My 11-year old and I did the Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage in March. We had such a great time that I booked it for our August trip.
You check in at the Contemporary Resort outside one of the ballrooms and get your boat and seat assignment (two boats with one family per row). There are a few kids' activities and a few photo-ops. Otherwise you can just hang out until the pirates come to tell you that the party is beginning. The party is in one of the ballrooms -- There are a lot of snacks (ice cream bars, popcicles, cake, cotton candy, Smartfood, chocolate, fruit) and a variety of beverages (hot and cold). You are allowed to take snacks and beverages onto the boat.
Captain Hook and Smee are there for autographs and photos. There is also a Photopass photographer there.
There is plenty of time for every family to visit with them.
Wishes was at 10:00 during our trip, so we boarded the boats around 9:30 or so. The pirate and his crew gave us a close-up look at the Electric Water Pageant. Then we headed into the Seven Seas Lagoon for the fireworks. We sang pirate songs, told jokes, and celebrated a few birthdays. We had a wonderful view of the fireworks. All of the music is onboard, so you don't miss out on the Wishes soundtrack. It was a relaxing way to see Wishes -- no crowds and no having to stake out a spot to watch an hour before!
After the fireworks, we headed back to the Contemporary. We had a Disney movie-themed trivia contest. All of the kids (and some adults) get a chance to win some pirate loot! A special guest greeted us on the dock upon our return and we got autographs and photos. There was a Photopass photographer here, too.
We had a great time. There were kids of all ages on our boat. They all seemed to have a lot of fun. Some kids wore pirate costumes or pirate hats. Everyone gets a pirate bandana when you check-in.
I don't know much about it and am debating on making reservations! It's kind of pricy and I want to make sure the kids would enjoy it.
