Like a lot of little girls her age, my 5-year-old daughter is obsessed with princesses. I mean obsessed. So when I told her she could have a princess makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, to say she was excited is an understatement.
I have to say, the experience was magical. Haley, our Fairy-Godmother-in-Training (FGIT) was phenomenal. The same child who normally screams if I even mention brushing her hair sat patiently while Haley combed and twisted and Pixie-dusted her normally unruly locks. And the reveal? Well, let’s just say this mama got a little teary.
BBB is an insanely popular experience, and one that any little princess fan should try at least once. I’ve had a lot of other moms ask me about it, so here’s the straight deal.
How much does it cost – really?
This experience is not cheap, but the BBB offers a few packages. The Castle Package includes the works: Hair, makeup, and nails plus a brand new princess costume and accessories, plus a photo package with prints. It easily runs $200 or more. If that isn’t in the budget, the lower level packages range from $54.95- $89.95, and include hair and makeup, and in some cases, nails and other accessories. No matter which package you get, you’ll take home all of the makeup used plus a sash and a tote.
I tried to save some money by bringing a dress from home, but once my daughter saw the Elsa costume (it was actually in stock!) I realized I wasn’t getting out of there unscathed. Our total bill for the mid-level Crown Package was about $120 with tip for the FGIT.
How long does it take?
Usually, about 45-60 minutes. Our appointment took about an hour and 20 minutes total, and that included a 15-20 minute wait for a chair. My princess also chose the most complex style (seven twists into a ponytail), which takes a bit longer than the standard bun style.
How long does the hairstyle last?
The hairstyle can last for days. My daughter is a very “active” sleeper” and hers lasted three days before she got tired of it. You might need to do a little smoothing or adjusting here and there, and over time, the massive amount of goo (“Jellyfish Jelly,” direct from Ariel herself) used to keep everything in place might turn white and flaky. A little water will take care of the problem.
Do girls really wear their dresses all day?
To adults, the idea of wearing a long, itchy dress in the Florida heat is unbearable. Kids don’t care, and a lot want to keep their “look” for as long as possible. My princess refused to take off her dress for the rest of the day after her makeover. If you buy a new dress at the boutique and decide to change later, bring it with the receipt to any shop and have it sent back to your resort so you don’t have to lug it around all day.
We have an ADR for (fill in time). Will we make it if we have a BBB appointment?
Unless you are eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table or another nearby restaurant right after your appointment, leave at least two hours between your BBB appointment and your reservation, especially if you opt for photo shoot package. Worst case, you have time to check out an extra attraction or two before you eat.
Castle or DTD – Which is Better?
Both locations are awesome. Personally, I like the MK location, because what’s more magical than being transformed into a princess in Cinderella Castle? The DTD location is a bit bigger, and feels slightly less chaotic, but you’ll have a great experience at either place. If your princess has her heart set on a certain “look,” make sure it’s offered at your location. For example, currently the Princess Sofia makeover is only offered at DTD, so if your daughter wants to look like Enchancia’s favorite princess, you’ll need an appointment there.
My Daughter Isn’t Quite 3 Yet – Can We Still Do BBB?
In a word, no. Because the makeup and styling products aren’t recommended for children under age 3, the BBB is pretty strict about this policy.
How Do I Make an Appointment?
Call WDW-STYLE at 180 days; if you are staying at an onsite resort, you have the same 10-day reservation policy as you do with dining. If you cannot get the location or time you want, keep trying. If you are really lucky, you might be able to get a walk-in spot, but appointments tend to fill up quickly.
For me, one of the best parts of the whole experience was the Disney PhotoPass photographer who took photos throughout. I sat back with a cold drink and watched the transformation, and got a few moments of relaxation. If you want a full-on photo shoot post makeover, it’s included in the Castle package or you can add it on for $32.95.
The BBB is truly the ultimate dress up experience, and my daughter still talks about it (and has asked to go back several times). Maybe it was the extra attention she got from CM’s and other guests afterwards? Either way, it was a highlight for us – and a perfect way to add some extra magic to our trip, and I highly recommend making time for it on your next visit.
Thank you for this Kristen. My girls are booked in at DTD for this in August and I’d been trying to find out if they had Elsa available – and I got my answer right here 🙂
We are having breakfast (brunch) with Mickey the same morning and when we rang to make the BBB reservation they said it would only last between 30-45 minutes. I’m hoping it doesn’t last in excess of an hour because we’ll never make it to The Contempory in time to meet Mickey. Maybe I should try to rearrange BBB just in case?
Please note that the Anna and Elsa packages at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique were for a limited time only during the holidays and are currently not available. There has been no word on when or if they will even return, but they are not currently there.
If you have reservations at BBB and are going to eat at the Contemporary, I would give yourself at least an hour to 75 minutes from time of arrival at BBB to getting to Contemporary for your reservation.
My daughter also loves Frozen (we watch it at least once a day, multiple times on wkends:-P), & I just booked an appt at DTD for her & her cousin in Dec. The lady I made the reservation w/ was very helpful & recommended bringing our own Frozen dress since as mentioned above, it’s not guaranteed to be in stock. Found a beautiful handmade dress on etsy.com. Prices range anywhere from $30-300 but worth looking at if your daughter her her heart set on Elsa or Anna.
My daughter just did the Elsa castle package. The Elsa dress was indeed in stock (7/20/14 at DTD location); however, the tiara is a Cinderella one. Just ask them to remove the Cinderella emblem.
Good to know. Thanks for the heads-up, Rob.
Does anyone know if they have an Elsa hairstyle at BBB in cinderella’s castle at walt disney world?
I need help.I want to know if I necessarily need to order a package.I just want a hairstyle for my child
Here are the packages and prices: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/downtown-disney/bibbidi-bobbidi-boutique-downtown/
Hi, we are going to the DTD BBB in April. At this point, I am thinking we will go out and get the entire package. My question that I haven’t been able to find a definite answer on is, what “accessories” are included in that package? And specifically? are shows included in that $195 price? Thanks!
I have been trying to get my girls in to the one in Orlando and we can’t! We have been trying for months! I don’t know if we wil ever get to make it back to Disney before their too old to enjoy the bouquet! Could someone please help me try to get my baby’s in! We will be there May 4th or May 5th 2015! Thank you so much! We call everyday to see if anyone has canceled! Sometimes 2 times a day!
Kristen did you get an appointment for bippity boppity botique?
Hi did they ask for your child’s ticket before actually taking her in? We are celebrating my twins birthday a week in advance due to work reasons and I was just going to buy the one ticket for the expertise but I heard that they don’t ask for it? Any suggestions ? Thanks
I’m not really sure what you mean. If you want to visit the BBB location in the Magic Kingdom, everyone 3 and up needs a park ticket. You can visit the Downtown Disney location without a park ticket, but in either case, you need a reservation for each person getting a makeover. Sometimes you can get lucky and there is availability for walkups, but it’s better to have an appointment. They will confirm that you have a reservation when you arrive, and if you only have a reservation for one child, only one child can get a makeover. Hope that helps.
HELP!!!! My girls had the colored hair put into their hair and they won’t come out. It feels like Velcro that is glued to the hair. Any tips are greatly appreciated!!!!