A big holiday is approaching and your little one has one request: a Disney princess dress-up trunk. Unfortunately, once you start looking for one, you’re going to find yourself drowning in choices. If only someone could simplify the search! Oh, wait – we can do that!
The Best Disney Dress-Up Trunks for Your Favorite Princess
The BiBiblack and VGOFUN dress up trunks offer the most dress up princess costumes (5) compared to the other dress-up trunks on this list. With that being said, the Disney Princess Trunk is the highest-rated trunk set and directly sold from Disney.
Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk
The Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk is officially licensed playtime fun!
This Disney Princess dress-up set comes straight from the Disney company itself if authenticity is a concern. No generic princesses here!
The set includes the four original Disney princesses: Cinderella, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. With four characters covered, you’re sure to please your little princess.
Take note: this kit includes four tops and only three skirts. Customers included this fact in bad reviews, claiming they were missing pieces. However, the kit states it only comes with those.
It isn’t just about the clothes though! Princesses don’t throw on a dress and call it a day. This trunk also includes accessories, like Sleeping Beauty’s crown, Snow White’s and Cinderella’s headbands, and additional necklaces, bracelets, and rings.
PROS:
- Includes the four original princesses
- The trunk is decorative and has a cute bow
- Includes fun accessories, like earrings and headbands
CONS:
- Includes four tops, but only three skirts
Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk Deluxe 21 Piece
![Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk Deluxe 21 Piece Officially Licensed [Amazon Exclusive]](jpg/51v47qixwgl._sl500_.jpg)
The Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk Deluxe 21 Piece is royalty at an affordable price point!
You’ll probably be quick to notice the similarities between this set and the previous one. In the major aspects, both kits do have the same features. Both include the same princesses, a cardboard trunk, and are officially Disney licensed.
Like the above, this kit only includes three skirts for four tops. The yellow skirt is meant to play double duty for Belle and Snow White. For one child, this isn’t an issue, but for two or more kids playing at once, it could lead to a disagreement.
What makes this set different? If you take a look, the princesses’ dresses are stylized different. For instance, this Belle opts for a sleek smooth dress instead of utilizing any pleats or ruffles. These dresses also don’t include little picture badges of the princesses, which I consider no true loss, honestly.
The accessories are simple, mostly headbands and small plastic hoop bracelets. Yes, this kit misses a few tiny charms of the other. The differences, though, make this kit much more affordable. That’s a win.
PROS:
- Disney licensed
- Includes four princesses
- Budget-friendly
CONS:
- Includes four tops, but only three tops
VGOFUN Princess Costume Dress Pretend Play Set
The VGOFUN Princess Costume Dress Pretend Play Set is perfect for play dates!
Can I get a “heck yes” for a Jasmine inclusion? The woman had a tiger as a pet and flew on a carpet. Surely, the 90s icon is worth emulating during dress-up time! While there is no flying carpet included, there are four other princesses, including Snow White, Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel.
Now, this isn’t an official Disney licensed product, so more accurately, they are costumes that resemble Snow White, Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel. Cinderella’s dress is rather generic-looking, but the rest are near-perfect substitutes.
Overall, I’d vote this to be a play date must-have. With five costumes, up to five friends can dress up at once. The clothes are easy on and easy off, thanks to velcro closures. Plus, the trunk doesn’t include accessories. That’s a plus for play dates because the trunk can go place to place without losing tiny pieces!
PROS:
- Includes Jasmine and four other princesses
- Great option for play dates with multiple kids
CONS:
- Not Disney official
- Pieces run small in size
Princess Dress Up Trunk Set with Princess Shoes and Accessories
The Girls Princess Dress Up Trunk Set is the best value!
If you’re looking for the best value for your money, this kit may be your best bet. Inside this trunk is four princess costumes, accessories, and a pair of shoes. Interestingly, most dress-up trunks do not include shoes (likely due to lack of space), so this one stands out from the crowd.
Princess lookalikes included are Cinderella, Aurora, Snow White, and Belle. The pretty skirts have an attached glittery tulle overlay for a hint of magic. This magic has a cost, however, because the delicate material should only be hand-washed. No snacks during the dress-up time!
The accessories are fun! There are the aforementioned shoes. They are gold slip-on heels with bows and they match every princess’s dress. There are also necklaces, rings, and crowns, but my favorite is definitely the royal scepter. While none of these Disney princesses had one, I find it to be a very welcome addition.
PROS:
- Includes four princesses
- Includes a pair of shoes
CONS:
- Not Disney official
- Glitter skirts must be hand washed
Disney Princess Ariel & Aurora Dress Up Trunk
The Disney Princess Ariel & Aurora Dress Up Trunk is found both Under the Sea and Once Upon a Dream!
I won’t lie: this set confuses me slightly. While I’m not sure why Ariel and Aurora are an in-demand pairing, I can appreciate it nonetheless as a big Little Mermaid fan! If you’re looking for a set for only these two princesses, you are good to go!
Ariel and Aurora’s dresses are beautiful. Someone in the design department took great care to capture all the pretty details, like the tulle ruffles and the glitter designs on the bodices. These dresses are one piece and not separates.
The accessories are limited to a crown, necklace, and clip-on earrings for both princesses. Luckily, they make up for quantity in quality. The plastic jewelry is more durable in comparison to other trunks.
The cardboard trunk, which is about the size of a shoebox, is nicely illustrated. Still, the size is lacking.
PROS:
- Disney licensed
- Detailed dresses
- Durable accessories
CONS:
- Includes only two princesses
Disney Princess 27-Piece Dress Up Trunk with Accessories
The Disney Princess 27-Piece Dress Up Trunk with Accessories is a trunk-full of princess fun!
I’m not sure how Disney came up with this combination of princesses either, but I’m not mad at it! In this 27-piece dress-up clothes set, your little princess gets to be Belle, Ariel, or the owner of the world’s most impressive tresses, Rapunzel.
Whether in a tall tower or under the sea, this kit has your child covered. Along with the dress-up separates, this trunk has plenty of accessories. Specifically, your child will get 3 headbands, 3 necklaces, 4 bracelets, 4 rings, and 3 pairs of earrings.
I also like how this set includes a box that actually resembles a trunk. The other trunks are merely box-shaped, but Disney went all out on this one, making a box worthy of the name “trunk.” This also makes it the most spacious trunk on this list.
Size-wise, the clothing is expected to fit 4 to 6X. Some customers have found that the dress-up clothes run a little small, however.
PROS:
- Includes three princesses
- Trunk-style box
- Plenty of accessories
CONS:
- Clothes run small
BiBiblack Girls Princess Costume Dress-Up Trunk
The BiBiblack Girls Princess Costume Dress-Up Trunk is for the Moana fans!
In my ventures into the Disney princess dress-up world, I was shocked at the exclusion of the newer princesses. Sure, many trunks I found did include Rapunzel, thrown in as an afterthought, but her contemporary peers didn’t get so much as an honorable mention.
In that spirit, this dress-up kit needed to be included because it includes Moana (or at least a generic version of her costume). Considering how every kid knows the words to “How Far I’ll Go,” this seems like a smart choice.
Along with Moana’s attire, you also get tops and skirts representing Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel. With five outfits and all of them having their own top and bottom, multiple princesses can dress up and join the fun!
There’s so much to love about this trunk – minus the trunk. I won’t lie. The trunk is a little boring compared to the official Disney trunks. Still, this kit is budget-friendly, so you could always buy a prettier box!
PROS:
- Includes Moana and Rapunzel
- Includes four tops and four matching skirts
CONS:
- Not Disney official
- Fewer accessories
Disney Frozen 2 Elsa’s Journey Dress Up Trunk
![Disney Frozen 2 Elsa's Journey Dress Up Trunk Deluxe 17-Piece [Amazon Exclusive]](jpg/511%2bsecjydl._sl500_.jpg)
The Disney Frozen 2 Elsa’s Journey Dress Up Trunk is the kit you need to be Disney’s Frozen princess!
As you are a parent in 2021, I feel confident in saying you have seen Frozen. At the very least, even if you haven’t watched the film, you can sing several lines of the hit song “Let it Go.” I know you can, don’t lie!
Knowing this, I was a little shocked that Elsa got snubbed and excluded from every other dress-up trunk. Still, Elsa has so many stunning looks, perhaps her own trunk is the only way to properly pay tribute.
Specifically, this trunk highlights Elsa’s fashion choices from Frozen 2. While she stuck to two main looks in the first film, Frozen 2 let her broaden her horizons. With this kit, your princess can dress up in Elsa’s adventure coat, Dark Sea and Snow Queen dresses.
Likewise, if your child wants to copy that gorgeous braid of Elsa’s, they can use the included brush, comb, hairband, and snowflake barrettes.
In the trunk, you’ll also find Elsa’s tiny salamander friend, Bruni. He’s no Sven the elk, but he is a perfect pocket-sized companion for Elsa-inspired adventures!
PROS:
- Includes 3 iconic Elsa looks
- Includes hair accessories
- Includes Bruni figurine
CONS:
- Only one princess included
Disney Minnie Mouse Bowdazzling Trunk Set
The Disney Minnie Mouse Bowdazzling Trunk Set is the best way to become the famous mouse herself!
Listen, I realize that Minnie Mouse isn’t an official Disney princess, but I don’t think anyone could argue that she isn’t a form of Disney royalty in her own right. Plus, she appeared 10 years before the first Disney princess (Snow White) and plays a princess in numerous shows and movies, so she has earned a place on this list.
This 21-piece set includes 4 skirts and 3 tops for mixing and matching. This, of course, includes the iconic polka dot dress Minnie is known for. The pieces fit sizes 4 to 6X officially, but customers report smaller children fitting as well.
The set also includes accessories because you can’t be Minnie Mouse without those mouse ears. There are also bracelets, rings, and a heart-shaped necklace.
PROS:
- Disney branded
- Mix-and-match pieces
CONS:
- Clothing is made of thinner material
- Clothing runs small
Buying Criteria for Disney Princess Dress Up Trunks
Disney princess dress-up trunks don’t tend to vary much. All of them have the same basic components; namely, Disney princess dress-up clothes and a container to hold them. There are some small ways these sets can differ though. Let’s break that down.
Included Princesses
This criterion depends entirely on the child in question. For instance, you might get an unfavorable response if you gift a trunk with only Sleeping Beauty and the Little Mermaid to a big Cinderella fan.
As there are a total of 2 Disney princesses currently, it’d have to be a large trunk to include all of them. Because of this, companies feature a select few in their dress-up kits. Some include four or more, while others stick with just two princesses.
If your child loves one of the OG princesses – we’re talking Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, or Belle – then you’re set. Most dress-up trunks highlight at least one of these.
A set that includes a newer princess is a harder find. Also, talk about a headscratcher. Do you know who the highest-grossest Disney princess is? It isn’t one of the originals. It’s a newer franchise and it’s only included in one of the kits above.
Frozen and its princess Elsa is the highest-grossing Disney princess of all time. Moana is in the top 10. Yet, few trunks include them. For fans of these princesses, you may be better off with individual costumes.
Accessories
With a dress-up trunk, the focus is mainly on the actual dress-up outfits. Still, you know as well as I do that an outfit isn’t complete without an accessory or two.
Every kit on this list includes some form of accessories. Most are jewelry, like crowns and necklaces. A few go above and beyond with shoes and additional goodies, like stickers.
It’s important to take note of the trunks that do include shoes. If that’s important to your child, most dress-up trunks do without them and you’d have to buy shoes separately.
If you’d like to add some shoes to a kit missing them, here are a few suggestions:
- Disney Princess Shoe Boutique 3-Pack: Ariel, Rapunzel, Aurora
Melissa & Doug Role Play Collection – Step In Style! Dress-Up Shoes Set (4 Pairs)
Price
The cost is always an important factor in any purchase. Even though we love our kids dearly, we do have to set some sort of budget when it comes to giving them gifts. On this list, we tried to keep everything in a reasonable price range. We do include one splurge option, but the rest are affordable for most!
FAQs – Disney Princess Dress-Up Trunks
What age is a Disney princess dress-up trunk best for?
As with a lot of things, there isn’t a hard and fast rule when it comes to an appropriate age for dress-up. The biggest consideration with something like dress-up clothes is the accessories included.
Often, dress-up sets include smaller accessories like clip-on earrings that are small enough to be choking hazards. These kits shouldn’t be given to children under 3 years old, or at least the small accessories should be taken out.
Accessory issues aside, there is an average age that kids begin showing an interest in dressing up. Usually, this happens after the third birthday.
Consider the child’s ability also. Toddlers can begin dressing and undressing with help around 18 months old. Still, most experts agree that most children can dress themselves independently at around 5 years old. If you get a dress-up kit for a younger child, it just means you’ll have to step in and help!
What are the benefits of dress-up play for children?
The mental and physical benefits of dress-up are numerous! Here’s just a few.
- Encourages creativity – Dress up is all about imagining and role-playing!
- Allows practice of social skills – Playing dress-up with friends helps develop social skills like taking turns and communicating.
- Practice empathy – While imagining different scenarios, your child puts themselves in other’s shoes in order to create their own little universe.
- Buttons and zippers help develop fine motor skills – These are the fine motor skills children need to hone in order to be able to dress themselves independently.
Is dress-up play only for girls?
Of course not! Traditionally, dress-up has been unfairly branded as a “girly” activity. This is mostly due to stereotypes about women enjoying things like clothing and fashion.
Dress-up isn’t just about enjoying pretty clothes (although it can be part of it). As evidenced in the last question’s answer, dress-up is beneficial to all children, regardless of gender.
Instead of worrying about what is for girls or boys, focus on your child’s own interests. Follow their lead, even if your son wants to be a princess or your daughter wants to be a superhero!
How can I encourage dress-up play?
Kids naturally feel drawn to dressing up in costumes, but if your little one could use some help getting the ball rolling, you can step in!
For instance, if your daughter decides to put on a Cinderella dress, but doesn’t do much else, encourage her! You can say something like, “Remember in the movie/book when Cinderella danced at the ball? Let’s dance around like her in the living room!”
Also, it helps enormously if you also happen to be a princess. The Little Mermaid meeting Cinderella? There’s a story worth acting out!
After buying a Disney princess dress-up trunk, you may feel tempted to keep it safely away when not in use. Fight the urge! Leave dress-up items accessible and easy to play with. If your child can see the dress-up clothes regularly, they’ll be ready to play when inspiration strikes!
