Creative cosplay and first-ever Disney costume contest bring out fan favorite characters at 2013 D23 Expo

in Disney, Entertainment, Movies

Disney is known for its characters. After all, it all started with a mouse. But unlike at their theme parks, the cast of colorful characters seen at the 2013 D23 Expo wasn’t made up of their own official creations, but instead the many Disney fans roaming the convention with their own creative costumes.

Cosplay was minimal at the first D23 Expo in 2009, picked up a bit in 2011, and came out in full force at this year’s event, fueled by the first-ever official Disney costume contest. Not everyone had a chance to participate in the contest, with D23 requiring applications to be submitted weeks before the event, only allowing a select few through to be judged. But no matter if entered in the costume contest or not, Disney fans displayed extreme talent in the careful crafting of elaborate outfits to become their favorite characters.

Below are a few of my favorites spotted throughout the duration of the D23 Expo, including the announcement of the five costume contest winners.

2013 D23 Expo Costume Contest

The costume contest featured entries from across years of Disney history, even stretching into recent acquisitions Marvel and Star Wars. Both live action and animation were represented in impressively accurate costumes. Though the costume contest itself had a few bumps as technical difficulties prevented contestants from sharing their prepared 1-minute audio tracks to accompany them, the winners were no less enthusiastic upon accepting their awards.


Video: 2013 D23 Expo costume contest winners announced


The winners:

2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay

2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
2013 D23 Expo costume contest winners
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
The Rocketeer
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Merida
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Giselle and Edward
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Original costume inspired by Disney characters

2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Amidala

Cosplay at the 2013 D23 Expo

Throughout all three days of the 2013 D23 Expo, fans showed off their love for Disney franchises by dressing up as a wide variety of costumes with many creative results. There were a lot of Annas and Elsas from the upcoming film “Frozen” and plenty of theme park outfits too.

Below is just a small sampling of some of the best seen at the convention, starting with my wife Michelle’s own costume that I helped assemble, a PNK sorority girl from “Monsters University.”

2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Monsters University PNK girl
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Monsters University students
2013 D23 Expo Disney costume cosplay
Pirates of the Caribbean redhead
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Pirates of the Caribbean wench and The Haunted Mansion parasol girl
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
The Haunted Mansion ballroom dancers
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas as a Haunted Mansion maid
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Jack Skellington
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Fix-It Felix, Wreck-It Ralph, and Sorcerer’s Apprentice Jedi Deadpool
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Ariel
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Jasmine and Aladdin
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Belle and Gaston
2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay
Anna and Elsa

We even had Lilo show up to our Inside the Magic meet-up:

2013 D23 Expo Disney costumes and cosplay

More cosplay and costume contest photos from the 2013 D23 Expo:

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