Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique review/tips (including how to make a reservation!)

If you have have a child that loves playing dress-up, a visit to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (BBB) may be in order for your next visit to Disney World.

There, Disney's young guests get the chance to dive headfirst into the magic while being transformed into some of their favorite characters.

Here's how it works:

What you need to know

BBB is one of the many magical extras you can choose to add onto your vacation to Disney World. 

At these popular salons, Fairy Godmothers-in-Training use kid-friendly products to transform your child into royalty. 

Much like the Pirates League, you'll have several different styles to choose from as well as different package levels to consider (more on that below). 

Some important details

• Guests wishing to be transformed at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique must be between the ages of 3 and 12 and Disney is fairly strict about this. If you have anybody older than 12 that would like a makeover, there are other options. Disney offers Character Couture Packages at several other salons around the resort.
• The appointments themselves last between 30 minutes to 1 hour, however, it isn't usual for them to be running a bit behind so plan accordingly when scheduling any FastPass or dining reservations.
• You can bring/wear your own costume (and they do have rooms for you to change) if you don't want to purchase a package that includes clothes (more on that below).
• There are lots of opportunities for photos with BBB so consider Memory Maker if you don't already have it. 

Choose your location 

First things first, you'll need to decide on a location. Currently, there are 3 options:

Magic Kingdom

This option is the most popular and its proximity to Cinderella's Royal Table and Princess Fairytale Hall make it ideal if your thought is that you want to do all the princess things together.

Disney Springs

This spot opened after the original in the castle and is great for people that are planning a non-park day. It is located near Once Upon a Toy in the Marketplace section. 

Grand Floridian (Opening August 6, 2019 - reservations now available)

This location is the newest and when it opens will offer another convenient spot to get fancied up before other popular royal activities like dining at 1900 Park Fare or having tea with a princess.

Reservations for this new location are now open with the first appointments starting on August 6.

Choose the best date

When it comes to selecting the ideal date for your visit, you'll first need to consider a few things:

• Do you have any special princess meals or meet-and-greets planned? If so, maybe think about scheduling your appointment on a day that coordinates with that.
• Will your family be doing a lot of swimming? If so, maybe aim to make the appointment towards the end of your trip so you can keep the hairstyle up for longer.
• Will you be celebrating anything special like a birthday? That may make a good day for your appointment.
• Are you going during a busy time of the year? Appointment options may be limited so you may just have to snag whatever you can find.

There really is no right or wrong answer and, depending on the time of year, appointment availability may be the factor that determines when you can go. But, if given the option, it is best to consider the things listed above so that you can make the best choice for your vacation.

Make you reservation

As I'm sure you can understand, reservations here are very popular. Thankfully Disney has made it easier to make one.

Your best choice will be to make a reservation online (much like you do dining reservations). 

You can do that by navigating to the correct page and then clicking the "Check Availability" button on the right hand side:

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Magic Kingdom
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney Springs
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney's Grand Floridian

Decide on a package

You'll have several different package options to choose from, any of which can include one of 3 hairstyles:

• Fairytale Princess
• Disney Diva
• Color Star

Have a reservation after August 5? 

Disney recently announced on the Disney Parks Blog that 4 new hairstyles are coming to the BBB beginning August 6. Check back for more info as it becomes available. 

Current package options include:

The Carriage Package (NEW! starting August 6)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish

The Crown Package (starting at $69.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish

The Courtyard Package (starting at $144.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt
• Trendy tutu

The Castle Package (starting at $199.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess necklace, sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish
• Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included)
• Additional coordinating accessories

The Deluxe Castle Package (starting at $229.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess necklace, sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish
• Deluxe Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included)
• Coordinating boxed accessory set

The Princess Signature Dress Collection (starting at $450.00 plus tax)

• Disney Princess gown made with heirloom-quality fabrics 
• High-quality crystal tiara with box
• Organza garment bag and satin hanger
• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish

The Minnie Dot Package (starting at $124.95 plus tax)

• Minnie hairstyle
• Minnie dot dress & bow
• Face gem
• Princess cinch sack
• Nail polish

Disney Frozen Crown Package (starting at $114. 95)

• Anna or Elsa hairstyle with braided hairpiece
• Snowflake hair accessory
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish
• 12" plush Olaf

Disney Frozen Package (starting at $164.95 plus tax)

• Anna or Elsa hairstyle with braided hairpiece
• Anna or Elsa dress
• Snowflake hair accessory
• Shimmering make-up and face gem
• Princess sash and cinch sack
• Nail polish
• 12" plush Olaf

The Knight Package ($19.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling with gel
• Mighty sword and shield
• Confetti

The Deluxe Knight Package ($79.95 plus tax)

• Prince Costume
• Hairstyling with gel
• Mighty sword and shield
• Confetti

In addition to all of that, you also have the option to buy additional accessories, shoes, and even a "Royal Knight" costume t-shirt. Plus, during the holidays or other times of the year, BBB often will have limited-time choices for costumes which can be fun.

FAQs about BBB

What is the best way to get there?

It always seems to take longer than you think when you are headed to a reservation so with that in mind, we typically recommend you plan to allow plenty of time.

Your best transportation option will depend upon where you start and which location (Magic Kingdom, Disney Springs, or the Grand Floridian) you are heading to.

Check out our transportation post for help figuring out the best option for your group.

Is there a place to store clothes before my appointment?

Yes! Lockers are available in all 4 parks and are a perfect spot to stash clothes before heading to a BBB appointment.

Some helpful Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique tips

Awhile back we had guest poster Christina Weyers share her experience at BBB and she had some fantastic tips. Here's what she said:

Tip #1 - Bring your own dress and accessories from home
There are several packages to choose from, ranging from $60-$195. We booked The Crown package, which was the most basic. In my opinion, it’s all you really need. It includes hairstyling, shimmering make-up, face gem, nail polish, a princess sash, and tote.

We brought our own Elsa dress, shoes and princess tiara from home and I just let her change into everything right before we went to the boutique. Sure, she saw all the dresses there to buy, but I would say the majority of girls we saw brought their own dresses.

(Note from Shannon: there are dressing rooms inside BBB where you can change if you'd like.)

Tip #2 - book early and plan accordingly
This probably goes without saying but appointments fill up FAST. If you have an idea of what day and what time you want, book as early as possible. There’s a very small chance you’ll be able to walk in to and actually get an appointment.

Tip #3 - allow extra time for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique’s tardiness
We booked an early dinner at Crystal Palace so that we'd be done eating before our 6:30 reservation at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. After our appointment, we had an 8 p.m. FastPass+. The BBB appointment itself takes about 35-45 minutes depending on the hairstyle chosen so I thought we’d be ok (so did our travel planner).

But the later in the day your appointment is, the higher the chance that they will be running behind. Hence, our daughter didn’t sit down with her fairy godmother until 50 minutes after her appointment time.  (Can you say mom panic mode!)  She also chose the the hairstyle which was the most time-intensive.

The bonus? Our daughter actually had THREE fairy godmothers working on her at one time to move along the process. My husband and son were already at the FP+ location for the parade.  We cut it so close that the BBB manager actually walked us all the way down Main Street to the FP+ parade location to ensure there were not issues.

Lesson learned? I would carve out at least 2 hours of your day for the BBB experience just to be safe. And booking a time earlier in the day is better than later to avoid the boutique running behind.

Tip #4 - bring cash to tip your fairy godmother
Tip is not included in your package, so bring cash to tip your fairy godmother. I know this is a personal call, but I think she deserves it. I followed typical hairdresser tipping rules of 15%-20%.

Tip #5 - bring your own camera
Bring your own camera/video recorder. Don’t count on the PhotoPass photographers to capture the whole experience. There were only 2 photographers there for about 15 girls in chairs, so they only come around periodically and then at the end for the fairy dust moment.

(Note from Shannon: After the makeover is complete you can get a photo session done by a PhotoPass photographer for no additional charge. At the Cinderella Castle location you can go across to Castle Couture or go to the PhotoPass Studio for the Disney Springs location. If you have purchased Memory Maker, these photos will be added to your account and available for download.)

Tip #6 - Be prepared: your princess may love it, BUT she may hate it
Your BBB godmother will tell you that the hairstyle will last up to 72 hours and your little princess may want to keep it in that long or she may not.

Everything to do with BBB is definitely fun- the big beauty chair, the cape, the fairy godmother, the fairy dust, the makeover, etc., but the hairstyle itself is most likely going to be out of your little princess’ comfort zone.

It’s tight, it’s itchy, it’s sprayed like a concrete wall and there’s a crown sticking into her head. So after a few hours when the BBB honeymoon wears off, your little girl may be ready to take it out…

....or she may want to leave it in FOREVER, so think about if you’re ok with the hairstyle in all of your photos, videos, and touring around Disney World for the next 3 days of your trip and think about what it may look like on day 2, 3, or 4.

Our little girl was somewhere in the middle. She insisted on sleeping in her new hairdo the first night and so the next day we headed to Hollywood Studios with her princess hair still intact...sort of.

Honestly, it was already a train wreck.  I literally avoided eye contact with other parents who were probably judging how I let her out in public looking like this. But all I could do was laugh.

It was a hot mess, and by lunch on Day 2, she was done (it was itchy, it hurt, etc.). Unfortunately, we couldn’t attack the disassembly process until we got home that night.

She was back to being happy at bedtime after we removed the hair piece and did a thorough shower hair scrub.

**********

Have you given Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique a try before? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!