Tuesday, March 18, 2014

The hunt for Elsa

My daughter saw the Disney movie Frozen months ago.  She instantly fell in love with the story and the characters.  (I haven't seen it yet.  I will finally be able to watch it tonight, we had a friend buy us the BluRay this morning and drop it off to me.) Our home has been filled with pretend play of Anna and Elsa, and the music from Frozen ever since my little saw the movie.  At this point, all five of us know the songs and you will randomly hear us belting out "Let it Goooooooooo" or "Love is an open door, door, door, love is an open Dooooooooor!". 

So as we planned our trip to Disney, I told the big kids to make 3 lists.  1.  Things they wanted to see 2. Things they wanted to do and 3. Things they wanted to buy.   My son's list was full in each category.  But my 6 year old daughters lists were almost empty.  The three things she wanted on her trip were 1.  To see Anna and Elsa in person 2. To go to the Bibbidi Bobbidy Boutique and 3. To get the Elsa dress.  So I started preparing early.  I found out where Anna and Elsa were going to be while we were in Florida.  (Norway in Epcot.  They are tucked away in a little gift shop, and the line to meet them is usually about 3-5 hours long.) In December I booked an appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidy Boutique in Downtown Disney for one of our days there.  (FYI, this one is busy, but not nearly as busy as the Magic Kingdom boutique.  Everytime we got close to that one, there were crowds of people around us and we could barely move.  The Downtown Disney boutique was more open and airy and you could easily move around. And yes, we definitely needed to book the appointment 3 months in advance.  Those appointments book up fast!) And I figured I could buy the dress at most of the gift shops around the park.  I mean, they all sell Disney stuff, and I was assuming most of them carried Disney Princess dress up clothes.  So they had to carry the Elsa dress. Right??  Right????  RIGHT??????  Hmmpppfff. 

So off to Disney we went, with lists in hand.  We visited the very first gift shop we saw with Princess dresses and I asked the woman where the Elsa dresses were.  She sort of giggled and replied "Oh honey, those are sold out park wide.  But I can sprinkle some pixie dust in your hair!"  So with a flick of her wand, my 6 year old and I were covered in glitter and headed out to find another shop that sold the dress.  I mean, seriously, it couldn't really be sold out park wide.  Right??  Right????  RIGHT????  Well.........  Maybe so.  Every dress shop I visited for the next two days had no Elsa dresses and almost no Frozen stuff.  Occasionally we'd find the castle playset, or a book, or Anna's sled toy.  But no dresses at all, Anna's or Elsa's!  But we hadn't hit the boutique yet and we knew that they had a plethora of princess dresses there. 

So the day of our appointment arrives.  We head on down super early to the Downtown Disney area.  We take some pictures in front of the characters and in the little water area there, and then head straight to the World of Disney store where the Boutique is.  We head in, see the Frozen area, with books and toys and tee shirts and sweatshirts and, and, AND................




No Elsa dresses. 



WHAT???? 


But they did have the beautiful green Coronation dress that Anna wears in the movie.  And then the women at the boutique and the dress shop did tell me AGAIN that the whole park is sold out of Elsa's dress.  So my daughter, with her sweet little face and her big brown eyes, looks up at me and says "Mommy, even though I reeeeeeeeally wanted the Elsa dress, I'd be completely happy with Anna's dress." 

Now let me tell you that this child, from birth, has been nothing but an angel.  She was the easiest baby, she was the nicest toddler, and she is the sweetest kid.  She has literally only thrown a temper tantrum ONCE in her 6 years.  (and that was when she was 1 1/2.) She listens and follows EVERY rule there is.  And she is kind to everyone.  Seriously.  (I wish I could tell you that I am exaggerating about this, but honestly, this child is an ANGEL.)

So I bought her the Anna dress.  And she looks beautiful in it.  And her boutique appointment was everything she dreamed of and everything she wanted and she left there smiling and thanking us over and over and over again. 
 
But I still wanted to get her that Elsa dress.  I was determined to find it.  I looked all over the parks for it, asked sales people in shops, stalked Norway in Epcot for it. (Btw, we DID see Anna and Elsa!)
 
 
But there were seriously no Elsa dresses to be found.  I even checked the Disney store online daily with no luck.  Now 2 weeks later I am STILL on the hunt!  This morning I got a call from a friend, letting me know that the dress was on the Disney website.  So I immediately logged on, clicked on my daughter's size and added it to my cart. 
 
"This item cannot be purchased at this time."
 
So I clicked on a size bigger. "This item cannot be purchased at this time."  Okay, the size smaller....."This item cannot be purchased at this time."   Okay, well, maybe I can try for my younger daughter.  "This item cannot be purchased at this time." 
 
REALLY????  Sold out in every size.  size 2/3, 4, 5/6, 7/8 and 10 all sold out.   I was so bummed.  So I am still on the hunt and frustrated.  I completely know how my Mom felt in the early 80's when all I wanted was a Cabbage Patch kid doll.  I know that eventually I will find the dress, Im just hoping it will be an easy find and that I don't get trampled when I find it!  (I'm only partially kidding....does anyone remember when Moms were getting trampled and getting broken legs while trying to buy Cabbage Patch kids?!?!) I've checked other sites.  One generous seller on Amazon was offering the dress at the low, low price of $608.  That is so very kind of him.  (Insert eye roll here.  I hope that you can sense my sarcasm in that previous sentence.) 
 
My daughter has hopes that we will find this dress before Halloween so she can be Elsa.  And I am determined to somehow find that darn dress!!!  It will be mine.  Oh yes, it will be mine!!!  Umm, I mean, my daughter's. 

1 comment:

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