How early do you show up for the MK dessert party?

[CanadianEmily]

I've been thinking about reserving a dessert party for the last day of our trip in February, but I read somewhere that you should arrive 30 minutes prior to the check-in time that they tell you, which is already 90 minutes prior to the fireworks!!! Seriously, how much dessert can you possibly eat? Because of this, I've been thinking of reserving the after fireworks dessert party instead, but we're with a 5 year old, and the fireworks are already going to be late for him. But I think being able to leave the dessert party after about 20-30 minutes will be a better deal than having to go to the dessert party and wait for fireworks for upwards of two hours. That seems crazy to me. We could camp out somewhere for two hours for free to get a good seat.

So, my question is, do you really show up 90-120 minutes prior to the fireworks? How does this timeline work? At what point do you move to the viewing area?

 

[SaintsManiac]

We check in at the check in time. Then head to the garden about 15-20 minutes before the fireworks.

 

[CanadianEmily]

We check in at the check in time. Then head to the garden about 15-20 minutes before the fireworks.

Okay. So you spend a little over an hour at the party itself? That seems so long to me. Are there long lines to get the food? Unless it takes a long time to get food, I couldn't imagine spending more than about half an hour there. I understand that they don't want to make people feel rushed, but I also don't want to feel trapped, haha.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I think the 90 minute ADR time for the Plaza Garden Viewing Party is crazy myself - way too much time for us. I’d rather arrive about 30-60 mins pre-show, have some desserts, make a bathroom break, then migrate over to the garden 15-25’ish mins pre-show. Many folks are not going to want a timeline that fast and will arrive much earlier.

One thing that plays into the whole equation is the “After Party” guests, who don’t eat desserts with you but do share the garden. I don’t need to be first in the garden, but I don’t really want to be last either - so trying to time that “move to the garden” time can be a tough call and is an inexact science. In some ways I’d recommend planning the timing that you think will work best for your preferences and let things go from there.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Okay. So you spend a little over an hour at the party itself? That seems so long to me. Are there long lines to get the food? Unless it takes a long time to get food, I couldn't imagine spending more than about half an hour there. I understand that they don't want to make people feel rushed, but I also don't want to feel trapped, haha.

There are usually lines in the beginning, but we like to sit at the table and rest, relax and have a breather from the crowds.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

BTW, the pre-show time in the garden with a 5-year old can be a good time for them to get out any wiggles while you wait for the show. I find there are often other kids around and mine will usually make friends - inevitably someone has a bubble wand or other toy and they all play together for a bit while everyone passes the time. It can be a good breather for both parents and children.

 

[CanadianEmily]

There are usually lines in the beginning, but we like to sit at the table and rest, relax and have a breather from the crowds.

Yes, if it was just me and husband, or older kids, I wouldn't mind just relaxing for a bit. My son, on the other hand, probably won't want to be relaxing, haha. But I could always make sure he has something to look at or plan to go out to the viewing area very early so he could run around.

 

[CanadianEmily]

BTW, the pre-show time in the garden with a 5-year old can be a good time for them to get out any wiggles while you wait for the show. I find there are often other kids around and mine will usually make friends - inevitably someone has a bubble wand or other toy and they all play together for a bit while everyone passes the time. It can be a good breather for both parents and children.

Good to know! Is there a time set that you're allowed to start moving out to that area? Or is it basically any time after the party starts?

 

[CanadianEmily]

I think the 90 minute ADR time for the Plaza Garden Viewing Party is crazy myself - way too much time for us. I’d rather arrive about 30-60 mins pre-show, have some desserts, make a bathroom break, then migrate over to the garden 15-25’ish mins pre-show. Many folks are not going to want a timeline that fast and will arrive much earlier.

One thing that plays into the whole equation is the “After Party” guests, who don’t eat desserts with you but do share the garden. I don’t need to be first in the garden, but I don’t really want to be last either - so trying to time that “move to the garden” time can be a tough call and is an inexact science. In some ways I’d recommend planning the timing that you think will work best for your preferences and let things go from there.

Thanks for the info! Yes, the timing seems a bit over the top for me, but I guess that way they're probably not rushing to move everyone out at once. At the end of a long week of waiting in lines, I just didn't want the very last thing for us to be waiting for over an hour, ha.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you are referring to the Plaza Garden party (not the Terrace), we actually show up late to that one (about 15 to 20 minutes after it starts). We let the initial check-in and buffet crowds clear. By the time we get there, there are typically far less people going through the buffet. It doesn't take us long to eat dessert and then we saunter over to the garden. On our last visit, my friend held a spot in the garden while I took the kids on one last ride in Tomorrowland. If your child gets antsy, there's always the option of staking out a spot in the garden and then having an adult take your son out to stretch his legs prior to the fireworks. There is also, typically, quite a bit of space in the garden if your son needs to move around prior to the show. If we were talking Terrace, that's a whole other story as some tables have better views than others and you would need to show up early to that one to get one of the better tables.

 

[CanadianEmily]

If you are referring to the Plaza Garden party (not the Terrace), we actually show up late to that one (about 15 to 20 minutes after it starts). We let the initial check-in and buffet crowds clear. By the time we get there, there are typically far less people going through the buffet. It doesn't take us long to eat dessert and then we saunter over to the garden. On our last visit, my friend held a spot in the garden while I took the kids on one last ride in Tomorrowland. If your child gets antsy, there's always the option of staking out a spot in the garden and then having an adult take your son out to stretch his legs prior to the fireworks. There is also, typically, quite a bit of space in the garden if your son needs to move around prior to the show. If we were talking Terrace, that's a whole other story as some tables have better views than others and you would need to show up early to that one to get one of the better tables.

Yes the Plaza Garden viewing. So they let you leave and come back? That would be a big help if we ended up needing to do that.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I've been thinking about reserving a dessert party for the last day of our trip in February, but I read somewhere that you should arrive 30 minutes prior to the check-in time that they tell you, which is already 90 minutes prior to the fireworks!!! Seriously, how much dessert can you possibly eat? Because of this, I've been thinking of reserving the after fireworks dessert party instead, but we're with a 5 year old, and the fireworks are already going to be late for him. But I think being able to leave the dessert party after about 20-30 minutes will be a better deal than having to go to the dessert party and wait for fireworks for upwards of two hours. That seems crazy to me. We could camp out somewhere for two hours for free to get a good seat.

So, my question is, do you really show up 90-120 minutes prior to the fireworks? How does this timeline work? At what point do you move to the viewing area?

It's entirely your call when you decide to arrive, but we chose the after party bc the before party was too close to our dinner ADR time.

I will say, we got to the garden about 25 min before the show, and the garden was not that crowded but glad we were there to stake a spot early. If we did do the before fireworks party, I think you are fine checking in for the dessert party at start time prior to the show but do your best to get to the garden entrance about 30 min before show time. It is a time sucker but the viewing is worth it. You don't do the party for the food, it's the viewing really.