We spotted Snow White going through security check at Anaheim Convention Center. Then we saw her butterfly sleeves. A Disney princess wearing a terno?
“Excuse me,” we called out. “Are you Fiipino?”
“Opo,” said Lily Rose, flashing a big smile. Lily Rose (or Lawrence Lim), is a Filipino-American drag queen and a Disney super fan. “I’ve been a Disney fan since I can remember. My family always took me to Disneyland as a kid,” she said. And going to Disneyland is something she still enjoys today. “Going to Disneyland makes me forget all my troubles. I can be a kid and not worry about bills and life. You could just have fun and be free like when you were younger.”
Lily Rose has lived in California all her life—San Francisco, Daly City and now Anaheim, which brings her closer to Disneyland. She’s no D23 Expo newbie—this year is her third time to go. In 2017, she went dressed as Moana.
This time, she chose Snow White. “She’s my favorite princess. I already had this bolero. I made the whole outfit, adding a blue bodice and a big yellow ball gown. I wanted to bring the Filipino culture to the expo because we want to see representation.”
She enjoyed meeting the other cosplayers at D23 Expo. “I love seeing all the different costumes, all the time and the effort they put into it.”
We asked Lily what the highlight of her D23 Expo experience was: “I really enjoyed seeing all the new things that they’re coming out with. I’m really excited about Disney+. I already signed up.”
