Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique & Pirate Makeover

I need some real advice on this. We are traveling with my 4 year old daughter and 3 year old son during the last week of June. I was able to secure a reservation for my son for the pirate makeover in the morning of the Monday we will be at MK. There aren’t any available reservations in MK for the same day for my daughter at BBB. She is obsessed with the princesses and dressing up, so I considered this a must-do for her.

However, I’m thinking that if I can’t get the reservation, I don’t know if it’s worth it to travel all the way to Disney Springs. And won’t the dresses be so hot and uncomfortable for her? Am I better off just doing her hair myself and bringing a few dresses for her? And should I cancel the pirate reservation if we don’t end up doing BBD for my daughter?

I need some advice PLEASE! =)

So we’ve had the opportunity to do both with both kids. DD was turned into a princess, DS a knight at BBB. This was expensive but fun for both of them, and the photos at Castle Couture afterward are some of my favorites of them together when they were littler.

We did the Pirate’s League later that same trip and both kids were transformed into pirates (DS into Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and he looked amazing). That was far more affordable - and a much better deal as we went through the Pirates of the Caribbean gift shop after and added up what they got vs the cost of the session - and both kids reported they enjoyed it more than BBB. My DD was a bit older at the time - 9 - and DS was 5. They do some pretty incredible photos in the map room after the makeover and those pictures are amazing too, for different reasons. And if you time it well, you can have them attend the Pirate’s Tutorial after, which is just across the way with Jack Sparrow. One of the most fun things we’ve done on a WDW vacation.

Whether it’s worth it to travel “all the way to Disney Springs” depends on how much your DD wants to do this (or whether she is aware of it). Personally I am not sure I would go to DS just for that - but if I could work it into other time we would spend there/ADR there then that would be worth it to me. I would otherwise focus on getting a time at MK.

In our family we try to do “all things equal” so if we do for one we do for the other - so if it were me and I couldn’t score a BBB ressie for my DD I would cancel the Pirate’s League for my son. If you are visiting MK more than once or have hoppers, perhaps one day can be her special day (whenever you can get BBB) and the other can be his for Pirate’s League.

Let me know what other questions you have about each of the sessions. Both are really special experiences!

We have done BBB in the castle and DS, and we have also done Pirate’s League. My son and daughters loved them all, including the experience at Disney Springs. Your son may like to be made into a prince at BBB in DS, thereby combining that experience with your daughter. Or, your daughter may enjoy turning into a mermaid at Pirate’s League. My daughters absolutely loved their mermaid hair and makeup - much more than BBB. It was beautiful and the the cast members were super funny. If your daughter likes princesses, would she be pleased with turning into Ariel? Maybe you could surprise her with a Princess Ariel gown from home (much cheaper) and coordinate it with her mermaid hair and makeup, thereby combining the Pirate’s League experience with your son. And yes, the dresses will be hot, itchy and uncomfortable in the Florida heat. My daughters preferred character t-shirts.

We loved Pirate’s League! DD did BBB when she was 6 or 7, and it was great and we have amazing pictures from it. But, we’ve since done PL (me too) and that is a fantastic experience. Those make artists are really into it! The room is so cool.
Like @melissam1 mentioned, If your daughter likes mermaids at all, she would like this. And…it’s way less $$$