When you go to Disneyland and Disney World it really can feel like another world. Going on vacations to these theme parks is unlike any other vacation.
We cannot get enough of Disney parks and love visiting them. Sometimes things there seem normal, but when we really think about them they’re kind of strange.
This post is all about the weird things that are normal at Disney World and Disneyland.
First timers will find them much more strange than us seasoned visitors, but we can even admit they’re a bit odd.
1. Paying To Be Exhausted
I know people pay for gym memberships and workout classes, but this is different. This is paying a lot of money to run yourself into the ground all day, usually for several days.
Disney is not cheap and if you’re going to Disney World, then chances are good that you’ll also be extremely hot.
You’ll probably walk 10+ miles a day to do everything you want to do in a day like get to the parks, walk to rides, walk to restaurants, shop, and get back to your hotel.
Make sure you have good walking shoes, neck fans, cooling towels, and an insulated water bottle to stay hydrated.
2. Waking Up Early On Vacation
We love a good relaxing vacation where we can sleep in a little and get some good rest, but this is really not the norm for Disney parks.
Of course you can do that, but you’ll miss out on a lot and it might not be worth the price of the tickets to spend a good chunk of your day sleeping in.
We love getting up early and getting to the park around the time they open. This is one of the best ways to have short wait times for rides and meeting characters since the parks aren’t super busy and crowded yet for the day.
Many people do what’s called Rope Drop which is where you get to the parks about 30 minutes before they open and wait inside the park for the cast member to open the park.
Also, people staying at Disney hotels can do early entry and go into the parks 30 minutes before they officially open.
So if you’re staying on-site, you might even find yourself waking up earlier than the rope droppers.
This is not normal vacation activity, but it’s normal for Disney vacations.
3. Matching Outfits
It’s extremely common to see people in matching outfits at Disneyland and Disney World. I love to wear matching shirts with my daughter and do Disney mommy and me outfits!
You’ll also see couples matching, best friends matching, and even entire families of 10-20 people matching. It’s pretty fun!
Some families even get personalized shirts made that say things like “Morgan Family Disneyland Trip 2025”.
It makes for really fun photos and also makes it easier to find people in your group since you’re all wearing the same thing.
This is not something you see on any ordinary vacation though. I’ve never seen families matching in Hawaii or New York, but this is a very common occurrence at Disney parks.
4. Adults Dressing Up
Adults cannot wear costumes to Disney parks because this would be confusing for children and they would be trying to meet you and get your autograph.
Adults can only wear costumes to Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party at Disney World.
Adults can dress like Disney characters another way though. It’s called Disneybounding. A Disneybound is an outfit where you’re dressed like a Disney character.
An example of this would be doing a Cinderella Disneybound and instead of wearing a Cinderella costume you could wear a casual light blue dress and a black choker.
This will remind people of Cinderella and you’ll look like her, but no one will actually think you’re Cinderella and try to meet you.
5. The Names You’ll Be Referred To As
It’s not uncommon to be called a princess or prince when at Disney parks. Cast members want to treat you like royalty so calling you a prince or princess fits the part.
You might also be called a traveler in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or a toy in Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios at Disney World.
It would be very strange if someone called you one of these titles outside of Disneyland or Disney World!
6. Eating From The Tops Of Trash Cans
This is not something you’ll ever catch me doing, but it is something I see every time I go to Disney.
It can be a little hard to find a place to sit and eat, but if you wait a little bit you’ll usually find something.
People will use the tops of the garbage cans as tables and will stand there to eat their meal or snack.
This is so unsanitary and it’s awkward for people to go throw their garbage away when you’re using the garbage can. If you’re going to do this, please wipe it down a little before putting your food on top.
7. Goofy And Pluto Are Both Dogs
Some people think Goofy is a cow, but he is in fact a dog. His original name was Dippy Dawg, so that should be enough to tell you that he’s a dog.
It’s strange that Goofy and Pluto are both dogs, but Goofy talks, is dating Clarabelle Cow, and has a son named Max.
Pluto is owned by Mickey and is his pet dog. He’s not dating or having kids. When you’re at the parks you can meet both Pluto and Goofy.