Summary
Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo! We are so excited that the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will reopen Aug. 25, 2022, at Magic Kingdom Park. Princesses and knights ages 3 to 12 can enjoy magical transformations again with the help of the Fairy Godmother’s apprentices. Reservations open in early August — no pricing has been announced yet. The locations at Disney Springs and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will reopen at a later date. While we await more magical details, check out our previous experiences below.
Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo! With these three magical words, the Fairy Godmother transformed Cinderella from a ragged maid into a beautiful princess, complete with a carriage. As if a trip to Disney World isn't filled with enough pixie dust, your prince or princess can receive the same royal treatment as Cinderella at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. With three locations at Disney World, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique offers a magical makeover experience in an equally magical setting. It's one the tadpoles will treasure, and one you'll save for the scrapbooks! Lily still talks about her Bibbidi Bobbidi makeover all the time!
The Royal Treatment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney World
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has three locations at Walt Disney World Resort — one in Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park, one at Disney Springs and one at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel & Spa. For any location, you'll need to make a reservation ahead of time. The original location is, of course, in Cinderella Castle. As you might imagine, this location books up pretty quickly, so be sure to hop to it if your prince or princess wants to head to the castle!
How to Make Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Reservations
The reservation policy is the same as for advance dining reservations. Guests staying at a non-Disney Resort hotel can make reservations up to 60 days in advance, while those staying at a Disney Resort hotel can make a reservation for any day of their stay (up to 10 days) starting 60 days from their arrival.
This means resort guests have an advance opportunity to reserve a time over non-resort guests. For example, on Aug. 1, the furthest date out that a non-resort guest could start making a reservation is Sept. 30 (60 days from Aug. 1). However, on Aug. 1, a resort guest arriving on Sept. 30 could make a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique reservation for Oct. 5.
For resort guests, you may want to plan a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique appointment near the end of your trip (when you can reserve 60+ days in advance) instead of when you first arrive. You cannot currently make a reservation online, but online reservations will open up sometime in early August (more details to be announced later!).
Why Choose the Bibbibi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney Springs
While the location in Cinderella’s Castle is the most popular, another option is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location in Disney Springs. All of the styling choices and prices are the same, and it has a number of advantages.
This location generally has a little more availability when it comes to reservations. The experience at both is the same, and both come with PhotoPass opportunities. At Disney Springs, however, there's a PhotoPass studio nearby for even more photo-ops (all of which are included in your BBB cost!).
There are pros and cons to both locations. What could be more magical than a princess makeover in a real-life castle?! However, as with all experiences, note that this does cut into your park time. If you're already planning a Disney Springs day, it's an easy stop. We've found that Lily's hair lasts at least two days, so if your princess has multiple dress-up days planned, she can put that sash back on and really extend the magic.
Some other factors to consider are:
- Since it is at Disney Springs, you do not need an admission ticket. If you have a planned day that does not include visiting the parks, a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique makeover that day can be a good choice because you do not lose park touring time while the makeover takes place.
- It is in a newer location at the Once Upon a Toy store, having moved from its spot in the Disney Store a couple of years ago. This allows for more seats and space in the salon area. However, it is still not overly roomy for siblings who are not having a makeover.
- There are two enhancements at the Disney Springs boutique that do not exist at the Cinderella Castle location. First, there are several changing rooms with a large mirror. Once in the room, the Fairy Godmother magically appears in the mirror and greets you. Second, after the princess transformation is complete and you're leaving the boutique, there is a neat photo-op with a model of Cinderella’s carriage. A PhotoPass photographer will take pictures, but you can use your own camera, as well.
- Perhaps the biggest advantage is that in our experience, it is MUCH easier to obtain a reservation. We had Lily's appointment on the day after Thanksgiving, which is one of the busiest days of the year. We arrived about an hour early just to check in and were surprised that she could go ahead and start her princess transformation immediately. In the salon, there were a number of open seats so someone could have easily obtained a walk-in appointment.
- After your tadpole's makeover, you can visit the PhotoPass Service Studio located nearby in Disney Springs for a photo session. If you have Memory Maker, these photos are added to your account. There are tons of fun backgrounds to choose from, and you can even make your own fairytale storybook!
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Packages and Pricing
At the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, tadpoles from ages 3 to 12 can have their very own Fairy Godmother-in-training give them a royal makeover. First, you select which hairstyle you'd like: Fairytale Princess, Disney Diva or Color Star. Then, you can choose from several different packages. Note: The following prices and packages may change upon reopening, as this list contains previous offerings. We'll update once more details are released!
- The Crown Package ($74.95 + tax) includes hairstyling, makeup with a face gem, nail polish, princess sash and cinch bag.
- The Carriage Package ($99.95 + tax) includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup and face gem, princess sash and cinch sack, nail polish and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt.
- The Courtyard Package ($149.95 + tax) includes the above, plus a tutu.
- The Castle Package (starting at $199.95 + tax) includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup and face gem, princess sash and cinch sack, nail polish, a Disney Princess gown of her choosing (not including shoes) and additional coordinating accessories.
- The Deluxe Castle Package (starting at $229.95 plus tax) includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup with a face gem, princess necklace, sash, cinch sack and Deluxe Disney Princess gown of her choice (excluding shoes) ... plus a coordinating boxed accessory set!
- The Princess Signature Dress Collection (starting at $450 + tax) includes shimmering makeup and face gem, princess sash and cinch sack, hairstyling, nail polish, princess gown made with heirloom-quality fabrics, a crystal tiara and organza garment bag.
There are also a couple of specialty packages for "Frozen"-lovers!
- The Disney Frozen Crown Package ($119.95 + tax) includes Anna or Elsa hairstyling with braided hairpiece, sparkling snowflake hair accessories, shimmering makeup, face gem, princess sash and cinch sack, nail polish and a 12-inch Olaf plush toy.
- The Disney Frozen Package ($179.95 + tax) includes all of the above, plus an Anna or Elsa dress.
A print photo package, which includes one 6"x8" photo and four 4"x6" photos in a special photo holder, can be added to any of the packages for $32.95 + tax. If you opted for Disney’s Memory Maker, pictures taken during your princess' transformation can be added to your account. Also, with Memory Maker, you can hop over to Castle Couture and have a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Studio photo session. There is no extra cost to have these pictures taken and added to your account. Assorted princess accessories and T-shirts are also available for purchase.
You'll want to plan for about an hour for this magical transformation, depending on the package and the hairstyle your mini royal selected.
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Experience
Lily absolutely loves the experience — it's one of her favorite activities at Disney World and she can't wait for it to come back! Leading up to her makeover, she asked every day when her appointment was and if this was the day for it. She loved telling the characters she met later that day that she had been to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Cinderella Castle. We did not wash her hair or face that night, so she still had the princess look all of the next day (note: bring a shower cap to help maintain the hairdo).
After returning home and telling others about her visit, she would mention having her hair done and makeup applied in Cinderella Castle. She also mentions it when she sees Cinderella Castle during the opening of Disney movies.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Tips
1. Try to Get a Morning Appointment
A morning appointment allows your child to be made up for the day. This works out great if you have a meal at Cinderella's Royal Table or a meeting with Cinderella at Princess Fairytale Hall later. Plus, you can take pictures of your child with characters who may have limited visiting times. For example, we were able to take pictures of Lily wearing her Cinderella dress after her Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique visit with Fairy Godmother and Anastasia and Drizella.
2. Save on Princess Dresses
You can save on an official Disney version of a princess dress by checking eBay for either used dresses or new dresses that are being sold for less than the retail price of about $65 + tax. The used dresses can be a great value because they typically have only been worn once or twice and are in great shape. I purchased a new Cinderella dress with several accessories for $45 and a group of four used dresses for only $80. Another option to save on a dress is to watch the Disney Store website for sales. I started watching a year in advance before our last visit and purchased several dresses for at least 25 percent off.
If your daughter is near 12 years old or tall for her age, the dress selection is more limited because many dresses are only available up to a size 10. The Disney Store website may offer larger sizes (up to size 13) that are not available at the retail store locations.
3. Bring an Extra Pair of Shoes
If you have a special pair of shoes that go with the dress, you may want to bring an extra pair that is more comfortable. Lily would wear her fancy shoes when meeting a character and then change to her other shoes after the encounter.
4. Be Ready for Your Own Photo-Ops
While you'll receive a ton of beautiful photos of your princess, don't froget to be ready to take your own pics during the process. And think about other places that may make for special impromptu photo-ops. Some of our favorite spots are at Cinderella Fountain and the Wishing Well, but Leap also caught a gorgeous shot of Lily on Dumbo with a bright smile and her princess sash waving in the wind. When exiting the castle toward Fantasyland, turn left to head toward the fountain near the entrance to Castle Couture and right for the wishing well on the path that heads to Fairytale Garden.
5. Consider Splitting Up
There is limited seating in the boutique for people waiting and watching the royal makeovers. If your child has siblings, it would be good if they could leave and do something else while the makeover is being done. Tad quickly became bored and did not want to sit in the boutique when he could be riding Space Mountain, so Leap took him while I waited and watched Lily's makeover.
6. There Are Options for All Genders
For tadpoles who aren't interested in a princess makeover, Bibbidi Bobbidi offers a Knight Package ($19.95 + tax) that includes hairstyling with gel, a sword and a shield. The Deluxe Knight Package ($79.95 + tax) adds a prince costume. Disney also announced that, upon reopening, there will be even more options to choose from, including new costumes featuring some of Disney's newest heroes and heroines.
7. Keep in Mind the Age Limit
Lily is only a tadpole, so she still has a lot of time left for a repeat visit to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique before she turns 12. For those older than 12 (including adults), a character-inspired transformation option has recently been added at salons across the Walt Disney World Resort. If this applies to you, make sure to check out our post on Disney’s Character Couture Makeovers for Adults.
Are you excited that the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is reopening at Magic Kingdom? Let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.
Related: Getting the Royal Treatment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disneyland
Hoppy planning!
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