MK "Happily Ever After" Dessert Party (Parties) Discussion

[famgel]

I called DVC today and specially asked the difference of all 3 dessert party's at MK. Basically all 3, including tomorrow land are being escorted to the garden area, along with pre and post firework parties! She mentioned it's elevated and can hold a lot of people! If I understood her correctly there's just sitting at the TT for the eating of dessert food. Then everyone gets escorted to the garden. They are staggering times for check in 15 mins for pre and post parties. Time for check in the pre party was 7:30 and thats an hour and a half before show! I decided on doing the pre party but will try to get to garden area with a double stroller and try to stake out a decent area in back or side for all 8 of us! I'll just have desserts brought back to me or go up after family of 8 come back to garden! If I'm paying this kind of money I really think u need a plan to try and stake out a spot in garden! BUT it still will be better then the crowd outside this area on a non-Xmas party night!

 

[Lsdolphin]

I called DVC today and specially asked the difference of all 3 dessert party's at MK. Basically all 3, including tomorrow land are being escorted to the garden area, along with pre and post firework parties! She mentioned it's elevated and can hold a lot of people! If I understood her correctly there's just sitting at the TT for the eating of dessert food. Then everyone gets escorted to the garden. They are staggering times for check in 15 mins for pre and post parties. Time for check in the pre party was 7:30 and thats an hour and a half before show! I decided on doing the pre party but will try to get to garden area with a double stroller and try to stake out a decent area in back or side for all 8 of us! I'll just have desserts brought back to me or go up after family of 8 come back to garden! If I'm paying this kind of money I really think u need a plan to try and stake out a spot in garden! BUT it still will be better then the crowd outside this area on a non-Xmas party night!

That is incorrect. Only the regular "before" and After Fireworks Dessert parties view Fireworks from Plaza Garden area. The Tomorrow Land Terrace party is provided tables with seating for dessert and fireworks viewing. Plaza Garden parties have seating for dessert portion of party and are then escorted to Plaza Garden area for standing (or sitting on ground) viewing.

 

[Shula]

Although I haven't had it confirmed by anyone yet, as there seems to be few people on this boards doing the Terrace view, I believe that they might have changed the setup when they added the after party. If you look at the description on the website, it looks like you're eating your desserts in a different area than you're watching the fireworks as it says they'll escort you to your seats for the show:

"As showtime approaches, you’ll be escorted to your seats on the patio of Tomorrowland Terrace. Then, just sit back and relax—and watch in amazement as the skies ignite and Cinderella Castle glows with enchanting illuminations."

Hoping someone else who has done the Terrace recently chimes in. Part of the allure for me was sitting at our table and not moving for over an hour.

 

[GirlDreamer]

Hoping someone else who has done the Terrace recently chimes in. Part of the allure for me was sitting at our table and not moving for over an hour.

Yeah it was the same with me. I'm half considering if it's just better to change to garden view if we have to move anyway, but I'm not sure with the after party and it being busier. I'm hoping though that it's like someone else suggested, that perhaps it's just a bad cut and paste job from disney and that the Terrace view party still eats and views the fireworks from the same location.

 

[Drnifer]

Yeah it was the same with me. I'm half considering if it's just better to change to garden view if we have to move anyway, but I'm not sure with the after party and it being busier. I'm hoping though that it's like someone else suggested, that perhaps it's just a bad cut and paste job from disney and that the Terrace view party still eats and views the fireworks from the same location.

Where would they move the terrace people to? The garden? Then it would just end up being the garden view party so why would the price be higher? Leave it to Disney to make even simple things complicated...

 

[AngieInOH]

Alright, so I see that the garden view seems to be getting more crowded. I used a Fast pass in 2016 for the garden view. It was wonderful!! It was crowded but not like the hub.

So would you say the dessert party garden view crowd wise is what it was like when they did Fast Pass?

 

[HatboxHaint]

We experienced the after fireworks party on Thursday, 6/7. Fireworks time was 9:15pm with an 11pm park close. We had not previously done a MK dessert party so had nothing to compare it to, but we did not find the garden overcrowded at all. There was substantial rain leading up to the fireworks, ending about 30 minutes before the show, but the crowds remained heavy outside of the viewing area. We checked in about 8:15, received our wristbands, and ended up sitting in Cosmic Ray's for a bit (our choice as the ground was soaking wet and it was still drizzling), prior to returning to the viewing area at 9:00. When we checked in, they were also handing out ponchos to those who didn't have them already, which was a nice touch. We had a great view in the center of the garden, about halfway back. The pre-party tables appeared full when we checked in, and the after party tables were about half full. Following the fireworks, it was an easy trip back to the Terrace to grab our desserts and relax a bit. One thing I didn't think about - you obviously cannot see Once Upon a Time from the tables, so we wrapped up our desserts a bit earlier than planned (although we were basically done), as we wanted to see the show. Overall, we really enjoyed it, and would definitely consider doing it again.

Can the before party guests stay in the garden for once upon a time?

 

[supercarrie]

Can the before party guests stay in the garden for once upon a time?

It appeared like they could. It almost entirely cleared out and there was no one manning the entrance after HEA ended. We watched it from the rail right behind the garden and it was wide open.

 

[supercarrie]

Could someone confirm something for me? The check in time for these parties has, in the past, been a "start" time, so you CAN check in as early as 90 or 75 or 60 minutes ahead if you want to. But unlike other ressies -- like for meals where they are trying to turn tables, you don't HAVE to check in that early. Has that still been the case, or have they started enforcing the arrival time? I don't know why they would given the nature of the event, but I was curious as to whether people have run into problems arriving late.

We checked in late and many others did after us, and no one cared. This was on Thurs, 6/7.

 

[supercarrie]

Maybe I am wrong about it being air conditioned. The section we were in had a ceiling and walls and was near the bathrooms. I don't know how to add a picture in a thread yet.

I was told the upstairs section had A/C when we checked in for our after party on Thurs 6/7. I couldn't feel it (it is open air...), but the CMs mentioned it as part of their spiel.

 

[HatboxHaint]

So if you are at the back of the garden...could you have a runner bring you food and hand it over the fence?

 

[anneboleyn]

Ugh I still have to decide which dessert party to cancel...I still have the before and after parties booked for the same night and am leaning towards the after fireworks one, but still can’t bring myself to cancel the before one. I have to keep reminding myself that I have plenty of time to see more reviews before I make my decision.

My daughter is confused as to why we can’t just keep both reservations and gorge ourselves before AND after the fireworks lol

 

[AColeman]

My family did the after party this past Thursday. Overall, I didn't find it to be uncomfortably crowded. Now, it had rained for about an hour or two before the show so its possible perhaps some people didn't show up, but it was a good experience for our family. We were riding rides and didn't make it to check in until just at about 8:40. We found our spot at the rear left of the garden and had more than enough room even as others started joining in. Would I do it again now that we've seen the show....eh...maybe. If we just had extra funds to use, I'd do it again. If it came down to do the party or something else fun that we hadn't done before, I'd pick the something else. Haha. The desserts were average, but, we all know that we're not paying the price for the food, right? LOL.

Here's the view (panoramic, so slight distortion on here) from our spot at approximately 8:40 when we got there:

And here it was just before the show started:

 

[AColeman]

So if you are at the back of the garden...could you have a runner bring you food and hand it over the fence?

My husband did this for us because he wanted a hot dogs. He watched the first few moments from outside the garden because he got stuck in the crowds. LOL. He handed me drinks and a hot dog over the back fence right next to a CM that was guarding the walkway. No issue.

 

[NoriKL]

My daughter and I will be going to the after fireworks party next week, as a special mom-daughter activity. Does anyone know if you can take some of the cookies when you leave...if I’m able, I’d like to take a few back to our hotel for hubby and son since they’re skipping this activity. *thanks in advance*

 

[supercarrie]

My family did the after party this past Thursday. Overall, I didn't find it to be uncomfortably crowded. Now, it had rained for about an hour or two before the show so its possible perhaps some people didn't show up, but it was a good experience for our family. We were riding rides and didn't make it to check in until just at about 8:40. We found our spot at the rear left of the garden and had more than enough room even as others started joining in. Would I do it again now that we've seen the show....eh...maybe. If we just had extra funds to use, I'd do it again. If it came down to do the party or something else fun that we hadn't done before, I'd pick the something else. Haha. The desserts were average, but, we all know that we're not paying the price for the food, right? LOL.

Here's the view (panoramic, so slight distortion on here) from our spot at approximately 8:40 when we got there:

And here it was just before the show started:

Ah you were right next to us! My sister is in the poncho, my mom is in the green top, and I am facing the camera towards the center of the crowd. We ended up having a fabulous view, even if it looks crowded.

 

[famgel]

My husband did this for us because he wanted a hot dogs. He watched the first few moments from outside the garden because he got stuck in the crowds. LOL. He handed me drinks and a hot dog over the back fence right next to a CM that was guarding the walkway. No issue.

That is incorrect. Only the regular "before" and After Fireworks Dessert parties view Fireworks from Plaza Garden area. The Tomorrow Land Terrace party is provided tables with seating for dessert and fireworks viewing. Plaza Garden parties have seating for dessert portion of party and are then escorted to Plaza Garden area for standing (or sitting on ground) viewing.

ok your right but the Tomorrow land dessert people are still escorted to a sitting area! Has that changed? Thought u ate the desserts and sat in same area? "As showtime approaches, you’ll be escorted to your seats on the patio of Tomorrowland Terrace. Then, just sit back and relax—and watch in amazement as the skies ignite and Cinderella Castle glows with enchanting illuminations."

 

[Drnifer]

My daughter and I will be going to the after fireworks party next week, as a special mom-daughter activity. Does anyone know if you can take some of the cookies when you leave...if I’m able, I’d like to take a few back to our hotel for hubby and son since they’re skipping this activity. *thanks in advance*

Last year I took a few collapsible containers and filled them with fruit and chocolate covered strawberries that we ate for breakfast the next few days

 

[Lsdolphin]

ok your right but the Tomorrow land dessert people are still escorted to a sitting area! Has that changed? Thought u ate the desserts and sat in same area? "As showtime approaches, you’ll be escorted to your seats on the patio of Tomorrowland Terrace. Then, just sit back and relax—and watch in amazement as the skies ignite and Cinderella Castle glows with enchanting illuminations."

You most definitely eat and watch the fireworks from same table...trust me! You are initially greeted and escorted to seating area where you select a table and CM explains the dessert buffet. You keep your table for the entire experience.

 

[AColeman]

Ah you were right next to us! My sister is in the poncho, my mom is in the green top, and I am facing the camera towards the center of the crowd. We ended up having a fabulous view, even if it looks crowded.

Hehe, what a small world!! I had told hubby I thought a lot of us were going to be there that evening and I needed to ask random people if they were Dis'ers. He was mortified that I'd even debated it. Haha.