MK "Happily Ever After" Dessert Party (Parties) Discussion

[kmc8826]

Crud, I thought the walkway in front of the Plaza Garden used to be left open.

Also, the party I booked is sold out for the Plaza Garden (Saturday of Labor Day weekend). Has anyone been to a sold out party and is there enough space for everyone? I booked it cause, we'll, I'm 5'0 on a good day, and my 10-year old DD is short too, so I figured we need all the help we can get to view the fireworks!

Standing in front of the VIP area is still probably fine, my situation was probably abnormal with the 7 foot guy and his kid on his shoulders. Disney would accommodate you, I think if you ended up still not having a good view (which was my case) maybe they would let you into the VIP area like they did for us. You could find a place ahead of time without possibility of the blocked view, but you definitely would have to camp out and wait for a long time.

 

[Disnsyncey]

I agree, you need to not look at it as a dessert party at all. Just focus on the value of the viewing area to your group. We found it to be very worth it once we let the idea go of getting any value out of the actual desserts.

but if you let go of the value of the actual desserts, wouldn't you end up paying more in your mind for the spot? I am most certainly going to eat cookies and ice cream and THEN get a great spot for the fireworks

though I'm one who used to make fun of people who needed to have a dessert party.......the new-ness of HEA and the PACKED-ness of the day I will be able to see it, I have to make it as magical as possible

 

[thptrek]

How far in advance can you make reservations for the dessert party?

 

[ArwenMarie]

but if you let go of the value of the actual desserts, wouldn't you end up paying more in your mind for the spot? I am most certainly going to eat cookies and ice cream and THEN get a great spot for the fireworks

though I'm one who used to make fun of people who needed to have a dessert party.......the new-ness of HEA and the PACKED-ness of the day I will be able to see it, I have to make it as magical as possible

Yeah, I guess so

I guess the thing is I had to think of it as paying for the great spot to watch the show first (and it is a great spot and experience). I looked at the desserts as a bonus. Like maybe the viewing spot is worth $40 and the desserts are worth $10. Something like that.

 

[cwis]

but if you let go of the value of the actual desserts, wouldn't you end up paying more in your mind for the spot? I am most certainly going to eat cookies and ice cream and THEN get a great spot for the fireworks

though I'm one who used to make fun of people who needed to have a dessert party.......the new-ness of HEA and the PACKED-ness of the day I will be able to see it, I have to make it as magical as possible

By all means, if you enjoy the desserts served at this party, it would be nonsense not to grab the one you like!

@ArwenMarie was replying to my post, DW and I both disliked the options served at that party, and we were thinking maybe Disney would be better at dropping the desserts and market it as a “preferred viewing area”.

Actually we've been discussing this yesterday, we wouldn't book that party again, unless they drop all the desserts, keep the drinks and add sparkling wine. That would be great and we would even pay a premium price!
Now I'm dreaming: if, on the top of that, the area with the drinks stays open until park closure, that would be so awesome! Much more useful than a cabana.

 

[Disnsyncey]

By all means, if you enjoy the desserts served at this party, it would be nonsense not to grab the one you like!

@ArwenMarie was replying to my post, DW and I both disliked the options served at that party, and we were thinking maybe Disney would be better at dropping the desserts and market it as a “preferred viewing area”.

Actually we've been discussing this yesterday, we wouldn't book that party again, unless they drop all the desserts, keep the drinks and add sparkling wine. That would be great and we would even pay a premium price!
Now I'm dreaming: if, on the top of that, the area with the drinks stays open until park closure, that would be so awesome! Much more useful than a cabana.

the disney food blog seemed to like the choices, so I hope they end up as I expect them to be, but hey, ice cream is my favorite food, so as long as they have that, I am game but the cookie decorating and "kabobs" look delish too!

 

[cwis]

the disney food blog seemed to like the choices, so I hope they end up as I expect them to be, but hey, ice cream is my favorite food, so as long as they have that, I am game but the cookie decorating and "kabobs" look delish too!

They sure had ice cream on our visit! Huge disappointment was they were out of whipped cream.

 

[Lesley Wake]

How far in advance can you make reservations for the dessert party?

180 days, same as regular ADRs. Other dessert parties/dining packages seem to have a delay loading into the system, but HEA is currently available for 180 days in advance.

 

[NuJoy]

()

 

[cwis]

But marketing it as a dessert party allows them to still charge you with no compensation if the fireworks don't happen due inclement weather.

That's correct, though I believe it does not happen often that HEA is cancelled.

 

[Disnsyncey]

They sure had ice cream on our visit! Huge disappointment was they were out of whipped cream.

my mom calls whipped cream "party" so she would have been sad that there was no party at the party hahaha

 

[WedWayPilot]

I did the dessert party last week with my wife, 5 year old and 2 year old. It was our first time seeing Happily Ever after and we loved the show and the viewing location. The castle projections worked nicely with the fireworks, and it was the best nighttime show we have seen at Disney.

We didn't care for the desserts.The specialty cupcakes, cookies, and other offerings just tasted very sugary with very little flavor. My 5-year-old who usually loves anything sweet didn't care for anything except the chocolate covered strawberries. For a direct comparison, these desserts are below the standard you would find at most counter service restaurants. For instance, the cupcakes at BOG, Roaring fork and even Starbucks we tried last week were far superior to what was offered.

They also ran out of the sparkling apple juice by 8pm.

I agree that this should be marketed as "Preferred fireworks viewing" and drop the "Dessert party" moniker for what is offered. My wife and I agreed we would attend this event again, however, we would just ride rides until 8:45 then go check in for the fireworks and forget the "Desserts."

 

[SoShiny]

Was at the plaza garden dessert party last night. As others have mentioned, the desserts were awful...like really bad. With the exception of the chocolate covered strawberries. I literally wished there was a discreet way to spit out the bites of other items that I tried. However, as soon as HEA started, I realized that it was the best money that I have ever spent at Disney. Absolutely amazing.

 

[TJDisneymama]

We did this last week. We actually enjoyed a lot of the desserts. I mean......youre not getting $70 worth of desserts, that's for sure. But like someone said, I think of it like $40 for the viewing, $20 for the desserts (or whatever the total was, I don't even remember). I particularly liked the little Oreo Mickey things. And the chocolate chip cookies were good, we made ice cream sandwiches out of them.

Anyways, I have a question about "viewing etiquette". When we got out to the garden area, there was a family spread out on one side, sitting down.....about halfway back. We sat down as well, in front of them. Now, we are about 4' away from the front railing. I ASSUMED when the show started, everyone would stand up. As you really can only see about the top half of the castle when sitting on the ground. Well when it started, most ppl did stand up. Except the family behind us, who proceeded to SCREAM at anyone who tried to stand along that front railing in front of me. So the entire front railing on one side of the garden, up to about halfway back (where the family was sitting) was completely empty because this family yelled to get out of the way if anyone dared stand near it. The whole front railing which had a PERFECT view, went unused because of them. I had to go stand off to the side behind some trees and poles. So.......I'm not wrong, am I? Just because you plop your lazy butt down, doesn't mean the ENTIRE space in front of you is now yours, right??

 

[serenitygr]

We did this last week. We actually enjoyed a lot of the desserts. I mean......youre not getting $70 worth of desserts, that's for sure. But like someone said, I think of it like $40 for the viewing, $20 for the desserts (or whatever the total was, I don't even remember). I particularly liked the little Oreo Mickey things. And the chocolate chip cookies were good, we made ice cream sandwiches out of them.

Anyways, I have a question about "viewing etiquette". When we got out to the garden area, there was a family spread out on one side, sitting down.....about halfway back. We sat down as well, in front of them. Now, we are about 4' away from the front railing. I ASSUMED when the show started, everyone would stand up. As you really can only see about the top half of the castle when sitting on the ground. Well when it started, most ppl did stand up. Except the family behind us, who proceeded to SCREAM at anyone who tried to stand along that front railing in front of me. So the entire front railing on one side of the garden, up to about halfway back (where the family was sitting) was completely empty because this family yelled to get out of the way if anyone dared stand near it. The whole front railing which had a PERFECT view, went unused because of them. I had to go stand off to the side behind some trees and poles. So.......I'm not wrong, am I? Just because you plop your lazy butt down, doesn't mean the ENTIRE space in front of you is now yours, right??

It sounds like a cast member should have been involved to remedy the situation

 

[jaysmom4285]

I'm with you. I thought the desserts were very good, and the value is more in the viewing area than the desserts. And I agree that the people sitting shouldn't assume that they are entitled to have no one stand in front of them. It would be like sitting in the middle of the sidewalk (assuming that was permitted) to watch the parade on Main Street in MK and expecting no one to stand between you and the curb. When I've been in that viewing area, there were people who stayed seated on the ground, and I did my best not to stand in front of them, and there was enough room to move around so that it wasn't an issue. But they shouldn't have an expectation that the area in front of them would be kept clear.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We were there a week or so ago. I agree with many. The viewing area is excellent, the desserts....marginal. Build your own cookie was fun for the grandkids. Ice cream was, well, ice cream, good. And the chocolate covered strawberries were also good. The rest, not so much.

We sat/stood in the very back of the fenced area. Nobody in front of us for probably 30 feet. Excellent viewing. You have no better view if you are 30 feet closer to the castle at that distance.

 

[martymcflyy85]

We did this last week. We actually enjoyed a lot of the desserts. I mean......youre not getting $70 worth of desserts, that's for sure. But like someone said, I think of it like $40 for the viewing, $20 for the desserts (or whatever the total was, I don't even remember). I particularly liked the little Oreo Mickey things. And the chocolate chip cookies were good, we made ice cream sandwiches out of them.

Anyways, I have a question about "viewing etiquette". When we got out to the garden area, there was a family spread out on one side, sitting down.....about halfway back. We sat down as well, in front of them. Now, we are about 4' away from the front railing. I ASSUMED when the show started, everyone would stand up. As you really can only see about the top half of the castle when sitting on the ground. Well when it started, most ppl did stand up. Except the family behind us, who proceeded to SCREAM at anyone who tried to stand along that front railing in front of me. So the entire front railing on one side of the garden, up to about halfway back (where the family was sitting) was completely empty because this family yelled to get out of the way if anyone dared stand near it. The whole front railing which had a PERFECT view, went unused because of them. I had to go stand off to the side behind some trees and poles. So.......I'm not wrong, am I? Just because you plop your lazy butt down, doesn't mean the ENTIRE space in front of you is now yours, right??

This is why I'm thinking of doing Terrace viewing. But it seems not many are choosing that view so its hard to find reviews or pictures of it. But I like the idea of being able to sit down and not have people around you all crowding up and fighting over space.

 

[TJDisneymama]

This is why I'm thinking of doing Terrace viewing. But it seems not many are choosing that view so its hard to find reviews or pictures of it. But I like the idea of being able to sit down and not have people around you all crowding up and fighting over space.

the view from the terrace didn't look good at all . We actually were seated at a table for our desserts on the terrace because the garden seating section was full.
But the thing is - it wasn't crowded at ALL in the garden viewing area - there was PLENTY of space! A whole big section in front of the sitting family was completely empty because any time anyone walked over there, they got a "hey you! Move! out of the way!" a good 10 or so people could have stood up there, have an awesome view, and not been crowded.
It was my first dessert party so I wasnt sure if there was some obscure rule I didn't know about where if you sit down, you have control of all the space in front of you (lol), so I didn't say anything. But in the future for sure, I will tell them to suck it, and get a CM involved if I have to.

 

[Rusty2rules]

GREAT REVIEW! Thanks for taking the time to do this. I'm doing it for the first time in September. This has really put my mind at ease knowing the money will be well spent. I'm with you, I'm doing it mostly for the reserved spot for viewing. But, who am I kidding? I'm going to partake in the goodies, too! Thanks again, great job.