Dapper Day is a popular biannual event that celebrates refined style and sophistication at Disneyland Park. Founded in 2011, it gives guests a chance to dress up without feeling out-of-place while visiting the Happiest Place on Earth. On Dapper Day itself, attendees don their best vintage-inspired or contemporary looks to visit Disneyland and enjoy the attractions and entertainment offerings. The signature Dapper Day Expo marketplace also takes place that weekend at the Disneyland Hotel, featuring vendors selling clothing, accessories, and more with a classic aesthetic.

A Brief History of Dapper Day

Dapper Day was founded in 2011 by Los Angeles designer Justin Jorgensen. His motivation was to create an event where guests could dress up without feeling out of place. The first Dapper Day outing at Disneyland saw over 10,000 well-dressed attendees. Since that inaugural event, Dapper Day has expanded to include outings at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris. It has become a highlight for Disney Parks fans who enjoy stepping out in style.

When is Dapper Day at Disneyland?

Dapper Day events are held twice a year at Disneyland Park, typically in the spring and fall.

Upcoming dates are:

• Spring: April 7, 2024
• Fall: November 3, 2024

The signature Dapper Day Expo also takes place on the weekend prior at the Disneyland Hotel.

Dapper Day Expo

The Dapper Day Expo is a 30,000 square foot marketplace held at the Disneyland Hotel. It features vendors selling vintage inspired and contemporary clothing, accessories, jewelry, shoes, hats, and more. The Expo takes place on Saturday and Sunday prior to the Disneyland Park outing.

2024 dates are:

• Spring 2024: April 6-7
• Fall 2024: November 2-3

Guests can purchase single day ($10) or weekend passes ($15). An Early Bird ticket is also available for Saturday entry at 11 am before the noon general opening.

Dapper Day Disneyland Park Outing

On Dapper Day itself, guests dress to impress and visit Disneyland Park to ride attractions and view entertainment. There is no separate admission required beyond a valid park ticket and reservation. Disneyland often debuts special food and beverage offerings on Dapper Day as well. Past options have included bow tie pasta in cream sauce at French Market and a Hot Brown Sandwich at River Belle Terrace. While costumes and cosplay are reserved for separate events, guests use the day as an opportunity to showcase sophisticated style. DisneyBounding, wearing outfits inspired by characters, is also popular.

Dining

There are typically some special dining offerings available during Dapper Day weekends at Disneyland:

1. Limited-time dishes and drinks are often added to restaurants like French Market, River Belle Terrace, and Lamplight Lounge in Disneyland Park and California Adventure. Past options have included bow tie pasta, hot sandwiches, cocktails, and more with dapper themes.
2. Some dining locations provide discounts on food and beverages during the event weekend. For example, places like Blaze Pizza, The Edison, and Paradiso 37 have offered 10% off in the past.
3. Making advanced dining reservations is highly recommended due to increased demand and limited availability. Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance online or by phone.

Guests celebrating Dapper Day can expect to find special themed dishes, dining discounts, and increased reservation demand. Planning ahead is advised to take full advantage of the offerings. 

Dapper Day Events & Entertainment

In addition to the Expo and park outing, various events happen over the Dapper Day weekend:

The Dapper Dans – Disneyland’s popular barbershop quartet performs on Main Street U.S.A. and serves as honorary guests.

Concerts – Live music, including jazz and swing bands, often occurs at the Expo.

Celebrity Appearances – Special guests like Disney legend Charles Phoenix make appearances.

Car Show – A classic car show takes place on Sunday afternoon.

Folly Party – An upscale evening dance party happens Saturday night.

Costumes & Dress Code

Dapper Day encourages guests to dress in vintage or contemporary looks, but does not aim to recreate a specific time period. Attire guidelines include:

• Dresses, skirt suits, cocktail dresses
• Sport coats, suits, dress pants
• Waistcoats, ties, ascots, pocket squares
• Tailored shirts, blouses, sweater sets
• Fedoras, bowlers, flat caps, fascinators
• Gloves, pearls, brooches
• Saddle shoes, wingtips, kitten heels

Rules prohibit revealing clothing, chains, or anything that could be viewed as a costume. Disney park costume guidelines apply.

Where Can I Purchase Clothing for Dapper Day?

Here’s a list of places where you can find clothing for your Dapper Day visit:

1. The official Dapper Day website has an extensive clothing collection designed specifically for the event. This includes dresses, shirts, sweaters, skirts, and accessories with custom prints and vintage-inspired styles.
2. Unique Vintage has a Dapper Day collection featuring 1950s swing dresses and 1920s flapper dresses that would work well. They also have some Disney-inspired pieces.
3. Amazon can be a source for retro-inspired pieces if you search using relevant keywords. You can likely find good deals here too.
4. Etsy sellers offer a lot of custom and handmade dapper day outfits and accessories at various price points. This allows you to get something more personalized.

The key is looking for vintage, retro, and dapper styles. Places like Goodwill can also be an affordable option for finding secondhand pieces to put together outfits.

Merchandise

Special merchandise and discounts are offered before and during Dapper Day events. Here’s a list of places that usually offer the special merchandise:

1. Vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories – The Dapper Day Expo at the Disneyland Hotel features vendors selling dresses, skirts, blouses, shirts, suits, hats, shoes, jewelry, etc. with both vintage and modern dapper styles.
2. Beauty products – Vendors at the Expo also sell makeup, hair products, cologne, and other beauty items with a classic aesthetic.
3. Official Dapper Day merchandise – The Dapper Day website releases exclusive apparel, accessories, pins, etc. featuring custom prints and designs themed around the events.
4. Handmade/custom items – Etsy sellers offer personalized Dapper Day outfits, decor, and accessories for shoppers seeking something more unique.

Guests can find a wide range of stylish merchandise options, from vintage wares to custom creations that complement the refined style of Dapper Day.

Is it Crowded on Dapper Day?

• Dapper Day draws a few thousand additional guests to Disneyland Park, which is noticeable but minimal compared to peak attendance days.
• Most Dapper Day participants are focused on walking around in their outfits rather than waiting in long lines for rides. So while the park may feel more crowded, ride wait times are less affected.
• Dapper Day attendance peaked once at an estimated 30,000-35,000 guests above normal attendance. This filled Disneyland to capacity that day. But that appears to be an outlier event rather than the norm.
• Weekends before and after Dapper Day, like the Dapper Day Expo, may see slightly elevated crowds around the Disneyland Hotel area.

Dapper Day should have a modest impact on Disneyland crowds and wait times, with the park feeling busier but rides less affected. The exception could be if an especially high turnout fills Disneyland to capacity again. But that situation seems rare based on past events.

The Dapper Dans

The Dapper Dans at Disneyland Park are a must-see if you’ve never seen them perform! Here’s some information on the incredible barber shop quartet:

Performances

• The Dapper Dans are a barbershop quartet that performs daily along Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park.
• They perform several sets per day, singing a cappella renditions of Disney songs and barbershop classics.
• Performances typically last around 20 minutes and feature 4-part vocal harmonies along with tap dancing and humor.

History

• The first Dapper Dan group formed at Disneyland in 1959, just a few years after the park opened.
• Park Talent Supervisor Charles “Chuck” Corson sourced them from a popular singing group called the Fred Waring Pennsylvanians.
• When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, some of the original Disneyland Dapper Dans moved to Florida to perform there as well.

Costumes

• The Dapper Dans wear striped vests, bow ties, arm garters, and straw boater hats as part of their iconic costume.
• Costume colors vary across the groups at the different parks (red at Disneyland, blue at Walt Disney World, etc.).
• On Halloween, the Disneyland quartet transforms into the “Cadaver Dans” with ghoulish makeup and costumes.

Tips for Attending Dapper Day

Follow these tips to make the most of your Dapper Day visit:

• Reserve Disneyland hotel rooms early to get special rates
• Arrive early – crowds are the largest midday
• Ride classic attractions like the Mark Twain Riverboat
• See the Dapper Dans performances on Main Street
• Allow time to shop the Dapper Day Expo
• Make dining reservations at table service restaurants
• Take part in the car show or evening events
• Capture the style spectacle with fun photo ops

With its mix of shopping, dining, and photo opportunities, Dapper Day has become a highlight for Disney fans who enjoy stepping out in retro style. The event encapsulates the tradition of dressing in one’s Sunday best for a day at Disneyland. Dapper Day allows guests to experience Disney magic while showcasing sophisticated fashion. Its growth over the past decade demonstrates its popularity amongst those who appreciate refined style.

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