The physical resemblances and mannerisms are very accurate. So much so that if you closed your eyes and heard them talk it would be hard not to think you’re in a fairy tale.

Passersby wave and take pictures. Meanwhile, moms driving children home from school stop and roll down their windows to wave at Princess Belle, Peter Pan, and Cinderella, played by Whitworth University students Anika Bryceson, Dane Larson, and Lauren Block, respectively.

Two years ago, Bryceson and her younger sister, Kelsey Bryceson, planned to make some summertime money by charging parents to allow them to come into their homes as Disney characters for children’s birthday parties. Not in their wildest dreams did they ever imagine that Party Enchantments would turn into a full-time endeavor, one that would employ seven other princesses and a boy from Never, Never Land.

Every weekend, this group of nine college students—Kelsey Bryceson recently moved to Orlando, Fla., to earn her associate’s degree in hospitality from Disney College, though she retains her ownership interest in the venture—is performing on average in at least half-a-dozen homes “making kids’ dreams come to life,” says Anika Bryceson.

A one-hour performance costs $175 and 90 minutes is $200, she says. Anika Bryceson declines to reveal the company’s earnings. “We have certainly made more money in year two than year one,” she says. “And we keep growing.”

The company doesn’t have a physical location, but rather operates from Bryceson’s home and markets itself through its website and social media.

Anika Bryceson says the company wants to take the party planning out of the hands of parents and grandparents. 

“All they have to do is take pictures and watch their kids have a good time,” Bryceson says. There’s a complete itinerary with games, crafts, singing, storytelling and treasure hunts, she says.

“We’re telling the kids stories while they’re eating cake and ice cream. There’s not a minute we’re not doing something.” They also have props to go along with their party performances, she says.

To avoid copyright infringements against Disney, employees don’t reference themselves in the context of being Disney characters, Bryceson says. “We researched this for months before we opened. We are legally safe as long as we don’t use the word Disney.”

Though costumes worn by Party Enchantments employees may strongly resemble those of Disney characters, Bryceson says there are subtle differences in each costume to keep them from potential legal infringements.

“I’ve designed all of our costumes. In Disney’s Cinderella, her dress has a bow. Our fairy-tale character who may look like Cinderella doesn’t. The copyright law says there’s no infringement as long as there is a 10 percent difference in the costumes,” she says.

Anika and Kelsey are Southern California natives. 

“We grew up going to Disneyland every year,” Anika says. “When we moved to Spokane, we would mimic Disney characters in the hallways or at lunch and just find that we’d sometimes have a captive audience. It was like we were from another world. Looking back on it, that’s probably how this really all started.”

She and Kelsey graduated from Mt. Spokane High School, having moved to Spokane from California about seven years ago. While at Mt. Spokane, Anika performed in “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “All Shook Up.” 

At the Lake City Playhouse in Pleasanton, Calif., she has appeared in “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Wizard of Oz.” Kelsey has a similar resume, which features performances in “While the Lights Were Out,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “7 Keys to Baldpate,” and “Noises Off.”

The Brycesons’ employees have similar backgrounds. All are in college at either Whitworth, Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Spokane Community College, or Spokane Falls Community College. They all have acting in their backgrounds and are involved in studying education or child growth and development, say their biographies, which can be found at partyenchantments.com. 

“It was important to get the website up first because we needed to give parents an idea as to who we are,” Bryceson says. “You just can’t have people coming into your house dressed as Disney characters. It’s important to give the clients  peace of mind.”

Bryceson, Emily Beloate, Lauren Block, Quincy Cooper, Dane Larson, Cami Lee, Ryan McKinley, Elle Wadsworth, and Jenna Widman perform as Disney characters Anna and Elsa, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Peter Pan, Pirate Jake, Snow White, and Tinkerbell.

Though the Bryceson sisters are comfortable in the spotlight, the idea of being business owners wasn’t something they considered.

“We were at a baby shower a few years back, and one of our friends asked us, ‘Sing us a princess song,’ ’’ Anika says of her and her sister. 

“Later, somebody suggested that we start a business by performing at children’s birthday parties—so we did. When we were kids, we would just break into a princess song without any prompting,” Bryceson says. “The hands, the whole motions … everything.”

Bryceson says the cast puts in preparation time for parties during the week before the weekend parties occur.

“For three days a week for four hours we watch the Disney movies to study their moves, imitate their voices, all of the things that need to be done to try to convince that child that this is real,” she says. “By the time the weekend arrives we are in character. Everything has been pounded into you at that point.”

Right now, the most popular character requests for parties and events are Queen Elsa and Princess Anna from the 2013 Disney movie “Frozen.” 

“What’s nice about the roles of Anna and Elsa is that you have another person to play off,” she says.

As for the business, Bryceson says there are challenges in keeping everything running smoothly. “We don’t have a building location, so this is all operated out of where I live. Having a building would be nice.”

Then there are logistical problems that sometimes occur on party day. Performing at apartment complexes can be more challenging because they typically don’t provide as much room as a house, she says. And, every now and then, there are those parents who want to control the direction of the party. That’s why each team of character actors has one member setting out the itinerary for the adults, Bryceson says.

“That’s why communication is key,” says Larson, who was just appointed to the position of trainer, with Block being named manager. “The time sheet is important to stay on schedule.”

Bryceson says the actors work hard to also keep the kids focused on the party’s theme. “It’s not uncommon for them to want to go play videogames during the party.”

“I’ll say something like, `Angry Birds? Whatever do you mean? The birds seem perfectly content right now,’’’ she says in her best Princess Belle voice.

Regardless, Bryceson says she and the company have one primary goal for a child celebrating a birthday. “It’s all about making that child feel special.”