F.A.Q
What areas do you service?
We currently serve all locations in Upstate SC for in-person visits. We offer Character virtual calls countrywide.
Will there be a travel fee?
We always try and keep client’s travel fees to a minimum, or waive them altogether whenever we can. We don't include a travel fee for serving Upstate, SC. In case you would like to book characters to any other locations, there may be a minimal travel fee, which will be quoted at time of inquiry.
How far in advance do I have to book?
We do not have a maximum or minimum time in advance required to secure a booking. We always recommend that if you know you are interested in booking--don’t wait! We receive new bookings every day, often months in advance, and we wouldn’t want your requested time/date/character to get booked before you get the chance to secure the time slot. That being said, most people book 3-4 weeks in advance.
Should I bring in the character at the same time my party starts?
We generally recommend booking the character 30-90 minutes after the start time of your party, with 60 minutes tending to be the sweet spot. You want to give your guests a chance to arrive and settle in before the character arrives to ensure that the majority of your guests get to enjoy the character’s visit. We also recommend having the character leave at least 30 minutes before your party is scheduled to end so that you have a chance to wrap up after the character leaves (eating cake, passing out goodie bags, opening gifts, etc.). If you know that your guests tend to arrive very late, you may want to take this into consideration when planning the start time of your character. The character will not be able to adjust their start time on the day of the party because your guests are running late.
I don’t know the exact time that I want the character to come. Can I still book? Can I change the time later?
In order to book a party, we do need to have a time slot to put into our calendar so that we can reserve the time for you and make sure the character/costume doesn’t get booked elsewhere. You can move the time post booking per our availability. If the performer scheduled on your party is available at your new time and/or the costume isn’t needed elsewhere at your newly requested time, we’re happy to move the time for you!
How many activities can the character do?
Our policy is that any activities are included within your time frame, as time allows. The number of activities that the performer can complete depends on how many children you are expecting, and how many are actually present and participating on the day of the party. When you book with us, we ask you to fill out an info sheet about your party, and one question on that info sheet is about your requested activities. Please be as clear as possible on your info sheet about the activities you are requesting, and when you speak to your performer before the party, let them know what your top priority activities are. If your performer knows which activities are most important to you, they will always start with those activities and do as much as they can within the time frame!
Will the performer bring materials for all of the activities listed on your website?
Your performer will bring any and all materials for the activities that are requested specifically on your info sheet. Please make any changes to activity requests at least 7 days prior to your party so that we can make sure your performer is packed correctly.
Do I need to provide anything for the performer?
We will bring all materials for the activities that we provide. We only ask that you provide an adult sized chair for each of the performers at your party, and a table and two adult sized chairs per performer whenever your performers will be face painting. For our Mascot parties, we ask for a private room for the performer(s) to change in before the party.
Do I have to pay extra for any activities?
Nope! We charge only for the time that the entertainer is present at your party. All standard activities are included, as time allows.
Does it matter how many kids I invite to my party? I see on your website that you list what activities can be completed “with an estimation of 10-15 children.” I’m expecting more than 15 kids. Do you charge for extra children?
Nope! We don’t charge by the number of children present, only by the time that the character/performer is present. The average number of children we see at a party is 10-15 so we have used this as a starting point for you to gauge about how many activities might fit in a given time frame. That being said, these are still estimations, and every performer is a little different. If you are expecting more than 15 kids--no problem, and no extra charge! The performer may just be able to do a little bit less in terms of the number of activities they can complete, or you might want to book for a little bit longer. Please fill out a contact form so we can discuss your individual party!
I’m having a princess at my party, but a lot of the children will be boys. Are you able to include the boys in the activities?"
Absolutely! All of our activities are for everyone, and the Princess will always invite and encourage the boys to participate as much as they are interested in doing so. Lots of boys absolutely love interacting with the Princesses just as much as the girls do, and we find that when the parents and other adults make the boys feel like it’s okay to participate, they are excited to do so! Some of the activities that the boys tend to particularly enjoy are the games and the balloon twisting, so if you are concerned about the boys being engaged, you might want to include one or both of these activities at your party. For the face painting and balloon twisting, the Princess will always offer some traditional “boy” options such as spiders, snakes, skulls, snowmen (for face painting), or swords, dogs, dinosaurs (for balloon twisting), but of course they are welcome to choose any of the options presented to them. If you are interested in including the Princess Makeover activity, we will also pack the performer with face painting and/or temporary tattoos so that the boys can participate. Often times some of the girls will also prefer face painting or tattoos so we will have this there as an option for them so that everyone feels comfortable and included!
Can your character come to a party venue/play place/school?
Yes! As long as the venue allows outside characters, we are happy to go there.
I'm ready to book! What’s next?
Wonderful! We require a 30% deposit for Party Characters. If you're interested in booking, here's what we need to get started: party date, time of character’s arrival, character/entertainment choice, zip code of the party, first and last name for your contract, and your email address.
How much of a deposit do you require?
30% of your total balance for party characters. Please note that all deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE.
How long do I have to put down my deposit?
Once we send you a deposit invoice and other booking materials (contract and info sheet), you will have 48 hours to send these back to us if your party date is more than 7 days away, and 24 hours if your party date is within 7 days. If you have not submitted within 48 hours, we reserve the right to open up your time slot to other potential customers. If you are having any issues with paying on time or submitting materials, please just communicate with us and we will do what we can to work with you and assist you!
Do I need a paypal account in order to pay the deposit?
Nope! We will send you a paypal invoice for your deposit, but you definitely do not need to have a paypal account. You can pay with any major credit or debit card
How do I pay my remaining balance?
Your remaining balance will be due in cash to your performer(s) at the end of their time at your party. Please have the cash prepared and ready to go upon their completion. If you are booking a character performer, please settle the balance discretely and away from children so as not to spoil the magic. If cash will not be possible for your event or your organization, please contact us to arrange to pay via check or invoice.
Can I bring a check to your office or come in to sign my contract?
Unfortunately no, as we do not have a storefront or physical office at which to meet clients. We try to make everything as simple as possible by making the contract, deposit, and info sheet digital so that you don’t have to make a trip! However, if your party is more than 2 weeks away we can accept a check/contract mailed to our location if this is necessary for you.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you wish to completely cancel your party, you will forfeit your deposit. However, we always encourage you to reschedule your party instead of cancelling! See below.
What if I need to reschedule my party for a different date?
If you wish to reschedule your party, we will work with you to reschedule your party per the availability of our characters and performers! The newly rescheduled party date must be within 60 days of the original party date, unless the party is being rescheduled due to Covid, in which case we can be more flexible and extend the time period as needed.
What if it rains on the day of my party?
In the case of inclement weather (rain, very heavy winds, hail, etc.), we need you to provide the character/entertainer and guests with a covered/sheltered area. This covered area must completely protect the performer and all costume pieces and materials. If a sufficient covered or indoor area is not provided, the performer will need to leave the party or event. Please always be prepared with a back-up venue or covered area in the case of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances (especially during fall through spring months). If the character needs to leave a party or event because a sheltered area is not provided, you will still be responsible for paying the company the full balance of your party. If you choose to reschedule your party due to inclement weather, we will work with you to reschedule your party per the availability of our characters and performers! If you cancel your party due to inclement weather, you will forfeit your deposit.
Do your performers accept gratuities?
Yes! If you would like to show your performer(s) that you enjoyed their performance, a gratuity is a wonderful way of expressing this and is always most appreciated. Your present balance does not include gratuity. We always recommend including a gratuity to your performer(s) in the amount of 15-20% of your total balance. However, this is a recommendation, and never required.
I’d rather pay the full balance up front instead of paying cash on the day of the party. Can I do this?
Sure! Please submit this request to us by email and we can send you a separate invoice for your remaining balance. The remaining balance must be received no later than 48 hours prior to your party. If you opt to pay in advance, we’d just like to remind you that we do recommend a 15-20% gratuity to your performer. If you choose to tip your performer, you could do this in cash on the day of the party, or we can add it to your invoice, per request. Gratuities are recommended and not required.
I just want to book the mascot by themself. Why do I have to have a Party Host?
There are a few reasons we require a party host and do not send out our mascot performers alone.
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Safety: As you can imagine, vision is limited for our mascot performers and it is very hot inside the costumes. The Party Host helps the mascot to navigate around the party and makes sure that the performer is safe moving around the area, going up and down stairs, squeezing through tight spaces, and makes sure that no children/guests are in the mascot performer’s blindspots. This helps keep the mascot performer safe as well as the guests at your party. If the mascot performer is overheating or something is wrong, they are able to give a quick and seamless signal to the Party Host so that they can prevent or fix the problem promptly. In addition, sometimes children behave differently towards a mascot performer than they would to another person, and occasionally pull on the costume, hit, punch, kick, etc. We have the Party Host there to help protect the mascot performer and remind children to be gentle. This also causes our costumes to be in MUCH better condition than other companies because we have someone there to help prevent damage.
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Quality of Service: Without a Party Host present, the mascot performer will be VERY limited in what they can do at your party. Since vision and mobility is limited, they don’t have the functionality of their hands to run music, and they can’t speak, leading activities would pretty much be out of the question. With the addition of the Party Host, we are able to offer you a full hour of interactive activities and keep the kids fully engaged. The Party Host explains activities, runs the music, passes out dancing props, leads games, assists guests by taking pictures and making sure that your pictures look good, leads happy birthday, and helps kids warm up to and interact with the character in the event that they are feeling shy. They also help the Mascot in and out of costume, which they can’t do by themselves, so that you can sit back and relax or play host to your other guests. Overall, the party host makes your job easy and the party run seamlessly!
The mascot activities you have listed sound really fun, but I really just wanted the mascots to do meet and greet and take pictures. Is this possible? Will this be priced differently?
If meet and greet and photos is more appropriate to your event or venue then we can absolutely do that! We charge by the amount of time the performers are present at your party, not the activities that are being performed, so the price would be the same.
Does the mascot need a break midway through the party?
Generally if you are booking the mascot for our standard 1 hour party, they do not need a break midway through. However, the mascot and Party Host have a way of signalling each other if they do need a break midway through. This is particularly common on days that are very hot. If it is over 90 degrees on the day of your party, the Party Host may build a 5 minute break into the one hour party. We ask that you keep the private room/restroom open to the Mascot performer throughout the time they’re at the party so that this break can be as quick and seamless as possible. If the mascot is ever at your party for longer than one hour, they will need a break every hour.
What can we do to help the mascot performer from overheating?
We ask that the mascot is provided with shade or an indoor options whenever possible. With temperatures over 90 degrees, one of these two will be required. We ask that you keep the private room/restroom open to the Mascot performer throughout the time they’re at the party so that if they need a quick water break, this can be done as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Will the mascot performers talk?
No, the mascot performers will never talk so as to preserve character integrity, but they are very proficient performers who can interact silently and animate what they are trying to communicate to party guests. In addition, the party host is there to answer any questions that the children have of the mascot character, and handle all logistics with the client.
Can the mascot hold my child in the photo?
For safety reasons, we cannot have the mascot performers hold any children.
Do I need to supervise the children while the character is there?
Yes. Please understand that you are hiring a performer for your child’s party, not a babysitter, and the performer and is not responsible for the children’s safety. It is your responsibility to watch all children present for the entire duration of your character’s visit. Dream Come True Events shall not be held responsible for any injuries or property damage incurred by children or party guests at your event.
