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

[Daniela Rose]

so how are you all booking I am seeing nothing open at all on the website do I need to call to book

I booked online. Select the date that is avail (not offfered every night for some months). It will come up with just one time if it's available. It now time comes up, it's booked for that night.

 

[loves to dive]

What a great detailed review. I did the old party years ago when you had assigned tables but they allowed people to get up and stand at the railing, which then blocked the view of the people at the tables. I swore then to never do it again as I'm not a big dessert eater. I do wish they would do one of these with appetizer type snacks instead of desserts, I'd be all over that. I'm not sure it's worth the price for me to just get a good view of the show since I know I would only eat one dessert. Last time we did it, we purposely didn't eat anything after noon and this was going to be sort of our pre-supper. My then DIL was a big sweet eater, my son and myself not so much. I ate maybe parts of two things, my son at one thing and she ate a number of things. I'm guessing you could get there kind of early and stand at the rail in the back outside of the viewing area? I know sometimes they block those areas off for walkways. I'm height challenged so these project type shows are just not worth the wait for me since some tall man with a kid on his shoulders always muscles his way in at the last minute.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

I posted this in another thread but nobody responded, but when we to the Plaza Garden View Dessert Party on 4/17 (the day after Easter), the area was bisected by a piece of duct tape or something. The Dessert Party people had the right side of the Plaza Garden, if you are looking at the Castle. The interior side, where I sat last year with a FP and that has a more centered view, was open seating. We asked the CM at the gate about it on the way to the Tomorrowland Terrace for the Dessert part of the evening. The CM said confirmed that it was open seating (there was already people there), but couldn't really offer any reason why half of the area was off limits to the dessert party people. I thought this was a little odd, but didn't really want to delve into it, as I was having the Best Magic Kingdom Day Ever! The view was great, although not as great as the previous year with the FP - I'd post pictures if I could figure it out...Has anyone else experienced this? I figured maybe it wasn't sold out? But it was the day after a major holiday and it was super tough to get the ADR so I'd be surprised if it wasn't sold out - we originally could only get the Terrace party, but eventually was able to get the Plaza View about a week or so before. But anywho, it was a lovely evening...

ETA: Meant to add - that's a great review - very helpful, @GADisneyDad14! Maybe you could put a link in your signature or something - people ask about the differences in the parties all that time!

 

[czmom]

I'm trying to book this for November, but I guess the dates aren't loaded. Surely it's not sold out....

 

[TheFloatingBear]

What a great detailed review. I did the old party years ago when you had assigned tables but they allowed people to get up and stand at the railing, which then blocked the view of the people at the tables. I swore then to never do it again as I'm not a big dessert eater. I do wish they would do one of these with appetizer type snacks instead of desserts, I'd be all over that. I'm not sure it's worth the price for me to just get a good view of the show since I know I would only eat one dessert. Last time we did it, we purposely didn't eat anything after noon and this was going to be sort of our pre-supper. My then DIL was a big sweet eater, my son and myself not so much. I ate maybe parts of two things, my son at one thing and she ate a number of things. I'm guessing you could get there kind of early and stand at the rail in the back outside of the viewing area? I know sometimes they block those areas off for walkways. I'm height challenged so these project type shows are just not worth the wait for me since some tall man with a kid on his shoulders always muscles his way in at the last minute.

I agree - I wish they offered more appetizers! The desserts were great, but I find it tough to eat a lot of it. We had gone to Trader Sam's earlier in the evening and had appetizers and tiki drinks for a "light" supper, so we did as much damage as we could at the dessert party, but it is a lot of sweets!

 

[eastendlights]

I'm trying to book this for November, but I guess the dates aren't loaded. Surely it's not sold out....

No and October has not been loaded yet either.

 

[deserrai]

Thank you so much for the review! I have this booked in July and have been wondering how it worked exactly. You've been so helpful.

 

[gap2368]

I was able to book it through dining online by clicking on the "Check availability" once I selected that specific Dessert party. It asks you to pick a time and then from there you can book it like you would a regular dining reservation.

Hope that helps.

this is how I have booked the last 2 but I can not find any times for anything as fair out as I can see I am just doing random dates now to see what I can see, I really want to do it New Years even, So if any one has any tips on getting it for New Years eve let me know

also you can book up to 180 before so if I want to do this New Years even I can book at 7am EST on July 31 ( is this right) the last two I did was at the end of April so not that hard to get

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I was there on Saturday night too. I see that you captured the Dad who lifted his bigger kid onto his shoulders. I must have been standing about 3 feet to your right. The dad and kid are in all of my pictures.

I showed up super early and they tried to stick me in the alcove. They said all the tables for 1 and 2 were being assigned there. There is no view, no airflow and it feels yucky. So I left to go use my Buzz FP. If there's no incentive to show up early to get a nicer table in the main area, I'm not going to. I went and rode Buzz, came back and all the alcove tables for 2 were full. They assigned me a lovely little table along the wall that has a nice airflow and is good for people watching. I see myself in green in one of your pics.

Saturday night's show was much more crowded than the last Wishes show. I did that one on Thursday. I was surprised. I thought it would be the other way around. All in all, I'll do it every time I go. There's nothing like showing up 15 minutes early and not having someone's sweaty body throwing heat all over you. Haha.

LOL! Too funny. I tried to fuzz out faces that were readily visible, if you want me to take off that pic I can!

 

[ArielSRL]

I booked this immediately after watching the online version of HEA on Friday night. I too plan to get there around 8/8:15. We may try for the back rail as we'll have the short people (3 & 5 yr old). I was going to ask about strollers but it seems that you did see some in the viewing area?

Thanks for the report!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I booked this immediately after watching the online version of HEA on Friday night. I too plan to get there around 8/8:15. We may try for the back rail as we'll have the short people (3 & 5 yr old). I was going to ask about strollers but it seems that you did see some in the viewing area?

Thanks for the report!

Yeah, definitely strollers in the Plaza Garden Viewing area now that I look more at my pics. You do have to park them outside of the dessert area though.

This is probably obvious and not sure why I just thought of this but a bonus for those of us with smaller kids is that there are restrooms very close to the Plaza Garden Viewing area. My DS has a tendency to have to go RIGHT when the show is about to start, which can really put you in a bind if you're stuck in the hub. Doing something like this takes the stress out of that part for me!

(BTW, for the fixed highway....)

 

[DisneyWillow1975]

We went two weeks ago with our double umbrella stroller. During the dessert portion we parked it to the side near the check in station. As for the Plaza Garden, I am pretty sure It was a wide entrance gate. We didn't have any trouble getting it inside on the turf. Kids sat inside the stroller during the fireworks show.

Did you just have to make sure you found a spot towards the front of the garden area for the stroller viewing to work? I'm debating this for our October trip with twin 5-year-olds. Letting them sit down would be much easier on us (we wouldn't ever do "shoulder kids" but would hold them on a hip if needed), but I would want to make sure they could see though.

 

[gap2368]

Did you just have to make sure you found a spot towards the front of the garden area for the stroller viewing to work? I'm debating this for our October trip with twin 5-year-olds. Letting them sit down would be much easier on us (we wouldn't ever do "shoulder kids" but would hold them on a hip if needed), but I would want to make sure they could see though.

when I went the last week of April every one sat so you would have no problems seeing not sure if they have more people now that HEA is there or if they have more people during the busy times. you can ask the CM if you when you are there if there is enough room for every one to sit

 

[daisydee43]

Thanks so much! We booked this yesterday and I'm so excited after reading your review!

 

[MermaidMommy]

Is there still cheese and fruit at the party? I know they added it when they revamped the Wishes party, but I didn't see any in the pictures.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Is there still cheese and fruit at the party? I know they added it when they revamped the Wishes party, but I didn't see any in the pictures.

Yes, sorry - that's one thing I didn't get a pic of. There was a small table with two types of cheeses. I don't recall seeing any fruit, but it's possible I missed it? The 'stations' aren't all together, they are sort of in different spots around the upper terrace area.

 

[MermaidMommy]

Yes, sorry - that's one thing I didn't get a pic of. There was a small table with two types of cheeses. I don't recall seeing any fruit, but it's possible I missed it? The 'stations' aren't all together, they are sort of in different spots around the upper terrace area.

Thanks!

 

[Abigail Broughton]

NOTE - These pics are of the Tomorrowland Terrace version, not the Plaza Garden Viewing. Posting these to contrast the viewing angles.

Below is a pic of the Tomorrowland Terrace version taken Saturday night around 8:12ish.

This is a shell of the party from many years ago when this whole area was packed with tables. Now it's limited to only a row right along the front. If you do choose this version, everyone at least has a "front row" and no jockeying at the rail once the show starts. And you're covered in case it rains, which does have some benefit for sure.

It's also a more limited number of guests than the Plaza Garden Viewing version, so feels a bit more relaxed, less chaotic.
View attachment 237497


Don't ask why I did two so close together, but I did this version back in April. Here are some pics.
View attachment 237501

Not a bad view really. Our table was nearly all the way to the right of the Tomorrowland Terrace. The lower portion of the castle is blocked a bit by trees and such. I'd be curious to try the new show from here, but my hunch is it's not quite as good.
View attachment 237500

This was Wishes, but it gives you a good sense of how off center the big bursts are from the Tomorrowland Terrace viewing angle.
View attachment 237502

Thanks again for reading!

Thank you for the great advice, photos and information we are booked!

 

[cooperams]

Did you stay for the projection show afterwards? I heard that this area opens up to everyone after HEA is over. Can you comment on that? If you stayed, did it get crowded?

 

[RachaelA]

My daughter laid down and could see fine last week granted it was Wishes and not happily ever after. She did that also though for the projection show after the fireworks and only missed the very bottom of the projections and said it was fine.

Did you stay for the projection show afterwards? I heard that this area opens up to everyone after HEA is over. Can you comment on that? If you stayed, did it get crowded?

we stayed after Wishes last Monday in the garden. It was pretty much empty for the projection show after. We were one of like 3 families in there.