Whimsical Wishes Policies
At Whimsical Wishes, our mission is to create magical, memorable, and stress-free celebrations for every family we serve. The following policies help protect our guests, performers, costumes, equipment, and the quality of the experience we provide. Thank you for taking a moment to review them so that together, we can create a truly enchanting celebration.
Royal Etiquette & Safety
Clients are responsible for ensuring that Whimsical Wishes staff, costumes, props, and equipment are treated with care and respect. If a staff member feels that a situation is disrespectful, inappropriate, or unsafe, they may temporarily step away from the celebration until the issue is addressed. If the concern cannot be resolved, Whimsical Wishes reserves the right for staff to leave the event without a refund.
For the safety of all guests, performers are entertainers and not childcare providers. A parent or responsible adult must remain present and accessible throughout the entire character visit.
Travel Fees
We are based in Salem, VA and currently generally service up to about 1.5 hours from our headquarters of Salem, VA (zip code 24153). See below for the travel fees. Fees are a flat rate. Please note, Travel Parties (25 miles from Salem or more) are only available for 1 hour party or over.
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Up to 20 miles – Included in the Package Price
25-35 miles from Salem – $30 flat rate
35-45 miles from Salem – $35 flat rate
45-55 miles from Salem- $40 flat rate
55-65 miles from Salem- $45 flat rate
65+ miles - Contact us for Pricing
Character Substitutions
While we make every effort to provide the requested character and performer for your celebration, unforeseen circumstances such as illness, emergencies, or other situations beyond our control may require a character or performer substitution. In these rare instances, Whimsical Wishes will do everything in our power to provide a suitable replacement or alternate magical experience so your child’s special day can continue as planned.
If a suitable replacement or alternate arrangement cannot be made, clients will be offered the option to reschedule their event or receive a full refund of any payments made.
If the Unexpected Happens
Whimsical Wishes reserves the right to reschedule an event due to dangerous weather conditions, performer illness, or circumstances beyond our control. In these rare situations, we will do everything in our power to preserve the magic of your child’s special day, including providing a suitable replacement performer or making other accommodations whenever possible.
If a replacement or alternate arrangement cannot be made, clients will be offered the option to reschedule their event or receive a full refund of any payments made.
We understand that plans can change, and our goal is always to be fair to our families while also respecting the time our performers reserve specifically for each celebration. Please never hesitate to reach out with any questions or if an unexpected situation arises.
Our royal performers are carefully selected and professionally trained to create a magical experience for every celebration. While all photographs on our website and social media feature real Whimsical Wishes performers and events, the specific performer pictured may not be the performer assigned to your celebration. Performer assignments are based on availability and scheduling needs.
Booking & Payment
You will receive an email within 24 hours of submitting your booking form to confirm availability. Once your booking is confirmed, a secure Square invoice for your 50% non-refundable deposit will be sent. Your event date, time, performers, and package are not reserved until the deposit has been paid.
A second invoice for the remaining balance will be sent one week before your event and is due no later than 24 hours before your scheduled arrival time. We do not accept personal checks.
Gratuities are never required but are always appreciated. To help keep the magic alive, the Royal Helper will collect any cash gratuities rather than the character. Gratuities may also be added securely through Square.
Last-Minute Bookings
We love helping make your celebration extra magical and appreciate as much advance notice as possible to ensure we have the performers and Royal Helpers available to create the best experience. Booking 4–6 weeks in advance is recommended.
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Events booked less than two weeks in advance may be subject to a $20 per attending staff member (character, 1 attendant and photographer/videographer if booked) rush booking fee, provided we are able to accommodate the request.
This fee is distributed entirely to the attending staff as a thank you for adjusting their work and personal schedules to make your celebration possible.
Rescheduling
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We understand that unexpected situations arise, and we will always do our best to work with our families whenever possible.
A non-refundable deposit of 50% is required to reserve your event date, time, performers, and package. Once your celebration is booked, our team begins preparing to make your child’s magical day special, including scheduling performers, planning details, and, when applicable, purchasing or preparing supplies for your event.
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If you need to reschedule your event due to illness, emergency, severe weather, or another unforeseen circumstance, we will gladly apply your deposit toward a new event date within 12 months of your original event date, subject to Whimsical Wishes performer and staff availability.
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If you choose to cancel your event completely more than 72 hours before your scheduled event, your non-refundable deposit will be retained.
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Cancellations made within 72 hours of the scheduled event are responsible for the remaining balance of the booking. Our performers reserve this time specifically for your celebration, and in many cases they have requested time off from their other jobs or adjusted personal commitments in order to be present at your event. Due to the short notice, we are unlikely to fill the reserved time with another booking.
Cancellation
Timing of Arrival
Because we understand that parents of small children run on "kid time" and most every party has some stragglers who come in late, we recommend inviting us to the celebration 30 minutes after your invitation time so that all of your guests are settled in and ready for the royal entrance!
Allergies
Please inform Whimsical Wishes of any allergies or sensitivities to food, nail polish, latex, acrylics, temporary tattoos, face paints, or other products prior to your event. While we take every reasonable precaution to create a safe experience, Whimsical Wishes is not responsible for allergic reactions or injuries that may occur during the event.
Bounce Houses
Everyone loves a bounce house—us included! We are always happy to attend celebrations that feature them. However, if an indoor bounce house is present, we kindly ask that our portion of the party take place in a separate room or that the bounce house be temporarily deflated during our visit.
Indoor bounce houses can be quite loud, making it difficult for performers to be heard, even with a microphone and speaker. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us create the most magical experience possible for your guests!