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

[zebrastreyepz]

Here’s the thing though. If you don’t do this, your going to have to line up and wait in a spot for at least an hour to get a nice view anyway correct?

So this one either way you can show up right before fireworks and enjoy the show.

So even if it adds more people, won’t it still be better for your family anyway with the party?

For us, we skip the fireworks.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Did I say there were?

It was certainly implied.

 

[erikawolf2004]

Just curious- how many of you will actually cancel if the reviews are bad? What would it take for you to not go? I think it's a crazy amount of money to spend but am hoping for hassle free with a good view.

It is a lot of money and the one splurge we are doing this trip. The deserts aren't a huge draw for us, the view is. We have 3 girls and in the hub they can't see and my husband has had a few back surgeries, so can't lift them up.....if we are going to be packed in in the Garden just like we would be pretty much on Main Street we will save the money. We have 14 days to decide....so I am watching for updates daily.

 

[Cluelyss]

Yes it is a Thursday (a normal MNSSHP night) and for a long time they didn't even have HEA as happening on the website.

Was this a night MK closed early for a special event? There was one of those we all thought was going to be MNSSHP then wasn’t, I thought?

 

[CMNJ]

just read a review of the new after fireworks party. they seemed to imply that only the after party has the new food options. At the same price I was hoping the before party would get the new items too.

They do. We did the after party but they quickly escorted us up to show us what the food options would be. I personally saw the marshmallow/s’mores station as well as the fruit and cheeses and I heard people talking about the egg rolls so the menu was the same for the beforecand after party

 

[cindyfan]

Just curious- how many of you will actually cancel if the reviews are bad? What would it take for you to not go? I think it's a crazy amount of money to spend but am hoping for hassle free with a good view.

With the recent price increase we've already decided against doing it again. The first time was to really get a good view of HEA since it was our first viewing.
However, the desserts weren't so great that we have to do it for that. AND.... even though the view from the garden area was great.... we had several families enter "at the last minute" and proceeded to stand in front of us! One family apologized because they didn't realize they stepped in front of us... but the other family that we politely told they stepped in front of us and were blocking our view, replied with "SO!! There's plenty of room!" So we had to move over a bit. It was pretty rude!
There was plenty of room then, but I think if they double the amount of people it won't be so great!
Anyway.... with MNSSHP merely a few dollars more... we are going to MNSSHP instead.

 

[CMNJ]

With the recent price increase we've already decided against doing it again. The first time was to really get a good view of HEA since it was our first viewing.
However, the desserts weren't so great that we have to do it for that. AND.... even though the view from the garden area was great.... we had several families enter "at the last minute" and proceeded to stand in front of us! One family apologized because they didn't realize they stepped in front of us... but the other family that we politely told they stepped in front of us and were blocking our view, replied with "SO!! There's plenty of room!" So we had to move over a bit. It was pretty rude!
There was plenty of room then, but I think if they double the amount of people it won't be so great!
Anyway.... with MNSSHP merely a few dollars more... we are going to MNSSHP instead.

If it’s between Mnsshp and the dessert party I’d choose Mnsshp any day

 

[helenb]

Josh from Easywdw has reviewed the afterparty.

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/r...arty-at-magic-kingdom-for-happily-ever-after/

 

[closetmickey]

just read a review of the new after fireworks party. they seemed to imply that only the after party has the new food options. At the same price I was hoping the before party would get the new items too.

I read this too on Easy WDW

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Would one of these parties be of use in guaranteeing a comfortable viewing location during MVMCP, or are the fireworks crowds not as heavy on those nights? We are booked for the Dec 4th MVMCP. We have never done MVMCP and have no idea what we're looking at as far as crowds go. We have done the garden viewing party on a regular night and enjoyed the viewing area but not the food and beverage offerings. If the hub is insanely packed for fireworks on holiday party nights, I am tempted to book for a decent, hopefully not too crowded viewing spot. If it's not shoulder to shoulder viewing out in the hub, though, I'd rather save the money and time.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Josh from Easywdw has reviewed the afterparty.

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/r...arty-at-magic-kingdom-for-happily-ever-after/

Seems pretty fair and about as expected from my perspective. Honestly the garden crowd pics look a lot like my pics on post #1-2 of this thread. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of feedback we see as this setup progresses and it grows (or maybe not?) in popularity. At least that’s a pretty good “baseline” to compare things to going forward.

I had a bit higher hopes for the new food offerings, but having done several of these MK events over time I should have known better.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Maybe we just think it’s more popular then it actually is.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Would one of these parties be of use in guaranteeing a comfortable viewing location during MVMCP, or are the fireworks crowds not as heavy on those nights? We are booked for the Dec 4th MVMCP. We have never done MVMCP and have no idea what we're looking at as far as crowds go. We have done the garden viewing party on a regular night and enjoyed the viewing area but not the food and beverage offerings. If the hub is insanely packed for fireworks on holiday party nights, I am tempted to book for a decent, hopefully not too crowded viewing spot. If it's not shoulder to shoulder viewing out in the hub, though, I'd rather save the money and time.

This is a tough call for me. I find party crowds, especially MVMCP crowds, quite “lumpy” around the park. With the parade, fireworks, and castle show, the Hub can be pretty crowded off and on all night.

But I have never experienced a party crowd in the Hub that has “felt” as bad as an HEA, from my perspective. I am generally of the opinion that something like the dessert party isn’t really needed for MVMCP or MNSSHP... both due to the fact that crowds in the hub are more manageable, and perhaps mainly, the time it potentially takes away from doing other party things.

But, it can be a nice splurge and make it an even more stress-free evening not having to even think much about it.

We did a MNSSHP dessert party last year, which was very sparsely attended. There were maybe 20-30 of us in the garden - it was kind of crazy. It was nice, of course, but it wasn’t really “needed” - if that makes sense.

I haven’t followed the MVMCP thread but I know on the MNSSHP thread it appears that the Terrace version of the dessert party on MNSSHP nights will offer reserved parade viewing. Keep on eye on that if of interest (again, full dislclaimer, I have not followed those thread super closely so may not have all of my facts right).

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Josh from Easywdw has reviewed the afterparty.

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/r...arty-at-magic-kingdom-for-happily-ever-after/

Doesn't sound promising for a group like ours, doing the party for a prime spot after a brief dessert party.

"If you’re doing the Before Dessert Party, then the After Dessert Party makes you worse off just about any way you look at it. There’s going to be more people in the reserved section and there’s going to be more pressure to find spots earlier into the evening before the area fills. That seems to defeat a lot of the purpose of paying so much extra for a reserved view.
...
For me, the fact that the reserved area is going to be more congested each and every single night is a big deterrent in springing for the relatively-high cost of either Dessert Party. And the comfort of the viewing area is most of what I think people are paying the money to experience."​

And the new food... to quote my son: "woof".

 

[SaintsManiac]

Josh's reviews are really the only ones I take to heart. He is always honest and fair.

 

[IrishNYC]

I think Josh's review is very fair, and brings up great points: the most important (to me) one being that after party people will be able to go directly to the garden while pre-partiers are "enjoying" their desserts. I don't particularly care about the desserts, but my 9 year old will, and my husband, who already complained about the extra expense will, even if he's not eating them. This aspect is what I'm most going to be looking forward to reviews on.

Just curious- how many of you will actually cancel if the reviews are bad? What would it take for you to not go? I think it's a crazy amount of money to spend but am hoping for hassle free with a good view.

I certainly will cancel if the reviews are bad. Overcrowded = bad for me.

Now to redirect the topic, if Disney would have just added some beers to the new offerings we could quickly pack both events here!

If they'd add some alcohol to this, I'd keep it regardless of crowds. I really wish they would since more MK restaurants are offering alcohol, and I know it would appease hubby's complaint about the expense.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I know it would appease hubby's complaint about the expense.

Wait, you people tell your significant others how much this thing costs?!?

 

[dachsie]

After reading that review I am undecided and more confused about booking a party. Have not seen HEA and will be solo. Would I find a spot if I got an hour earlier to see it in front of the party area like he said or do I book the party. Is it worth it?

 

[ashmac8]

They do. We did the after party but they quickly escorted us up to show us what the food options would be. I personally saw the marshmallow/s’mores station as well as the fruit and cheeses and I heard people talking about the egg rolls so the menu was the same for the beforecand after party

Thanks. My husband doesn’t have a sweet tooth so I was hoping he’d enjoy the other offerings.

I read this too on Easy WDW

Guess we will keep watching and reading.

Wait, you people tell your significant others how much this thing costs?!?

Lol. I give a general ballpark.

 

[elgerber]

After reading that review I am undecided and more confused about booking a party. Have not seen HEA and will be solo. Would I find a spot if I got an hour earlier to see it in front of the party area like he said or do I book the party. Is it worth it?

Yes you can find a spot in the hub an hour early as he says. The difference I see however, is by the time HEA actually starts you are crushed on all sides by people if you are in the hub. So far that does not happen in the garden.