*NOTE: The Pirate League will be closing permanently on July 27, 2020*
If you have a little Pirate or Mermaid in the making, you might want to consider adding The Pirate League to your Disney World vacation plans.
This experience will give kids of all ages the opportunity to not only transform in to a Pirate Captain, but get real Pirate Training from one of Jack Sparrow's very own Pirate Crew.
It's also a great alternative to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique princess makeovers. If you are looking for a makeover that isn't princess specific, something more budget friendly, something less feminine, or something that you (as the adult) can join in on the fun, The Pirate League might be just the thing for you.
The Pirate League is located in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. You'll find it right next to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
When you check in for your appointment at the desk, you will be given all of your makeover package choices. The packages options are:
The First Mate Package (starts at $44.95)
The Skulls and Scurry Package (starts at $18.95)
The Scurry Glam Package (starts at $24.95)
The Pirate Redd Package (starts at $44.95)
The Pirate Redd Deluxe Package (starts at $99.95)
The Mermaid Package (starts at $44.95)
The Mermaid Deluxe Package (starts at $84.95)
The Captain Jack Deluxe Package (starts at $99.95)
Once you decide which package you want, you are taken back in to the Pirates Den to begin the transformation.
During our experience we decided on the First Mate Package for my 8 year-old son.
You'll start by picking a Pirate name. My son's pirate name was picked with a combination of his birthday month and a roll of the dice. My son Tanner was then transformed in to Pirate Ben Foulstench.
Once his name was chosen he was introduced to one of Captain Jack Sparrow's pirate crew members. And he got to work transforming an 8 year old boy in to a pirate. Complete with pirate beard, black eye, and a scar. The entire time making pirates jokes and telling stories of pirate adventures.
After he finished applying the pirate makeup, he completed the transformation with a bandana, an eye patch, an earring, and a pirate sash. My son was asked to take the pirate oath. And when we were done we all yelled YO HO! And all of the pirates in the room cheered.
Before we left we explored Jack Sparrow's secret den, and were even able to steal some gold coin treasure that was hidden.
I was given instructions and makeup removing wipes for when my son was ready to "shave" his beard (remove the face paint).
Overall I thought this was an absolutely wonderful experience. Our pirate crew member was extremely fun and funny. My son very much wanted to get this makeover, but when we were there he became shy and had a hard time with things like the pirate oath. If you have a child who has a hard time being the center of attention or put on the spot you might want to keep that in mind. But I will add that our pirate crew member recognized this, and when my son wasn't interested in participating at certain parts he either moved on or asked me to step in and help (my son didn't want to yell YO HO at the end of the makeover, so I did it instead). I appreciated that the Cast Member recognized his shyness and didn't push him too far out of his comfort zone.
While it is possible to get a walk in spot for The Pirate League, I highly recommend that you make advanced reservations for this experience. You can make reservations for this experience on Disney website.
You will need a credit card to confirm your spot, but you will not be charged until after the service. Keep in mind that if you need to cancel you have to do so within 24 hours of your appointment to avoid a cancellation charge.
Make your appointment for early in the day. This way your child can really get the most out of their makeover. We had a morning appointment, and when we walked the park the rest of the day my son was thrilled at all of the comments he got about his new Pirate look.
Buy costumes ahead of time. You can get fun pirate costumes from amazon for less than the costumes that they have at Disney World (like this girls costume for the Pirate Redd look or this one for the First Mate package). That way you can opt for the less expensive package, but still have the complete pirate or mermaid look for your child
Book your appointment in advance. You can make reservations at 180 days out from your check in date. While there are often spots available last minute, don’t risk missing out if this is something you know you want to do. Make an appointment ahead of time. You can always cancel if your plans change.
Get in on the fun yourself! This experience isn’t only for children. Any guest age 3 or older can get a makeover. So become a pirate or mermaid along with your child.
Bring your camera or head to a Photopass studio.The lighting in the pirate den where the makeovers is done is dark, but very cool. You'll want to be sure to take lots of photos. You can even head over to the Photopass Studios at the parks to get photos take (they'll be included if you have the Memory Maker package). You'll find these studios at Sir Mickey's in Magic Kingdom (in Fantasyland), at The Grand Floridian (on the second floor), and at Disney Springs (at the Marketplace).
Bring extra makeup wipes. If you are able to pack extra makeup wipes, you might want to do that. They provide you a single makeup wipe, but depending on the package you chose, you might need more than that to remove the makeup. My son used his wipe plus soap and water, and still had some makeup left on his face. Luckily I had packed extra makeup wipes.
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See you at the parks,
-Julie
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