If you have kids who love the Disney Princesses, there is a toy you need to check out. The Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle from Mattel is an extravagant playset that goes beyond the traditional dollhouse. The castle is meant for the 12 inch princess dolls from Disney. This Ultimate Dream Castle stands over three feet tall.
This playset has three floors of interactive fun that your kids will love to play with time and time again. Each room throughout the castle has a theme to it. Inside each of those rooms your child can recreate certain moments from the Disney Princess films. There is a grand staircase that has a hidden compartment to hide Cinderella’s glass slipper as she tries to get home by midnight. You can give Ariel a bath in the room that looks like it is under the sea with actual bubble sounds. Belle’s dining room has moving characters that invite you to be their guest.
Jasmine has a sweet elevator that acts just like the magic carpet from the film “Aladdin.” Yes, I did find myself singing “A Whole New World” with my daughters as Jasmine flew up and down the castle. Plus there are even rooms catered to the newest Disney Princesses like Rapunzel. Her bedroom has a spiraling hair elevator for her and her princess friends to use. Aurora, who is known as Sleeping Beauty, has a bedroom, where her fairy godmothers can watch over her.
Besides all of the bells and whistles that come along with the castle, there is an app that enhances your child’s experience with the dollhouse. By downloading the app your child gets to discover a whole new world of fun with the castle.
Once you download the app for either your iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (5th generation) or iPad you can unlock more of the playset’s secrets. Additional fun awaits when you simply align your device to the special spots around the castle to reveal princess activities. Some these cool features allow your child to get visits from special friends and play games.
There is a Princess Portrait Activity that lets your child be the star of the show. There are a total of five delightful Disney Princess activities that are connected with this app. Your child can paint with Rapunzel, sew with Cinderella, play a song with Sleeping Beauty, bake a pie with Snow White, and pop bubbles with Ariel. I found myself playing the bubble popping game over and over again to the point where my daughters were asking for my iPad back. It is that addicting.
The app also adds some special effects that is very reminiscent of what a fairy godmother can create from the use of her magic wand. There is a fireworks show, you can watch the floating lanterns, and create rainbows. Professional narration, custom music and fun sound effects just adds to the fun your child will experience while playing with this castle.
In the past my wife and I purchased other playsets for our daughters, but this one takes the cake. Even without the app and its features the castle by far was the best dollhouse we have seen on the market. I am not at all amazed to see that this castle be the go to toy of choice for my daughters. They have so much fun with it. If your children have been good this year maybe Santa Claus will have the Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle under the tree for them.
(Please note: I was sent this product, but my thoughts are my own.)