Planning ahead can mean big savings on Disney costumes

This weekend, parents everywhere have Halloween costumes on their minds. I know I certainly do. And now that one of my children has outgrown dressing up, I find myself feeling a little nostalgic for the days when my now 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter wanted to look like Disney Channel stars, Disney Princesses, Disney pirates and assorted variations of Mickey Mouse when they went out trick-or-treating.

Because our family has a tradition of going to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in September, my children have long had to commit to their costumes earlier than many kids. And that led me to shopping for costumes year-round, especially when they were young enough that they didn’t change their minds as easily about what was “in” for that year. Also, knowing that my children would wear their costumes not just to the Halloween party but also on regular visits to the Magic Kingdom drove me to find costumes that would endure more than one night out.

Over the years, my family has purchased many children’s costumes from the Disney Store (located nationally in shopping malls) and Walt Disney World. We have found both places to have high-quality products and every conceivable related accessory; for those years, it was relatively easy to find everything we needed with one-stop shopping. The drawback was, of course, that such convenience and gorgeous designs came at a hefty price tag.

But with a little planning, it is possible to save some money on the fancy princess ball gowns and official Mickey Mouse costumes. Although you may be focused on Halloween plans for this year, now is also the time to think about next year! That’s because most costumes and accessories for kids already are half off at DisneyStore.com. Not all sizes still are available, but it might be worth your time to peruse the selection.

When our children were little, one of my friends and I would wait at different local Disney Stores before they opened on Nov. 1 because that’s when the costumes used to be marked down to 50 percent of the retail price. Although we both found good deals over the years, perhaps the best was when we found adult Minnie Mouse costumes for ourselves for $20 apiece! (Baby and adult costumes are not yet on sale; check back on Nov. 1.)

Even if you’re hesitant to buy Halloween costumes this far in advance, you might consider the costumes for other purposes, such as Christmas gifts. Young children love to role play year-round — not just in October.

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