Character Couture
(43 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Sara Newbury
Lewisburg, PA
Walt Disney World ~ Nostalgic Escape
UPDATE: Valid theme park admission and Park Pass Reservations are required to visit the theme parks. Annual Pass holders do not need a Park Pass Reservation if entering the parks after 2pm ET. On Jan. 9, 2024, Park Pass Reservations ...
UPDATE: Valid theme park admission and Park Pass Reservations are required to visit the theme parks. Annual Pass holders do not need a Park Pass Reservation if entering the parks after 2pm ET. On Jan. 9, 2024, Park Pass Reservations will no longer be needed to visit the theme parks!
Do you ever find yourself reminiscing about a favorite childhood memory? I do, almost on a daily basis. One of my fondest memories as a child was watching The Disney Sunday Movies. This nostalgia floods my senses with the smell and taste of hot microwave popcorn, the sound of Mike Eisner's voice as he introduced that nights' classic film, and the sight of Tink as she brought to life the Disney logo (I still YouTube the intro)! Times were simpler and day dreaming was a full time job.
Walt Disney World is an escapism destination that brings to life those day dreams. No matter if you're 1 or 100, Walt Disney World has something for everyone as it harkens to days gone by and lays out the possibilities for what could be. Every day is an opportunity for memory making. Perhaps it's capturing your littlest one's first steps on Main Street, U.S.A., conquering your fear of Expedition Everest, marching along with a parade of Storm Troopers, or navigating the cuisine of World Showcase. No one can take those experiences away from you and will ultimately become part of your nostalgic escape.
In early May 2018, the Disney Parks Blog posted an article about a fascinating magical makeover for adults visiting Walt Disney World: the Character Couture experience. However, the only information anyone could seem to get their hands on was just that Disney Parks media release...there were no real live guest reviews or pictures to be found online. So, like any curious Disney-enthusiast and frequent Walt Disney World guest, I rounded up some friends and made an appointment for a Character Couture makeover!
The styles are character-INSPIRED and execution can vary from stylist to stylist. This means each transformation is unique. More importantly, the salons do not have Disney’s licensing to promote specific characters (BUT they’re working on it), and thus the styles are generalized into the following categories:
• Princess
• Hero
• Villain
• Galactic
As such, guests are encouraged to use their imagination and go into the appointment with a character in mind. Perhaps the guest roots for the villains and would love to channel their inner Yzma or Evil Queen. Whatever the inspiration may be, your stylist will try their very best to evoke that characters’ image, but the stylists have no formal look-book for you to reference.
The salons use a high-quality, oil-based make-up. There’s an array of brightly pigmented colors available, along with plenty of tinted glitter options. Because it’s oil-based, the make-up is waterproof. No need to worry about sweat or rain ruining the design. However, removing it requires an oil-based make-up remover or baby oil and some elbow grease. If you’re looking for more of a fierce full face, half face, or larger eye design, then I suggest a visit to a face painting kiosk located in all of the 4 theme parks and Disney Springs.
Guests (ages 4 years old and older) can select from 1 of 3 packages and EACH package receives either a pair of clip-on Minnie Ears or a crown:
- Storybook Style (25 minutes) - Hairstyle only
- Magical Makeover (55 minutes) - Hairstyle and make-up
- Timeless Transformation (90 mintes) - Hairstyle, make-up, and nails
For our visit, my friends and I went with Storybook Styles and Magical Makeovers at the Grand Floridian's Ivy Trellis Salon. The stylists were very accommodating and offered some great ideas. All in all, we spent at least an hour in the salon and had it all to ourselves...perk of having 4 friends and only 4 salon chairs ;)
At the end of our experience, we sauntered around the resort, savored a travel glass of wine, and ran into one of the lead vocals from Magic Kingdom's "Happily Ever After" soundtrack (hint: he's also on the "Moana" soundtrack). Good thing we were Disney-princessified!
Would I do the Character Couture again? Nah, I'm good.
Would I recommend it to the family member or friend who is slightly jealous that only the little kids get a Fairy Godmother-in-training at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique? Absolutely!