Holding on to the Magic -Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique

Editor’s Note: This story was originally posted in September of 2020.  I wanted to repost it to celebrate the reopening of the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique on August 25, 2022.  You can find a link for reservations at the end of the post.  — Michelle

During our last visit to Disneyland, in and of itself magical, I decided to surprise my daughter with a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Our “first” was when she was much younger… young enough that I don’t know if she actually remembers most of that experience. Since she was eight and potentially growing out of the princess stage I wanted to give her the chance dress up as my sweet, little princess one more time. I knew the day would come where she would say, “I am too old for that.” Let’s face it, an experience like this is just as much for the parents as it is for the kids. It’s a magical reminder that your kiddos are small and innocent. That wide-eyed innocence goes away far too quickly once the tween years arrive.

Needless to say, knowing this was likely the last time we’d get to do this, we took many photos and video of our Bibbidi Bobbidi experience.

The makeover experience is for ages three to twelve.  We chose the basic package which includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup, a face gem, nail polish, a princess sash, and “cinch” sack. The whole experience takes just about an hour. This time includes the pre-registering process where you choose the right package and hairstyle for the experience you are after. You can buy any number of princess and prince outfits at the boutique, but in order to save a little money we bought our dress ahead of time during one of Shop Disney’s family and friend events… not that we didn’t still have fun looking around!

One thing we learned was that the boutique does not do custom hairstyles. You must choose from a selection of what they offer during the registration process. My daughter loves Rapunzel and has went as far as to insist we rarely cut her hair. We were a little bummed to learn that they didn’t offer a Rapunzel-style braid. In the end it all worked out. She found a style she really liked and we got to see her with a hairdo she’d normally never wear!

Parents get to sit back and watch their little girl or boy turn into the prince or princess of their dreams. My advice is to book a reservation early in the day. Noon was about perfect for us. It gave my daughter plenty of time to spend the day fluttering around Disneyland before she decided she was ready to change back into her “play clothes.” While my daughter enjoys dressing up from time to time, she is also a bit of a tom boy at heart and loves to kick it casual. One thing to be mindful of when choosing a time is what you’ll be doing after. Water rides or swimming kind of put an end to the princess magic, so choose a time that works for your other plans too.