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

[Donbo04]

Hi all! My extended family (17 of us total) have tickets for the dessert party with plaza garden viewing on 1/15/17. HEA is at 8:00 and Once Upon A Time (OUAT) at 7:30 that night. Has anyone attended the dessert party when OUAT was before HEA? Will we be able to head to the viewing area early and get a reserved spot for OUAT too? If so, any suggestions on how early to make out way over to the viewing area when OUAT is before HEA? Thanks!

 

[Chaitali]

If anyone would like a photo of the gluten free dessert box, let me know, as I took one specifically for informational purposes

I'll be at the party in a couple weeks with a friend that has a wheat allergy. We noted that on the reservation so I assume she'll be able to get the gluten free dessert box. I'd love to see a photo if you don't mind

 

[pangyal]

Here you go! Keep in mind DS made sure to ask for extra of the gummy bears before they brought the plate

 

[Chaitali]

Thanks for the photo! It looks great. I'll forward it to my friend, I'm sure it will make her happy

 

[Wish Upon A Starbucks]

Where do we check in for this? Tomorrowland Terrace? Will it be a problem if Main Street is closed due to crowds?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Where do we check in for this? Tomorrowland Terrace? Will it be a problem if Main Street is closed due to crowds?

You check-in in the walkway area that runs through the Tomorrowland Terrace.

I guess if you’re coming from the front of the park it ‘might’ be harder to get to if Main Street is ‘closed’ due to crowds, but while I’ve seen reports of that happening, that situation would be unusual (and I hope temporary). I would hope if things are really that nuts on Main Street that the bypass would be open (?).

 

[GADisneyDad14]

OP here. Ok, so I have a confession. Many of you posted experiences in the Thanksgiving-Christmas time frame (when there were limited HEA nights) about how the walk to the Plaza Garden area was so crowded, folks were having trouble keeping up with the CMs and overall having a tough time getting to the garden.

To be honest, part of me read those posts with a bit of skepticism because I had never really personally seen crowds so bad in that area to make the walk difficult. Didn't seem to match any of my prior experiences.

So I admit, I was wrong to be skeptical. I went to the 12/30 special early show dessert party and crowds were pretty rough all around the hub. The walk from the Tomorrowland Terrace to the Plaza Garden definitely took a bit of work... dodging, weaving, etc. I had never seen the walkways on that side so crowded. On really high crowd nights, I can see how this short walk could be a bit of a challenge for a large group trying to keep up with a CM or for folks that don't know where they are going.

Anyway, just a random thought but wanted to share. Definitely an eye-opening experience.

On the plus side, the plaza garden experience for the early show fireworks was pretty darn empty. Definitely not very crowded at all!

 

[Wdw1015]

I know that Disney plays by their own rules but they are killing me by not releasing June dates yet!

You are all way more knowledgeable than me, any ideas as to when they will put me out of my misery??

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I know that Disney plays by their own rules but they are killing me by not releasing June dates yet!

You are all way more knowledgeable than me, any ideas as to when they will put me out of my misery??

I wish I had some sort of insider info! All I know is what we see online unfortunately.

Usually when the dessert parties aren’t bookable it means that fireworks schedules haven’t been finalized yet, but I guess who really knows.

It is interesting to me that it looks like HEA switches to 9:15pm on the calendar in late May continuing into June. I believe that is new - don’t think we’ve seen HEA at 9:15 pm before.

 

[ArielSRL]

I wish I had some sort of insider info! All I know is what we see online unfortunately.

Usually when the dessert parties aren’t bookable it means that fireworks schedules haven’t been finalized yet, but I guess who really knows.

It is interesting to me that it looks like HEA switches to 9:15pm on the calendar in late May continuing into June. I believe that is new - don’t think we’ve seen HEA at 9:15 pm before.

I wonder if last year they found it to be a little too light at 9pm around that timeframe? Wishes had always been at 10, so maybe they learned something with the 9pm start in 2017. In any case, glad you pointed that out bc I assumed it would be at 9.

 

[jca1216]

We were thinking about doing this when we go in November and I was always curious about the views. This was great! Thank you for doing such a wonderful review!!

 

[kniquy]

I know that many people on here have noted that the back fence is a good area to be for viewing -- is there any area which you would NOT recommend in the garden viewing area? or is pretty much any spot in the garden a good view.

we will be there 4/16 with our 5DD and my 12yo twin boys - so a few people on the shorter side (including myself). Can people in the park line up right by the front fence of the viewing area? I certainly don't want to stake out a spot that will be a problem for the kids to view the castle if there happens to be some taller people in front of us.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I know that many people on here have noted that the back fence is a good area to be for viewing -- is there any area which you would NOT recommend in the garden viewing area? or is pretty much any spot in the garden a good view.

we will be there 4/16 with our 5DD and my 12yo twin boys - so a few people on the shorter side (including myself). Can people in the park line up right by the front fence of the viewing area? I certainly don't want to stake out a spot that will be a problem for the kids to view the castle if there happens to be some taller people in front of us.

Subjective for sure, but the far right of the Plaza Garden would not be my top choice. This pic was taken from the “back/right.” I prefer to be more to the left of here which puts the castle more “centered.” But I’m being pretty picky in this comment, as there’s nothing really wrong with this view either.



You can also encounter light/speaker poles in your view in various spots that some may find bothersome (in fairness, you have this issue from anywhere in the hub, dessert party or not). The light poles below look far worse in the pic than they “feel” in real life, but you may want to keep that in mind when you pick your spot.


As to the pathway in “front” of the garden... MK procedures can change, but when I’ve done the party that pathway is “split” in two. People are allowed to stand on one side, CMs keep the other side (the side closes to the Plaza Garden) clear as a walkway. This is a benefit to Plaza Garden folks since you have a bit of open space on the other side of the planter barrier/fence. Hope that makes sense.

If any of the above isn’t clear, let me know and I’m happy to elaborate.

Have fun!

 

[anomamatt]

Subjective for sure, but the far right of the Plaza Garden would not be my top choice. This pic was taken from the “back/right.” I prefer to be more to the left of here which puts the castle more “centered.” But I’m being pretty picky in this comment, as there’s nothing really wrong with this view either.

Kind of funny you say that... We did this on 12/26 and we were front row to the right. The castle isn't centered (as you say), but we liked the view from the front row because the pathway is larger there compared to the middle or left. Only relevant if standing in the very front row of the plaza garden.

Overall, I though this party was meh. I would do it again on a 10/10 crowd day (like 12/26) and pay for the view... but the desserts are pretty mediocre (IMO). I did appreciate the bottle waters (the four of us grabbed 4, of course). But most all of the desserts were CL quality or less. Compared to other dessert parties (FEA or JBJB, for example) the desserts were weak...

But the views for HEA aregreat...

 

[jca1216]

Kind of funny you say that... We did this on 12/26 and we were front row to the right. The castle isn't centered (as you say), but we liked the view from the front row because the pathway is larger there compared to the middle or left. Only relevant if standing in the very front row of the plaza garden.

Overall, I though this party was meh. I would do it again on a 10/10 crowd day (like 12/26) and pay for the view... but the desserts are pretty mediocre (IMO). I did appreciate the bottle waters (the four of us grabbed 4, of course). But most all of the desserts were CL quality or less. Compared to other dessert parties (FEA or JBJB, for example) the desserts were weak...

But the views for HEA aregreat...

I was thinking the desserts might not be great, but I was wanting to do this for the purpose of getting a good view. We are going during Thanksgiving week this year and are taking our two younger kiddos (5,7). We are debating between the terrace seating or garden view. I like the garden view better, but the thought of being able to let the kids sit in the terrace area sounded tempting. What are the FEA and JBJB Dessert Parties? Sorry, this is our first time taking the kiddos and I am still new to most of this lol.

 

[anomamatt]

I was thinking the desserts might not be great, but I was wanting to do this for the purpose of getting a good view. We are going during Thanksgiving week this year and are taking our two younger kiddos (5,7). We are debating between the terrace seating or garden view. I like the garden view better, but the thought of being able to let the kids sit in the terrace area sounded tempting. What are the FEA and JBJB Dessert Parties? Sorry, this is our first time taking the kiddos and I am still new to most of this lol.

The view is great and it's worth it when the park is packed (like your thanksgiving trip). And for HEA the plaza garden view is MUCH better than the more expensive terrace view.

FEA is the Frozen Ever After (Illuminations) dessert party in EPCOT. JBJB is the Jingle Bell Jingle Bam party (seasonal) in DHS. The Star Wars party in DHS is also very highly reviewed. By far, the HEA party has the worst desserts. They are certainly edible, just nothing worth eating many of.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Still waiting for them to open up June for booking. What is taking them so long!

 

[Dan Murphy]

two younger kiddos (5,7). We are debating between the terrace seating or garden view. I like the garden view better, but the thought of being able to let the kids sit in the terrace area sounded tempting

I think the kids would actually enjoy the freedom of moving around in the plaza area more. We have done the terrace when my grandkids were 5 and 7 when it was the only choice (not really a choice) and the plaza last summer when they were 8 and 10. At the first one (5/7), they really did not look like they were enjoying the whole deal much, being 'confined' to a seat, but really enjoyed the freedom of the area they had on the plaza.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I was thinking the desserts might not be great, but I was wanting to do this for the purpose of getting a good view. We are going during Thanksgiving week this year and are taking our two younger kiddos (5,7). We are debating between the terrace seating or garden view. I like the garden view better, but the thought of being able to let the kids sit in the terrace area sounded tempting. What are the FEA and JBJB Dessert Parties? Sorry, this is our first time taking the kiddos and I am still new to most of this lol.

As someone with a 7 and 3 year old, I’ll give you my unsolicited opinion. With the kiddos, having the space to ‘run around’ in the garden is quite nice! Not that it’s a playground of anything, but while folks are waiting it’s pretty common for kids to be up/about. Takes the edge off of restless younger ones a bit.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Still waiting for them to open up June for booking. What is taking them so long!

I know, right?!?!?!