Imagination Reality: Making Children’s Birthdays Memorable for Maui’s Visitors and Locals

By Lauren LaDoux, Maui Sales Director

If birthdays are special, then celebrating a birthday in paradise should be magical, right? But how do you make a birthday on the Valley Isle even more magical? I would have said that you can’t—that was until I met Marissa Gander, the owner of Imagination Reality. Marissa and her team of princesses and superheroes spread a little fairy dust to make children’s dreams come to life, one party at a time.

When I first met with Marissa, I could tell there was something special about her. The more I got to know her, the more this was confirmed. When I asked Marissa what inspired her to bring a little piece of these classic fairytale stories to Maui, she said, “Believe it or not, I have never been to Disneyland; we couldn’t afford it growing up. When I was working at the Y, I was involved with helping local families afford A+ (a local after-school program), and I know how expensive it is to live here, so I started this business with the heart to bless local families. Then it turned into something bigger than I could have imagined!” If that doesn’t make your heart warm, I don’t know what will.

Their characters range from Rapunzel and Ariel, to your friendly Maui neighborhood Super Spider and gothic Bat Hero, and so much more! They will host your child’s birthday party, swing by for a meet and greet, do story time and even offer hip-hop classes with Moana! I think my favorite of them all is the newly-added Tea Party. It’s not just adorable, it’s Mama and Papa friendly as well.  

This princess tea party is based off some of our favorite story characters such as Cinderella, Belle and Ariel and hosted at Sip Me, a local coffee shop in Kahului. Parents drop their kids off at the tea party and then head over to the café to mingle, interact and sip some tea or coffee themselves! Imagination Reality has photographers on deck snapping photos of your little one that will then be emailed directly to you, so you can cherish that day for a lifetime. Food and drinks are provided along with interaction and storytelling. It’s a day full of adventure and imagination for your tiny dreamers. As the mother of a toddler, this is my dream Saturday! I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough to partake in the fun.

Whether you’re a visitor or a resident, I highly encourage you to find a way to connect your children with what Marissa is doing. Maui doesn’t have anything like this, so it truly is magic on this island for children. And if you’re visiting, can you imagine watching your daughter or son meet Moana on the island of Maui during your vacation? What an experience for both them and you! Make sure you follow them on Instagram and check out their amazing photos and videos, @imaginationrealityllc.