Author: Canadian Diva
Every celebration at Walt Disney World is special, especially Birthdays! Walt Disney World seems to love when individuals are celebrating their annual milestone. One of the best ways to let Cast Members and everyone in the “World” know about your special day is to wear the Official Walt Disney World Celebratory Birthday Button!
You can receive a FREE celebratory Birthday Button from many places around Walt Disney World: at the various gift shops and Guest Services Desks in the Theme Parks and at the Resorts. On our first visit to WDW, while my husband was checking us in at All Star Sports, I happen to ask a Cast Member in front of the gift shop, where I could get a Button for my daughter. She was so sweet let us stay where we were (we had a lot of luggage) and she went got one for us.
When you wear the Birthday Button, be prepared to have many Cast Members as well as visitors excitedly say, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” to you everywhere you go. It will be like a whole vacation party filled with Birthday Greetings.
The following magical extras happened to my daughter. My daughter celebrated her 7th Birthday when we first visited Walt Disney World and 7 years later celebrated her 14th Birthday at Disney World. We have been to Disney World in between during the 7 years yet there is just something extra magical about celebrating Birthdays in the most Magical Place on Earth!
When my daughter turned 7, we went all out Princess-themed for her! We booked a Princess Makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Disney Springs (then Downtown Disney), made an Advanced Dining Reservation for a Princess Meal at Akershus and then another Princess Meal a few days later at 1900 Park Fare.
With her Princess Makeover she received a special “Birthday Sash” and another Birthday Button (Diva Tip: make sure to note on your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique reservation that it’s your Princess’ Birthday and again when you check in, you could also gently remind your Fairy Godmother as well). As soon as we entered Epcot after her amazing Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Makeover, a Cast Member noticed my daughter, brought her aside and gave her her phone, apparently Goofy wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday to her. The fun didn’t stop there, we had a fantastic meal at Akershus meeting so many lovely Princesses. When Cinderella came around, I was about to say hi to her as she was near our table, she saw my daughter, all Birthday-d up and delicately put her hand up to signal us to wait, as she went to other tables. Then the regal music started to play, she extended her graceful arm towards my daughter and had by daughter by her side leading the Princess Procession around the Banquet Hall. My daughter was thrilled! She also received a beautiful Birthday Card signed by the Princesses and was given the famous Birthday Cupcake. We celebrated again at Animal Kingdom, with Musical Performers singing Happy Birthday to my daughter and another special free Birthday Cupcake at Tusker House. And at 1900 Park Fare, Prince Charming extended his hand to my daughter when he approached our Table to Waltz with her. It was indeed a most magical Birthday week and a very special first visit.
Donald Duck twirled my daughter around and gave her the biggest hug as he noticed it was her Birthday!
We thought nothing could top that Birthday week. This past summer, since we were visiting Walt Disney World around my Daughter’s Birthday again, I was more excited to get a Birthday Button for her than she was! At age 14 she is a bit over the Princess stage (warning parents: it happens, and it’s so heartbreaking when it does) however she still wore it and had so many wonderful greetings from Cast Members and visitors again.We were on the Quick Service Dining Plan this time so we didn’t plan any Table Service meals where we would sing Happy Birthday to her and being older, she was fine not having the big celebration like when she was younger.
But for me, one of the most heartwarming, touching & magical moments happened and I wasn’t even there!
For this past trip, since my daughter is older and knows her way around the theme parks** we let her go to an attraction or explore something on her own for a bit (only in the theme Parks and we entered together as a family) and then set up a specific time to meet up in the park later.
One evening we went to Hollywood Studios again. A couple days prior, we were at Hollywood Studios and my daughter expressed that her fave meal was the Braised Beef and Enchiladas at the Quick Service Restaurant, ABC Commissary (you can read Passholder Diva’s review of this eatery here). My husband, my 3 year old son and I had already eaten at our resort, POP Century, so as we entered Hollywood Studios we said she could enjoy her favorite meal on her own since she also didn’t want to go to the Preschool Show with us, Disney Junior Live On Stage (I mean what teenager does, right?).
My daughter’s favorite!
Braised Beef and Enchilada
ABC Commissary in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Being on the Disney Dining Plan, it was easy for my teen to get around the parks and order her own meals and snacks
Diva Tip: always ask your teen to keep a copy of their receipts to give back to you at the end of the day so you can keep track of all the Dining Credits. You can also keep track of your dining credits in the My Disney Experience app.
She went to Hollywood Studios to order and enjoy her meal. A Cast Member noticed her Birthday Button and asked if she was celebrating. She said yes.
She sat down and has her meal on her own. As she was finishing up her meal, a few Cast Members went to where she was sitting and presented her with a Birthday Cupcake! They then sang Happy Birthday to her.
When my daughter told me all of this, I was so very touched, that a Cast Member would go out of their way to make my teen feel special!
There so many Happy Birthday Stories like these. Of course these magical “extras” are “extras” and are not guaranteed. However what is guaranteed is, by wearing a Birthday Button, you will sure feel special as you are greeted happily, everywhere on your milestone!
Check out Soarin’ Diva’s son sporting his Birthday Button (and other Celebratory Buttons as well)
Here is a FUN Birthday Button from Disney Magic Diva. Her husband’s name is Jim! Writer Soarin’ Diva asked if it was a Starbucks Barista who wrote the name, HA!
Disney Magic Diva’s husband, Jim’s Birthday Button!
Cast Members will write the name of the person celebrating on the Button OR YOU could write it yourself. When we went to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, since my daughter’s birthday was noted on the reservation, she received a Birthday Button with her name Computer Printed and taped on.
Pixie Dusted Diva gives another great tip, go to the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at Disney and for $3, they will print the name in Olde Fashion English Script. That is an extra nice little souvenir and to have something different on your Birthday Button.
Diva Tip: You can have your Free Button written on at the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Magic Kingdom for a nominal fee.
Please share your Celebratory Birthday Stories below in comments or on our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #DisneyBirthdayButtonMagic
Pixie Dusted Diva’s Daughter wearing her Celebratory Birthday Button in front of Cinderella’s Castle.
**According to the official Disney Parks Rules and Regulations, Guests under 14 must be accompanied by guest 14 and older to enter the parks. Children must be supervised at all times, if you have a child 7 years old and younger, they must be accompanied by someone 14 and older to ride an Attraction. As for teens, if you have children 14 years and older, use your discretion and understand how your teen is like. Our family personally would not allow our children to enter and exit the Theme parks alone but will let them explore without us for a little bit once we are INSIDE the theme parks.
Are you hoping to celebrate your birthday at Walt Disney World or Disneyland or on a Disney Cruise? Do you have a princess or prince that is excited about their Birthday? Does your Princess want to be transformed by a Fairy Godmother with a Princess Makeover? Would you love to book a Character Meal for your child with Mickey Mouse or have a Princess Birthday dining with Princesses around? Travel Agent Patricia Payne can do all the planning for you as long as you book yo Vacation Package with her. Her services are FREE with every Disney Vacation booked. Get a Free Quote here.
***Disclaimer – We at Tips from the Disney Divas and Devos hope you enjoy reading our articles, and encourage you to share any you feel may be of interest to someone else. We do ask, however, if you choose to share the photographs attached to our articles, you give credit to the photographer. Thank you for your cooperation and sharing our love of Disney!
