Which "Princess" activity is "worth" the $$ - Need help choosing ONE (thats all I can handle)

[Rabb it]

Royale Hall has a bunch of Princesses inside it and it's FREE! The line can get a bit long, but if Princesses is what you want this is the place to go

Ariel's Grotto in DCA is a character dining option. It's not cheap, but typically 5 princesses come around and stop at your table in turn so you can take pictures with them. It's a tad be awkward at times, your mouth is full of food then a beautiful princess walks up to say hello haha.

 

[are you ready]

Okay I've decided the best option for me is to take her to the BBB for a makeover, and then to some of these free meet & greets a lot of you have suggested, so she can meet the princesses dressed as a princess. I'll take her to the Grotto and Fantasy Faire on our next trip because it will be to expensive, time consuming, and nerve wracking to do them all in one trip, lol.


3. Speaking of dresses, is it cheaper/better to bring your own (like buy one online and have her wear it to the park) or are the dresses at BBB (if they have them there) "special" (better looking/quality than what you would buy online) and worth the price difference, if there is much of one?

4. Speaking of WEARING dresses to the park...
- I see a lot of little girls at the parks in there princess dresses. If you have a DD who does that, does she wear it all day or should I bring a change of clothes? It doesn't look like it would be comfortable all day also what about getting on rides? Does having all that fancy princess gear on interfere with any rides? Should she wear anything under her dress?


We brought a dress from home, bought a nicer one and didn't let her wear it until the park so it wasn't tired looking. She wore a t-shirt and leggings underneath, besides the fact that it was January I just find the seams in play clothes to be so itchy, its just that much more comfortable. she also wore the dress ALL day and didn't complain about it one bit. I did just have her wear regular runners and not fancy shoes like she wanted but she would have been miserable trying to wear dress sandals in the park.

 

[sashasmommy]

We went to Ariel's Grotto for breakfast last year and I thought the food was quite good. The cool thing about it was we weren't allowed into the park until 10 am, but we got a reservation for 9:30, so we were knocking out meeting 5 princesses before we would have been allowed to get in the park. I don't know if you'll be able to get an early reservation like that now because reservations have already opened for June, but it's worth a try. Park open times are also going to be different.

As for dresses, Little Adventures is a good brand that is not scratchy, no glitter (as I sit here in a pile of glitter on my couch because my daughter is wearing a NON-Little Adventures dress today), no velcro/zippers, you just pull them over the head. Machine wash and dry. You can buy them on Amazon. Also there's a site called Mom Approved Costumes that has Little Adventures and other brands that meet those comfort and care specifications. My daughter wore her Belle dress all day last year and was perfectly happy. I did put a tank top undershirt under it, and capri leggings.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

We went to Ariel's Grotto for breakfast last year and I thought the food was quite good. The cool thing about it was we weren't allowed into the park until 10 am, but we got a reservation for 9:30, so we were knocking out meeting 5 princesses before we would have been allowed to get in the park. I don't know if you'll be able to get an early reservation like that now because reservations have already opened for June, but it's worth a try. Park open times are also going to be different.

As far as I know, Ariels Grotto breakfast only has reservations between 9-10 AM no matter what time of year it is. In September, this means you get to go in before the park opens, which is nice. We also have done that before. In June though the park opens at 8 am, so the park will already be open.

 

[Dionnemay]

We went to Ariel's Grotto for breakfast last year and I thought the food was quite good. The cool thing about it was we weren't allowed into the park until 10 am, but we got a reservation for 9:30, so we were knocking out meeting 5 princesses before we would have been allowed to get in the park. I don't know if you'll be able to get an early reservation like that now because reservations have already opened for June, but it's worth a try. Park open times are also going to be different.

As for dresses, Little Adventures is a good brand that is not scratchy, no glitter (as I sit here in a pile of glitter on my couch because my daughter is wearing a NON-Little Adventures dress today), no velcro/zippers, you just pull them over the head. Machine wash and dry. You can buy them on Amazon. Also there's a site called Mom Approved Costumes that has Little Adventures and other brands that meet those comfort and care specifications. My daughter wore her Belle dress all day last year and was perfectly happy. I did put a tank top undershirt under it, and capri leggings.

Yaas!! Thanks for mentioning the GLITTER!! My daughter has a Snow White dress that she lives but I spend forever getting glitter off of my furniture and clothes . Also the dresses I get online on Amazon - not even the same brands- seem to all tear very easily and in the same place - either vertically in the front at the chest, or horizontally at the hips where the top and bottom meet.

Would love to find a brand that doest rip so easily or leave glitter everywhere, especially if she's going to be walking around the parks all day in it. That's why I asked about the quality of the ones available to buy in DL. If they are sturdier, they might be worth the price at least for one.

I'll check out Little Adventures on Amazon. Thanks for the tip.

 

[lcp9]

Okay I've decided the best option for me is to take her to the BBB for a makeover, and then to some of these free meet & greets a lot of you have suggested, so she can meet the princesses dressed as a princess. I'll take her to the Grotto and Fantasy Faire on our next trip because it will be to expensive, time consuming, and nerve wracking to do them all in one trip, lol.



Okay so I DO have a few questions for those of you who have done the BBB...

1. Someone mentioned they have different "packages" at various prices and that there's a place where they take the girls afterwards to get photos.
- Can we take the photos ourselves with our phones or do we have to buy the "Disney" ones?

2. DO they have dresses (crowns, and other accessories) right there in the boutique to purchase and a place for the girls to change into them? Or do those come with a certain "Package"?

3. Speaking of dresses, is it cheaper/better to bring your own (like buy one online and have her wear it to the park) or are the dresses at BBB (if they have them there) "special" (better looking/quality than what you would buy online) and worth the price difference, if there is much of one?

4. Speaking of WEARING dresses to the park...
- I see a lot of little girls at the parks in there princess dresses. If you have a DD who does that, does she wear it all day or should I bring a change of clothes? It doesn't look like it would be comfortable all day also what about getting on rides? Does having all that fancy princess gear on interfere with any rides? Should she wear anything under her dress?

5. My daughter is mixed race black/white so she has very long curly hair down he back - I usually have to dose it with dangler spray before I brush it. I know she'll want one of those Princess "buns" I see the girls from BBB running around with... I'm sure its easy to do with straight hair but how are the ladies at BBB at dealing with more ethnic hair?

I'm glad you decided on BBB - you can meet all the princesses in the park, and I think the food at Ariel's grotto is terrible. haha. we have a 5 year old princess crazed girl, so we've done it all at one time or another.

1. You can absolutely take as many pictures as you want. Generally the only time the photo people take pics is if you do the top tier package and it comes with a photo session.

2. Yes they have all the dresses/etc for sale and dressing rooms to use. If you purchase the top tier package, a dress/crown/wand come with it.

3. I personally feel like Disney Store/disney parks dresses are much higher quality than other off brands, and the disney parks ones tend to be a little bit more special/sparkly. If you are not doing the top tier package, however, just buy one from the disney store. I think the parks ones are about $20 more than disney store.

4. Yes, little girls love to wear the dresses. We usually bring one per day and she wears it all day. I think we have yet to use her change of clothes that we bring. We also try to bring one that is a bit shorter than the others so it's more ride appropriate (tinker bell, fawn, some of the others that are not floor length.)

5. We are about as white and blonde as it gets so I don't know about this, but I have seen little girls there of all different races/ethnicities and they all look great at the end. I wouldn't worry about this!

*I don't know if cost is a concern, but I tend to like doing the top tier package (castle package, about $200 after tax) BECAUSE it comes with a dress, and mostly because they escort you to the front of the line to the royal hall to meet the princesses there. Anything I can do to avoid a line, I will. haha.

**We have met all the princesses on the same day with careful coordination using the meeting times on the app. It took about 2-3 hours in the morning that I had planned out. Even if you don't do the royal hall/castle package, you can definitely meet everyone if you plan wisely.

 

[lcp9]

Also makeovers usually last 30-40 minutes. If you do castle package, about 10 minutes for getting dressed at the beginning, and about 20 minutes at the end for photo sessions, meeting princesses.

 

[Winnowill]

My DD typically wears a tank top and shorts under her princess dresses, so that, if she gets hot or uncomfortable, she can just take it off (and put it into Mom's bag, natch).

 

[pmaurer74]

what princess are usually in the royal hall and which ones are at Ariel's Grotto?

 

[losfp]

We've done them all haha.

Ariel's Grotto - sit-down character dining. It's expensive and the food is ok (not amazing). The princesses whip through and you can get a photo and autograph.

Royal Hall - Meet & Greets. The queue can be long. There's usually around 3 princesses in separate "rooms". I think you get better photos here because the backdrops are nicer than just being in a restaurant, and each princess usually has a photopass photographer as well so you can all get in the shot if you like.

Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique - Makeover sessions. the priciest one includes the dress and so on, a photo shoot with Cindy's carriage and the best part is you then get to skip the line at Royal Hall. Our older parasite loved it at 7. The younger hellbeast was slightly too young, but she will get to do it on our upcoming trip. We'll get her the full package, the older one will jsut get hair etc done (and we'll bring a dress for her) and then the whole family gets to skip the queue

So it really depends on which experience you want. For our girls, I would say BBB was the better experience. I enjoyed Ariels too, but not quite as much.

 

[sashasmommy]

what princess are usually in the royal hall and which ones are at Ariel's Grotto?

We met Ariel, Rapunzel, Belle, Tiana and Cinderella at Ariel's Grotto, but I think the princesses can vary.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

what princess are usually in the royal hall and which ones are at Ariel's Grotto?

The Princesses can vary at either of these locations. Usually we have found:

Royal Hall: Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Aurora.
Ariels Grotto: Ariel (you meet her before you sit down at your table) Tiana, Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Rapunzel. (Usually only 5 Princesses are here)

 

[mom2rtk]

We met Ariel, Rapunzel, Belle, Tiana and Cinderella at Ariel's Grotto, but I think the princesses can vary.

These are the same ones we tend to meet there.

Royal Hall we tend to see Cinderella and Ariel, but the other varies. Sometimes Sleeping Beauty. If you go when it first opens the line is nonexistent (just walk straight in) but the 3rd princess might not be there yet.

 

[mom2rtk]

Also if you go for Storytelling, certain shows will have the characters come back out after the show for pictures. But you have to have been in the group for the show. And certain shows don't do it, maybe their last sets for the day?

 

[pmaurer74]

The Princesses can vary at either of these locations. Usually we have found:

Royal Hall: Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Aurora.
Ariels Grotto: Ariel (you meet her before you sit down at your table) Tiana, Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Rapunzel. (Usually only 5 Princesses are here)

my reservation is for 3pm which is still lunch. Will we still be able to see all the princesses?

 

[mom2rtk]

my reservation is for 3pm which is still lunch. Will we still be able to see all the princesses?

Yes. They are pretty methical in how they tour the room.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

my reservation is for 3pm which is still lunch. Will we still be able to see all the princesses?

Yes. You will meet Ariel before being shown to your table. Then the Princesses come out and are introduced to the room before they started visiting the tables. You won't miss them.