Dessert Parties!!! Tell me

[morozco5]

Considering having a dessert party where have you had yours?!

 

[daisygirl902]

I had mine at EPCOT Upper UK - it was phenomenal! Disney sure knows how to throw a wedding celebration - the food was great, we added on small glow cube centerpieces and glow sticks, the whole thing was so much fun!

If I had my choice to do it all over again I'd do UK lower, but we had a fantastic time, it was great. I've almost arrived at the Dessert Party in my Trip Report actually!

 

[morozco5]

Cant wait to see read details!
Ok Lower UK... why would you change your location?

Anyone else?

 

[daisygirl902]

Cant wait to see read details!
Ok Lower UK... why would you change your location?

Anyone else?

Only because lower has a wider unobstructed view, so that you can get pictures without people in the background...I didn't dislike my location by any means, I just liked the lower better...

 

[disfan melissa]

We had a UK Lower dessert party. If you are thinking about a dessert party I say go for it! I was on the fence about having one during most of our planning. We ended up doing it the night before our wedding and it was amazing!

The view of the fireworks is really fantastic and it is such a thrill for guests to have VIP seating (and snacks!) while everyone else around the park is searching for a good spot to watch.

The only regret I had was that we didn't have any photography since it was the day before the wedding. We do have some shots that our guests took but I think with a professional photographer a lot more would have been captured.

 

[morozco5]

we had a uk lower dessert party. If you are thinking about a dessert party i say go for it! I was on the fence about having one during most of our planning. We ended up doing it the night before our wedding and it was amazing!

The view of the fireworks is really fantastic and it is such a thrill for guests to have vip seating (and snacks!) while everyone else around the park is searching for a good spot to watch.

The only regret i had was that we didn't have any photography since it was the day before the wedding. We do have some shots that our guests took but i think with a professional photographer a lot more would have been captured.

i keep reading great things about the dessert parties that it's made me consider having one. I had no intentions of having one at the beginning of my plans but i totally do now!!! Ok so lower uk is preferable... How many people did you have? Do you mind me asking how much it came out to?

 

[KristiLyn]

Thank you so much for asking this!! You must have read my mind. We were looking to do some sort of dessert party after the wedding as well!

 

[torsie24]

We're booked at Sago Cay Pointe.

Although 'dessert party' might not be exactly the way to explain it as we've added a lot of savoury foods too!

We're having lots fo glow centrepieces and glow sticks and stuff. I can't wait!!

 

[disfan melissa]

Since we had the dessert party the night before our wedding, not all of our wedding guests had arrived yet so we had 20 people. I was going to have the glow cylinder centerpieces and decided not to pretty last minute to save some $. I have no regrets about cutting that out.

From our BEO (we added a few desserts to the All About Chocolate menu to customize):
Illuminations Viewing Fee @ 12.95 per guest: 275.84
1 venue package @ 250: 266.25
20 All About Chocolate buffet: @26.40 per guest: 682.98
1 outdoor set up fee @ 75: 79.88

Total: $1304.95

We did get $ back for the viewing fees after the wedding since most of our guests had park passes.

We had our guests arrive at the front entrance to meet the guide. The guide was amazing and very helpful -- even had to go back to the main entrance a few times since we had some guests show up late. We did not provide any transportation since most of our guests were staying at the Contemporary and could easily take the monorail over.

 

[daisygirl902]

I think mine came to about $1750 with the photography. I had a pretty maxed out menu for the 20 people in attendance - it was awesome...plus I added on small centerpieces and glow sticks. For more details on the menu and the price check out my PJ...

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

Illuminations Viewing Fee @ 12.95 per guest: 275.84


We did get $ back for the viewing fees after the wedding since most of our guests had park passes.

We had our guests arrive at the front entrance to meet the guide. The guide was amazing and very helpful -- even had to go back to the main entrance a few times since we had some guests show up late. We did not provide any transportation since most of our guests were staying at the Contemporary and could easily take the monorail over.

So the viewing fee is only if you don't have tickets to get into the park???

 

[pixie921]

So the viewing fee is only if you don't have tickets to get into the park???

Right. If your guests have tickets that they're using that day anyway, you won't have to pay the viewing fee for them.

 

[daisygirl902]

So the viewing fee is only if you don't have tickets to get into the park???

Yup - we didn't pay a viewing fee, because all of our guests had an extra day on their ticket...it's actually cheaper to upgrade the ticket in a lot of cases than to pay the viewing fee!

 

[SheilaHeartsDisney]

Right. If your guests have tickets that they're using that day anyway, you won't have to pay the viewing fee for them.

Yup - we didn't pay a viewing fee, because all of our guests had an extra day on their ticket...it's actually cheaper to upgrade the ticket in a lot of cases than to pay the viewing fee!

That is awesome. I have been going back and forth about having a dessert party and worried that people had to buy a park ticket if they wanted to come to the dessert party. I'm sure most of my guests would go to the park while they are there too so that's good that I won't have to pay the viewing fee for those with tickets

 

[morozco5]

Since we had the dessert party the night before our wedding, not all of our wedding guests had arrived yet so we had 20 people. I was going to have the glow cylinder centerpieces and decided not to pretty last minute to save some $. I have no regrets about cutting that out.

From our BEO (we added a few desserts to the All About Chocolate menu to customize):
Illuminations Viewing Fee @ 12.95 per guest: 275.84
1 venue package @ 250: 266.25
20 All About Chocolate buffet: @26.40 per guest: 682.98
1 outdoor set up fee @ 75: 79.88

Total: $1304.95

We did get $ back for the viewing fees after the wedding since most of our guests had park passes.

We had our guests arrive at the front entrance to meet the guide. The guide was amazing and very helpful -- even had to go back to the main entrance a few times since we had some guests show up late. We did not provide any transportation since most of our guests were staying at the Contemporary and could easily take the monorail over.

OMGosh! It's soooo do-able! I was considering it for 20 people too only because I'd like for it to be an event for our immediate fam and bridal party... do you guys think that's horrible??? I hope not! besides a lot of people probably wont make it until Friday... we'll see but I am so excited for a dessert party!!

Does anyone have menus? My planner emailed me a packet but it only had like 4-5 options...please share them if you do!

 

[geek+nerd]

OMGosh! It's soooo do-able! I was considering it for 20 people too only because I'd like for it to be an event for our immediate fam and bridal party... do you guys think that's horrible??? I hope not! besides a lot of people probably wont make it until Friday... we'll see but I am so excited for a dessert party!!

Does anyone have menus? My planner emailed me a packet but it only had like 4-5 options...please share them if you do!

We are doing one for 16 people the night of the wedding. It seems that a lot of disbrides have customized their menu, and based on that, we did the same.

We were quoted a price 0f $32/pp for the following:

fresh fruit
cheesecake bites
chocolate chip cookies
black and white cookies
chocolate peanut butter marshmallow squares
chocolate covered Mickey rice krispie treats
chocolate covered pretzels
s'mores

If you search the board, you'll find lots of sample menus. Also, don't forget to read people's PJs for more info.

 

[morozco5]

has anyone had a wishes dessert party!?

 

[torsie24]

My DP is going to be a wishes one.

There are no longer menus for them, mine has been completely customised by a chef at the Floridian. It's the food I'm most excited about for the day! We basically told them all of our favourite foods from around WDW. It's come to about $48pp for the menu.

Remember with a wishes DP you have to pay for the audio feed too.

 

[morozco5]

My DP is going to be a wishes one.

There are no longer menus for them, mine has been completely customised by a chef at the Floridian. It's the food I'm most excited about for the day! We basically told them all of our favourite foods from around WDW. It's come to about $48pp for the menu.

Remember with a wishes DP you have to pay for the audio feed too.

where in MK are you having it and do you mind me asking... how much was the audio feed?

 

[Firefly09]

I don't think the Wishes DP is actually in MK. The locations that I know of are at the Grand Floridian.

How long do the DP's last? Does it start say 830p with fireworks at 9? And do they start gently ushering you out the door once the fireworks are over?