Elena throws a birthday party for Princess Chloe aboard the royal sailboat and invites the other princesses to help her make new friends, but things go awry when they wash ashore a magical isle inhabited by Maliga, a cursed sea nymph.
- An Aesop: Be polite and considerate of other people if you want to be friends with them. On the other side of the spectrum, trying to please people even if you don't feel comfortable with their likings will just make you feel unhappy — friends respect each other's boundaries, just remember to set yours.
- Birthday Episode: Chloe's birthday is celebrated.
- Call-Back:
- Naomi has been sending weekly letters to Elena about her adventures around the world ever since the end of "The Last Laugh". Elena has also decided to make Julio her replacement on the Grand Council.
- The Avaloran Birthday Song from "Island of Youth" is sung to Chloe. Mateo also uses his levitation spells like the last time.
- Continuity Nod:
- The waterfall that Elena and Chloe visit during "Give It a Whirl" is likely supposed to be the same waterfall Elena and Naomi visited in the Framing Device of Elena and the Secret of Avalor.
- While Chloe and Elena are looking through the presents to find something that can help them escape Maliga, Chloe is next to a chest that contains Esteban's sailing hat from "Island of Youth".
- Girl's Night Out Episode: The main characters of the episode are the four princesses, Princess Elena, Princess Valentina, Princess Rebeca, and Princess Chloe...and also Mateo.
- Humble Pie: The other sea nymphs put a curse on Maliga that traps her on the island because she was very selfish. It's only after showing true kindness that her curse is broken.
- Oh, Crap!: While meeting the hostile Maliga, Elena has one when she reaches for her scepter on her hip and realizes she didn't bring it, meaning she can't fight her way out of this one.
- Only Friend: Chloe calls Elena this.
- Out-of-Character Alert: Even after being told by Elena that she doesn't have to please everyone to be friends with them, Chloe reluctantly agrees to checking the hull by getting offboard on the spooky and mysterious island because she loves surprises. Since Elena remembers Chloe telling her that she disliked surprises, this tips her off that Chloe is still forcing herself to do things she's uncomfortable with.
- Talking the Monster to Death: Realizing the curse trapping Maliga on the Island is unfair because the sea nymph wants a friend, Chloe makes a bargain; she offers to stay on the island with Maliga forever if she lets the rest of her friends go. Maliga is touched by the gesture and lets Chloe go after seeing that she’s the first person to ever go out of their way for her.
- Trauma Button: Chloe is frightened by Mateo's usage of magic (and cupcakes) and runs off crying. She then reveals to Elena that during another one of her birthday parties when she was younger, a wizard had accidentally turned her and everyone into cupcakes, leaving her traumatized of magic...and desserts.
