Carefully add your custom-mixed scent to the hot wax . PHOTO BY AMANDA HAGOOD
CHARACTER MAGIC : Ariel
BY TRISHA DAAB
When the trailer with Halle Bailey as The Little Mermaid first aired , videos of excited little girls flooded social media , and a new generation of The Little Mermaid fans was born .
This summer at a hotel pool , I saw a group of girls pretending to be Ariel . One swam in a circle in an Ariel swimsuit while singing . Another tossed her beautiful braids and sang a line from “ Part of Your World ” before jumping into the pool .
Decorate the glass container with paint pens in any design you like . PHOTO BY AMANDA HAGOOD
With our creative fires stoked , it was time to add the hot wax . Our chandler-waxhandler drew clear liquid soy wax from a huge samovar and into a beaker , then gave us paint pots containing a soft putty of wax and pigment . Away we mixed ! I aimed for a soft orange — merely a dab of red and many additions of yellow — while my son leaned hard into blue with a twist of black for a satisfying navy . We added our scents , poured the wax into our decorated glasses ( with help ), and tossed in a pinch of glitter . Bibbidibobbidi-boo : We had made candles !
You do have to wait about 30 minutes for your finished candles to cool ( or you can leave them for next-day pickup ). But we made good use of our time by visiting The Candy Cauldron a few doors down and selecting a grab bag of treats to enjoy while watching the vintage Amphicars tour Lake Buena Vista . Before we knew it , it was time to head home with our handcrafted treasures .
The moral of my story ? If you think candle making with kids is beyond you , let me assure you : You candloo it !
Good to know before you go : This activity is best for kiddos 5 years and older , as it does involve following directions and moving safely around glass , scented oils , and hot wax . You ’ ll sign a waiver before you begin , and the experience costs $ 25 per person . Bowes can only seat five candle makers at a time , so you may want to make a reservation ahead of time ( call or fill out their online contact form ).
Imagine how excited these fin flippers were when I shared a video of guests meeting Ariel at Disney ’ s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World .
We watched guests walk through Walt Disney Presents to arrive at special blue doors , eager to become part of Ariel ’ s world . After winding through darkened hallways filled with art from the film , they pass through an ornate doorway into a room with a soft glow , like the seaside at sunset .
Ariel is on the terrace of Prince Eric ’ s castle . There ’ s the sea , palm trees , checkered floor with weathered looking tiles , and a table of neat stuff Ariel loves sharing . Ariel ’ s stunning in her sea-blue dress , natural sun-kissed makeup , and long braids with pearl details .
Like her secret grotto in the film , Ariel ’ s meet-and-greet location has magical details aplenty : Prince Eric ’ s map , thingamabobs , and , my favorite , Ariel ’ s under-the-sea friends cleverly hidden on her dress !
Our candles shine just as bright as happy memories of a fun , creative day at Disney Springs . PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA HAGOOD
PHOTO BY MARISA ALVARADO