The Princess Transformation
The Royal-Sea Lagoon Experience
& The Royal-Tea Experience
A once-in-a-lifetime experience—where your child becomes the star of her own fairytale.
The Princess Transformation
Experience
Our Most Popular Princess Experience!
This storybook-perfect experience is made for little royalty who dream of twirling in tiaras, sipping tea with their favorite princess, and stepping into a fairytale all their own.
✨ What’s Included:
👑 Choose Your Favorite Princess in her mermaid form to host your private royal experience
👗 Princess Dress-Up from our enchanted wardrobe, featuring sparkling princess gowns or mermaid tails
💖 Magical Makeover with sparkling makeup, glitter, face gems, and gorgeous hairstyles to choose from
🫖 Royal Tea Party with sparkling pink tea and princess etiquette lessons
📖 Story Time & Princess Dance Party filled with laughter, twirls, and timeless charm
📸 Fairytale Photo Moments in our magical, fairytale venue
🎁 A Royal Treasure to Take Home as a keepsake from your unforgettable day
🌟 Perfect for Ages 3–10
💫 Hosted by: Your child’s favorite princess
📍 Location: Our immersive fairytale venue on charming Balboa Island
The Royal-TeaExperience
A perfectly petite royal tea party
Perfect for younger royals who aren’t quite ready for a full makeover, this gentle and magical experience focuses on story time, imaginative play, and a charming tea party—with just a touch of sparkle.
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✨ What’s Included:
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👑 Choose Your Favorite Princess in her mermaid form to host your private royal experience
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👗 Princess Dress-Up from our enchanted wardrobe, featuring sparkling princess gowns or mermaid tails
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💖 Mini Salon Experience with sparkling makeup, & face gems + a dust of pixie dust in the hair *no hairstyle*
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🫖 Royal Tea Party with sparkling pink tea and princess etiquette lessons
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📖 Story Time & Princess Dance Party filled with laughter, twirls, and timeless charm
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📸 Fairytale Photo Moments in our magical, fairytale venue
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🎁 A Royal Treasure to Take Home as a keepsake from your unforgettable day
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🌟 Perfect for Ages 2+
💫 Hosted by: Your child’s favorite princess
📍 Location: Our immersive fairytale venue on charming Balboa Island
Also known as "the princess beach experience!"
Includes EVERYTHING in the Transformation Experience
✨Plus:
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🐚 Our Famous Mermaid Beach Play! A trip to the sandy shores of Balboa Island, just a short walk or "swim" to dip your tail in the water for some seriously picturesque photo moments and play time!
🌟 Perfect for Ages 3–10
💫 Hosted by: Your Child's Favorite Princess
📍 Located in our immersive under-the-sea venue on charming Balboa Island & just out front on the sandy shores of Balboa Island
The Royal-Sea Lagoon
Experience
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Instead of waiting in line for an hour to see a princess for 30 seconds, I was sipping champagne while my daughter got a full hour of royal treatment. She was the center of attention the entire time—story time, tea, dancing—it was like the fairytale dream day. I honestly don’t know how more people haven’t discovered this place. They've really unlocked something amazing, these people not only know exactly what kids want but what PARENTS want too! I was treated just as luxuriously as my daughter was."
— Melissa R.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"From the moment we walked in, it felt like stepping into a real-life fairytale. I was handed an (amazing) lavender latte while my daughter twirled with her favorite princess, got the full treatment in the salon, and sipped tea from the most magical little cup. Every single detail was perfection. This place is pure magic- I am so impressed. This may be Orange County's best kept secret"
— Lauren H.
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What are “Daily Experiences” at Once Upon An Island?Daily Experiences are magical one-on-one or small-group visits with our mermaids, pirates, or princesses! From makeovers to tea parties and storytelling adventures, these are designed for everyday visits or even small celebrations—perfect for locals, visitors, or anyone looking to add a little magic to their day.
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Do I need to make a reservation in advance?Yes! Reservations are highly recommended, as experiences are limited and do sell out—especially on weekends and holidays. You can book online or by calling our front desk. Same day experiences are often available on the weekdays.
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What’s included in each experience?Each Daily Experience includes: Dress-up and/or makeover (based on the chosen experience) Private time with a themed character Activities such as story time, crafts, mermaid tail time, games, or a tea party Photo opportunities in our immersive venue Check each experience listing for specific details!
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Can I choose which character we meet?Yes, when booking a princess experience! Your favorite princess at the time of booking. Mermaid Experiences are our Signature Neverland Mermaid Characters, and Pirates are our Signature Neverland Pirate Characters (male & female) Our Mermaids have rainbow colored sparkling costumes and hair and fun, bubbly personalities! If you have any specific color requests, just let us know at booking.
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How many children can participate?Each experience is built for 1-3 children. If you wish, you can add a second-or 'tandem experience' to accommodate a maximum of 6 children. Call our front desk team to set this up!
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Is this a private experience?Princess Experiences are totally private! Just your group and your favorite princess. Mermaid & Pirate experiences are "social experiences" so in some cases you may be sharing the salon or space with other children having their own transformation at the same time- though you will never share a character!
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Can parents join in?Absolutely! Parents are welcome to enjoy the experience alongside their children, take photos, and relax in our lounge with a complimentary latte or bubbly juice. We also have "mommy and me" upgrades on each experience if you really want to dive into the magic with us for some unforgettable fun!
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What ages are these best for?Most of our experiences are perfect for ages 3–10, but we welcome all ages who love imagination and play! If you’re unsure what’s right for your child, give us a call—we’re happy to help
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Do you allow walk-ins?Walk-ins are welcome if space is available, but availability is very limited. We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment. We do have a mermaid in house daily, so ring our shell phone to find out if there are any open times for some magic same day.
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What should we bring?Just your imagination! We provide everything needed—from costumes to tiaras to treasure maps. A note: We do not allow any kind of catering or food service in the parents lounge- this is strictly reserved for Private Parties. Light snacks like goldfish and granola bars are always allowed of course for kiddos!
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Do you offer gift cards for Daily Experiences?Yes! Daily Experiences make wonderful gifts. Digital and physical gift cards are available for purchase.
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Can I take photos during the experience?Yes, we encourage it! You’re welcome to capture photos and videos throughout the experience. Our characters will also help guide some photo moments to make sure you get those magical shots.
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What if I’m running late?We understand things happen. Please call us if you're running late. We’ll do our best to accommodate, but experiences are scheduled back-to-back and may need to be shortened if you arrive late.
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Is there parking nearby?Yes, free street parking is available near our venue on Balboa Island. We are on the Ferry street (Agate Ave) not Marine (the Main Street) so parking is much more plentiful. It can get busy on weekends or holidays, so we suggest allowing extra time to find a spot.
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hat if I need to cancel or reschedule?We get it—life happens. We ask for as much notice as possible. Please refer to our cancellation policy at the time of booking or contact us directly and we’ll walk you through your options. Same day no-shows or cancellations with in 1hr of your booking may result in full charge for the service.
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Is there a dress code or should my child come in costume?No dress code required! We provide magical dress-up and makeovers during the experience. - We do recommend bathing suit bottoms if your experience includes beach play as your bottom will get wet on the sand. -We recommend easy to change clothes like leggings and loose fitting shirts or dresses
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Why are all of the princesses mermaids? Can they wear ballgowns?At Once Upon An Island, all of our characters are original creations with imaginative stories and unique personalities. While we do not portray or represent licensed characters, our Royal-Sea Princesses are inspired by classic fairytale characters in the public domain—reimagined with mermaid magic and adventurous tales you won’t find anywhere else. These ocean royals guard the treasures of Neverland, earning their fins through acts of courage and kindness—like Beauty, who befriended a shark to break an ancient spell, or Cinderella, who freed sea creatures trapped by her stepmother’s underwater magic. You’ll meet them in their shimmering mermaid gowns during our Princess Experiences. If your child dreams of a more traditional ballgown look or a character resembling popular fairytales, we offer optional upgrades through our trusted partners at OC Fairytales, an independent company that provides licensed-style characters.
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