One of the things in my bucket list as a parent was to take by child to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at the Disney Complex in Florida. In July 2019, with Heidi having just turned 6, we went to Disney Springs to turn my princess into a Disney princess.
What is Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique?
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a make-over service which allows children to look and feel like a princess, with all the Disney magic. Whilst this blog post will be focused on the Princess makeover, boys can have a makeover as well, so don’t feel that you have to discriminate between siblings!!
You have a range of options as to how far the makeover goes, from just makeup, to a makeup/costume makeover. We did the make-up option in an attempt to keep it simple (and cheap!), but the experience was amazing.
The rest of the blog contains spoilers, so please don’t read if you want surprises!!
At the Start
As you enter Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, you’re greeted by a Disney Cast Member, who books you in. Then they will quickly go through what you/your child wants. It is a good idea to know before you go in, and potentially explain to your child what they can/can’t have. I was clear with Heidi that she couldn’t have a princess dress, simply because of the heat. As a result of that chat, we didn’t have an argument at the start!!
A Cast Member will call you in and explain what will happen, with regards to the makeover. Then the Fairy Godmother makes an appearance…
Afterwards, you pay and have the chance to buy a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt and other associated merchandise as well.
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience
Your Cast Member will collect you and you will go into the salon. There are around 14 spaces for children to have their makeover in the single room, but it doesn’t feel cramped at all. There is 1 seat per child for an adult, so you might have to decide who gets to watch!
A Disney photographer will take a “before” photo, and then the Cast Member will start the makeover. This is where i give a big shout out to Madison (from Northport, AL) who was amazing with Heidi. If your child is confident and outgoing, they will have an amazing time with the Cast Member, talking about all things Disney and general life. Heidi had an amazing time just talking away about sweets/candy, our holiday/vacation and everything in between. It is an idea to keep listening discretely to the conversation as it can be magical!
The make-up takes around 30 minutes or so, and then the chair is spun, giving the big reveal. This is another magical moment, and it is best not to spoil it by letting them see themselves beforehand!! The Disney photographer will be on hand at this point as well.
After this, they apply a little bit of nail polish, and then you’re done. The whole thing is really relaxed and adaptable, as we found out as Heidi didn’t want her right thumb painting!!
As part of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience, you also get some nail polish, shampoo, glitter and brush to take home!!
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Photoshoot
After the makeover, you get the chance to have a few photos done with the Disney photographers in front of a couple of props. For this, you are best to have the Photopass and so don’t forget your Magicband or photocard.
This extra photos were amazing and it was really nice to have professional photos with proper lighting etc, marking the moment. Chances are you won’t do this more than once, and so it is a really nice touch. The electronic versions of the photos are included within the Photopass package.
Just be aware that you have to leave Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and walk a couple of minutes within Disney Springs, to get some of the photos done.
Some things to consider when booking Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Timing during your holiday – we did Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on our last full day as I wanted Heidi to have the makeup on when we got home. It did last very well, and I would probably do the same again.
Timing during the day – by having the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, you’re treated like a Princess when on Disney sites. As such, you might want the full princess experience and spend the day in the parks. For me, that would have been too much and too hot for Heidi, but it is something to consider. You can also have the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience at the Magic Kingdom.
Reservations – it is pretty much essential to book in advance. You can book 180 days in advance and they do get booked up quickly. The Disney Springs site is a bit quieter than the Magic Kingdom one however.
Overall
Having the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience was one of the best things we’ve done at Disney, which is high praise. Yes, it is a bit expensive, but it is one of those things you will probably only have chance to do once, and I’m so happy that we did it.
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