Whenever my neice is in town we love taking her to a "princess experience". We've done Bippity Boppity Boop at Disney. And Tea for Tots at Morning Lavender. They were all fun. But this was the best for both the parents and kids. Unlike Disney, the family members can all watch, and for an extra fee, Mommies can also participate by becoming a mermaid too. It was also more interactive than either of the other two experiences, because our niece got one on one time with her mermaid host, and got to have tea time and a Photoshoot. The adults also have a nice lounge area, where you can have lattes or some bubbly, if you choose. We appreciated that they considered the adults in the experience. Overall, we highly recommend this experience. read more

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We attended this pop-up event with our two toddlers, ages 3 and 2, who were incredibly excited to become "mermaids." Unfortunately, the experience was very underwhelming. The makeover consisted of a small amount of eyeshadow, a few face gems, and photos taken with a low-quality photo booth setup that were sent to our phones. As parents, we're happy to pay for experiences that bring our children joy, so the cost itself wasn't the issue. My main concern is with the hair application. The extension braids were attached improperly on both of my daughters using a single bead attached to a very small section of hair. This created significant tension from the weight of the braid and resulted in visible bald spots on both children afterward. Children's hair is much more delicate than adult hair, and techniques that place excessive tension on the scalp should be avoided. There are safer methods for attaching braids to children's hair, such as incorporating more hair into the attachment or braiding the extension into the natural hair rather than suspending the entire weight from a tiny section. I believe this demonstrates a lack of proper training and care when working with children's hair. Parents should be aware of the potential risk of hair damage before booking this experience. While my daughters enjoyed the mermaid theme, I was extremely disappointed to see damage to their hair as a result. read more

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We had the most magical experience at Once Upon an Island's Mermaid Academy! My daughter and her friends absolutely loved every minute of it. They spent the day with Ariel and her mermaid friend, who were both incredible with the girls and made the experience feel truly magical. The girls received beautiful mermaid makeovers, enjoyed lunch together, and had so much fun taking photos in the sand. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, and the characters stayed completely in character, making the experience unforgettable for the kids. Seeing the smiles on their faces all day was priceless. If you have a little one who loves mermaids, I cannot recommend Mermaid Academy enough. It was a day filled with imagination, fun, and memories we'll cherish forever. Thank you for creating such a special experience! read more

My daughter had an amazing time! So worth it, they really made her feel like a mermaid. She was so happy, will come back again! read more

Once Upon An Island - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I celebrated my daughters 8th birthday party here and everything was very smooth from start to finish. We hosted a mini party with about five kids, and I was very impressed with how magical the staff made things from the moment we arrived. Booking can be done online, but since it was my first time, I decided to call and I had many conversations with the staff discussing different options with packages and they were very kind and thorough. I will admit that the overall space did seem small from what I've seen online but since we had a mini party, it worked out great, but I couldn't imagine hosting any more than five kids there at one time. The mermaid characters and pirate were amazing no awkward silence or paused moments. They were engaged, funny/silly and personable with each of our tiny guest. The staff stayed in character the entire time and made everyone feel so warm and special. Most importantly, the birthday girl of honor said her party was perfect and she was so happy. I would also like to call out that a good age range for this experience would be between three and seven. My daughter was right at the cusp so she enjoyed all the different activities, but one of her older friends who is nine seemed sort of bored and not as entertained. overall, I'm glad I was able to host my daughter's birthday party here. It was such a memorable experience. I'm happy to have these memories and a huge thank you to the staff. Who were absolutely incredible. read more

Once Upon An Island - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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We had Elsa for my daughter's birthday on 05/09, and she was absolutely amazing! First, she arrived right on time. Second, she looked just like Elsa from the movie -- if not even more beautiful! Most importantly, she was so engaged and connected with my daughter the entire hour. I truly appreciated how professional and wonderful she was throughout the whole experience. When I asked my daughter what her favorite part of her birthday was, without any hesitation she said, "Meeting Elsa!" Thank you, Elsa, for coming all the way out to Irvine on 05/09. Everyone had such a blast with you, and you made the day so special for our daughter. Thank you so much!! read more

Once Upon An Island - Beautiful Elsa - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This is one of the primary family activities I love doing with both my children. Since Ariel turned 3, she has never been more star struck by the princesses that make her over and have tea parties with her. Every event is so personalized and special, it has helped us through monumental milestones of family transition, deployment, etc. They have something nice for the parents as well so that they can also enjoy the experience like champagne, lattes, and a lovely seating area. My son Wilder also really enjoyed being a pirate and finding treasure and has joined Ariel for the Elsa and Anna event last year as Olaf, also enjoying the fondu and fun activities the kids were there to enjoy. These experiences are so wonderful because even an hour makes such a big difference to their lives and we don't have to schlep around giant parking lots or worry about extra expenses and lines like at Disney. They just feel special and get the greatest experience for a lot less expenses and hassle. The location by the beach with the nicest folks also makes it great. Sometimes we walk around after or take the ferry and have ice cream. The park across the street is inviting as well. read more

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We just celebrated my daughter's birthday there this weekend (we did it for my older daughter a few years ago too, and the experience and our appreciation of the place remained consistently great!). Yes, the place is really pricey (it helps me to think of it as an investment into life-long memories:). But in exchange, you get peace of mind and solid professionalism (and great personnel to kid ratio). Kids have a blast! It truly created magic. And 2 hours feel short but in hindsight it's a perfect amount of time for younger kids. If in doubt, highly recommend this place! read more

Once Upon An Island - Salon - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This place can be the perfect venue, depending on your needs. It's super cute, different, and unforgettable experience for all little girls. But, it's a very small space, it's not budget friendly, food is included but not great. My biggest complaint and suggestion would be to let the host enter with adequate time to unload food, favors, drinks, cake, etc. They let us in at the time the party started! read more

An absolutely incredible experience! Perfect for any child who loves the idea of a mermaid or princess makeover! My daughter is all about mermaids so we knew this would be the perfect venue for her 6th birthday party! I booked the venue far in advance, which I recommend because this venue fills up, so I was able to snag a date and time that was perfect! It was super easy to book. You can do it on the phone or online. I recommend making your selections online and then calling up so you don't have to pay the online booking fee. Plus you speak directly to the venue so you know you are good to go! We paid extra to upgrade one of the mermaids to a princess of my daughter's choice (she chose Ariel) and it was absolutely worth every penny to upgrade. I was pleasantly surprised to see Ariel was present for the entire duration of the party. She was partially in a mermaid style dress and then transformed into her mermaid form! It was absolutely magical! The sand craft was super cute and the girls had so much fun having Ariel help make their sand creations! I loved the organization where some girls would be getting makeovers and some would be doing the craft. The other mermaids doing the make-overs were incredible! They were super friendly to all the girls and talked and entertained them the entire time they were doing the make-overs. The venue has been remodeled since we had been there a year ago and it was absolutely gorgeous. You really feel like you are in an underwater cavern! I loved how the little forest doubled as a closet for the mermaid tails and a little hideaway for the kids! I highly recommend this venue!! read more

Once Upon An Island - Arielle birthday party! - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

What an amazing experience!! My daughter is obsessed with mermaids. This was such a dream come true for her to get to dress up and pretend to be a mermaid. The staff were so extremely friendly. I brought all 4 of my kids and they all had a great time playing while my little one turned into a mermaid. There's a nice lounge for the parents to enjoy as well. Highly recommend for a birthday or even just a day of fun. read more

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The team was very organized and punctual. My daughter truly enjoyed her birthday party. read more

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I can not express how truly grateful I am to Once Upon An Island/OC Fairytales Classic Traveling Princess for making a little girl whose been through so much this past year have an absolutely spectacular 4th birthday. They sent us the most perfect Elsa. She was truly wonderful and a huge hit. She made my great nieces day. She was so kind, gentle and patient with the 2 of them. She went above and beyond; making a birthday memory that will be remembered all of their lives. She arrived just like clockwork and surprised the girls. She sang and danced and played non-stop. She was a true gift from heaven. Thank you so much Elsa. And thank you to all the staff there that made this such a wonderful and special day. read more

Everything from start to finish was amazing! The staff didn't miss a beat and they organized, executed and delivered 100%! My daughter had the best birthday and so did her friends! Every single mom and kid said it was "magical". It truly was! Thank you for making my daughter's birthday so memorable and thank you to your incredible staff for having everything so prepared! I wish I could have my bday there! :) read more

I cannot begin to express what a magical experience this was for our family. I was amazed at the care to detail that was put into the location, costumes, planning and experience. The mermaid and pirate who helped us were so good with kids. My son is shy and he was having an amazing time. They were so good with neurodiverse kids! My kids left feeling so special and they had the best time. It will live in their hearts for a long time. read more

Once Upon An Island - Thank you so much for the best time! Our kids cannot stop talking about the best pirate and mermaid in the world! - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This is a special place and your little one will cherish the time spent here! Attention to detail and the talents of the Mermaids (singing voice, personality and humor) will truly make this a unique and special experience! Highly recommend! read more

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Once Upon An Island is truly exceptional. If you're looking to bring characters to any event at any age, this is the place. Their team does a phenomenal job, and they are absolutely darling and delightful to work with. I highly, highly recommend them. read more

My granddaughter lives it. The mermaids are so great with the girls. It is a magical experience. Every little girl will love it

We hosted our daughter's 5th and 6th Birthday at this location and to say we love this place is an understatement! It's truly magical in every possible way. Not one detail was overlooked, everything is prepared for you (based on the package you select) and the amazing staff takes care of all the logistics. We are raving fans and hope that OUAI continues to thrive. Thank you to the fabulous staff, and talented Princesses for making unforgettable moments for our girl and our guests! We'll be back and we'll send friends! read more

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Wow! What a truly wonderful experience both the kids and adults had! It was by no means inexpensive, buuuut in all fairness they do all the work for you and they do it extremely well! The princesses were A+ in the look and character, professional, friendly, great energy, and hard working! We chose the Ultimate Royal Sea Party with 4 princesses and all 4 of them spent the entire time with the kids doing various activities. It was maximum princess engagement for all the kids! We also selected the full service adult lounge which was really nice. It allows you to bring outside food, but they set up, refill, and clean for you! I was so impressed that they had a cute glass display for the tiny desserts I brought too. I didn't expect for them to arrange all the drinks nicely in ice also. This is a case of you really get what you pay for. 10/10! Venue, the ladies, set up, ease was all A+! read more

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The cutest and most magical birthday event space! My 3 year old daughter and I attended a birthday party here in January 2023 as guests and had so much fun! On this particular day it was pouring rain! But there was plenty of street parking and the place was easy to find. There were 4 mermaids and they remained in character the entire 2 hours! The mermaids worked to engage all the little kids. Once all guests arrived, the kids got to pick either a princess dress or mermaid costume from the dresser. They also had boy costumes. While 3 kids were getting glammed (hair/face jewels) the other kids got to make sand necklaces and play games with the mermaids. The glamming was so cute! The mermaids let the kids pick what hair piece they wanted and they got to keep them! The overall flow from activities was great! My daughter loved putting on mermaid fins and pretending to flip her fins like Ariel! The only part of the event that felt rushed was lunch. Kids were served pizza, pirates booty and lemonade. Shortly after they were served, they sand happy birthday and served the cake, then it was time to go. So I felt like a lot of food was left on the table. I wish there were to-go containers so we didn't waste so much food. The bubbly bar for the parents was so nice! It was set up kinda behind the scenes. We had an assortment of food and beverages and a place to sit. My daughter had the most magical time, I was smiling the whole time and I would highly recommend this place! read more

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WOW. I seriously cannot even begin to say how epic this venue is and how absolutely magical they made my daughter's 5th birthday. I literally did not lift a finger at the venue. I showed up around 8:30/845 A.M. with my daughter's cake and food for the other parents who would be accompanying their kids. I was immediately greeted and the cake, adult refreshments, and gifts were immediately whisked from my hands and set up inside. We had a mini co-ed mermaid-pirate party. I can't say enough wonderful things about the performers. The mermaid and pirate were absolutely fantastic--fully in character, full of energy, and completely captivating for the kids. My daughter was in awe the entire time, and they truly made her feel like the star of the show. They were incredible with all the young guests--engaging them with games and jokes that had every child giggling and wide-eyed with excitement. The mermaid was graceful, sweet, and silly while the pirate had just the right mix of silliness and swashbuckling charm to keep the little ones entertained. I HIGHLY recommend hiring the professional photographer they offer. He was there the entire time and VERY familiar with the venue. He was totally on top of capturing all the priceless moments and he was also amazing with the kids. The decor inside makes you feel like you flew straight into Neverland. Also-everything inside was immaculate-from the parent lounge to the bathroom. I can't wait to go back and I HIGHLY recommend Once Upon an Island for anyone looking to add some magic to their child's special day! read more

From the moment we entered it was magical! My Granddaughter was greeted by her Mermaid "Merina" who was 100% in character!! She spent every moment talking, playing, engaging with Sage (my Granddaughter). The tea party, jellyfish salon, dress up, learning to wave hello & goodbye with her mermaid tail! It was the most MAGICAL experience for Sage! She is still talking about it!! Extra bonus for all of you! We took the ferry across to the island. I told Sage we are going to a "magical island". It was the perfect bonus! When we returned home & Sage was asked what she did today her 1st response was "I took a boat to a magical island and met mermaids!" My heart it truly full!!! Worth every penny!!! BESTGrandma & Granddaughter Day EVER!!! She will never forget! read more

Once Upon An Island - Sage & Merina! - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

What a well run company! The characters are fantastic with kids, and are so professional from being on time to the office manager attending to all my scheduling needs. This is a must stop shop for every kids birthday party! What a memory! Five stars! read more

Once Upon An Island - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I HIGHLY recommend the Once Upon an Island experience. We took my daughter on her 3rd birthday. I loved the 1 on 1 experience of the mermaid makeover. Every inch of decor is so well thought out, it makes you feel like you really are in a mermaid oasis. The activities kept my daughter entertained and engaged from the start to finish. I loved that they took my daughter's input as far as favorite color, princess, etc. when it came to doing her hair and choosing songs for their dance party. Our mermaid, Cleo, did such an exceptional job caring for my daughter! She filled the time so effortlessly and was a true professional. She made our experience truly magical! read more

As always the most magical time Every detail is perfection A perfect place to celebrate EVERY occasion!

The best experience we've experienced for story time!!! So fun and magical we will definitely be coming back for more fun at once upon an island! THANK YOU read more

The mermaid story time at Once Upon An Island was so adorable! My Daughter was absolutely obsessed with the whole experience from start to finish! The details and decorations made it feel so magical and it really felt like you were under the sea!! We will definitely be back! read more

Everything from start to finish was easy! Had a pretty odd request and the team came through with flying colors helping to make all the planning make sense and the flow of the party carry on flawlessly. Was the perfect focal point that brought happiness to the attendees and made the theme come to life. Totally recommend! read more

Once Upon An Island - "Miss Clavel" for our Madeline birthday party - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I honestly can't believe I didn't know about this place! I did so much research for our trip to SoCal looking for fun places for kids and of ALL of the things we did (recommended by out hotel concierge!) This was far and above the absolute coolest, most magical and memorable day!!!! The level of theming and execution of detail rival Disney and all but blow most other theme parks or venues out of the water. My kids minds were totally blown- Our sons absolutely loved the pirate elements from the face paint, to climbing inside a treehouse hide out, playing on skull rock and more while our daughters dreams absolutely came true turning into a mermaid from head to toe! One of the main highlights was definetly making our own stuffed animals as well, SO cute!!! As if everything wasn't already amazing enough for the kids, there is an entire parents room with couches, television, bar seating etc. for parents to relax in with free latte's and they even offered us champagne!!! I WANT TO INVEST IN THIS COMPANY! The perfection & thoughtfulness of not only the theming but the service and performances were truly just so impressive. THANK YOU for the highlight of our trip. read more

Once Upon An Island - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Thank you to our hosts and mermaid princesses for making my daughter's 6th birthday unforgettable! Once Upon an Island was great at pre-party communication and details. Despite the hot summer weather, the team was able to make the poolside celebration fun for all (including the parents!) read more

Once Upon An Island - Fun mermaid tails to give party guests the full experience! - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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I did my daughter's 4th birthday here and I was so so happy with everything. From day 1 the staff has been so professional and sweet. The service they have provided for our party was exceptional and I truly loved Once upon an island . Both parents and children had a wonderful experience during our party . Thank you so Allison especially for her high level of professionalism. read more

Once Upon An Island - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Newport Beach, California

One star for the lack of safety and making safety a priority. I noticed the front door was wide open during a party we attended. There were numerous small children at the party, so I kept shutting the front door to the private party. I noticed an employee kept opening the front door wide open, and stated because it was a retail store the door needed to be open? Not a single person came in to buy anything while we were there, and a retail store is not required to have their door wide open? They were just making things up. Anyways, sad to see this establishment does not make safety a number one priority and they purposely leave the door wide open onto a busy street, with tiny children. I guess they will make it a priority one day when a small child runs outside and gets hit by a car and a family sues for negligence. This is Newport after all. read more

I had my daughter's 4th birthday here. And as organized and picky as I am- this place exceeded my expectations. The princesses are Immaculate! They looked like they are plucked right out of the cartoons. The gowns are not the cheap gowns you see - they exceed even Disneyland quality. Each princess stayed in character the ENTIRE time speaking even to each other in character. Mermaid Chloe and Taylor helped run the show perfectly- surprise after surprise - and the best part is they are so considerate and nice. If you run a few minutes over- they don't kick you out. They help you carry your items to your car. I can go on and on - but believe me- this is the real deal. read more

My daughter just had her 6th birthday here and she had the BEST time! Everything from the start was amazing and organized and they really do the best job at making the parents not lift a finger. The kids were so happy and entertained the whole time. The mermaids and Ariel were fantastic. Would highly recommend using this company for anyone whose daughter loves mermaids or princesses. read more

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To start off, I never in my wildest dreams expected such a magical experience for my daughter and family. The reviews are so solid for this business, but the effort and imagination they put into the experience is just amazing. Our visit started with Santa's wonderful helpers guiding us into the elfavator to travel to Santa's Village. Then we met a talking reindeer, and were ushered into the workshop, where my daughter was greeted by the friendliest elf. She got a super cute wooden toy car, which she proceeded to push up and down the ramp. Then, she got to pick a special Christmas stuffed toy out to keep. And if that wasn't awesome enough, we got to help her make a snow globe. Then, the guest of honor came to see her. Ava had cried in the past with visits to Santa, but she was so comfortable the whole time. We could tell, because she sat on the floor with Santa and went through their fun little gift boxes and dumped them out and put things back in. Santa graciously tried to read a story to her, but she was so amped, that we got through only half. Haha. Then we had some more time to explore, and got some family pics. Overall, this was absolutely magical for us. I can't say enough nice and wonderful things about each and every person we met today. This was the most special gift of our holiday season. We are so grateful to the owners and staff of Once Upon an Island for having us today. I encourage you, that if you can do this activity with your children, do it. I know it can be on the higher end of holiday family activities, but the memories made will last forever. Which makes it an amazing experience. read more

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I had my daughter's 5th birthday here and booked the signature mermaid party. It was magical and I didn't have to lift a finger! All the guests really loved the experience and definitely worth the money. Will be coming back with my friends daughters for their salon experience if they ever visit! read more

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Wow. Way better than I even expected. We had four FANTASTIC mermaids for our party. Everything was totally seamless, the kids had an amazing time celebrating my daughter's fifth birthday. It literally couldn't have been better. read more

Just took my two daughters here aged 6 and 3. The experience was absolutely amazing for them both. Our Mirmaid was great with the girls and gave them such a great day! We did the Mirmaid Makeover and would absolutely do again! Highly recommend! read more

Loved our visit to Once Upon an Island. The mermaids are so fun and engaging! The whole experience takes you to a magical mermaid wonderland!!! read more