ANAHEIM, Calif., April 25 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Pretty as princesses, 15 special young ladies from across the United States and Puerto Rico celebrated a Dream-Come-True Quinceanera on Thursday at Disneyland Resort, with a grand red-carpet entrance, an enchanting ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and a pixie-dusted dinner party with family and friends. Royal and resplendent, these lucky girls marked their cultural milestone with a dash of Disney magic, as part of the Year of a Million Dreams celebration.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/disney/32865/
A tradition in the Latin community, a Quinceanera is a young woman’s celebration of her 15th birthday, which marks the transition from a child to a young woman. It is commemorated in a way that distinguishes it from her other birthdays.
The royal evening ceremony at Disneyland Resort was filled with opulence, pageantry and tradition. It began with a dream-come-true moment for any teenage girl — a celebrity escort along a red carpet that led to the famous Sleeping Beauty Castle. The stellar lineup of stars included Cristina Saralegui, host of “The Cristina Show;” Andy Garcia, acclaimed actor and producer; pop singer Frankie J; actor-dancer Cristian De La Fuente of “Dancing with the Stars” and others.
In the castle forecourt, each birthday girl was greeted by Disney characters and prepared for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Each young lady, elegant and enchanting in her ball gown, danced a special waltz with her father, stepped from her flat shoes into Cinderella-like glass slippers and received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her mother.
Following the official ceremony in the Castle Forecourt, each of the princesses joined her special guests at a private dinner party in Fantasyland Theater. The unforgettable party included the traditional Quinceanera cutting of the cake and doll ceremony, two important symbols of the transition from childhood to adulthood.
The magic began on Tuesday when the girls arrived, ready to prepare for the grand gala with dress fittings, rehearsals, a princess etiquette seminar, an ice cream social at the Disneyland Dream Suite and plenty of photo opportunities. After two days of fun, bonding and magical anticipation, they were ready for the spotlight and the delightful Quinceanera celebration.
The girls are from California, Florida, Arizona, New York, Texas, Illinois and Puerto Rico. Amethyst Lisa Cristina Martinez of Miami imagined this day for weeks and said, “Dreams aren’t impossible.” Kassandra Hernandez of Sacramento, Ca., was thrilled to celebrate her coming-of-age with family, a welcome joy after several recent family hardships. And Brenda Prado of Fresno, Ca., said her parents, who are farm workers, were ecstatic that their daughter could enjoy a magical Quinceanera celebration.
The bright lights will keep shining on these lucky young ladies, as their enchanting Disneyland Quinceanera is scheduled to be featured in a one-hour television special on Univision network’s “El Show de Cristina,” (The Cristina Show). More than 40 international broadcast and news outlets covered the festivities.
To make these dreams come true, Disney Parks launched a national search for prospective princesses in conjunction with selected Univision television news affiliates, Univision.com, Coca-Cola, David’s Bridal and “The Cristina Show.” Together, they found these 15 special girls to celebrate their magical Quinceaneras at Disneyland Resort.
All eligible princesses-to-be submitted essays explaining why they wanted to have their coming-of-age celebrations at “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
To ensure each Quinceanera girl was dressed as a true “belle of the ball,” David’s Bridal, the nation’s leading bridal retailer, provided each of the 15 girls with a ball gown, tiara and shoes. Southwest Airlines provided flights for each young lady and up to seven guests to attend the sparkling soiree. Hewlett-Packard donated limited-edition entertainment notebook PCs to each Quinceanera princess to help her pursue her educational goals and stay connected with family and friends. Kodak provided specially created Quinceanera-themed cameras so that each girl could capture her unique and thrilling memories.
Disney Parks, already a home to lavish ceremonies and magical milestone celebrations for guests visiting from around the globe every year, provides a castle-full of Quinceanera celebration options for young women and their families.
Quinceanera celebrations at Disneyland Resort Hotels or Walt Disney World Resort can be traditional, spiritual, large or intimate. Up to 500 guests can enjoy a Quinceanera at Disney Parks, with popular themes including fairy tale treasures such as “Cinderella” and “Beauty & the Beast” celebrations.
Other custom and lavish options include:
— Disney character appearances, including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, dressed in formal or elegant charro attire
— Cinderella’s enchanted crystal coach, presented by a quartet of fanfare trumpeters
— An artful cake adorned with Disney princesses or characters
— A towering, 40-foot-wide castle facade creating a storybook setting for a formal dinner
— The Quinceanera girl’s name spelled in lights or illuminated balloons
— Intricate ice carvings
— Ornate floral arrangements and table centerpieces
For more information on Disney Parks’ Quinceanera product offerings and vacation packages, including the special Labor Day weekend Quinceanera at Walt Disney World Resort, guests may visit Disneyparks.com/quinceanera or Parquesdisney.com/quinceanera. For phone assistance about Quinceaneras at Walt Disney World, call 321-939-4555, and for Disneyland Resort in Southern California, call 866-55-DISNEY.
NOTE TO EDITORS: A high-resolution image is available at: http://www.hispanicprwire.com/home.php?l=in
