Dream: I have been asking to go to on a play date with my favorite Disney princesses but Mommy always says they live far, far away. In turn I suggest taking a taxi but Mommy said that would take a very long time. So for my third birthday Mommy found an airplane that flies direct to the happiest place on earth. Yes, Mommy said we are heading on a journey to a magical land called Disney World
Dream come true: Don’t get all choked up like Mommy, but believe it or not I just turned 3. Where does the time go? Three! Whee! I can count it out and show you the numbers on my hand to prove it. But most importantly, I had a most magical birthday and my birthday dream came true.
It all started when Mommy said we were going to Disney World and I would have a royal birthday with my favorite princesses. As you can imagine, I was beyond excited to hear this. I started packing days earlier and tried to bust out the apartment to go but Mommy said it wasn’t time. Lots of crying ensured and I tried to bust down the door but I was stuck waiting. Waiting isn’t easy. When it was finally time, I was more than ready. I packed all my favorite dress up outfits, matching shoes, hair bows, and princess undies and was all set.
I watched Cinderella on the airplane to prep for meeting my idol but when we finally landed (it felt like an eternity), I was way disappointed. I just saw sunshine and green everywhere. We certainly were not in New York City but no princesses and castles were to be found! Mommy was so happy but this couldn’t be it? And it wasn’t. It was the airport. Silly me.
Once we entered the gates of the happiest place on earth, it was life changing. I saw Cinderella’s castle and it was even bigger and better in person than I imagined. There were balloons, smiling faces, and cheer everywhere. I could not wait to visit all my favorite princesses and tell them it was my birthday!
My birthday itself was off the charts. The Disney mayor gave me a special birthday pin to wear and anyone who was anyone wished me a happy birthday. I was constantly being stopped and admired in my birthday dress. I felt like a celebrity. Daddy gave me a piggy back ride straight to Princess Fairy Tale Hall to meet Anna and Elsa. The “Frozen” princesses just melted my heart. I asked Anna if she wanted to build a snowman and Elsa and I even sang a birthday version of “Let it Go” together. Between us, I think I even sang it better than the queen herself.
Then it was off to meet Princess Tiana and for a ride or two until my big surprise that Mommy and Daddy arranged for their little princess. We were welcomed into Cinderella’s castle and I met my fairy godmother at the Bibbidi Bobbidi boutique. She used her magic to transform me into a little Cinderella, my favorite princess! From head to toe, I was a ringer for Cinderella complete with a beautiful, blue gown, classic princess hair style, tiara, makeup, glittery blue nail polish and, of course, sparkly, glass slippers.
Smiling from ear to ear, I next headed to Castle Couture for my Cinderella birthday photo shoot. Everyone said I was a perfect princess and photographed better than a supermodel. I am named Elle just like a super model after all. It was so much fun but hard work. I worked up an appetite for lunch.
For my birthday lunch, Mommy, Daddy, and baby sister booked a luncheon with all my favorite princesses. Cinderella hosted and welcomed us with big hugs. A photographer kept following us around and documented it all. It’s tough being such a pint-sized celebrity. Anyone who was anyone in Disney princess history came to rock it out with me for my birthday lunch. I am such a star that Princesses Belle, Jasmine, Snow and Ariel were all there, wished me a happy birthday and visited with me. I was star struck! But then I pulled it together and introduced them to my family. They even called my baby sister a princess in training. Plus, the lunch was delish. I had a Minnie Mouse-shaped waffle and a cupcake with Minnie sprinkles for my birthday dessert. Yum!
The day kept getting better and better. Before I knew it we were back at Princess Fairy Tale Hall for my private visit and birthday photo-op with Cinderella. She stopped and smiled as soon as she saw her mini-me. We were twins! It was so amazing. We did princess spins together and posed for photos with princess hands and had a private birthday chat. When it was all said and done, I stopped to say good bye, gave her my best curtsy and we blew each other kisses. What an incredible and magical moment I will never forget! Or at least Mommy and Daddy hope I won’t. And they promised they will always remember and were smiling bigger than me. They are so funny.
Nothing could top that time with my favorite princess, so afterward we started heading back to our Disney home (as I liked for call it) for a fancy birthday dinner. Everyone at the resort loved me, the mini Cinderella, and treated me like true royalty. They all said happy birthday Cinderella so I had to tell them I was Elle and not Cinderella. It’s so hard for the village people to keep up. We had a lovely family dinner and sang happy birthday. We drank out of champagne flutes (don’t worry, mine had water) and toasted to me– the birthday princess. It was fairy tale perfect.
After dinner, the icing on my third birthday cake was coming back to find a huge chocolate birthday cake just for me and watching the incredible Disney firework displays from our balcony. The fireworks display was a perfect way for this little fire cracker to end her birthday celebration. I put on my Cinderella nightgown, read a princess bedtime story, and kissed Mommy and Daddy good night. That birthday night I had the sweetest birthday princess dreams.
Elle Belle is an adorable toddler who lives in the Upper East Side of Manhattan with her magnificent mommy, dapper dad., and new baby sister. She can be reached at ellebellenyc@gmail.com.
