Birthday Cupcakes?

[Jsheehan310]

I read that some Disney restaurants will provide a cupcake w/ candle for guests celebrating birthdays. My daughter is going to turn one during our upcoming trip and we wanted to recognize the day in a small manner. We aren't planning to order a full size cake or anything like that. Has anyone experienced this 'free' birthday treat before?

Secondly we will be having dinner at Mickey Backyard BBQ and were hoping to do it during that meal. Can anyone ever seen/heard/had a birthday cupcake at that meal?

 

[LadyRayado]

We received free cupcakes for our anniversary at Sci-Fi. These complementary pixie dust items, like cupcakes, specialized menus, etc, are 100% up to the whim of the CMs and there is no way to guarantee or ask for one. If you want to absolutely have something special, you'll need to arrange it yourself.

TheRustyScupper has a pretty good explanation of the "freebie" system, hopefully he'll come along soon with it.

 

[purple figment]

Recognizing a birthday or any other special occasion is not guaranteed at any restaurant or dining venue. It is up to the server and the restaurant. We've had special events recognized at some places and totally ignored at others. The only way to guarantee a special treat is to order and pay for something yourselves.

 

[DCDisney]

At the BBQ they do a general announcement of birthdays and anniversaries but it was very generic. They almost certainly wouldn't have a cupcake there. Many of the character meals are the ones that tend to have cupcakes and confetti for the table but it's very hit or miss. We've had birthday trips where the birthday kid got a treat every meal and other trips where it was never acknowledged. For a first birthday I would want to order something or plan for a meal where I knew I could get a nice cake photo op--like Be Our Guest for lunch or dinner has pretty cupcakes. The little treasure box cake you can order I think is really cute and pretty inexpensive no idea if that is still offered though my kids are big now

 

[TheRustyScupper]

BIRTHDAY-ANNIVERSARY-HONEYMOON-GRADUATION-ETC Celebrations by Cast Members:
1) It is a matter of the CM's personal initiative.
. . . depends upon how much they like you as a guest
. . . it always helps to wear a Happy Birthday button
. . . depends if they feel like doing anything special today
. . . depends upon the phase of the moon
2) CM's can do a lot, or they can do nothing at all as they have immense control
. . . they are under no obligation to give goodies or even acknowledge special day
. . . they can go way overboard, give lots of gifts
. . . they have A LOT of leeway for what they will or will not do for you
. . . they can see the event if listed on the ADR or hotel ressie and you hope for the best
3) Some of the things a CM can do for free are
. . . table with Mickey confetti
. . . your name/celebration on menu at TS locations (except BOG)
. . . best table location
. . . special personalized menu
. . . character-autographed birthday cards
. . . balloons
. . . balloon animals
. . . wine or champagne or Shirley Temples
. . . room towel animals
. . . appetizers or desserts
. . . cakes
. . . cupcake with candle (almost always available for the asking)
. . . place mats autographed by characters
. . . free appy or free dessert
. . . ride an attraction with a character
. . . personalization items for the Magic Bands
5) Some other items CM's can give for free
. . . room full of balloons and/or flowers
. . . fruit basket or wine basket in hotel room
. . . individual fast passes or booklets of several fast passes
. . . food and snack items (candy, popcorn, sundries)
. . . room upgrades
. . . attraction rides with characters
6) If you really want something special, buy it yourself.
. . . eatery: carry presents in and keep/hide them in a paper bag
. . . eatery: carry a cake in, but, WDW won't prepare, store, or serve it
. . . eatery: order non-decorated cake at the eatery podium check-in
. . . eatery: order decorated cake from the WDW Cake Hotline
. . . room: order special in-room celebration decorarting by Disney
. . . room: order strawberries and cream, if resort has room service
. . . room: decorate the room yourself
7) If there are multiple celebrations for people during a trip
. . . do not do separate celebration locations or tables
. . . one person may get an enthusiastic CM and get goodies
. . . one person may get a lazy CM and get nothing
8) Hundreds, or thousands, celebrate everyday at WDW.
9) It is too much time/money for CM's to attend or recognize all.

NOTE: I have personally given out freebies such as major room upgrades, fruit baskets,
wine & cheese baskets, fast passes. It all depends upon how you act toward us and the
mood we are in at that time. Of course, there are those guests for whom I would do
absolutely nothing involving personal initiative.

 

[augusta1]

We were there in October on the dining plan. When I was on the phone with Disney Dining I told them we had a birthday. They told me they would link my daughters birthday to the dining. When we went we found that at every restaurant the receipt was stamped or printed that there was a birthday and each place brought a cupcake and or a card to her. I thought it would only be the one day for her birthday but they linked it for the entire week.

 

[jb82]

Call and ask them to add the birthday to all your reservations. Birthdays at Disneyworld are for your entire trip!
My daughter got cupcakes at Chef Mickeys, Crystal Palace, Akershus and a couple of other places. She got cards from them as well. which was nice. At Be our guest for dinner she got some grey stuff with a candle in it.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

To guarantee something, order it ahead of time. They have a standard vanilla or chocolate small cake for around $20. Otherwise it is probably just the luck of the draw.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The odds are pretty good that it will happen at least once on the trip, but the only way to guarantee such a thing on a certain night in a certain place is to book something ahead of time (and pay for it.)

 

[OZMom]

DS4 celebrated his birthday our last trip. The only restaurant that offered a cupcake / singing was T-Rex our first night. He ended up falling asleep before he finished eating so it never actually happened. We had a table service every day of our trip, including character meals and BOG, and none of the other CM's did anything beyond wishing him a happy birthday. I'm not sure if we had linked that it was his birthday when we made the reservation, I definitely mentioned it on a few, and he was definitely wearing his button. He got lots of "Happy Birthdays" and that made him feel like a rock star. However, If you really want the cake / celebration, I would highly recommend ordering it yourself.

I'm not complaining, so please don't flame me about how I'm "expecting" Pixie dust because we were not at all. I am simply sharing my experience. The lack of confetti / cupcake celebrations barely blipped on DS4's radar.

 

[Dis703]

Like others have said it's not a guarantee so if you know you want something on her birthday order it to be sure. We've celebrated anniversaries and birthdays and other than a lot of Happy Birthdays and Happy Anniversaries we didn't receive anything else.

 

[xlsm]

Locations where we have had bdays recognized (last August my DH and both DSs were celebrating...DH and youngest DS had bdays 2 weeks prior to the trip, oldest DS had actual bday during the trip): 'Ohana breakfast- cupcakes and a song(all three were wearing buttons), Sci-Fi lunch - cupcakes (only oldest was wearing his bday button, it was his actual bday, CM brought youngest DS one anyway so he wouldn't feel left out, she didn't know he was also celebrating that week), 'Ohana dinner - cupcakes AND brownie bites(all three wearing buttons), Via Napoli - whipped cream dessert(all three, only two wearing buttons, bdays were noted on reservation and host mentioned it was noted upon being led to our seats), BOG dinner - gray stuff and a card signed by Belle and Beast (only oldest DS was wearing his button, he was the only one who got it)

We knew it was all up to chance, so they were thrilled. But every CM, and I mean EVERY CM, even those we weren't directly interacting with said Happy Birthday as my guys walked by wearing their buttons (many other guests too!).

So be sure to note the birthday on your resort reservation and wear that button.

Happy birthday in advance to your little one, and have a magical trip

 

[NOLA_Tink]

I read that some Disney restaurants will provide a cupcake w/ candle for guests celebrating birthdays. My daughter is going to turn one during our upcoming trip and we wanted to recognize the day in a small manner. We aren't planning to order a full size cake or anything like that. Has anyone experienced this 'free' birthday treat before?

Secondly we will be having dinner at Mickey Backyard BBQ and were hoping to do it during that meal. Can anyone ever seen/heard/had a birthday cupcake at that meal?

It's more likely that she will get a cupcake at the other restaurants, which often stock cupcakes for special occasions. The BBQ's kitchen prob doesn't have them, so you might want to pick a different experience for "the special day/night." We aren't doing the BBQ for DS' 1st bday trip because the pavilion area's seating is not very personal & he's too small to dance (which is a huge part of he fun for the littles). I'm also concerned about where they'd try to squeeze a high chair because it's so crowded. I'm saving it for our next trip, when he'll be 2.5 y-o.

 

[verleniahall]

I got - cupcake with candle at 1900 Park Fare Breakfast, Card and Grey Stuff at BOG, They rang a bell and sang happy birthday at columbia harbor house (which scared me to death!) plus they didnt' charge me for an extra side of coleslaw, and a cookie at Pecos Bill. At the halloween party, one of the cast members giving out wourthers candys gave me 4 big handfulls of candy (that we are still enjoying today)