If you're looking for a true Disney-quality experience, look no further!!! Anna and Elsa completely exceeded every expectation we had for my daughter's 4th birthday. From the moment they arrived, they never broke character. Their mannerisms, voices, interactions, and warmth made everyone, children and adults alike, feel like the real princesses had stepped into our party. The children were absolutely captivated, and...so were the adults! Guests lined up for hugs and photos, and it was so fun watching everyone become just as starstruck as the kids. It genuinely felt like a little piece of Disneyland had come to us. Several guests even commented that they felt like they had walked into Disney. They were incredibly engaging throughout their visit, singing, dancing, laughing, and making every child feel special. Most importantly, they made my daughter feel like the center of their world. Watching her interact with them is a memory our family will cherish forever. What impressed me even more was their professionalism. They adapted effortlessly to our timeline, adjusted to changes on the fly, and worked seamlessly alongside the fairies. They complemented one another beautifully, creating one cohesive, magical experience for our guests. As the host, I was able to relax because they were so easy to work with. They were kind, flexible, polished, and incredibly talented. SO TALENTED! If you want your child to truly believe they've met Anna and Elsa, Characters by Joanna is the place to book. They didn't just entertain our guests, they created memories that our family and friends will be talking about for years. Thank you for making Sophie's birthday feel like a real fairytale. We couldn't have imagined it being any more magical. read more

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Joanna is absolutely amazing!!! We hired Joanna Lynn to come as Ana for my daughter Zoey's seventh birthday party, and she was absolutely phenomenal. From the moment she walked in, she looked like a real-life Disney princess. Every detail was flawless -- her costume, her hair, her makeup -- she truly could have worked for Disney. Her voice was stunning, and she stayed completely in character the entire time. The girls were completely mesmerized. Watching their faces light up when she walked in was pure magic. She made Zoey feel so special and created the most unforgettable experience for all of the kids. She was hands down the highlight of the entire party. If you are considering booking Joanna Lynn for your child's birthday, do not hesitate -- she is worth every penny and then some!! Truly magical. Thank you, Joanna! read more

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Worth every penny! Imagine what you think it would be like to hire a princess from Disneyland...that's Joanna. She is not only so talented but so engaging with all the kids. She made our daughter's birthday so magical! Would recommend her to anyone and I'm hoping my daughter asked for another princess birthday so we can hire her again. 10 out of 10! read more

We had the pleasure of having Joanna Lynn at our event. She was stepping in as Glass Slipper Princess (Cinderella) at our twins first birthday through another company we hired. I am so glad she did because going forward I will hire her directly. She was prompt and in character from the start. She is also so so talented. She was singing songs for the kids, dancing with them and did a story time. We also love how she did a very cute birthday ceremony for the girls at the cake time. A core memory for sure. Her presence was loved by both the kids and adults. I can't wait to book her directly. read more

Joanna is simply magical and mesmerizing!! we have had her 2 times for my daughter's bday. once as cinderella and then yesterday as Glinda. she has the most beautiful voice and does a wonderful job being in character and engaging w the children. I can't recommend her enough!! read more

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Joanna made our daughter's birthday a dream come true! She was an incredible performer and did a wonderful job at engaging with all the children. She is so lovely to work with, made the entire process easy, and was very professional. We will definitely hire her again! read more

Joanna Lynn absolutely made our party yesterday and was phenomenal as Elsa. She is professional, her presentation was meticulous, and her characterization spot-on. Her songs, story time, and games were a huge hit with kids and parents alike. It was as if we plucked Elsa right out of the magic kingdom into our home. She handled a room of chaotic 3 year olds like a seasoned preschool teacher. I cannot recommend her enough. 10/5 stars! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Princess party pro! - Party Characters Near Me

We had the pleasure of Joanna being a part of our daughter's the birthday celebration as Queen Elsa. She was on time and completely professional. She was so kind to the children and handled them so well! The kids had an absolute blast hearing stories from Elsa, as well as dancing and singing we her. She was absolutely amazing and totally made my daughter's birthday a hit! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Queen Elsa and Princess Anna (aka the Birthday Girl) - Party Characters Near Me

Joanna Lynn came as Ariel to my daughter's mermaid birthday party and she did an AMAZING job. Other moms there were saying she was by far the best princess that they have seen at a birthday party! She kept the kids engaged and amazed with games, dancing, singing, and stories. She was in perfect (believable) character the whole time and had a lovely singing voice. Her wig and costume were also beautiful and realistic. Thank you for making my girl's birthday party so unforgettable and magical! read more

Joanna was super nice and my daughter was so excited to have Anna and Elsa attend her fourth birthday party. I looked at so many princess companies and I did not regret choosing this one. read more

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Joanna was fintastic by stepping into the role as Ariel from the moment I reached out! She is very prompt in her outreach, asked me about my Daughter and proceeded to walk me through what would happen on the day of. The week of, she was prompt in her response and answered any questions that I might have had. The day of, she was on time and kept the kids (both girls and boys) entertained from start to finish by singing songs, reading a story and dancing! Both parents and kids were captivated. Do not pass her up if she is available for your celebration! She was wonderful and we can't wait to have her back!! read more

Joanna Lynn is a professional with a talent for entertaining and mesmerizing! She came as Elsa for a 4 year old birthday party and from the moment she knocked on the door (literally) she was in character and had the girls' attention! Joanna was prepared and had every detailed figured out so the event ran smoothly. Her costume and makeup were beautiful. Something else I appreciated was her making sure to focus on the birthday girl - it's difficult with a room full of princess loving kids that all want your attention. She gave the birthday girl plenty of time for photos, focus during the games, and even helped keep her from getting upset when someone else blew out her birthday candle. The parents all complimented her performance. I would recommend Joanna for any party, and look forward to booking with her again! read more

This is the third time we book with Joanna and I'm excited to see her again at our upcoming Christmas Party! Pictures and videos don't do justice because Joanna is amazing! We are an in- home family child care and preschool, and our kids are amazed every visit. The interaction with the children is so sweet and truly the best! We 100% recommend for any event! read more

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Joanna is absolutely magical, and very professional. She came as Rapunzel to my kiddo's 5th birthday. All the girls (and my boy) adored her. We sang, we laughed, we listened to a lovely story. All the parents were very happy to take a break from entertaining the kids for an hour. Thank you for making my baby's birthday so special. She wants her back for her 6th birthday!! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

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HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! These ladies made my daughters birthday a dream come true! Worth every penny! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

As a mom to a now 6yo, I've been to a lot of princess parties and seen a whole range of levels of princessing, and I thought I had seen some pretty good ones...but Joanna was a whole different level of character performer! It honestly felt magical watching her work. While Elsa may be the popular choice these days, my daughter decided that she wanted a slightly more obscure character: Sailor Moon. I was so impressed with how Joanna was able to embody this less-requested character, down to the voice, mannerisms, jokes that referenced the 90s show...and the icing on the cake was a customized storybook that she printed out to read to the kids. I had expressed concern that few of my daughter's friends would know who Sailor Moon was, and the fact that Joanna would go above and beyond to make a book to tell the story! and then do customized games! She adapted the typical dance party to make it a magical girl transformation lesson, and my daughter was thrilled that she even had all the right music from the show. I could tell that a lot of love went into the planning and that Joanna really considers every detail. Her gentle approach with the shyer kids was really appreciated, and us moms who remember watching the show as kids honestly enjoyed her being there as much as our kids. After she left, everyone expressed amazement at how incredibly high-quality the whole performance was. TL;DR If you ever want a more obscure character at your party, Joanna is amazing at bringing anyone to life through all the little thoughtful details! read more

Rapunzel came for my daughter's 3rd birthday. The weather was questionable but she worked with me to figure out the best way possible to host and make my daughter's day memorable. The weather turned out to be beautiful and Rapunzel was absolutely sensational. She did story time, dancing, singing and gave us time for photos. I highly recommend this company. The pricing was reasonable and she was very professional/dependable. Thank you so much for making my daughter's day so special. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Rapunzel - Party Characters Near Me

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Marilyn was an absolute dream come true! Joanna was very detailed and worked magnificently with what was provided. She definitely made my moms 50th surprise party memorable! She was the talk of the party throughout the entire night! And boy did she give me the chills when I first saw her! It was like Marilyn came back to visit us one last time! Amazing job Joanna read more

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Joanna was absolutely incredible to work with in every single way! - Super easy to book with (make sure to book in advance if you're looking to have a popular character at your event) - Very detail oriented and thorough with recommendations based on your particular event (age of kids, size of party, etc.) - Absolutely incredible character work--she's the real deal!! Everyone at our party was starstruck, even parents! Many asked for contact info right then and there, the experience was just so perfect. I would recommend Smile and a Song to anyone having a character party in the Bay Area. read more

Joanna and Smile and a Song were such a pleasure to work with! I so appreciated how responsive Joanna was when I was booking. I had reached out to another Princess company that took over 24 hours to respond so I was so relieved when Joanna responded right away saying they were available for our event! My daughter requested Ariel and we were all blown away at how amazing the experience was from start to finish! She had ten 5-6 year olds captivated for the full hour! The girls loved her songs, stories, games and the freeze dance. The best part was when she led the happy birthday song and kept the kids occupied while we passed out cake! Highly recommend Smile and a Song for your next birthday party. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

The "princessing" business is a tough gig. It's hard to stand out in the saturated market. I was a princess performer for a while before I moved on to perform on the Disney Magic, so I understand what's out there. There are a number of fabulous companies in Southern California that provide stunning entertainers who care about kids. Smile and a Song Princess Parties is one of them. Joanna is a queen who dealt with my constant flip flopping and last minute changes up until an hour before the Facetime visit from Princess Anna we booked. I didn't know how my niece would react. She's three, and has been having a hard time understanding what's going on during the quarantine and why she can't play with her friends. I wanted to cheer her up but performing for a child over Facetime is a performer's WORST NIGHTMARE. Even with well mannered children, it's hard. All I knew is that Joanna could do the job, and I left it at that. From the moment she showed up on the screen, my niece couldn't handle herself. Even from my tiny screen, Joanna looked as good as any face character I worked with on the Disney Magic, and this is a fact. Not only this, but she sings like one of the main stage performers in their world famous shows. I still don't understand why Joanna never had a contract with them. Her talent baffles me.She had a super cool backdrop, fabulous costuming, and is stunningly pretty. The girl is a professional transformer. Grandma, mom, and niece were blown away with her voice while I sat back and stared like: "I know, right?" My niece was all over the place the entire time, eating cake, digging through toys to show to Anna, being distracted by FIVE BARKING DOGS. Joanna was flawless. My niece, as you can see in the picture, was beside herself. Joanna also gave us extra time for no reason which made me so sad because you know she is taking a quick sip of water to keep her stomach from rumbling before moving on to the next call because she loves kids THAT much and wants them to have as much magic as possible during a difficult time. We're already planning a Spiderman call. Joanna is beyond five stars, she's one of the few princesses performers go to for their loved ones. Fab. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Loving Princess Anna! - Party Characters Near Me

We hired Ariel for my daughter's 4th birthday party and boy, was she a hit! She arrived on time and from the moment she made her grand entrance, she was smiling and engaging with the kids, which ranged in age from 18 months to 13. She read a story, sang a song, played games, led the Happy Birthday when we did the cake, and stuck around playing with the kids after cake until her time was up. She was really wonderful and professional! Joanna from Smile and a Song was also really easy to work with when we booked with them. Fast, responsive, and happy to answer any question. Highly recommend this company! read more

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We were bummed this year when we realized we couldn't throw our daughter her ideal Birthday Party due to Covid and its restrictions. I was so excited when I came across Smile & Song while poking around on social media one night. I saw they had amazing social distancing practices in place and when I found out they would be able to come out on the date I wanted I couldn't have been more excited! Ariel was so talented and absolutely made my daughter's birthday the most AMAZING experience! I'm pretty sure Ariel thought I was crazy from all the happy tears I kept crying! LOL! If you are considering a princess in the L.A. area I would recommend them 100%! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

I've been following this company for forever on Instagram and always wanted an excuse to book them for something, which is a bit tricky since I don't have any kids! My quarantine birthday gave me the excuse, as my friends and I planned a Disney Dance Party over Zoom, and I knew just who to email about getting a special guest! As a long term fan via Social Media, I knew exactly who/what I wanted to surprise my Hocus Pocus loving friends - Allen as Winnifred Sanderson to "Zoom Bomb" us right as the party was getting started. Winnie was absolutely hilarious, staying with us for the entire hour-long party (which I was NOT expecting), dancing to every song on our playlist, and lovingly roasting all the guests as only a 300-year-old witch can get away with. I can not recommend this company enough. I knew they would be amazing, but they went above and beyond even my expectations. All my friends are still talking about it. Definitely recommend for kids or adults, online or in-person (whenever that's safe again.) As Winnie said at the end of the night: "Wear your masks! Seriously wear it, I don't want to see your faces." read more

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Thank you! I will never forget the magic moment when my 5 year old daughter was so enamored with her hero's. The look on her face while listening to the Frozen story brought me and my close family to tears. I kept thinking this is the kind of experience I would love to get from a Disneyland vacation ( and seldom experience even half) The one on one, attention to detail and little funny jokes that only the adults giggled at (just like in the movies). I am so glad I jumped and got both sisters despite not havIng as many kids in attendance. The weather sadly took a turn for the worse but the actresses were flawless and never missed a step. Incredibly talented, very professional, and being hostess I got tons of compliments for providing such wonderful entertainment. Also it's worth it to note that my husband who is not easily impressed, was smiling from ear to ear during the entire visit. He told me it was the best party I have ever done ( Ive done 10+ parties and this is my first time using an entertainer). Ps. As promised the face paint came right off which was awesome because my son was really anxious about it. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - My beautiful daughter and her hero's - Party Characters Near Me

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This review is long due. Joanna was a wonderful Elsa. She is extremely professional and detail oriented. I hired her for my daughter's birthday party. She was on time. She did a fantastic job with the kids. She kept them engaged and kids loved her. Her costume was so beautiful that my daughter thought she really came to meet her from Dinseyland. Adults at the party were mesmerized by this ice Queen and the all wanted pictures with her. I would definitely recommend her for anyone looking to hire one. She is AMAZING!! You will not go wrong with her. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

Absolutely fantastic experience! From booking, to planning, to the event itself...everything was super efficient and organized. And it was well worth the price! The kids had an amazing time dancing with the Little Mermaid and doing story and song time. Thank you so much Joanna! read more

I couldn't possibly recommend Joanna enough. She really brought my daughters frozen fever party to life as Princess Anna. Such a professional in her organic ability to become the character. Joanna came well prepared with a plan, and the ability to pivot. My daughter had asked her to read one of her personal books, and she did it beautifully without hesitation. She wowed the adults as much as the children. Truly magical experience. read more

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There's people who put on costumes, then there is Joanna and the team at Smile and Song. I can't imagine there is an "Elsa" who is even close to as good as Joanna short of Disneyland itself. Not really much else to say than the whole experience was fantastic. From the moment "Elsa" arrived for our daughters 3rd Birthday she kept the kids engaged with stories, games and songs and truly made it a special experience. I would 100% recommend. read more

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Princess Belle was absolutely AMAZING!!! My Zoey Lynn was at a lost words with a HUGE Smile when Belle walked into our Backyard. She had the Most Beautiful Voice all the girls were so excited to see her. If I could give you 100I would! I would Highly recommend having Belle or any princess at Your little girls party. Thank you so much for making my Daughters 6th Birthday really Special!!! read more

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My little cousin is obsessed with everything Frozen. So we surprised her with a Frozen themed birthday party, and after seeing all the wonderful reviews for this place, we gave them a call. I don't write many yelp reviews, but after the magical experience we had, I just had to come give my support! We spoke with Joanna, and she made it so easy to decide what characters to use, in which ways, and what to add on for the kids. They showed up on time, looked incredible, made a magical entrance, and kept the kids more entertained than I could ever expect. We had face painting, which everyone loved. And the best part, the characters sang! And I mean, they really sang. They sounded better than the real deal! I did not expect that. Overall, our expectations were BLOWN AWAY! It was such a treat for both the kids AND the adults. Could not recommend this place more, and honestly can't wait to see what other characters we can use from them in the future! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

We hired "A Smile and a Song" princess parties for my son and daughter's combined "mermaid-Avengers" themed birthday party yesterday. The performers were outstanding and absolutely exceeded my expectations in every way. Joanna was very easy to coordinate with and set up the performances. She was knowledgeable and accommodating and was able to get both characters I had requested, Captain America and Ariel, for our party. Both performers arrived on time, stayed in character the entire time, and were incredibly entertaining for our children. Our party had 10 children and every single child was absolutely delighted to interact with the characters. We had boys and girls in attendance and they all had a wonderful time! They read stories, played games, sang, and danced. Every single child had a blast! The majority of the kids were ages 4 and 5, with a few older children and two toddlers as well. Having the characters was the hit of the party and took the pressure off me and my husband to entertain. Even the adults present at the party enjoyed watching the characters perform. They were flawless performers and stayed in character even when the kids were not 100% cooperative. Thank you so much for making my kids' wishes come true! These are amazing memories that will last a lifetime for my kids! Thank you! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

If I could give a million stars I would. From the very beginning Joanna was prompt in response and got us in on our requested day right away. Cinderella was early - her costume, makeup and wig were SPOT ON! The attention to detail blew me away. She even wore glass slippers. as a Mom who worked very hard to put together a nice party, it was nice to sit back for 90 mins and let Cinderella entertain the kids! She sang songs, read books, painted faces and held a princess dance party. Cinderella even sat with the girls while they ate their cake to chat with them. I recommend paying for the princess package! My daughter loved the tiara and autographs. I'm beyond impressed. I will refer A Smile and a Song to all my mom friends and family. Will use again!! read more

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Over the pandemic I hand the opportunity to order a special Halloween form Jack and sally personal message, and it's my favorite video ever . Both Jack and Sally wire so personable . They talked abut everything they do in Halloween town Love I guys definitely will order again read more

Ariel came to shell-a-brate my daughter's 4th birthday this weekend and she was sensational! Ariel sang, danced, read a story, played princess trivia, and posed for pictures. She engaged a large group of kids (15 to 20) and joined us for birthday cake singing for the finale. She has a great voice and stayed in character the entire time. The kids and parents raved about her afterwards. If your Yelp search lands on Joanna, do not hesitate to book. She's professional, communicative and I would 100% work with her again in the future. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

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We did a Zoom party with "Elsa" this morning and it went perfectly! Joanna was a pleasure to work with and went over all the details with us in advance so everything went very smoothly. It was very easy to book and Joanna was prompt and thorough. She has a great system for Zoom parties so our daughter was still able to have a fun birthday. Elsa stayed in character the whole time and her singing, costume, hair/makeup were all perfect and so beautiful. Couldn't have asked for any better. All the kids had a great time and I wouldn't hesitate to book another party or recommend Smile and a Song to friends and family. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Elsa party - Party Characters Near Me

A little outside the typical - I booked Santa to Zoom-bomb a holiday happy hour I hosted this week! The owner, Joanna, was really helpful and flexible in doing something that was a bit of a departure from the typical younger audience. We collaborated on "programming" and she had some good ideas we were able to use. We had a great time. 10/10 Santa - rosy cheeks, white gloves, the whole package! read more

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Joanna was phenomenal as Mary Poppins at our daughter's 2nd birthday. She brought so much fun and whimsy to the role, and entertained ~20 kiddos (boys and girls, ages 1-7) for more than an hour. She's the best of the best, very professional and lovely to work with...can't recommend her highly enough!! read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - My smitten 2 year old with Mary Poppins - Party Characters Near Me

Absolutely positively delightful! Our Princess Anna couldn't have been more perfect! Even the adults were amazed at how wonderful she was! I highly recommend. read more

Characters by Joanna Lynn - Party Characters Near Me

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Joanna was amaaaazing as Cinderella at my daughters 5th birthday party. She is absolutely wonderful in character, so engaging and attentive to all of the children. She wore such a beautiful costume too. We've tried a couple of other princess companies and Joanna's company is so impressive! I'd hire her again in a heartbeat. read more