You’ve Got To See How People Are Getting Around Disney World’s “No Costumes” Rule

You must be at least this tall in order to ride the roller coaster. Do not harass Mickey. Smoking is prohibited. But among all the rules and regulations you must follow if you want to go to Disney World is an obscure one that's led to its own subculture of fashion. Disney prohibits anyone over the age of 14 from sporting a costume in its parks, because it has the potential to infringe on the official characters that Disney employs. While we imagine it might ruin a kid's illusion to see 50 knockoff Cinderellas, it was only a matter of time before Disneyphiles found a way around that.

Allow us to introduce you to Disneybounding: It's how Disney fans get around that tricky provision, dressed as their favorite Disney character but minus the official costume.

At its core, Disneybounding is best described as creating a color-coordinated outfit out of contemporary fashion that's "inspired by" a Disney character. This recent phenomenon spins cosplay on its head by tossing out elaborate costumes and opting instead for everyday items in your closet. Think pairing a yellow dress with a red sweater to Disneybound as Winnie the Pooh.

While popular characters are fair game, Disneybounders are best known for digging into deep cuts. Without the restrictions of choosing from mass-produced costumes typically limited to main Disney characters, Disneybounders can choose to pay tribute to any character that exists within the Disney universe. Nothing is off limits, from obscure paintings in Disney park rides to secondary characters from Once Upon a Time and live-action Disney films.

The term stemmed from the Tumblr blog Disneybound in 2012, and the practice has grown into a mainstream hashtag. Disneybound has become a home to a large, if niche, community that uses Instagram roundups and Polyvore collages to provide tips and inspiration for other Disneybounders. The 14,000+ YouTube videos surrounding the phrase are a good indicator of just how much the trend has taken off. Click through for 30 examples of solid Disneybounding, and then head over to Instagram for more.