Dessert Party Menu Suggestions

[TiffinyKaye]

Hi everyone,

So, my assistant planner has tried to be helpful when it comes to planning the dessert party menu...but it's not as helpful as I' like. Apparently individual menu items can't be priced separately, because the price per person depends on the variety at the party.

I don't understand entirely, since you'd think if they come with, say a $60/person figure, it means that they know how much, about, each item costs. :/

And yes, that $60/person figure is what I was quoted for my original dessert party menu ideas. I cut it back today, and will hopefully get an updated price tomorrow. I've asked now for my planner to try to help me stay within the $15-$25/person range (not $60! Holy crap!!!)....so, hopefully she can help.

What do people typically average? I definitely want to try to offer a decent variety to my guests... And, honestly, *I* am a dessert person. To be frank, this dessert party is for me. It is my plan to have stuff for my guests, but devour at least one of each type of food I have ordered (3 months of starving myself to fit into my wedding dress--I deserve it, darn it). We'd like to stay in the $15-$25/person range. I don't know if that's even possible though.

Tiffiny

 

[lkh]

We just started planning our Disney Wedding and are looking to include a DP at Epcot that night. It may vary on the location but we were told it's a minimum $23/person. What were your original picks that added up to $60? I want to include a variety of options but want to stay close to the minimum per person amount.

 

[lurkyloo]

The minimum is $23/person, but if you're serving beverages, those count too. So it would be possible to do a menu that cost, say $15/person if drinks made up the difference.

It seems like the average I see people here spend is about $30/person. It can be difficult to get prices down if you want to serve a lot of different things. But if you have just one "bar"—like a build-your-own sundae bar or a doughnut flambeé action station—it will still feel like guests are getting a lot and could cost less.

Serving a few packaged snacks might be another way to keep costs down and still feel generous. Like if you had an ice cream cart with BOC Mickey premium bars and other novelties. As a guest, the idea that I could have anything I wanted from the ice cream cart would be more exciting than, say, seeing just two kinds of cookies and some brownies on a buffet.

 

[puakinikini]

Hi everyone,

So, my assistant planner has tried to be helpful when it comes to planning the dessert party menu...but it's not as helpful as I' like. Apparently individual menu items can't be priced separately, because the price per person depends on the variety at the party.

I don't understand entirely, since you'd think if they come with, say a $60/person figure, it means that they know how much, about, each item costs. :/

And yes, that $60/person figure is what I was quoted for my original dessert party menu ideas. I cut it back today, and will hopefully get an updated price tomorrow. I've asked now for my planner to try to help me stay within the $15-$25/person range (not $60! Holy crap!!!)....so, hopefully she can help.

What do people typically average? I definitely want to try to offer a decent variety to my guests... And, honestly, *I* am a dessert person. To be frank, this dessert party is for me. It is my plan to have stuff for my guests, but devour at least one of each type of food I have ordered (3 months of starving myself to fit into my wedding dress--I deserve it, darn it). We'd like to stay in the $15-$25/person range. I don't know if that's even possible though.

Tiffiny

I love dessert as much as the next person, but $60 is a lot of money per person. $25 - 35 seems much more doable, taking into account the whole experience (and not just the sugar laden treats!).

 

[TiffinyKaye]

$23/person, huh? Thanks for letting me know, guys.

I'll just have to figure it out. Maybe if we shoot for $25-$30/person, it should be fine. I think I would even go as high as $35/person.

It's only like an hour...but the dessert party is one of those things I'm sincerely looking forward to. I want the opportunity to eat lots of nummy stuff (since that's one of my favorite things about Disney).

Someone asked about the original menu. It was:

1. Mickey Premium Bars
2. Banana Cream Parfaits
3. Multiple little pies in Mickey Mouse-shaped pastry shells (the options I wanted were key lime, pumpkin, and cheesecake)
4. Undipped Mickey Mouse-shaped rice krispy treats
5. Fruit salad (my dad is a vegan)
6. Churro Flambe
7. Red velvet whoopie pie (the one found at The Land with a chocolate Mickey on it)
8. Mickey/Minnie tarts (like those found at the Boardwalk Bakery)
9. Chocolate dipped Oreos
10. Chocolate dipped strawberries

I guess somewhere in my head I was thinking, "Oh, they're just desserts. They won't be THAT expensive and I can have a big variety." Oh yeah...DISNEY. LOL!

I'm working with my planner's assistant to whittle that menu down and the price. The problem is that my fiance and several of my family members are very picky, but in different ways. For example, my fiance will only eat the rice krispy treats and the Mickey premiums. His niece maybe the same. My sister and her boyfriend will only eat the cheesecake. My step-dad will eat anything I put in front of him, but key lime is his ABSOLUTE favorite. I'll eat just about anything too, but the banana parfaits sounded AMAZING to me, and it's MY wedding--and I think I'd be upset if I paid for all of this and didn't get what *I* wanted. And then there's my vegan dad. :/ And then the Mickey/Minnie tarts from the Boardwalk Bakery are supposedly a little spendy (according to the assistant), but my theme is an "elegant Micky Mouse wedding"--so I feel like that would be perfect. And the churro flambe would be just awesome.

But...again, I shouldn't be surprised that it costs so much for that kind of variety. My new list that I've submitted to the assistant is:

1. Soda package (BOC)
2. Mickey Premium Bars (BOC)
3. Banana Cream Parfaits
4. Multiple little pies in Mickey Mouse-shaped pastry shells (the options I wanted were key lime, pumpkin, and cheesecake). I've now requested the pumpkin pie tarts to be VEGAN to accommodate my dad (and I'll eat them too ). I also requested a chocolate mousse tart as well, since my groom will eat that.
5. Undipped Mickey Mouse-shaped rice krispy treats
6. Mickey/Minnie tarts (like those found at the Boardwalk Bakery)



The mini-tarts may need to be cut (no chocolate mousse), but I feel like they are important. Not only would having them go with my theme, but I can knock out the preferences of just about everyone with those treats (including my dad with a vegan pumpkin). And if I do BOC for ALL ice cream novelties...I actually think that strawberry bar thing that Disney offers is vegan as well. I hadn't considered offering all the novelties as possibilities (I might).

I also asked for two menu pricings...one with the current menu as shown above, and the other with the same menu, but minus the Mickey/Minnie tarts and add the churro flambe. As Carrie pointed out--that action station may be cool.

Has anyone had the flaming churro? Is it any good? It sounds pretty good, based on the description. I'm just not 100% certain if it's worth more than anything but the show.

And puakinikini--I have asked the planner's assistant to see what they can do for the $25-$35 range. I think I'd even go $40/person if I could have all those things. It's a lot more than I'd LIKE to spend...but depending on if I can get it all, I may try to justify it with the fact that I only plan on getting married once.

Tiffiny

 

[CinderellasBFF]

Our dessert party menu is $38.50 per person, and we're having:

• White & Milk Chocolate Fondues with Berries, Pineapple, Bananas, Angel Food Cake, Pretzels, Graham Crackers, and Marshmallows
• Donuts Foster with Rum Caramel Pecan Glaze and Coffee Ice Cream
• Churro Flambe with Cinnamon Sugar Churro, Butter, Spiced Rum and Kahlua cooked to order with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Coffees with Whipped Cream, Shaved Chocolate, Cinnamon Sticks, Orange Peel, and Flavored Syrups

We didn't ask for the coffee bar, but we're thinking about keeping it. We tried the Donuts Foster at our planning session, only because I didn't know about the Churro Flambe option UNTIL our planning session. I want Churros Flambe, and my fiance wants Donuts Foster, so we kept both and cut Dole Whips from the menu.

 

[allanahx]

they sell churro everywhere in disney. I wouldn't worry about putting it on your buffet and just buying one while your there. having things that you can only usually find in certain places like the boardwalk would provide a nice surprise for your guests tho

 

[bigr3ddog]

The action stations are pretty pricey. It can be as much as $15/person.

 

[elphie101]

We decided to go with a mix of sweet and savory, since my DF isn't a dessert person.

Our original menu was $46pp:

• Sundae Bar to include Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream, served with Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Sauce, Pineapple Sauce, Strawberry Sauce, Oreo Crumbs, Candy Pieces, Whipped Cream, Cherries, Nuts, and Jimmies
• Nacho Bar with Guacamole, Cheese Sauce, Bean Chili, Jalapeno's, Sour Cream and Salsa
• Disney Popcorn
• White & Chocolate Fondue with Melons, Pineapple, Apples, Strawberries, Marshmallows, Pretzels and Sponge Cake
• Mickey Rice Crispies (which I had initially included to be a fondue offering, but no matter)
• Fruit Punch, Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Selection of Teas

I got that and my jaw hit the ground. We immediately cut the fondue and rice crispies, and then added cronuts, and just cutting the fondue station dropped the price to $35pp. It probably would have been less if I hadn't added the cronuts, but those are for me

So now, for $35pp we have:

• Sundae Bar to include Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream, served with Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Sauce, Pineapple Sauce, Strawberry Sauce, Oreo Crumbs, Candy Pieces, Whipped Cream, Cherries, Nuts, and Jimmies
• Nacho Bar with Guacamole, Cheese Sauce, Bean Chili, Jalapeno's, Sour Cream and Salsa
• Disney Popcorn
• Cronuts
• Fruit Punch, Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Selection of Teas

I've heard some decent things about the various flaming desserts, but I wasn't willing to give up my nacho bar or cronuts for them, and adding action stations will 100% raise your price. Hope this help you somehow!

 

[lurkyloo]

Has anyone had the flaming churro? Is it any good? It sounds pretty good, based on the description. I'm just not 100% certain if it's worth more than anything but the show.

I've had the flambeed doughnuts, which are basically the same thing, and didn't like them—–you could still taste too much of the alcohol.

 

[TiffinyKaye]

We didn't ask for the coffee bar, but we're thinking about keeping it. We tried the Donuts Foster at our planning session, only because I didn't know about the Churro Flambe option UNTIL our planning session. I want Churros Flambe, and my fiance wants Donuts Foster, so we kept both and cut Dole Whips from the menu.

Can I ask how you had Dole Whip on your menu to begin with? We wanted Dole Whip, but we were told that because there's no power at Lochside (I'm imagining that any DP you're having would be at an outside location?), they would need to bring power in for the ice cream machine. They told us it would be $60,000...and, of course, we said no.

Is there another option? Is your DP inside?

Tiffiny

 

[TiffinyKaye]

And...waiting. The $60/person quote took like a few hours after I provided what I wanted. The pared down menu? Apparently takes a whole heck of a lot longer. :/

Also found out today that I may need to switch out something in favor of cupcakes so that all of my guests have something that they will eat. ::sigh:: So, maybe I can switch out the Mickey/Minnie tarts from the Boardwalk Bakery and have red velvet ganache cupcakes instead (with the chocolate Mickey head on it--to keep my Mickey). I just want to make sure everyone has something with the limited amount of food I can have (since, apparently, "something for everyone" costs a freaking fortune ).

Has anyone else ever had the Mickey/Minnie tarts from the Boardwalk Bakery? I read a review somewhere that they "look cuter than they taste," but that doesn't tell me anything about HOW they taste (other than maybe just mediocre?). When I think of a tart, I think of something fruity or something. The Mickey/Minnie tarts at Boardwalk Bakery looked like they were chocolate. What is it?

And I still would like to know the answer to my question about Dole Whip. They would have let us have it...just for $60K. That's a no way in my book.

Tiffiny

 

[lkh]

I hope you'll hear back soon! Waiting to hear back on details is proving to be the most challenging part of a destination wedding for me!

I've never had the Minnie/Mickey tarts but I had a red velvet cupcake from the Boardwalk Bakery on our last trip and it was delicious! Very moist and the frosting was rich and creamy.

I love reading everyone's menu options, lots of good ideas to consider!

 

[TiffinyKaye]

I hope you'll hear back soon! Waiting to hear back on details is proving to be the most challenging part of a destination wedding for me!

I've never had the Minnie/Mickey tarts but I had a red velvet cupcake from the Boardwalk Bakery on our last trip and it was delicious! Very moist and the frosting was rich and creamy.

I love reading everyone's menu options, lots of good ideas to consider!

Ahh, dude--same here. I mean, I am trying to be patient. As magical as Disney is, the planners are only human. And, in all honesty, it takes a CRAP TON of work and effort to coordinate all the different people involved in the wedding/reception/dessert party. I bet my planner has to talk to at least five (at minimum) different people to execute all three of my day's events...and to get prices from each of them. And, since I'm obviously not the only bride they're all helping (imagine each of those five + people is working with all the other planners and THEIR brides)...I understand how, realistically--4 to 6 weeks for a BEO is probably pretty good.

It doesn't make me feel any better though. I wanna know NOW!!!

And as for the red velvet cupcakes...I know Disney can execute red velvet. Our cake is red velvet, and it tasted AWESOME at our planning session. I think if I can do red velvet cupcakes with the same buttercream filling they're using for our cake...I think that'd be perfect. My only thing with the cupcakes is that we'll all have just had cake earlier in the day at the reception. Maybe that shouldn't be my concern though. We were kind of thinking of trying to incorporate desserts into the party that fit our theme (Mickey Mouse)...and so colors are probably the best way to do that. if I can do a red velvet cupcake with a gold-colored cream cheese...that'd probably look awesome and taste great (and please my guests). I'll ask them if they can put a chocolate Mickey on it (like the little Mickey face on the whoopie pies at The Land)...that'd even still make it Mickey.

Yup...planner and planner's assistant will kill me, because I keep changing the menu. :/

Tiffiny

 

[CinderellasBFF]

Can I ask how you had Dole Whip on your menu to begin with? We wanted Dole Whip, but we were told that because there's no power at Lochside (I'm imagining that any DP you're having would be at an outside location?), they would need to bring power in for the ice cream machine. They told us it would be $60,000...and, of course, we said no.

Is there another option? Is your DP inside?

Tiffiny

Yea, I'd say no to Dole Whip at $60K!! Our Dessert Party is at Porte Cochere for Wishes, because our reception is at Italy Isola during Illuminations. It wouldn't have been the real Dole Whip anyway. Just something similar. I more wanted the Dole Whips at the Dessert Party, so I could put Coconut Rum in it. (Not sure if I could have even done that, but I certainly would have tried!)

 

[CinderellasBFF]

I understand how, realistically--4 to 6 weeks for a BEO is probably pretty good.

My BEO took about 13 weeks after our planning session! It was missing some of the major things that I thought were most likely the cause of the delay. Probably was a good thing they were missing because we about had a heart attack seeing it as it was!

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Yea, I'd say no to Dole Whip at $60K!! Our Dessert Party is at Porte Cochere for Wishes, because our reception is at Italy Isola during Illuminations. It wouldn't have been the real Dole Whip anyway. Just something similar. I more wanted the Dole Whips at the Dessert Party, so I could put Coconut Rum in it. (Not sure if I could have even done that, but I certainly would have tried!)

So you get TWO fireworks shows?! JEALOUS!!!!

That's so cool though, really. And dude...I bet they would have let you put the coconut rum in.

Tiffiny

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Alright--I have SOME updates...

Menu #1
Banana Cream Parfaits (no nuts added)
Vegan pumpkin pie tarts in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Chocolate mousse in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Key Lime Tarts in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Miniature Cheesecakes with Raspberry Topping in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Mickey-Shaped Rice Krispy Treats (NO CHOCOLATE DIP)
Disney’s Boardwalk Bakery Influenced Mickey and Minnie Mouse Tarts
$35++ per Guest based on 1 hour


Menu #2
Banana Cream Parfaits (no nuts added)
Vegan pumpkin pie tarts in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Chocolate mousse in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Key Lime Tarts in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Miniature Cheesecakes with Raspberry Topping in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells
Mickey-Shaped Rice Krispy Treats (NO CHOCOLATE DIP)
Churro Flambé
$40++ per Guest based on 1 hour


Menu #3
Banana Cream Parfaits (no nuts added)
Key Lime Mickey Mouse Tarts
Miniature Mickey Mouse Cheesecakes with Raspberry Glitter
Vegan Pumpkin Tarts
Mickey-Shaped Rice Krispy Treats (NO CHOCOLATE DIP)
$25++ per Guest based on 1 hour


Those prices are much less heart-attack inducing (though stupidly expensive, regardless ). So, I was just talking to my planner's assistant about removing the Boardwalk Bakery tart idea, and then just replacing it with a red velvet cupcake with a chocolate Mickey head. I swear, if I comes back more expensive than the option WITH the Boardwalk Bakery tart...I will freaking scream. The tart appears to be much more involved than a dumb cupcake. All I want is for it to come back at maximum as $35. If it comes back at around that price...then I'll probably pick Menu #1, but just swap out the Boardwalk Bakery tarts for the cupcakes. That way, we're all happy and I won't go broke (as much).

Tiffiny

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Hah! Not 10 minutes after I posted this...they responded:

Banana Cream Parfaits (no nuts added)

Vegan pumpkin pie tarts in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells

Chocolate mousse in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells

Key Lime Tarts in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells

Miniature Cheesecakes with Raspberry Topping in Mickey Mouse Pastry Shells

Mickey-Shaped Rice Krispy Treats (NO CHOCOLATE DIP)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing and Chocolate Mickey Head (as seen on Whoopie Pie)

$35++ per Guest based on 1 hour


YES!!!!! Okay...that's going on the BEO. Super happy/excited. I'm going to talk to DF and see if we can kick the rice krispy treats off. I think they're a good "neutral" treat to have...but I also think that since we're doing BOC ice cream novelties...there's no real reason to have the rice krispy treats. Additionally, as a surprise to my fiance, we're having a Mickey head rice crispy treat 'cake' as the groom's cake at the reception. DF will be all rice krispy'd out by the time we get to the dessert party.

Besides...why pay $10/treat when you can get them in the park for $4 or $5?

As a silly question...has anyone noticed a pattern with the "Disney tax?" I'm referring to the additional padding that gets added on to an item, purely because it has a Disney character on it, or by pure virtue of the fact that it's being sold in a Disney park or resort. For example, we were told the Mickey Premiums were going to be $6/bar.

$6/bar?! We were just AT the park not three weeks ago, and they were $4!!! (Still crazy when you think about the fact that you can buy a whole box of ice cream bars for $4 or $5). Why the heck is an ice cream bar $6/bar? Seriously, we're at Lochside for our DP. I'm half tempted to leave the party with my purse, get a Mickey Premium for my DF, stash it in my purse, and then walk back in. I know Disney security will stop me...but geez. I just don't understand not just the rhyme or reason behind Disney tax...but Disney wedding tax on top of Disney tax.

Anyone notice a pattern? Is it like..30% of an item's actual store price? 60%? I would be really interested to figure out their pricing structure.


Tiffiny

 

[LadyD]

Is any of the set up fee (or like a person manning it) for hosting the BOC Mickey premium bar bundled into that increased 6/bar??? The DPs are so nice and it makes me sad Disneyland doesn't really do anything similar for their shows. However, for whatever reason, Disneyland does not seem to do a wedding mark up to the same extent Disney World does for products that can be purchased in the park based on what we have asked for at this point. Food in general for the wedding seems to be more reasonably priced (my dinner minimum is 125/person), but we don't have "affordable" access to some of the awesome locations Disney World brides do. That being said, YAY you got your menu to the price point you were willing to spend!!! That is super exciting