As much as I would love to hop into one of the salon style chairs in Cinderella’s Castle and smile as a Fairy Godmother in Training gave me the princess look, sadly these makeover experiences are reserved for children.  Well, with the one exception that proves the rule, of course!  Here are some quick, high level overviews of some of the makeovers available at Walt Disney World.  The links will take you to videos of our experiences with these different makeovers.  And the bottom line…..Samantha LOVES the attention that comes with one of these special treats.  If your child likes face paint, it is well worth considering as an add-on to a Disney trip.

Here, I have to start with the classic Princess Makeover in Cinderella’s Castle. Perhaps because it is the most popular makeover, it is by far the most difficult to reserve.  The only time I have taken my daughter was when I remember to get up and call in to make a reservations precisely six months from the start of a trip.  Most of the time, I am simply not that organized.  And at $60+ for the starting package, maybe it is a good thing that this one remains a very special treat.  Here is the finished product of about an hour’s makeover – one princess with a fancy hairdo, light make up and a glowing smile in the photo session that finishes the makeover.

Not every child is a princess.  Disney World recognizes this with the Pirate’s League experience.  This one is extra fun because it is the exception – adults can get their makeover here just like kids!  One of these days, Samantha and I will do this together, laughing all the way.  The giggles come in part from the fact this is somewhere around 1/2 the cost of the princess makeover in the castle.

Perhaps the easiest makeover for Walt Disney World are the face painting stations.  There are scattered all over all the parks and Disney Springs. At perhaps 20% of the cost of the Princess Makeover, the face painting option is the most versatile.  You can be a Navi’i in the Animal Kingdom or an Ice Queen in the parks.  There are also often special face paint offerings for the Halloween season.

One of the face paint artists once gave me a great tip.  She said if I kept my receipt, any of the other stations would do a complimentary same-day touch up of the face paint. I’ve tried this a couple of times and it has worked each time.  These require no reservation and can be a great deal of fun.  We have paired the Ice Queen face paint with my daughter’s favorite Elsa dress several times and she loves it every time!

The combination of low cost (~$15) and easy availability make face paint a great option.

There are also occasional special event makeovers.  One that my little girl enjoyed a great deal was the Frozen Boutique that was part of the 2015 Frozen Summer Fun in Hollywood Studios.  I did a write up of that experience over on MiceChat, at Ice Palace Makeover.  For the video highlights, check out the video Disney World Elsa Makeover.