Blog Post #3

With midterms, the past 2 weeks have been slow in my interactions with the Disney Cosplay community. But there has been much excitement and exchanging of photos within on my Facebook Disneybound group as well as on Instagram and Tumblr. Halloween definitely marks an exciting time for the community, everyone is sharing their ideas and potential cosplay ideas. It has also been a time when we receive a lot of new members as many people are dressing in cosplay or disneybound for the first time, they then are able to “break into” the group with their photo contributions.

I’ve been contemplating much of what we have been describing “community” as, and I think that the cosplay community has a very unique way of connection individuals since even if we meet online there is a 75% you will eventually meet these people in person since the majority of them attend meet ups at the Disney parks or attend various cons/expos. And since Halloween is the major holiday to gather in costume what a better way to connect with fellow disney cosplayers than at October events.

I actually will be flying down to LA tonight to prepare for a Halloween meet up at the Disneyland park. Special event tickets are offered to the Disneyland “Halloween Party” where adults are actually able to dress in full costume and enter the parks. This typically is prohibited by Disney’s “kid’s only” costume rules. Which makes it a great opportunity to finally meet some of the instagram, tumblr and Facebook users that I’ve been interacting with for the past 7 weeks.

I attended this gathering last year but merely for fun with my friends, but I did not go to scheduled meet up (since I didn’t know anyone). However, I did end up taking a random picture with a huge group of other princess cosplayers, some of which I’ve actually connected with SINCE starting this practicum research project.

(I’m Cinderella in the middle w/Prince Charming)

By attending the meet up this Friday I hope to take pictures with a lot of other cosplay individuals so it will be easy to connect and associate with them online after the event. Tagging people in pictures helps so much to connect through folksonomy and association. Quiet honestly I think the most important aspect of getting involved in the disney costume community is through having eye-catching, quality photos. Hopefully by having new event photos I will be able to resurrect the attention and activity on my Tumblr and Instagram.