoes: comfortable walking shoes, and/or waterproof sandals
Comfortable Walking Shoes: Worn in, but not too old
Disney is not the time to be breaking in new shoes. My best advice, you NEED comfortable tennis shoes that you have already put some mileage on but have plenty of life to give. Since feet can vary, especially with arches, this may be something you’ll discover on your own. My favorite pair of park shoes, well and at home too, are crocs. Not the typical crocs you’re thinking of though! I’m talking about the tennis shoe crocs – man of man they are so comfy! Of course they need to be broken in but these are perfect because they are made of this breathable, stretchy but WATERPROOF material. While you won’t be going to Splash Mountain to get wet anytime soon (or at all), with that rain I mentioned before, these are the best shoes I have ever worn to Disney. I chose them over my Hokas if that says anything. They also match well with most clothing, including dresses. Win-win for me.
If you chose to bring cloth shoes, I do suggest packing a pair of sandals or other waterproof sandals. In the event that it rains or you get wet one a ride like Kali River Rapids or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you are bound to have soggy socks. Having a pair of flip flops or sandals to whip out is key – unless you get my all time fav crocs, then you’re solid!
Best Places to shop at: Target, Old Navy, H &M, HotTopic, Walmart, Torrid, Amazon, Etsy
Some stores that I love to shop for comfy gear is Target and Old Navy. They have also been known to have random Disney t-shirts every now and then. I love these stores most for leggings, jeans, and skorts. Old Navy also has some of the best quality jeans that really make me feel held together while giving my some stretch – especially when attempting to climb out of those single seats on Space Mountain.
H&M also has cute Disney shirts, especially if you are into neutral colors. If you’re looking for something more vibrant I would look at HotTopic, they are known to have bold, and vibrant Disney clothing.
Walmart will carry Minnie Mouse t shirts, among many other characters. I’d suggest checking the men’s section in Walmart, as well as Target and Old Navy for more Disney style options. Of course, if you have kids, their baby, toddler, and kids sections almost always have the cutest Disney wear. I wish they would make their clothing in my size!
Torrid is also a great option as they are primarily focused on plus size clothing and they will have Disney shirts and sometimes dresses too!
Amazon has great budget friendly options for both comfy athletic wear and Disney shirts (one shirt pictured to the right). Just make sure that your athletic wear isn’t see through! If you go on a water ride that can totally make them even worse! Oof! One of my favorite Disney outfits was a bright pink top with a black jumpsuit I got on Amazon (pictured below). Amazon is great for last minute outfits with their prime membership and having free shipping.
Finally, I’d also suggest browning Etsy, though this can send you down a rabbit hole. Many of the styles come in a wide range of sizes. If matching shirts for the whole family is your thing you can usually get as small as a baby size, all the way up to 3x+. Do note that you will initially see their cheapest pricing when browsing shirts, and as you pick larger sizes it will be an extra cost, likely due to material. It is also great to support the small businesses on Etsy. Be warned that you could quite literally spend hours browsing all of the options!
Additional must have items to make a plus size guest (and any guest at that) comfortable on your Disney vacation
Sunscreen – This might be obvious but so many people forget that even during the cooler months you will still need some good sunscreen. This item is for everyone, no matter your shape, size or body type. If you’re opting for the tank top, make sure to pack sunscreen along with you!
Fan (with portable charger) – During the summer months it is very common for you to still feel extremely sticky and hot no matter the clothing you are choosing. Having a small portable fan on hand can make the world of a difference.
Chub Rub – This is a thick thigh life saver! I have this balm that I rub on no matter the clothing I am wearing. If it’s jeans, a dress, shorts – whatever the layer, I roll this on. You will be doing a lot of walking at Disney World or Disneyland, your clothes that normally don’t cause any wear or tear on your body, just might cause some burning trouble. It also comes in a travel size, so I will take it into the restroom with me about mid-day to give it an extra layer of protection. If you happen to forget this chub rub and you’re in a pinch, you can use your deodorant.
Big Fanny Pack – Taking a park bag it typical, but if you don’t want to lug a ton around and the straps bug you, I highly suggest grabbing a fanny pack. There is a very popular, yet very expensive brand that sells Disney fanny packs. They are super cute, but if you want something a bit more budget friendly and that is versatile aside from visiting the Disney parks, I found this one. It extends to comfortably fit around the widest part of my waist, or I can wear it as a cross body, bum bag type of look. The adjustable belt also stays put. It has 3 great compartments as well! I like to keep my “valuables” in the fanny pack or a small crossbody bag and take it with us when we park the stroller and go on rides, that way I don’t need to take the full park bag or diaper bag.
Reusable Water Bottle – I think I’ve engrained it by now, but just for good measure, the Florida heat is no joke. Year round it can have warm days and having a reusable water bottle on hand is a necessity. Disney has a ton of water refill stations around the park, so having a bottle on hand is a great idea.
Plus Size Riders at Disney World – Keep these in Mind
Rides with a lap bar can be hindering – Some rides have either a lap bar or a seat belt to fasten, these can be hindering when trying to comfortably on a ride at Disney World. Even rides like Soarin’ has a buckle. Some of the buckle rides have extenders you can ask a cast member for. As far as the lap bar rides, there is no work around the extender for this.
Try test seats – As mentioned in the last point about lap bars, if you are nervous that the lap bar might not work out for you I highly suggest trying the test seats. Most attractions that are not size inclusive, have test seats that guests can sit in and try prior to entering the line for that attraction.
I hope this Plus-size Disney outfit guide has been helpful when you start to plan your Disney trips! Whether you’re an avid Disney fan or this is your first time visiting Walt Disney World or the Disneyland Resort, I wish a great time for all my fellow pooh-sized people!