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

[mcurrence]

So I’m in the minority here, but with an 8PM HEA like your night, I’d be aiming to get to the dessert party 7:15-7:20ish. I don’t find the need to get there early, or on time really - I’d rather be late. But we only spend 10-15 mins eating, bathroom break, then we head to the Plaza Garden to wait. We don’t like a bunch of “waiting around” time - so this works for us.

Many people will do the exact opposite and start lining up well before 6:45PM. Really more of a personal preference than anything.

One EXCEPTION to the above is if Once Upon a Time is BEFORE HEA on your night. For an 8PM HEA, it’s possible OUAT could be on the schedule for 7:30PM (you’d need to check your date to be sure). If it is, I’d push my timing of the dessert party up a bit to make sure I was situated in the garden before OUAT begins.

Just my take, but hope it helps!

We're doing the DAH on Tues 1/26 8-11 (love that you are the moderator on that one too!) And also doing the desert party (mainly for the viewing) It's supposed to be a pretty "slow" MK day but I thought it would be worth it not to have to camp out before. OUAT is at 7:30 that night but we weren't planning to view it..would you still recommend heading out there before 7:30?

 

[Meglen]

waiting on june 20th!!!

 

[Physics Guy]

I'm waiting for July 4, hopefully stalking the website will allow me to grab a spot before they're all gone.

 

[leiaorgana]

I'm waiting for July 4, hopefully stalking the website will allow me to grab a spot before they're all gone.

Last year the 3rd and 4th July Dessert Parties didn’t go up until June 23rd so who knows with Disney these days when they’ll release them. There’s no rhyme or rhythm with them it seems....

 

[Wdw1015]

Does anyone know if Disney usually adds days to the schedule in the morning or do they do it anytime during the day? Just wondering if I need to stalk it several times a day or just once in the morning...

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I'm waiting for June 25th!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Does anyone know if Disney usually adds days to the schedule in the morning or do they do it anytime during the day? Just wondering if I need to stalk it several times a day or just once in the morning...

I could be wrong here, but I feel like it’s an overnight or early morning thing. Usually whenever things are added, it's there when I wake up (I'm on East Coast time, FYI).

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I'm waiting for July 4, hopefully stalking the website will allow me to grab a spot before they're all gone.

Last year the 3rd and 4th July Dessert Parties didn’t go up until June 23rd so who knows with Disney these days when they’ll release them. There’s no rhyme or rhythm with them it seems....

Yeah, I just did a party on 12/30 (a special fireworks night) and that one had odd booking/availability dates as well. The holidays can sometimes be odd, for who knows what reason.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We're doing the DAH on Tues 1/26 8-11 (love that you are the moderator on that one too!) And also doing the desert party (mainly for the viewing) It's supposed to be a pretty "slow" MK day but I thought it would be worth it not to have to camp out before. OUAT is at 7:30 that night but we weren't planning to view it..would you still recommend heading out there before 7:30?

Full disclosure, I haven't done a dessert party with OUAT before HEA... so I'm hesitant to give advice.

My 'guess' is that a lot of people don't even know what OUAT is or that it will be going on... so when that show starts (or when they make the announcement for it) you'll see a lot of people move over from the Tomorrowland Terrace to the Plaza Garden all at once. People hear/see things and just start moving!

Hopefully someone who has more direct experience can chime in.

 

[EEva]

Full disclosure, I haven't done a dessert party with OUAT before HEA... so I'm hesitant to give advice.

My 'guess' is that a lot of people don't even know what OUAT is or that it will be going on... so when that show starts (or when they make the announcement for it) you'll see a lot of people move over from the Tomorrowland Terrace to the Plaza Garden all at once. People hear/see things and just start moving!

Hopefully someone who has more direct experience can chime in.

I attended in Sept. when OAT was first. Most everyone was out at the Plaza by time it started. There were a few stragglers after, but before HEA. There was one couple though that went to leave after OAT though! Some people let them know that it wasn't the show we all paid for. So they came back.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

I’m waiting on July 4th too. Been checking every day since 1/2. Hope it opens soon!

 

[Dug720]

I am pondering doing this for my full MK day in Feb (yes, it is still available) and they have just added OUAT after HEA (it will be my first time seeing either - kinda nervous because I loved Wishes so much - which is why I am pondering it, for a calmer viewing for the first time). Do you stay in the Plaza area for OUAT as well?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I am pondering doing this for my full MK day in Feb (yes, it is still available) and they have just added OUAT after HEA (it will be my first time seeing either - kinda nervous because I loved Wishes so much - which is why I am pondering it, for a calmer viewing for the first time). Do you stay in the Plaza area for OUAT as well?

Yeah, you can stay in the Plaza for OUAT after HEA, but it's not a reserved area after HEA so keep that in mind. But it's as good a place as any to camp out and wait. Have fun!

 

[jaysmom4285]

Our experiences with the reserved Plaza viewing area was different. After the fireworks, almost everyone leaves the area, so it's a good spot to see OUAT. It's true that the area is no longer no reserved, but only a handful of people have ever come in when we've been there. There have always been way fewer people in the area for OUAT than there were for the fireworks.

 

[Dug720]

Awesome! Thank you @GADisneyDad14 @jaysmom4285 and @Carrousel !

 

[ktate82]

Last year the 3rd and 4th July Dessert Parties didn’t go up until June 23rd so who knows with Disney these days when they’ll release them. There’s no rhyme or rhythm with them it seems....

I stalked and stalked and never saw them. We sat in one of the party areas on the 3rd and they never sent us away. Was it just at the tomorrow land terrace or did they do plaza garden too?

 

[mcurrence]

Our experiences with the reserved Plaza viewing area was different. After the fireworks, almost everyone leaves the area, so it's a good spot to see OUAT. It's true that the area is no longer no reserved, but only a handful of people have ever come in when we've been there. There have always been way fewer people in the area for OUAT than there were for the fireworks.

So if OUAT is before HEA, it's ONLY open for the HEA crowd but if it's after HEA anyone can come in?
We'll probably be the stragglers getting there about 15 minutes before HEA I'll be sure to report if we can still find a good spot!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

So if OUAT is before HEA, it's ONLY open for the HEA crowd but if it's after HEA anyone can come in?

Yep, that is correct.

 

[leiaorgana]

I stalked and stalked and never saw them. We sat in one of the party areas on the 3rd and they never sent us away. Was it just at the tomorrow land terrace or did they do plaza garden too?

I honestly have no idea what they ended up doing with the parties, I'm afraid. I gave up looking for the 4th July party around May last year and just booked dinner at the Grand Floridian and watched them from there instead. Doing the same this year as well because we had a much better time there doing that than previous 4th July parties we've done so it all worked out okay in the end.

I just know they went up on the site on the 23rd June because I remember I was sat in Rainforest Cafe at AK having breakfast when I got the notification about them going up.

Atm I'm waiting for this one for 24th June because we didn't have time to see HEA last year. It's the last thing we need to sort out for this trip (other than fastpasses) so I hope they hurry up and load them. Kinda worried they're going to put the price up again and that's why they've been delayed going up!

 

[ktate82]

I honestly have no idea what they ended up doing with the parties, I'm afraid. I gave up looking for the 4th July party around May last year and just booked dinner at the Grand Floridian and watched them from there instead. Doing the same this year as well because we had a much better time there doing that than previous 4th July parties we've done so it all worked out okay in the end.

I just know they went up on the site on the 23rd June because I remember I was sat in Rainforest Cafe at AK having breakfast when I got the notification about them going up.

Atm I'm waiting for this one for 24th June because we didn't have time to see HEA last year. It's the last thing we need to sort out for this trip (other than fastpasses) so I hope they hurry up and load them. Kinda worried they're going to put the price up again and that's why they've been delayed going up!

How did you get a notification for them?