HEA Dessert Party Reservations - hard to get?

[Cirlonde]

We want to do the HEA Dessert Party on our upcoming May trip and my 180 day window opens in the next couple of weeks. However, park hours aren't released yet so while I have a tentative schedule planned, our park days aren't set in stone.

So I'm wondering...how quickly does this party (garden view) book up? Is this one of the hard-to-get reservations that you need to snag the minute your window opens?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We want to do the HEA Dessert Party on our upcoming May trip and my 180 day window opens in the next couple of weeks. However, park hours aren't released yet so while I have a tentative schedule planned, our park days aren't set in stone.

So I'm wondering...how quickly does this party (garden view) book up? Is this one of the hard-to-get reservations that you need to snag the minute your window opens?

This is an overly general comment... but generally speaking the Plaza Garden version doesn’t really fill up all that quickly and has been bookable even very close to the event. I’ve done a few this year and booked all of them in the 30-60 day range, or less.

The seated Tomorrland Terrace version does book quickly as the capacity is very small.

The exception to my comment above is this fall when a lot of nights have MNSSHP, which pushed people to the limited nights HEA was running so you’ve been seeing more reports of sold out dessert parties. The same would apply to MVMCP season too.

Obviously any given night at any time of the year could sell out, so you do have to be careful if it’s VERY important in your plans. But generally speaking I think you’ll be OK waiting until you have your plans nailed down, especially for a May trip.

It has a 5 day cancellation policy, so you can always book then cancel later if needed. The downside is that you have to pay upfront, and some may not want to do that.

Obviously just my opinon, but hope that helps!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would book it as soon as you can based on your tentative plans. I've booked it three times at this point always as soon as my window opened knowing my plans might change. I would say, within a week or two of booking, I was able to move it around a bit (I'm dodging MVMCP on our upcoming trip, so didn't have a lot of date choices), but just looked and saw the night we settled on is now sold out (I'm exactly two months away). Unfortunately with WDW's scheduling (or sometimes lack thereof), I've found I have to prioritize certain things and throw other things to the wayside as their schedules are set. So, I would book the night (or nights) you think you will go and try to adjust as schedules are released.

 

[Cirlonde]

Awesome, thank you both! I am about 60-70% sure of our Magic Kingdom day right now, so I feel comfortable booking it in advance, knowing I can always cancel if the posted hours mess up my plans. But the dessert party is one of only two reservations I'll be making. If I don't have to wake up at 5am on that 180th day to snag it, then I'm sleeping in, haha!!! The other ADR I'm planning on is Trail's End, which I know won't be a problem.

 

[10CJ]

I booked this recently at 180. The website was not working and I had to wait and call.