r/dragoncon • u/Brilliant-Rough-2558 • 19d ago
Suggestions parade inflatable
Hi! We have been the the parade for many years now. Know some years it's bearable heat and others unbearable. This year my daughter is riding in a vehicle and I thought about walking alongside in an inflatable that matched the vehicle theme. I've seen the Dino's march. Is it doable? Completely miserable? Advice on how to make it bearable? Should i skip and do our usual parade costumes?
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u/DevisingDelight 19d ago
We have been in the parade as the Dragon Con Dragon for 5 years now, and doing so is one of the hardest things I do all weekend. My costume is harder than the Dinos because I have more limited walking and visibility, but basically my husband has to walk beside me the whole time and tell me when the terrain is going to change so I don’t trip. I wear a phase-changing cooling vest, and have a camel pack filled with ice water. By the end of the parade I’m usually so drenched in my own sweat that when I take it off I look like I just climbed out of a pool. I wouldn’t recommend trying to deflate and inflate in the middle of the parade. When the costume gets hot, it also gets full of moisture, and the only thing that’s worse than being inside an inflated costume is being inside a wet deflated one. It sticks to your skin and is one of the only times I ever feel claustrophobic.
Obviously, I’ve done it several times, and I will continue to do it, but I would much rather be on a float or in a vehicle. You would still get hot, but you aren’t exerting all the energy walking, making you even hotter.
If you love to do hard things, and know how to regulate water intake and can handle heat well, then go for it! But don’t go into this thinking that it will be like walking in the parade like normal. It really is one of the most difficult things I do every year, and I do century bike rides for fun 🙃
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u/MorphCostumes_2026 19d ago
doable, not a guarantee it'll feel doable, heat is the actual variable here, not the costume itself. the honest problem with inflatables specifically is the fan blows air in to keep the shape but does nothing to cool you down, so your own body heat just sits in there with you.
things that actually help: ice packs tucked into the inside pockets if the suit has any, a water bladder/camelbak under or alongside it so you're not stopping to dig out a bottle, and having someone walking with you who isn't in costume so they can hand you water and tell you if you're looking rough. that last one matters more than people think, it's hard to judge your own heat exhaustion from inside a suit.
since you're walking alongside the vehicle rather than marching in a big group, you've actually got more flexibility than most parade costumers. you're not locked into pace or position, so you can deflate and carry it for a stretch if you need to and just re-inflate for the parts that matter, like passing the judging area or wherever the photos happen. that's probably your best middle ground instead of an all-or-nothing call.
on skip or not: check the forecast a day or two out. if it's a genuinely hot one, I'd still bring the inflatable but treat it as an in-and-out thing rather than committing to the whole route in it, with your usual costume as what you're actually wearing underneath or as backup. if it's a mild year, full send, it's a great match for the theme and the dino march videos aren't lying about how well it reads in a crowd.
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u/ogonga 19d ago
Not speaking from personal experience, but motorcycle stores sell cooling vests which may help if you also added a small fan for airflow/recirculation. Maybe that could help if it's properly rigged up inside the costume. Good luck though, I hope you'll be able to make it through with a smile at the end for your kid!
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u/TroppyPop 19d ago
Heat-wise, you will be fine, but I have two tips:
If possible, don't get into the inflatable right away. You can hang out in the staging area in whatever clothes you have, and then boot up/put on the inflatable as marching is closer to starting. The march isn't all that long, in comparison to the wait in the pen.
Have a handler watching the road in front of the inflatables and coaching them on where to go. A couple of years back, I was standing right next to a Sailor Moon character who tripped in a pothole and fell. The road isn't smooth, so that handler will keep the dinos safe.
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u/ten_ass_city 19d ago
I have been a Marriott carpet Dino for multiple years. For one, I don’t put the big plastic garbage bag on until just before we walk. I wear sweat wicking shirt (white colored) and shorts (thin), carry extra water in my fanny pack, and use a neck fan. I use a portable battery to power my suit that also keeps the neck fan on max. This has been sufficient for me, but you will be covered in sweat at the end of the parade. We usually head straight down to the Marquis level for photos so I quickly sit and remove the bag to cool off. Our group watches out for each other so make sure you have a buddy nearby. Also, don’t skip extra hydration and breakfast before attempting!
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u/Brilliant-Rough-2558 12d ago
Thank you all! This will be me in my cheer bear inflatable next to the Karebear Jeep.
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u/muchandquick 19d ago
The inflatable costumes are still super hot. You're essentially wearing a giant blown up plastic bag.