After Hours Dessert Party worth the viewing location?

[Abigail Broughton]

I have an after hours dessert party the first week of April. I am taking my 8 year old daughter and 50 year old sister (sister's very first Disneyworld visit). I want a great viewing location and not feel to claustrophobic. Is there a great viewing location and if so how early must we arrive or is the dessert party worth the money.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Yes, there are great free viewing locations but no matter how early you arrive, it will become very crowded when the show starts. I don't know how crowded it has to get before you become claustrophobic but anything in the hub area is too crowded for my preference. The dessert party in the plaza area isn't GREAT (because it's off to the side a little) but we think the MK dessert parties are worth every dollar. It's a really hard question to answer because only you can define when you feel claustrophobic, whats a "great view" and if something is or is not "worth it".

 

[Abigail Broughton]

Thank you. The Garden plaza is off to the side for viewing?

 

[LSUfan4444]

Yes, slightly

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Just so I’m not confused, you’re doing Disney After Hours later that night and are considering doing one of the dessert party versions for HEA viewing? This thread, particularly the DISer review links at the top of Post 1 has some info that may be helpful. https://www.disboards.com/threads/mk-happily-ever-after-dessert-party-parties-discussion.3604693/

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

I believe OP is doing the after fireworks dessert party, which I recently did. Yes IMO it's totally worth it, you don't need to check in earlier than your ADR states. There's plenty of room in there since the pre-fireworks dessert party people take a while to get into the viewing location. I tend to stick towards the back near the fence. After the show they will lead to to the dessert party area for your party. It's completely restocked so there's plenty of everything for everyone. It was significantly less crowed than the pre-fireworks parties I have attended in the past. Hope that helps.

 

[Abigail Broughton]

Thank you for all the great responses.

 

[FastPasser.]

If asked, and only if asked, I downplay the necessity of doing any dessert party primarily for the viewing. I do encourage people to experience the parties for the party aspect. And even though I've been to hundreds and hundreds of dessert parties, I have never attended one as a Guest and don't envision ever doing a dessert party in the future. It's certainly not the cost, for us, it's just not a necessity. We always find a suitable viewing spot, and no, I don't stake it out super early, 30 minutes usually works. Oh, I stay away from the parks during peak times.

 

[LSUfan4444]

We always find a suitable viewing spot, and no, I don't stake it out super early, 30 minutes usually works. Oh, I stay away from the parks during peak times.

Do you normally do so with young children?

 

[FastPasser.]

Do you normally do so with young children?

Sometimes with grand-kids.

 

[chimoe]

I highly suggest booking the dessert party. We did this during Thanksgiving weekend last year. We did the Garden viewing, not the AFter fireworks dessert. View was great, desserts were good. I think the only difference is one dessert party is before fireworks the other is after. Same viewing area.

The viewing area was not overcrowded, we were able to watch sitting on the grass. Mind you this is the day after thanksgiving, a 10 on the crowd calendar.

We are going back in Sept and will book HEA dessert party again. I was considering doing the after fireworks dessert but my only concern is if the 1st dessert party eats up everything and the options become limited.

 

[LSUfan4444]

my only concern is if the 1st dessert party eats up everything and the options become limited.

Everything is re-stocked. No need to worry about that.