HEA & Elementary-aged Kids

[Katie Dawn]

Hi all!

DH, DD8, and I will be seeing HEA for the first time in October.

We were last there in 2015 when DD was 4. DH held DD on his hip throughout the show so she could see the castle projections. She's 8 now, though, so holding her for a long time isn't possible. I'm concerned she won't be able to see a good portion of the castle over all the adults.

We have the Fireworks Dessert Party (Garden Plaza) which I think will help since people will be more spread out.

Any suggestions on how to help her to able to see?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you are going to the Plaza Garden party, you won't have a problem. I wouldn't linger too much with your dessert as people tend to go to the garden early to get their spots. If you can, try to get a spot along the back railing. DS10 and I have done the party 3 times. It is the only way we will see the fireworks to get a good view and avoid the crowds.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We have the Fireworks Dessert Party (Garden Plaza) which I think will help since people will be more spread out.

Any suggestions on how to help her to able to see?

Mine were 7 and 3 last time we did the Plaza Garden dessert party a few months ago. We like to get a spot on the "back rail" of the garden for a few reasons. One, many people tend to do the opposite and try to be forward in the garden, two, I like having something to "lean" on both while waiting and during the show. I hip hold ours during some of the show as well and the back rail is nice since there's no one behind you to bother by doing so.

 

[Katie Dawn]

If you are going to the Plaza Garden party, you won't have a problem. I wouldn't linger too much with your dessert as people tend to go to the garden early to get their spots. If you can, try to get a spot along the back railing. DS10 and I have done the party 3 times. It is the only way we will see the fireworks to get a good view and avoid the crowds.

Mine were 7 and 3 last time we did the Plaza Garden dessert party a few months ago. We like to get a spot on the "back rail" of the garden for a few reasons. One, many people tend to do the opposite and try to be forward in the garden, two, I like having something to "lean" on both while waiting and during the show. I hip hold ours during some of the show as well and the back rail is nice since there's no one behind you to bother by doing so.

Thank you for the replies! At what time would you recommend we be at the dessert exit so the CM can walk us over to the Garden?

Unrelated question I'm just curious about: do they give you bands or something so that once your groups gets to the Garden they know all of you belong and you didn't pick up any extra folks along the way?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Thank you for the replies! At what time would you recommend we be at the dessert exit so the CM can walk us over to the Garden?

Unrelated question I'm just curious about: do they give you bands or something so that once your groups gets to the Garden they know all of you belong and you didn't pick up any extra folks along the way?

They give you a wristband when you check-in at the Tomorrowland Terrace. Later when you move over to the Plaza Garden, they check when you enter the garden (there is a CM stationed there) and will check if you leave and come back (eg, like if you run over to the bathroom or something). From time to time you'll read a report on the main HEA dessert party thread about a fence hopper, but that's not really the norm. I've tended to see pretty active enforcement when I've done the party.

As to when to head over - that's a tough call. I will caveat I have not done the party since they introduced the "After Party" version in addition to the Plaza Garden version (the "before" version) - both parties share the same garden. But before, I used to like being over in the garden more like 15-20 mins before showtime, but that is going to be on the the "pushing it" range for some folks. I personally just don't like spending a lot of time sitting around (that's why we like these events in the first place).

If HEA is at 9, for example... we'd typically do something like...

8:15ish - check in, grab a few desserts
8:40ish - head over to garden
9pm - showtime
(note HEA isn't always at 9 so adjust as needed)

You can check in 1.5 hours before fireworks time, so many will spend WAY more time with desserts and waiting in the garden than we opt to do.

The After Garden party also adds a new source of folks in the garden, so one may want to err on an earlier arrival than what I describe. Later arrival to the garden is a trade off with having more people already there vs your choice of spots.

Sorry, TLDR, but just one family's habits!

 

[staceyrose55]

If HEA is at 9, for example... we'd typically do something like...

8:15ish - check in, grab a few desserts
8:40ish - head over to garden
9pm - showtime
(note HEA isn't always at 9 so adjust as needed)
___________
This is super-helpful! So planning to check in at 8:15 should give us a good shot at a nice view from the garden?

 

[straychicken]

We have a similar situation ( school aged kids with Garden Party booked for Oct 1). We plan to check in at 730 and make this our dinner plus desserts. Hopefully we can head over and get a spot in the back rail. Our night is pretty much sold out (1 reservation remaining for befor party and 1 for after party). My main worry is that it will be too crowded and the kids won’t get a good view of the show despite all the $$$ this is costing. I can report back after we go to the party.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The After Garden party also adds a new source of folks in the garden, so one may want to err on an earlier arrival than what I describe. Later arrival to the garden is a trade off with having more people already there vs your choice of spots.

I guess I’ll quote myself from this August post.

We did the After Party last Thursday night. This particular After Party seemed more well attended than the few reviews I’ve seen around the DIS. Now that we’re getting into the thick of HEA supply/demand imbalance, I think the crowd level of both the Before and After parties are generally going to be high and some of the same timing dynamics that worked in the past may not be totally the same now.

We arrived in the garden around 7:45pm (for an 8pm show) and the garden was quite crowded. We still found a spot, but it was pretty darn full in there. Not shoulder-to-shoulder full... but full. I knew it would be showing up so late (it was my plan) but it surprised me a bit just how many people were there.

I like to hold DD4 and would rather be on the back rail so I can lean on something and not bother anyone. That wasn’t an option given the crowds already there.

Everyone needed to stand on this night.

It was still better than the alternative.

 

[staceyrose55]

I guess I’ll quote myself from this August post.

We did the After Party last Thursday night. This particular After Party seemed more well attended than the few reviews I’ve seen around the DIS. Now that we’re getting into the thick of HEA supply/demand imbalance, I think the crowd level of both the Before and After parties are generally going to be high and some of the same timing dynamics that worked in the past may not be totally the same now.

We arrived in the garden around 7:45pm (for an 8pm show) and the garden was quite crowded. We still found a spot, but it was pretty darn full in there. Not shoulder-to-shoulder full... but full. I knew it would be showing up so late (it was my plan) but it surprised me a bit just how many people were there.

I like to hold DD4 and would rather be on the back rail so I can lean on something and not bother anyone. That wasn’t an option given the crowds already there.

Everyone needed to stand on this night.

It was still better than the alternative.

Cool, thanks!

 

[staceyrose55]

We have a similar situation ( school aged kids with Garden Party booked for Oct 1). We plan to check in at 730 and make this our dinner plus desserts. Hopefully we can head over and get a spot in the back rail. Our night is pretty much sold out (1 reservation remaining for befor party and 1 for after party). My main worry is that it will be too crowded and the kids won’t get a good view of the show despite all the $$$ this is costing. I can report back after we go to the party.

Hope you have a great time! Yes I am torn between "I am paying to not have to show up early" and "I am paying for this and don't want to blow it!"

 

[Katie Dawn]

I guess I’ll quote myself from this August post.

We did the After Party last Thursday night. This particular After Party seemed more well attended than the few reviews I’ve seen around the DIS. Now that we’re getting into the thick of HEA supply/demand imbalance, I think the crowd level of both the Before and After parties are generally going to be high and some of the same timing dynamics that worked in the past may not be totally the same now.

We arrived in the garden around 7:45pm (for an 8pm show) and the garden was quite crowded. We still found a spot, but it was pretty darn full in there. Not shoulder-to-shoulder full... but full. I knew it would be showing up so late (it was my plan) but it surprised me a bit just how many people were there.

I like to hold DD4 and would rather be on the back rail so I can lean on something and not bother anyone. That wasn’t an option given the crowds already there.

Everyone needed to stand on this night.

It was still better than the alternative.

This is really good to know!
So we'll be doing this the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend. It will be crowded, so I'm thinking the Garden will be pretty full like it was for you. We'll get there earlier rather than later to hopefully get a spot near the back fence. As I said earlier my daughter is too big for us to hold her but not tall enough that she'll be able to see the castle over a crowd of adults. I'm thinking about bringing a really lightweight, folding step stool that we own (and fits in our backpack) so she can stand on it during the show. I know, I know... that's probably crazy. But if the Garden is pretty packed I really think she'll only be able to see the top 1/2 to 1/3 of the castle. If she's on the stool it puts her at about my height. We're doing this our arrival night so will only be at MK for 2-3 hours before the dessert party - carrying it around in our backpack won't be an issue.

I would normally be concerned about the crowd shifting and her getting knocked off the stool, but if we're up against the back of the fence and we're standing on either side of her it seems like it would be ok.

Will I be able to get it through security though? Hmm... (It only cost like $12, so if they make me throw it away I won't cry.)

 

[dbb727]

If you are along the back rail, the railing itself is in a short concrete “wall” maybe about a foot tall so my 4yr old first stood on that, then I had here sit on the rail while I had my arm balancing her and I held my 2yr old and also perched against the rail. Not the most comfortable for me, but tolerable for 20-30minutes. With her sitting on the rail, she was right about the same eye level as me (I’m only 5’2”) so it was perfect.

 

[Katie Dawn]

If you are along the back rail, the railing itself is in a short concrete “wall” maybe about a foot tall so my 4yr old first stood on that, then I had here sit on the rail while I had my arm balancing her and I held my 2yr old and also perched against the rail. Not the most comfortable for me, but tolerable for 20-30minutes. With her sitting on the rail, she was right about the same eye level as me (I’m only 5’2”) so it was perfect.

Oh I didn't know that! Yes that sounds do-able!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If you are along the back rail, the railing itself is in a short concrete “wall” maybe about a foot tall so my 4yr old first stood on that, then I had here sit on the rail while I had my arm balancing her and I held my 2yr old and also perched against the rail. Not the most comfortable for me, but tolerable for 20-30minutes. With her sitting on the rail, she was right about the same eye level as me (I’m only 5’2”) so it was perfect.

Oh I didn't know that! Yes that sounds do-able!

Pics of said back rail and small concrete ledge:

 

[GADisneyDad14]

But if the Garden is pretty packed I really think she'll only be able to see the top 1/2 to 1/3 of the castle.

Granted all kids are different, but one thing I've found is that my DS8, who is too big to practically hold the whole time too, doesn't really care and even know there are lower parts of the castle he can't see. I'm the one more worried about it, not him. He's still happy as a clam seeing everything else going on on the upper part of the castle and sky. Blissful ignorance.

 

[deedubb]

I guess I’ll quote myself from this August post.

We did the After Party last Thursday night. This particular After Party seemed more well attended than the few reviews I’ve seen around the DIS. Now that we’re getting into the thick of HEA supply/demand imbalance, I think the crowd level of both the Before and After parties are generally going to be high and some of the same timing dynamics that worked in the past may not be totally the same now.

We arrived in the garden around 7:45pm (for an 8pm show) and the garden was quite crowded. We still found a spot, but it was pretty darn full in there. Not shoulder-to-shoulder full... but full. I knew it would be showing up so late (it was my plan) but it surprised me a bit just how many people were there.

I like to hold DD4 and would rather be on the back rail so I can lean on something and not bother anyone. That wasn’t an option given the crowds already there.

Everyone needed to stand on this night.

It was still better than the alternative.

This is what I was worried about. They charge way too much for this experience to have to stand in a very crowded area to watch the show. This sounds only slightly better than watching it from the hub. Last year, we did this twice over Christmas week (ie. probably the busiest week at Disney) and there was so much room in the garden that we were able to sit for the fireworks. We're doing it twice again this year, once before the fireworks and once after. I guess we'll know after that whether it is worthwhile to do again.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Pics of said back rail and small concrete ledge:

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THANK YOU for this! When I read there was a ledge she could stand on I was like, "Awesome! I wish I knew what it looked like but I seriously doubt I'll be able to find a pic." GADisneyDad to the rescue!!!

Yes, I know what you mean about us as parents being more concerned about it than they are! She'll get to experience the Disney bliss no matter what. And I'll be standing there crying "happy Disney tears" no matter what. Thank you so much for your help everyone!

 

[straychicken]

Hope you have a great time! Yes I am torn between "I am paying to not have to show up early" and "I am paying for this and don't want to blow it!"

We went to the before party tonight. My phone died-so I don’t have any photos. We checked in around 7:30. We went down to the garden around 8:00 and could choose almost any spot on the back rail. We choose just right of Center. My kids ended up playing freeze tag with some other kids burning off all the sugar. We had a great view of the show. The back rail was pretty full but everyone in front of us moved toward the front and we had tons of room in front of us. We got out of the park quickly after the show. We took the bus back to Pop Century and were in our room by 10:00 PM.

As I mentioned I was worried that we might pay so much $$$ then end up not getting a good view of the garden. But we have a great view. We thought it was worth paying for once to see the projections.

 

[staceyrose55]

. The back rail was pretty full but everyone in front of us moved toward the front and we had tons of room in front of us. We got out of the park quickly after the show.


So glad to hear you had a good time! Did you do anything in particular to ease your quick exit from the park?

 

[straychicken]

. The back rail was pretty full but everyone in front of us moved toward the front and we had tons of room in front of us. We got out of the park quickly after the show.


So glad to hear you had a good time! Did you do anything in particular to ease your quick exit from the park?

They directed us to a path behind Main Street that merges with the Main Street crowds just before you are out of the park. This was also on a night where Magic Kingdom has HEA at 9 pm and the park was open until 10;00 pm. But it seemed like the majority were leaving after the fireworks.