Pirates and Pals or Fireworks at MK?

[RigatoniFeline]

I am having a really hard time deciding and I need to pick by Saturday, so please help!

I was 99% sure we were going to do the Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise. The main reason was I didn't want to worry about crazy crowds and a mass exodus leaving the park at 11PM+.

But now I am feeling like we will be missing out. We won't be able to see the show, right?

I am traveling with a 2 year old and a 4 year old. What do you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

We did the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise last year and we loved it. It is way more than seeing the Fireworks. I can't remember our Pirate's name but he was fantastic. Our kids loved meeting Captain Hook and Smee first while having snacks and then we all loved the cruise. It was so much fun. It was very interactive. It was beautiful seeing the fireworks but you are not as close as being in the park. It is different. I would do the cruise - you won't be sorry. I agree about the crowds. I do not enjoy the crowds leaving the Magic Kingdom anymore - especially with little kids.

 

[krm222]

My son did the Pirates & Pals Cruise with my parents recently and they all loved it. They had a blast meeting Captain Hook, Smee and Peter Pan, ate a ton of desserts and enjoyed the cruise.

 

[RigatoniFeline]

Thank you @DisneyFansInNYC. You are making me feel better!

 

[imthemamahere]

We also did the Pirates & Pals Fireworks Cruise. If I'm remembering correctly, my son was 4 at the time, and he thought it was TERRIFIC. (He particularly liked the surprise character meet & greet at the end.)

Patch (the pirate/entertainer who keeps you laughing through the cruise) was tons of fun. The view of the fireworks was lovely, though definitely not as up close and personal as it would be from the hub, of course. For us, that was a benefit - my son does NOT like loud sounds, so while he loves to watch fireworks, he's happier doing so where the sounds aren't quite so overwhelming. And me, I'm happier not being in the middle of a wall-to-wall crowd. Win-win.

We're planning our next trip, and already thinking about doing this again. I'd say go for it.

 

[westie55]

Pirates & Pals is something I'm definitely considering on a future trip. Do they pipe in the music/soundtrack to the fireworks? Can you hear it well? Or is it just watching the fireworks from the boat?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Pirates & Pals is something I'm definitely considering on a future trip. Do they pipe in the music/soundtrack to the fireworks? Can you hear it well? Or is it just watching the fireworks from the boat?

Yes, they pipe in the music.

OP, the whole party experience is quite long. I took DS when he was 5 and he was wiped out by the end of it. He did enjoy the pirate aspects of the experience, but he was wiped out by the end (it's a late night!) and we didn't stay to meet Peter Pan at the end.

Yes, you do bypass the mass MK exodus after the fireworks, but you will miss the show on the castle. The fireworks are lovely, but if you are doing the cruise just to see the fireworks, you may want to consider going to the Poly beach and seeing them for free. I don't know if I would recommend the cruise for a 2 year old.

 

[Baklava]

Pirates and Pals was one of the best things we did in 10 wonderful days.

 

[fitgirl36]

We went a couple years ago and it was a great time! We took our then 2 year old and she had a blast! She was pretty tired by the end but perked right up when she saw Peter Pan. The music is piped in and I thought it was a great way to watch the fireworks!

 

[pooh4evr]

Peter Pan is a surprise at the end... We did it a few years ago and it was great!

 

[BabyHabs]

We are doing this in a few days.. how long is the entire experience?

 

[imthemamahere]

We are doing this in a few days.. how long is the entire experience?

I don't recall exactly, but in case nobody with a better memory for numbers weighs in, you can figure it out fairly easily for yourself: what time were you told to arrive for the check-in/Capt Hook & Smee meet & greet/snack time before the cruise? What time are the Magic Kingdom fireworks the night you're going? You'll be back at the dock maybe 15-ish minutes after, if my memory is any guide. Add on a little time (and a little more, if you're towards the end of the line) for your surprise meet & greet with the character waiting on the dock, and there you go - a start time and an end time. You can do the math from there.