by Disney Magic Diva and Grace

You may think it’s obvious. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is where girls can be transformed into princesses, and The Pirates League is where boys become pirates.  And that’s true.  But, like any good Disney tale, there’s more to the story than just that.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has made thousands of little girls feel like princesses, but they can also give your little man the royal treatment and transform him into a brave knight. (Pixie Dusted Diva has all the details.)   Likewise, The Pirates League has undoubtedly brought out the inner scallywag in countless little boys, but they can also unveil the mermaid (or pirate!) in your darling daughter. (Fancy Free Diva can fill you in!)

Our granddaughter, Grace, has been more than a little spoiled with multiple visits to both Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and The Pirates League. (We even got to experience it at sea!)  After our last visit, I asked her what made each experience different, and which she liked best.  She couldn’t decide!  She loved them both, for different reasons.

Once we got home, her mother suggested Grace make a list of the differences between Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and The Pirates League. (What a great idea for an afternoon writing project!)

So, if you are considering a magical transformation for your little one during a Walt Disney World Resort vacation, you might appreciate her expert, first-hand advice as to what makes each experience unique.  Here are Grace’s tips:

Atmosphere: When you first walk into Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, you feel like you are a real princess.  You feel warm inside, and are ready to just let your inner princess come out. It’s very girly inside, and it’s great for little girls to feel pampered.  At The Pirates League you are ready to be a pirate the minute you walk in. It feels like you’re on a pirate ship because there are holes in the walls, barrels, and buckets everywhere – it’s amazing! And you get a pirate or mermaid name, and have to sign a book.  It’s exciting!

Clothes: At Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, if your make-over package includes a princess dress, your transformation begins by deciding which princess you’d like to be. Once you choose your princess dress, you get to go into your dressing room and change from your regular clothes into your princess dress.  Even if you brought your own princess dress, you still get to go into a dressing room and change.  At The Pirates League, for the mermaid package I chose, I didn’t get a dress, but I did see some packages that came with a very pretty shirt and skirt. (You can read more about what’s included with each package, here)

Diva Tip: Be sure to check out Diva recommended Mom Approved Costumes! They likely have whatever you are looking for – princess, knight, pirate, or mermaid! The clothes are kid-friendly, comfortable, soft, incredibly adorable, and best of all – budget friendly!! 

Hair: When you first sit down in your throne at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, you really feel like a true Disney princess.  First the Fairy Godmother-in-Training will chat with you about what you want for your hairstyle and makeup.  Once you decide, your Fairy Godmother  will start with your hair, and sometimes another Fairy Godmother  will come by and start with your nails.  You’ll get totally pampered and become a princess.  I’ve had a tiara in my hair with some packages, and one time I had colored extensions that looked like a rock star.  It depends on the package you choose.  When they are done, they will sprinkle pixie dust and do a big reveal.  They will also give you a drawstring backpack with the extra nail polish, make-up, and face gems.

When I went to The Pirates League, my hair was already in a fish-tail braid. They asked me if I wanted to keep the braid, or have them re-do it.  I told them I wanted to leave it in, so I can’t really tell you too much more about what they do with your hair, but I’m sure it would be fun.  I did get a flower barrette that changes colors in the sunlight to put in my hair. I loved it!

Make-Up: At Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique the make-up they apply on your face is the normal type of make-up you would see your mom wear.  At The Pirates League, with my mermaid package, they put tons of make-up on you, so that it basically feels like face paint.  You have blue eyebrows and scales.  It’s amazing! To make the scales, they put a sticker stencil on your face under your eyes.  Next they put on the make-up and gently peel off the sticker.  It doesn’t hurt or sting, even if you have sensitive skin.

Diva Tip: For parents who may wonder how all this make-up is removed, at The Pirates League we were given a packet of special make-up remover to get all those “scales” off our mermaid’s face. It worked perfectly!

Extras: At end of your princesses makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, you’ll get nail polish, makeup, a face gem, a tiara (or whatever is in your hair) and a drawstring backpack to put everything in.  At The Pirates League, you will get nail polish, make-up, friendship bracelet and necklace and it all goes in a  regular Disney plastic shopping bag.  At both places you get a sash to wear for the rest of the day! And at The Pirates League, there is a treasure cave!  Pirates can search for a gold medallion and mermaids get to search for a mermaid necklace.  It was fun, because it was dim, and you could tell it was a treasure cave. There was a throne, and all around the throne were gold doubloons. There were bookcases on the wall, and they gave us a hint so we could find our treasure.

Last bits of advice: Next time I go to Disney World, I would choose Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique because I can only go there until I turn 13. It’s only for kids 3-12.  But you can go to The Pirates League at any age, so I will be able to go there forever.  And the most important thing is to just have fun!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can be found in Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom and next to the Once Upon a Toy store in Disney Springs.    Both locations are very popular, and reservations are highly recommended.  (Call (407) WDW-STYLE up to 180 days in advance to make your reservation.) Makeovers take approximately 1 hour. There are several packages available, ranging from (as of September 2017) $64.95-$199.95 plus tax for princesses and $19.95-79.95 plus tax for knights.

The Pirates League is located in Adventureland next to Pirates of the Caribbean in Magic Kingdom. They offer Jake and the Neverland Pirates, First Mate and Captain Hook or Empress pirate packages, Mermaid packages, and even budget friendly packages such as Skulls & Scurry or Scurry Glam.  For a limited time, you can even choose an Uma (Ursula’s daughter from Descendents 2 ) package! Packages range from $18.95-99.95. Reservations for The Pirates League can be made up to 180 days in advance and are highly recommended. To make your reservation, call (407) WDW-CREW.

If you’d like help booking your Walt Disney World vacation, including your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or The Pirates League reservation, be sure to contact Patricia at All for Dreams Travel. She’ll make arrangements for you and all your pirates, princesses, and mermaids – and it’s all FREE!!

***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!

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