Tag: #disneyvacation

I am a Disney World fireworks junkie, I admit it.  Combining desserts WITH Disney fireworks?  Sounds like a win to me!  This is where Disney Dessert Parties come in.  But are they worth it?

For many Disney theme park fans, myself included, Walt Disney World’s nightly fireworks displays can be the highlight of their Disney Day. These amazing displays of pyrotechnics artistically themed and perfectly choreographed to music are beautiful and often emotionally stirring.  (And also REALLY expensive and not great for the environment.  But that’s a topic for another blog!).

However, finding a great spot to watch the fireworks from can be challenging.  Don’t get me wrong–There are LOTS of places to stand (or occasionally, to sit) and watch the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  But a GREAT spot?  Where, if you are so inclined, you can capture good pictures or video?  Without a child on someone’s shoulders dead center in all your photos?  THIS is a nightly challenge!  The best spots are often staked out 2-3 hours in advance–and even then, I’ve seen park guests enraged when after two hours of carefully guarding their “spot”, latecomers encroach and crowd into their space.  Remember, these shows come at the end of long, very active and often very hot days.  I love Disney fireworks shows with all my heart, but standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of sweaty strangers can, at times, be uncomfortable.

But what options do we have? We all want to watch the fireworks. 60% of us want to photograph or record video of the show. So we suck it up, find a spot as early as we are willing to, and take turns running to the closest Mickey Bar kiosk to get a sugar rush to (hopefully) carry us through.

Disney has an option for you–but it will cost you.  Disney offers several different varieties of a Fireworks Dessert Party for some of their shows in some of their parks, depending on the time of year and whether the park is open to regular guests.  These Disney Dessert Parties are offered at several price points, but none of them are what we would think of as an “economy” option.  Disney Dessert Parties are growing in popularity, and are often sold out.  The question is, are Disney Dessert Parties worth the money?

What is a Disney Dessert Party?

Basically, Disney Dessert Parties are a semi private event that you can buy a ticket to for a particular fireworks show at a particular theme park on a particular night.  Your Disney Dessert Party  ticket includes 45 minutes – 1 hour access to a generous buffet of desserts, cheeses and beverages.  Beverages do include an assortment of beer and wine for guests age 21 and over.  Your Disney Dessert Party ticket will also include access to a protected viewing area for that evening’s fireworks presentation.  This area will ONLY be accessible to Disney Dessert Party guests, and Disney is careful not to oversell these events.  This ensures that the Disney Dessert Party protected viewing areas are not crazy crowded.  At minimum, your viewing experience will be more comfortable and you’ll have some breathing room.

Disney Dessert Party tickets are a separate purchase from your theme park ticket, but a theme park ticket is required for entry into the park. If you are visiting the park on a one-day ticket during a peak season, your day’s ticket could be as high as $160.  If you add on a Disney Dessert Party, you could be adding another $100 – $150 to that day’s ticket costs.  It’s important to keep that in mind–this is an additional ticket.  You have to have a park ticket to enter the park, and you have to have a paid Disney Dessert Party reservation to attend the Disney Dessert Party and to have access to the protected fireworks viewing area.

In this post, we’ll focus on Magic Kingdom Dessert Parties.  We’ll talk about Disney Dessert Party options at the other parks in a future post.

What does a Disney Dessert Party Cost?

Short answer?  It depends.  Currently, Disney is offering three different Disney Dessert Parties at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park for the Happily Ever After evening fireworks shows.

Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Parties: Pre-Party

The first Disney Dessert Party option available is the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party Pre-Party. A reservation is required for each member of your party to attend this event, and your card will be charged when you make the reservation.

You will check in at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant, where you will be given a wrist band.  You will then be directed to the upper area of Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant, where your party will be taken to a seating area.  Your dessert buffet, beverage area and bar area will be located on this upper level.  Please note that you may be sharing tables with other groups. You can visit the dessert buffet stations and the various beverage stations in your area as often as you want to, during the time you in your designated dessert party area in the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant.  About 30 minutes before the fireworks are due to begin, dessert party cast members will circulate through the seating area and let you know that they will begin leading guests to the designated fireworks viewing area for party goers.

Current pricing is $99 per adult (ages 10+) and $59 per child (ages 3-9).  Taxes are  included.  Per the Walt Disney Company, gratuities are not included or necessary

Fireworks Viewing Area

I’ve done a few of these parties over the years.  Usually, a cast member will carry a red flashlight and lead a line of dessert party guests from the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant to the designated fireworks viewing area in the Plaza Garden. Depending on how crowded the park is that day, this may happen quickly or it may take a while as you are led through the surrounding crowd to the designated area in the Plaza Garden.  For the fireworks viewing, the Plaza Garden is blocked off from the rest of the park guests.  Only guests with a paid dessert party admission are allowed into this area for approximately 2 hours before the fireworks and including the show itself.  It is a standing area, but it won’t be super crowded.

If you aren’t familiar with the Plaza Garden, it is located to the right after The Plaza Restaurant and the seating area across from the Plaza restaurant. During the day, the Plaza Garden usually features a couple of PhotoPass photographers, as this area offers a lovely view of the castle.  This is also the spot where, during the day, you can take the PhotoPass photo where you are photographed from a camera located on the roof of The Plaza Restaurant building.

Magic Kingdom Dessert Parties: Post-Party

The next Magic Kingdom Dessert Party option is the Post-Party.  This party is very similar to the Pre-party described above; however, in this version, you watch the fireworks FIRST, and attend the Dessert Party itself after the fireworks.

You will still check in at the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant and get your wristband approximately 45 minutes to one hour before the fireworks.  Once you have your wristband, you will be shown to the same fireworks viewing area described above.  This area is the viewing area for both the Pre-Party Dessert Party and the Post-Party Dessert Party.

After the fireworks display is over, cast members will lead you back to the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant for your Post-Party Dessert Party.  Your party will be led by a cast member to the upper level of Tomorrowland  Terrace Restaurant, where you will be shown to a seating area.  Depending on the size of your party, you may be sharing a table with other guests.

Once you have your seating area, you have the freedom to visit the dessert buffet or any of the beverage stations as often as you’d like until the end of the party, approximately 45 minutes after the end of the fireworks.

Current pricing for the Magic Kingdom Post-Party Dessert Party:  $99 per adult (aged 10 and over) and $59 per child ages 3-9.  Tax is included.  Gratuity is not included and not necessary per the Walt Disney Company.

Magic Kingdom Dessert Parties: Seats and Sweets

The final Magic Kingdom Dessert Party option is my personal favorite: Seats and Sweets.  This Magic Kingdom Dessert Party allows you to “keep your seats” during fireworks show itself, not just before the show or after the show, like the previous two parties I’ve described.

Check in for the Seats and Sweets Dessert Party is similar to the other parties.  You check in at the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant and receive a wristband.  The entrance for this particular party is actually on the Tomorrowland side of the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant.  Don’t worry if you forget—whichever party you are attending, no matter where you try to check in, the cast members will make sure you get to the right place.

Once you have your wristband for the party, a cast member will show you to your table on the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant patio area.  This is your table until the party is over.  Yes, you can sit and watch the fireworks in comfort at this Dessert Party.

Once you have your assigned table, you are free to visit the dessert buffet or the various beverage stations as often as you like.  There’s no rush to finish your desserts before the show starts though.  You don’t have to relocated to watch the show, or scramble to find a good viewing spot.  I walked around the patio area quite a bit during our last Seats & Sweets Dessert Party, and I think all the tables offer a good viewing spot!!

There are cast members working throughout the party, busing the tables to clear away your empty plates or glasses.  If you attend this party, I recommend arriving at or before the start time, so you have plenty of time to relax and enjoy your desserts and beverages before the fireworks begin.

Current pricing is $114 per adult (ages 10+) and $69 per child (ages 3-9).  Taxes are included already.  Gratuity is not included and not necessary, per the Walt Disney Company on its website promoting the party.  note: this price is about $10 per person less than it was the last time I attended this party.  Prices on all three Dessert Party options are subject to change — and they do change—especially during busier seasons.

For the most current pricing, please visit Here.

So…Is a Disney Dessert Party Worth the Cost?

It depends.  $100- $150 (depending on the season) per person for approximately 1 hour’s worth of food, beverages and entertainment is a lot of money for many of us.  If money is no object, I would definitely encourage to book a Magic Kingdom Dessert Party for your traveling group on your next trip.  Whether you watch from the reserved standing viewing area in the Plaza Garden or you watch from the comfort of your seats on the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant patio, the fireworks experience is much more enjoyable this way.

For most of us, money is  a concern.  And if you have a large group or family, this event could cost your group $1,000 or more!!  I’ve had people tell me that I’m crazy for spending $100+ for a 15 minute fireworks display that I can watch from all over the park.  But I’m not really paying for the fireworks display itself—I’m paying for the comfort before, during and after the fireworks display.

Now, if fireworks aren’t your thing, or if you don’t care one way or the other about watching the show—clearly you are not the target audience for any of these parties.  Save your money and get in shorter ride lines during the show.

However, if you are like me and you LOVE Disney fireworks, I recommend you give strong consideration to whether your budget can extend to include a Magic Kingdom Dessert Party for your family or traveling group.

What exactly are you paying for?

Each Magic Kingdom Dessert Party includes the same dessert buffet.  I’ve double checked at each party I’ve been to, and the options at the other parties were the same.  The dessert buffet will include 8-12 small dessert pastry options.  It will also include some cheese and some fruit.  Sometimes, there might be a soft serve ice cream machine. At our last party, there was no ice cream, but there was a cookie decorating station and there was someone making fresh dessert crepes while you watched.

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Your Disney Dessert Party ticket also includes unlimited access to the various beverage stations.  Coffee, tea, milk, lemonade and water are always included in the beverage options.  In addition, there is an assortment of beer and wine available for those guests that are age 21 and over with a valid ID.

The Value Proposition

Let’s do the math: if the average glass of wine on Disney property is $11, and you have two glasses of wine at the party, you would have spent $22 on that wine.  Food on Disney property is not economically priced, so if you were to order a dessert at most Disney restaurants, you’d probably spend around $12.  So far, we’re at $34.  Add in that you can revisit the buffet multiple times and also get a cup of coffee —  I think you could round out the food and beverage component at around $40 of comparative value—less if you don’t drink alcohol.

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If your party won’t be drinking alcohol, the beverages will offer much less value for your family.  You may find that without alcohol, the Disney Dessert Party ticket may not have enough value for you personally.

Your Disney Dessert Party ticket also includes a seat at a table during the dessert party portion of the party.  For the Pre-Party and Post-Party, your ticket also includes access to the Plaza Garden private fireworks viewing area.  This area is only open to Dessert Party attendees.  Yes, it is a standing area. However, if you weren’t attending the Dessert Party, you’d be standing to watch the show—but for much longer and much more uncomfortably.  You are not standing shoulder to shoulder in the Plaza Garden Dessert Party fireworks viewing area.  There is usually plenty of space to spread out from your neighbors.  It’s a prime viewing location, and the extra breathing room makes for a much more comfortable viewing experience.

If you’re going to the Pre-Party, you are going to be sitting for most of the 45 minutes leading up to the fireworks display.  If you are going to the Post-Party, you have a guaranteed spot inside the Plaza Garden viewing area. There is no need to stake out a spot 2 hours before the show. You can access the Plaza Garden as early as 1 hour before the show and as late as 30 minutes before the show. (I wouldn’t personally cut it any closer than that—but I’m sure there are risk takers who would be comfortable arriving a few minutes before the show starts!)

For the Seats and Sweets Dessert Party, you will be sitting for the entirety of your experience.  This makes for a much more relaxing and enjoyable experience, in my opinion.

The Bottom Line

Attending a Disney Dessert Party is definitely more of a luxury experience.  If you are super budget inclined, a Magic Kingdom Dessert Party may not be for you.  However, if you are going to splurge on something during your trip, this is one experience I would strongly consider.

I cannot stress enough how nice it is not to have to stake out a spot to watch the fireworks 1.5 – 2 hours before the show.  And of course, if you do arrive early to stake out your spot, you are going to be standing there for a long time.  Which, let’s face it—after  long day of walking 4-7 miles in the park and standing in various lines—can really put a damper on how much you enjoy the show.

Personally, I think there is a lot of value in being able to sit down and relax for 45+ minutes before the show.  Even more value in being able to sit and relax for the hour leading up to the show and to stay seated during the show.

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If the Post-Party is on your menu, there is a lot of value to not having to arrive super early to find your spot.  And, as soon as the show is over, you know that you will be able to sit down and enjoy desserts and beverages for 45 minutes to an hour.

How much value you place on these things is an individual decision.  If you do want to attend a Magic Kingdom Dessert Party during your trip, make sure you are making your reservations at the earliest possible date.  If you are staying on Disney property, that’s 60 days prior to the first night of your  reservation, and for the length of your reservation.  If you are not staying on property, you’ll be able to book 60 days prior to the date of the party you want to attend.

Final Thoughts on Disney Dessert Parties

I definitely recommend Disney Dessert Parties to my clients, family and friends that can budget for it.  I recommend planning your party for near the end of your trip.  You’ll appreciate the extra time sitting more later in your trip.  Earlier in the trip, when everyone’s legs are still fresh, you won’t benefit as much from the extra sitting time.

Also, do not plan a big lunch or dinner on Dessert Party day.  Skip your popcorn, churros, and Mickey Bars on Dessert Party day.  If you fill up before the party, you won’t get eat or enjoy your desserts as much.

Another suggestion: if your resort room includes a refrigerator, consider bring ziploc baggies or take out boxes and take some extra dessert pastries back to your resort with you.

What are your thoughts? Are any of the Disney Dessert Parties on your wishlist?  Please share your thoughts below.