When I think back to our recent trip to Disney World I am SO happy we chose to include Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! If you're not familiar, at BBB girls are transformed into princesses (or boys into princes) by fairy godmothers-in-training. They get hair, nails, makeup, and even a costume if you like.
You have to schedule your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience very early. They book up quickly, and we wanted to go to the more popular boutique inside Magic Kingdom. The other option is at Disney Springs, and while I'm sure it is great, you simply can't beat being made into a princess inside a real castle! We booked six months out. It was kind of a hassle to fit in with our other plans, so we almost nixed it. That would have been a huge mistake! I have rarely seen such genuine smiles from my girls. They loved the whole experience; getting fixed up, hearing the fairy godmother's stories, all of it.
When you arrive at the boutique the fairy godmothers-in-training greet you and you choose a package. There were three options for girls and a prince option when we were there.
Crown Package $59.95 - hair, makeup, and nails
Courtyard Package $99.95 - hair, makeup, nails, t-shirt, and tutu
Castle Package $199.95 - hair, makeup, nails, and costume
Knight Package $19.95 - hair, sword, and shield
We went with the Crown package for a very practical reason. The costumes and clothes only go up to size 12, which doesn't accommodate one of my kids. I knew this going in, so we weren't disappointed. I just had the girls dressed in something a little nicer, but still coaster-proof, that would work for their princess day.
When the girls were called they got to choose a special hairstyle. Kaitlyn went with Disney Diva, and Gwendolyn chose Pop Princess. They both turned out great. Disney Diva comes with a hairpiece. Kaitlyn chose pink, but blonde and brown were also options. Pop Princess includes extensions in a variety of colors you can mix and match. Gwendolyn went with hot pink and electric blue. Pop Princess looked great on Gwendolyn, but our fairy godmother says it doesn't work well with fine hair because the clips show. Also be aware, only the Fairytale Princess style comes with a tiara.
As the fairy godmother worked on hair, a Photopass photographer captured the moment, a second godmother did their nails, and they were overall pampered! The fairy godmothers-in-training told charming stories as they worked. One was about how they did the hair of all the Disney princesses every morning. Merida won't let them do more than pick the twigs out. : ) Gwendolyn loved hearing how Ariel delivered the jellyfish hair gel. This is just another example of how Disney makes things extra-special for the little ones.
When complete, the styles were not only fun, but definitely adventure-proof. Trust me, they were NOT moving! The girls were given princess sashes and face gems to finish their looks. Then it was time for the magic! The fairy godmother-in-training sprinkled them with a healthy dose of pixie dust from her wand, and turned the chair to the mirror with a flourish and a "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo"!
I think their faces say it all!
The girls couldn't have been happier. As we left they got a backpack to match their sashes. Inside were stickers, their makeup, nail polish, and official princess certificates.
I was really surprised by how my kids responded to this experience. They loved it! The time we spent at BBB added a lift to the entire day. We chose to save this for our last day at Magic Kingdom. We met Tinker Bell afterward, but how cool would it be to make it part of a themed Princess Day? You could schedule princess meet-and-greets while the kids look awesome for the pictures, and the ultimate would be to end it all with a meal at Cinderella's Royal Table. However, whatever you do, just remember to make memories, relax, and cherish those little ones!
