Let the indulgence begin with the dream of every tiny princess-in-training: a makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, in Cinderella Castle.

There is no greater joy in life for me than providing my grandchildren with happy times and fond memories. Many of you grandparents feel the same way, or you wouldn’t be reading this book. There’s something so satisfying, so gratifying about being sure the next generation gets the best of everything you can possibly provide for them. Often it is something we longed for as children but were not able to afford.

When I was little, I wanted to buy a hat, any hat, at Disneyland. I thought the cursive script writing that personalized the purchase was the apex of luxury. Finally, after five years of longing, I got a jaunty little pink felt cap with a tall, yellow ostrich feather that cost $1.25. It had "Andrea" written on the brim in bright yellow thread. I treasured it for years. My parents didn’t often spend money for extras like that, so it meant a lot. Be sure to generously cover as many of those “extra” expenses as you can for your grandchildren, but you and I know that sharing our time, attention, and love is more important than any purchase we could possibly make.

In Fantasyland, there is one very special opportunity for you to wave that magic wand of yours and make a little granddaughter’s fondest wish come true. She truly can become a princess, even if just for today. In Cinderella Castle, you’ll find a tucked-away spot called the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. This is something new to most of us. The concept certainly never existed when I was a child growing up in southern California and going to Disneyland, nor was it available when our daughter Liz was a little girl. You’ll be a bit overwhelmed by the experience, especially the first time you visit, but don’t be timid. Take the plunge!

Walking through the door, granddads and dads will immediately feel as though they’ve just jumped into in a tub brimful of estrogen. The BBB (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, not Better Business Bureau) raises “feminine” to unimaginable heights. Many of those fathers and grandfathers walk around for a short while feeling puzzled, dazed, and more than a bit overwhelmed. That’s fine. They can take sons and grandsons off in search of more manly pursuits, maybe a warm cinnamon roll or a chocolate croissant and a cup of that sinfully addictive LeFou’s Winter Brrrew (no, seriously, that’s how it’s spelled), “rich and creamy hot cocoa with a hint of toasted marshmallow topped with whipped cream and crushed candy cane” over at Gaston’s Tavern nearby.

For grandmothers, daughters, and granddaughters, the boutique will be a thoroughly indulgent, decadent display of Disney drama at its best. Your granddaughter will be treated as if she actually were a princess from the time she registers until the time she waves a wrist-twisting, royal farewell.

Make your reservation well ahead of time to avoid disappointment. These time slots are secured over the phone. You should call six months in advance! Do this when you book your hotel suite so you don’t forget. Make a list, check it twice…and then check it yet again! Granddaughters must be between three and twelve. It’s not possible to drop off the future princess. Plan for thirty to sixty minutes, depending on which package you select. Some transformations take more time than others. A responsible adult must accompany her, but that’s the whole point, isn’t it? You’ll want to share the experience and witness the entire magical experience yourself.

Daughter Liz advises booking a time in the morning at the boutique: “Even though times are available until early evening, definitely grab one of those coveted morning spots. They go fast! What little girl wants to get all dressed up with a fancy makeover and then go back to the hotel, take a bath, and go to bed?”

Very true. Part of the fun is walking all over the park dressed as a beautiful princess and creating a bit of a sensation among the other park-goers and little girls, little girls who will immediately want to become princesses, too. Sadly, their grandparents haven’t snapped up one of those coveted morning times six months in advance like you have.

First, she’ll need to select the perfect princess persona, the one she most wants to be. Over the years, Katherine has been transformed into Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, and Elsa. All of the many available costumes are displayed on racks in a shop adjacent to the boutique. Of course you can purchase them on your own without the boutique make-over, but if there’s any way to indulge in the entire experience, stretch the budget to do so. You won’t regret it!

Girls may take several different outfits and sizes into the lavishly appointed dressing rooms. There are also many kinds of shoes, accessories, hair ornaments, tiaras, and purses on offer—enough to make Ariel’s head swim. There are so many to choose from that it’s hard to narrow down the selection. Already, your granddaughter’s eyes will be dancing as she looks at the glittering finery displayed all around her. Grandmothers, pause just a moment to glance around you. Every little girl is looking at herself in the (vast amount of expansive) mirrors and grinning, every grammy is beaming proudly, every mommy is smiling tenderly, and every daddy or granddad is backing away rapidly toward the exit. This is a girl’s world, no doubt about it.

When your granddaughter emerges from the dressing room in her ball gown, or harem pants if she’s Jasmine, or fish tail in Ariel’s case, be prepared with tissues. You’ll be treated to a brief glimpse of the lovely young woman she will one day become. She’ll sit in a swivel chair before the wall of mirrors, holding a magic mirror in her hand to see every angle of her own emerging loveliness. If you want to see a happy little girl, you have only to step into the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!

A personal “fairy godmother in training” will be assigned to your granddaughter. This attendant will be sure everything is taken care of exactly the way it should be. You can sit on comfy love seats, chairs, and poufs while the princess is pampered within an inch of her life. There is a chart displaying various hair styles. I’m not a big fan of the available hairpieces. They are too thin and skimpy to look realistic. The color won’t match, either. If her hair is long enough, get the bun. The style looks classic, good on everyone, and stays put all day. With the liberal application of hairspray, gel, and glitter, that bun could withstand a category 4 hurricane.

Continued in "The Indulgent Grandparent's Guide to Walt Disney World"!

Andrea knows where at least one body is buried in the Everglades, but her indulgent day with the grandkids in Disney's Animal Kingdom is blessedly free of casualties.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal may not be your cup of tea, or it may not make financial sense to buy spendy tickets to two Universal theme parks for just one day. You can quite easily spend two days of your vacation here in the Animal Kingdom. Something else you might consider is renting a car and driving down to see the Everglades, the wild River of Grass. This is old Florida, pre-Disney. We once took a dirt backroad near Seminole Indian territory and got ourselves lost. The Seminoles retreated deep into the Everglades to evade being forcibly relocated to Oklahoma. Big Cypress where many still live is about eighty-two square miles, or about twice the size of Walt Disney World. Our detour was a trip back in time, a look at a primordial world. We started counting alligators and stopped when we hit 200. They’d cruise right alongside our car in streams and lagoons. A pair of giant, dark river otters galumphed down the road in front of us. Cries of exotic waterfowl added background music to the hauntingly primitively scene. It was unforgettable.

“Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to Orlando,” I’d sometimes ask my students. This topic would often come up as we were talking about John Goddard and his famous Life List, something my fellow teacher Meg and I would ask our eighth graders to write for themselves. Read his list if you want some inspiration! Once, I wrote John an email and he called us during class to say yes, hippos really were every bit as dangerous as he indicated in his memoir.

Lots of hands would go up in response to my question. The junior high kids were excited to share all the things they had seen and done at the Walt Disney World parks.

“Raise your hand if you’ve ever visited the Everglades when you were in Orlando.”

I’d raise my hand. It would nearly always be the only one raised.

“Sometime, you really do need to ask your folks to take a few hours out of your vacation to go see it,” I’d say, and then I’d tell them about some of my family’s experiences and the things we saw.

I didn’t tell them about the large black car that pulled around us and stopped far ahead on the dirt road. The trunk popped open. Two men in dark suits got out. Ron bumped swiftly around them on the rutted dirt.

“Don’t look at them!” I ordered Liz and Rob. It felt more serious than the teenaged boys swatting at mosquitoes. They were probably just having an innocent picnic—wearing suits and ties in the summer. Alternatively, Iggy the Rat had double-crossed them and would now be sleeping with the fishes—and the gators. It was a tad disconcerting after seeing no other sign of human life for hours, so if you do go, stick to the main roads.

If you thought Epcot was big at 300 acres, you just haven’t seen anything, yet! The Animal Kingdom is 500 acres, which makes it the second largest theme park in the world. It opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, and is the fourth of the four big Disney parks built here in Orlando. Its theme is even more tangled than Epcot’s, but your grandkids will love it anyway.

Our son Rob visited shortly after the park opened while attending forensics camp (the speech kind, not the dissecting kind) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It had much less to offer shortly after it opened and was not nearly as fabulous as it is now. Back then, it was something of a disappointment for the teens at camp. They had more fun riding the roller coasters at Universal, which is why I think of Universal as the teens-gone-wild park. Animal Kingdom has been expanded and updated several times over since opening. If you go now, you won’t be disappointed—far from it! It’s one of the nicest ways to introduce your grandchildren to the idea of animal and habitat conservation you could ask for. The family can easily spend two days here.

From your hotel, you’ll take the bus over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this morning. My suggestion for breakfast is Tusker House. Tusker is the nickname for a large bull elephant. It’s a character breakfast where all the Disney gang wear safari garb. Donald, Mickey, Goofy, and others will be here. Walk through the main gate and stay on the path to the left. You will pass by some animal viewing areas on the way, and it’s okay to pause, but don’t linger. Your reservations should be as early as you can possibly make them! Not only can you book six months ahead, you must. I’ll explain why shortly. As you give the hostess at Tuskers your name, there’s a chance for the grandchildren to pose for a picture with Safari Donald Duck or another one of the costumed characters before you go inside the restaurant.

This is a big space. Don’t be concerned about the location of your table. Every one of the characters will come over to personally meet, greet, pose with, and sign autographs for your grandchildren. The wait staff and hosts or hostesses will be sure to monitor their progress so that every table is visited by every one of the characters. There is also a chance for the grandkids to dance and march along in a parade with them that snakes through the restaurant and among the tables, similar to what happened earlier in the week at your ’Ohana breakfast at the Polynesian.

The breakfast here is, yet again, spectacular. Mickey waffles, of course, but every kind of breakfast item you can dream up also makes an appearance in the expansive, help-yourself buffet area in the center of this facility. There are more than fifty items to choose from. I skipped the “mealie pap.” Be sure the kids eat plenty of fresh fruit here to balance out all the rest of the treats because it’s beautifully prepared and delicious. Adults may enjoy a flaky croissant or a slice of lemon-poppyseed bread with the excellent coffee. It’s a relaxing, delightful experience from the time you check in until you and your family finally depart, satisfied and happy.

Here’s the reason you need to be out of Tusker and on your way over to Kilimanjaro Safaris as soon as you can. The first safari departs about 9:00 AM. Try to be on it. The animals are most active and awake early in the morning, so you must be, too, if you hope to glimpse any of them moving around instead of dozing in the shade. On a winter weekday morning, the wait time without a FastPass can be about 60 to 90 minutes, so you absolutely need to use a FastPass here. Make the earliest available Tusker reservation six months before your trip, allow an hour or so for the character breakfast and ten minutes to walk over to Kilimanjaro, and then schedule your safari FastPass sixty days before you arrive. It is located at the very back of the park on the left. This will be a highlight of your day.

Continued in "The Indulgent Grandparent's Guide to Walt Disney World"!