The Secrets to a Cheap Princess Dress for Your Child

It’s many child’s dream – to go to Disney World and meet their favorite Disney princess or Disney character.

And what better magical moment than meeting their favorite character dressed like them? Nothing beats waving to Moana in the Magic Kingdom parade in a Moana princess dress, meeting Rapunzel at Fairytale Hall in a Rapunzel dress, or hugging Peter Pan dressed as the Lost Boy himself.

Disney princess dresses can be expensive, however, so we provide our best tips for budgeting for children’s outfits on a Walt Disney World vacation.

Dressing your child as a princess for a Disney vacation is a special way to boost any Disney Park day. From Disney Cast Members giving little girls extra attention and calling them “princess” to helping make a childhood fantasy even more magical, dress-up for younger Guests at Walt Disney World is a special moment for everyone in the party.

Disney Park photos become extra endearing and memorable, especially ones where they are in meet and greets with the princess that they are dressed as. Meeting Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Snow White, or Elsa at Princess Fairytale Hall, Cinderella’s Royal Table, or Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the princess’ dress is a magical, priceless Disney moment.

Of course, there are some downsides to dressing children as princesses. Some dresses are scratchy or hot, so they may not want to wear them all day at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. A princess dress is one extra item to pack in your Disney suitcase, and above that, the cost of a princess dress is high, knowing it will probably only be worn again on Halloween. When compared to a regular t-shirt and shorts worn at the theme parks, there is a greater worry about children damaging their dress.

But if your child is set on being a princess for the day, and you’ve already spent lots of money on Park tickets, Disney Genie+, a Disney Resort hotel stay, flights, and parking, we provide our tips for that budget princess dress magic.

If you anticipate needing a princess dress or pirate costume while at Walt Disney World, one way we recommend saving money is to get it from your local Disney Store or ShopDisney online in advance during a sale. Plan ahead and watch for Disney Store sales – or dresses for sale on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. The Disney Store website occasionally offers princess dresses for 25% off with free shipping, which results in the total cost for a dress being under $40.

Also, instead of paying a high price for the Disney Store matching shoes, we advise buying regular shoes with some sparkle that can be worn again. These shoes are often more comfortable too for a Walt Disney World Resort theme park day.

Another budget trick is to purchase a Disney princess dress in a slightly larger size, so they’ll be able to wear it for a longer time or on future visits to Magic Kingdom.

For dresses that are itchy, a white t-shirt worn under the dress will help to keep them in the dress longer, while shorts will also aid with comfort and activities.

Stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon also offer dresses that, though not full Disney-style dresses, capture the characters of Moana, Elsa, or Cinderella without the price tag. Stores like these also sell t-shirts cheaper than those that can be found at merchandise locations at the Disney Parks. A cheap Target princess dress means that potentially, a young girl can dress as a different princess on each theme park day!

If you have a reservation for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique when it reopens, having a princess dress ahead of time also saves money at the royal transformation salon, as costumes here can be pretty expensive. 

So, if you’re struggling to buy a costly Disney princess dress, remember there are always budget-friendly options to help make any child’s dreams come true!