Episode VII Fans Celebrate Rey Day 2016 at Disneyland Park

I love that die-hard Disney fans are always eager to attend special events at Disney parks, and what I love even more is how in recent years the Disney parks fandom has grown so much that there are now numerous fan-created unofficial special events at Disney parks throughout the world. All incredibly creative and fun! Whether they are special events that have now been years in the running such as Dapper Day, Tiki Day, or Bats day, just to name a few, or ones that are just beginning for the first time in 2016.

The most recent unofficial fan day, held at Disneyland on January 24th was Rey Day 2016, spearheaded by popular Disney fan figures Lady Damfino (@ladydamfino on Instagram), Moxie Mills (@curiouser_creations on Instagram), and Loni Clark (@Lonicatherinec on Instagram). These passionate ladies wanted to create a day to pay fan tribute and creatively honor the new strong, female lead for a new generation of Star Wars fans. On the Rey Day 2016 Facebook event page they urged fans to participate in honoring Rey either by attending the meet-up at Disneyland, or by posting pictures on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #Reyday2016 even if they couldn’t make it to the event. Fans were encouraged to partake in the day in any creative way they chose, whether it was to Disneybound as Rey (dress in streetwear that resembles Rey’s clothes, check out Disneybound.tumblr.com), cosplay as her, or share artwork. Fans were posting a wide range of things—Mickey ears that were handcrafted and inspired by Rey, pictures of Rey toy collections, fans sporting the three-bun Rey hairdo.

I was able to have the pleasure of attending with my husband and daughter, we wore shirts that my husband sketched the design for and then printed:

We saw people of all ages paying homage to Rey, and it was clear everyone at the meet-up in Tomorrowland were thrilled to get to pay tribute to and see each other’s creative take on Rey, as well as be amongst fellow Star Wars fans.

All throughout the day people from across the country were using the #Reyday2016 tag and participating in person and virtually. Why were there hundreds of people eagerly jumping at the chance to be a part of Rey Day 2016? Before Rey there was Leia and Padme, also two very strong female roles in the Star Wars universe. Star Wars, since its beginning, has had an incredibly big female-fan base, even though Star Wars merchandise has been more traditionally marketed towards boys. What makes Rey so special to thousands of people is that she is not only another positive female role model from a Star Wars movie, but she is the main focus of Episode VII, the first female lead of a Star Wars film, and it seems that Star Wars’ female-fan base feels that they are now being heard and better represented in the new generation of these wonderful films.

For me and my husband, we are very excited that our daughter gets to grow up with these new Star Wars films that features a wonderful role model: someone who is a scavenger, a pilot, multi-lingual, strong-willed, can use the force, and who never gives up. We absolutely can’t wait to see what celebration and creativity the next Rey Day may bring (Who knows, maybe by then we will even see a Rey costume and hairdo option at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!)!

Check out the hashtag #Reyday2016 on Facebook and Instagram for more Rey Day pictures, and post your own Rey tribute using the tag and keep the fandom going!

Thanks to special guest writer Jessica McDonald for the article

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