25 Oct Oogie Boogie Bash Group Costumes: Alice in Wonderland
Hello, fellow Disney enthusiasts and fellow parents! Halloween at Disney California Adventure is always a magical experience, and this year, my family and I decided to take our costume game to the next level by embracing the whimsy of “Alice in Wonderland” for the Oogie Boogie Bash. I’m thrilled to share the creative journey we embarked on to make our costumes truly spectacular. Join us down the rabbit hole!
We began with choosing our favorite characters from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. With a family of 13, we had no shortage of options to choose from! It was a whirlwind of brainstorming sessions, fabric shopping, and DIY crafting nights, but the end result was well worth the effort.
The Queen of Hearts and Her Blooming Red Roses
My sister, Rebecca, took on the regal role of the Queen of Hearts. With her commanding presence and striking costume, she truly ruled the night. Her daughter Emma and my niece Allie played the part of the red roses! We got them cute green toddler tutu dresses that are great for so many costume and event ideas as they come in a rainbow of colors! For the flower headband, we used a standard headband wrapped with green ribbon. We left each end long to tie under their chins for stability. We then used hot glue and felt to mold each red petal around the headband. Lastly to make it more of a circle we added one petal that could move up the string to be adjusted as needed.
LINKS TO DRESSES
The Royal Card Soldiers
Our parents, always team players, transformed into a pair of Card Soldiers. We ordered simple costumes from amazon, they were comfortable, and they fit in with the group!
LINK TO CARDS
Adventures with Alice & The White Rabbit
My daughter, Ava, embraced the role of Alice with her blue pinafore dress and matching headband. We also ordered this from Amazon, and I was very happy with the quality. I always look for costumes made with nice fabric, not nylon or polyester. This dress was perfect and it looked homemade!
My son, Dylan, portrayed the White Rabbit, complete with a waistcoat and pocket watch. Thank the lord for another costume I did not have to sew! We ordered the yellow shirt, the vest and jacket, the pocket watch, the umbrella and the top hat from amazon. I used old easter bunny ears for the hat and a bit of white fur from Joann’s Fabrics to make the tail.
LINKS TO SUPPLIES
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum Double Trouble
My son, Oliver, and my nephew brought double the fun as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Their costumes were identical, right down to the propeller hats and oversized bow ties but this also means that I needed to put in a few “midnight-maker” nights! My top priority was making sure they were as comfortable as possible, considering how challenging it can be to get toddlers into costumes. The first step in creating comfortable costumes for my little Tweedles was to start with a simple base. I picked up red shorts and yellow shirts from amazon and black slip-on shoes from Walmart.
For the iconic propeller hats, I wanted to ensure they matched the colors from the movie. While you can purchase ready-made propeller hats on Amazon, I decided to take the DIY route to achieve the perfect look and keep costs down. I used two red hats from Michaels, 1/4 yard of orange hairy fabric from Joanns, a wooden dowel and yellow craft foam to create the hats. I started by cutting a small hole in the top of each hat. This hole will serve as the base for attaching the wooden dowel, which will mimic the flag on the top of the hats. Hot glue the dowel into the hole, making sure it’s secure. Then I cut a flag shape out of the yellow craft foam, adding a small bead to the top using hot glue. To complete the look, hot glue a bit of the orange hairy fabric to the back of each hat. This clever addition gave the impression of the red hair the Tweedles have, without the discomfort of wearing wigs.
To craft the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum collars, I dusted off my sewing machine and got to work. I used some scrap white fabric I had on hand, which was not only cost-effective but also sustainable. For the bow ties, I purchased two large blue hair bows from Amazon. To give them the right stiffness and appearance, I sprayed them with stiffening spray and allowed them to dry before hot gluing them to the collars. One of the most iconic elements of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’s costumes is the “Tweedle Dee” and “Tweedle Dum” written on each side of the lapel. I freehanded these details to make sure they matched the movie characters as closely as possible. It took a bit of patience and a steady hand, but the end result was well worth the effort. 😂
LINKS TO SUPPLIES
Mad Hatter & March Hare's Tea Party
My brother and his wife, Becca, hosted their very own Wonderland tea party as the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. With an oversized top hat and a table full of “tea,” they embodied the whimsy of this unforgettable tea party scene.
My brother Mike’s costume was put together using a vintage shirt & jacket from my dad’s closet. His bowtie was a leftover hair bow from St. Patty’s Day we used for Allie. His hat is a real Mad Hatters hat that we bought at least 15 years ago! It has been sitting in my parents’ dress up clothes bin ever since. And he purchased his pants from amazon.
Becca’s March Hare costume consisted of leggings, Felina brand, from Costco, a shirt she had, and a jacket, ears and bowtie from Amazon.
LINKS TO SUPPLIES
Blue Caterpillar Costume
Oh, the unexpected twists and turns of costume planning! My husband who had been saying over and over that he didn’t want to dress up, made the last-minute decision to join in the Wonderland fun as the Blue Caterpillar! It’s the classic case of “men, that change their minds.” It’s a good thing that Amazon Prime offers quick shipping because it came to the rescue! I ordered a blue jacket and had it overnighted and then got to work on yet another “midnight-maker” session. Most of the materials were from the Dollar Tree. I used pool noodles to mimic the caterpillar’s arms and I covered them with an XXL blue T-shirt that maintained the character’s color scheme. Then I added pink rubber gloves to the ends of the pool noodles for the hands. I cut holes in the jacket to push the long arms through. Then I used the remaining material from the shirt to sew a beanie and stuffed it with rags to make it stiff. Then he wore a blue shirt and pants under the jacket.
I also wanted to make him a hookah to carry around the park with him and how I MacGyvered it together was my favorite creation of all! I used a plastic jar, a plastic Santa ornament, craft tub rope and a ballpoint pen casing to create the structure and then I used gold spray paint and glitter to hide the details. It truly is a masterpiece… I love if you look close you see the little santa looking at you! It goes to show that even with just one day to put a costume together, the results can be truly magical.
LINKS TO SUPPLIES
Cheshire Cat
So I decided to be the Cheshire Cat for a couple reasons, first its one of my favorite disney characters but second and more importantly, I wanted an excuse to buy the really cute Loungefly backpack to add to my collection! But as soon as I started looking online for a comfortable costume, I realized that it was definitely going to be a challenge! Every store bought costume was either a sexy unitard or a furry hot onsie, neither of which would really work for me! So I started looking on amazon for something that would work. I eventually found striped leggings, a purple tunic shirt and cat ears! Add a little face paint and boom we have a totally passable cheshire cat!
LINKS TO SUPPLIES
The Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure was an enchanting experience, made even more special by our elaborate costumes. You can read more about our experience and our tips for the night on our other blog post here.
As we strolled through the park, we were greeted with warm smiles and posed for photos with other “Wonderland” enthusiasts and took part in impromptu character interactions, making the night even more magical.
It was truly awesome to see how our family’s hard work and dedication brought joy to so many others. So, if you’re considering Disney Halloween parties or any themed event, I encourage you to embrace your inner Disney fan and go all out with your costumes. The memories you create and the smiles you bring to others will make it all worthwhile. After all, isn’t that what Wonderland is all about – creating unforgettable moments and spreading joy?
Until next time, may your family’s adventures be filled with whimsy, wonder, and a dash of Disney magic!🎃👻
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