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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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

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.

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!

Yes! Daily Experiences make wonderful gifts. Digital and physical gift cards are available for purchase.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.