What is the appeal of the dessert parties?

[mickey0624]

We are regular visitors of WDW. Travel down and stay a week to 10 days usually twice a year and we have never done a dessert party. I guess I just can't get over the price tag. Depending on which one it's $90+ a person for an hour of finger desserts and a good spot to watch a 15 minute fireworks show. I'm not trying to put it down for those of you who love them...different strokes for different folks...I just don't get the appeal. For those of you who love them and do them.....what is the appeal for you? Is there something else included that I don't know about?

 

[pearlieq]

If you really like fireworks and shows and want to see them in a fairly relaxed setting with a close to ideal view, this is now pretty much the only way to do it. The dessert parties have taken over a lot of the premium spots, so if you want an iconic, unobstructed view you're pretty much reduced to camping on the pavement for at least an hour and hoping some jerk doesn't barge in front of you at the end and shove her iPad up in front of your face.

I don't personally partake, but if fireworks are important to you I can kind of understand how someone would decide to throw some money at the problem and enjoy their day with the relief of knowing that all they have to do that night is to roll up and eat some dessert.

 

[FCDub]

an hour of finger desserts and a good spot to watch a 15 minute fireworks show

That's the appeal right there.

 

[2Gma]

Like all optional add-ons $$$...it's something new to try.

For those that go time and again, it keeps the trip fresh and entertaining, something new to look forward to.

 

[Carol unsworth]

We were just at the Magic Kingdom one last night.
We saw people staking out their spot around the hub 2 hours before the fireworks. We checked in at Tomorrowland Terrace around 7.20, we were shown to a table and there was a buffet of fairly decent desserts, spring rolls( the ones they charge you 7.50 for two outside of Tikki Room), cheese, crackers, ice cream, s’mores, tea, coffee, maybe six different kinds of juice.
We were able to sit very comfortably at our table, eat our food, ( we made it dinner so saved money there) then we wandered over to the Plaza garden around 8 pm and sat on the grass with room all around us until the fireworks started then we stood at the back rail with an almost perfect head on view of the castle.
No one tried to move into our personal space, no one put their child on their shoulders, it was all very civilised.
We were talking to a security guard who said someone had fainted the evening before in the middle of the Hub and it took twenty minutes for medical assistance to get through the crowds, thank god it was just a faint.

That’s why we have been doing the Dessert Parties for a while, and we will continue to do them.
There is only two of us though so the outlay is not too bad, saying that we saw families with three or four kids, but obviously they think it’s worth it too.
If you ask me are the desserts are worth it, definitely not, but I would pay the money just for the viewing area.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I do it to avoid crowds and to not have to stake out for over an hour. This year I'm going during Christmas so will be doing 3 dessert parties to see the different shows with a good view and minimize wait time/avoid crowds. We did the HEA garden party in the summer and definitely worth the money not to fight the crowds.

 

[mickey0624]

We were just at the Magic Kingdom one last night.
We saw people staking out their spot around the hub 2 hours before the fireworks. We checked in at Tomorrowland Terrace around 7.20, we were shown to a table and there was a buffet of fairly decent desserts, spring rolls( the ones they charge you 7.50 for two outside of Tikki Room), cheese, crackers, ice cream, s’mores, tea, coffee, maybe six different kinds of juice.
We were able to sit very comfortably at our table, eat our food, ( we made it dinner so saved money there) then we wandered over to the Plaza garden around 8 pm and sat on the grass with room all around us until the fireworks started then we stood at the back rail with an almost perfect head on view of the castle.
No one tried to move into our personal space, no one put their child on their shoulders, it was all very civilised.
We were talking to a security guard who said someone had fainted the evening before in the middle of the Hub and it took twenty minutes for medical assistance to get through the crowds, thank god it was just a faint.

That’s why we have been doing the Dessert Parties for a while, and we will continue to do them.
There is only two of us though so the outlay is not too bad, saying that we saw families with three or four kids, but obviously they think it’s worth it too.
If you ask me are the desserts are worth it, definitely not, but I would pay the money just for the viewing area.

I guess for us the fireworks are nice but just can't get over the price. For a family of five like us were looking at over $400 for some desserts and a nice view of the fireworks. I guess its just not worth for me

 

[Shanti]

We are regular visitors of WDW. Travel down and stay a week to 10 days usually twice a year and we have never done a dessert party. I guess I just can't get over the price tag. Depending on which one it's $90+ a person for an hour of finger desserts and a good spot to watch a 15 minute fireworks show. I'm not trying to put it down for those of you who love them...different strokes for different folks...I just don't get the appeal. For those of you who love them and do them.....what is the appeal for you? Is there something else included that I don't know about?

I'm so done being crushed in the fireworks shows, and have been done with that for a while. Before the dessert parties took off, I used FPs to get good & uncrowded spots for parades & fireworks. Now only dessert parties can be used for that.

I paid for a dessert party during the last weeks of Wishes, because I loved Wishes and wanted to enjoy it as a person, not a sardine. Now that Wishes is gone, I wouldn't bother doing a dessert party again.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Just FYI, the dessert parties aren't quite at $90... yet. Although the Tomorrowland Terrace version at MK is close.

Current price chart, FWIW...


Caveat/edit to the above, the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam Dessert Party that runs at HS during the holidays has $79-$89 adult, $45-$49 ages 3-9 prices depending on the date.

Each party above has various pros/cons depending on your perspective. EP/HS/AK parties include alcohol. EP has a ride on FEA included. The MK ones offer a break from what can sometimes be quite crowded viewing conditions in the Hub.

I don't much care for the food/dessert offerings at the MK parties, but the EP & HS parties are very well done, in my opinion, with a nice variety. Have not done the AK/Rivers of Light party yet.

But for us overall, the appeal is more convenience than anything else.

In addition, I personally find the EP & HS parties quite fun.

 

[mickey0624]

Just FYI, the dessert parties aren't quite at $90... yet. Although the Tomorrowland Terrace version at MK is close.

Current price chart, FWIW...
View attachment 359884

Caveat/edit to the above, the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Dessert Party that runs at HS during the holidays has $79-$89 adults, $45-$49 ages 3-9 prices depending on the date.

Each party above has various pros/cons depending on your perspective. EP/HS/AK parties include alcohol. EP has a ride on FEA included. The MK ones offer a break from what can sometimes be quite crowded viewing conditions in the Hub.

I don't much care for the food/dessert offerings at the MK parties, but the EP & HS parties are very well done, in my opinion, with a nice variety. Have not done the AK/Rivers of Light party yet.

But for us overall, the appeal is more convenience than anything else.

I stand corrected..LOL...but even at those prices. I'd still have a really hard time paying that...but again that's my personal preference. For a lot of people I guess it's worth it. Do they at least have ice cream.

 

[TIME4DIZ]

Have you looked at dessert parties beyond the MK?
At other parks they include drinks (alcohol and non-alchohol) and savory food items. In addition to the “finger desserts” you’ll find items like bread pudding, Ice cream stations, and freeze dried Nutella.
Not just a better view of the show- but Character meets, souvenir stein, a ride on frozen ever after are things you’ll find at other parties.
And less than the $90 price tag you mention.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I stand corrected..LOL...but even at those prices. I'd still have a really hard time paying that...but again that's my personal preference. For a lot of people I guess it's worth it. Do they at least have ice cream.

Yeah, no doubt they are not cheap. Certainly a splurge.

I liked them better before DD turned 3.

 

[cutigerlady]

We did the Jingle Bell Jingle Bam Party one year as our present to my parents. It was expensive, but was finger foods and dessert and drinks (alcoholic and regular). Our night, the weather was not great, so we got to spend most of it indoors and dry. We splurged for the tickets because my Dad would have never sat in the crowd for the show. My parents loved every second of it. In fact, my mom found the manager to tell her how much she had enjoyed it! My parents had a lovely conversation with one of the cast members. That made it worth it to us, because we really wanted them to have a good evening.

The cast members told everyone when we had about 15 minutes of the party left to make sure everyone had enough food/drinks. They even helped to give us stuff to go. We also used it as our dinner but we all are not huge eaters.

 

[jerseygal]

Isn’t there one at Epcot for Illuminations? I have never done one, but during F&W would rather sample fun desserts from the booths, just my initial thought process, but maybe we are missing something here.

 

[reluctantredhead]

Each party above has various pros/cons depending on your perspective. EP/HS/AK parties include alcohol. EP has a ride on FEA included. The MK ones offer a break from what can sometimes be quite crowded viewing conditions in the Hub.

I don't much care for the food/dessert offerings at the MK parties, but the EP & HS parties are very well done, in my opinion, with a nice variety. Have not done the AK/Rivers of Light party yet.

But for us overall, the appeal is more convenience than anything else.

ITA.

My least favorite are definitely the MK parties because there are very few savory options, and the desserts to me are just ok. But if we're going to see the fireworks, this is the only way I'm willing to do it nowadays because we don't have to fight crowds or spend time staking out seats.

We're able to use the EP and HS dessert parties as a dinner substitute, and in our opinion the food is actually quite good...so with the alcohol included (and especially with the Frozen ride included), it's actually a pretty good value (considering it's Disney prices). H and I don't drink much alcohol (in part because we find it expensive and unnecessary for us personally), but if it's included in the price then what the heck, we'll have a drink or two, lol.

We're old enough that we need to sit and rest our feet more often than we did a decade ago, so the parties help with that too. And being a bit older we're able to afford it now...not sure that we could have when we and D were younger, so I completely understand why if someone has several children and/or limited budget the parties wouldn't be something they could, or would, want to spend the extra $$$ on.

 

[kniquy]

We have done the HEA dessert party and the worth of the party comes with not having to stake out a spot nor having to deal with being packed in crowd. The desserts are not a huge bonus but it does give you a spot to sit, have a few treats and then you can pick your spot in a non crowded garden. We are doing the Frozen dessert party next month and those desserts seem a little more interested/tasty than HEA. The viewing spot for illuminations seems great, you get a table to sit at and then you get to ride frozen after. It all depends on what is worth it to you and what you are able to put up with.

 

[mickey0624]

why is tomorrowland terrace the most expensive?

 

[22Tink]

For me the appeal is not having to battle the crowds. I've done enough of that on past trips and I'm done so I'm happy to pay for a more relaxed experience watching parades/shows/fireworks. I love dessert and dining packages. That said, it's usually only 2 or 3 of us (my older kids and DH don't come on the trips so much anymore, just my youngest DD) so the expense isn't as huge as if we had our entire family of 6.

 

[Dug720]

I did the Garden Viewing one for HEA last Feb because I had not seen it before and it was Presidents' Week, so busy. Turns out I despise HEA with a passion, and the still thawing Erin McKenna crap they had for gluten-free offerings were disgusting. I ended up with some cheese and some ice cream. No need ever again.

I did the ROL one in September because I really do love ROL. There were no reviews I could find of it for someone gluten-free, so I decided to "take one for the team" and try it. AMAZING! While I still did have more limited offerings, they were (or at least tasted) much fresher (or at least not frozen) and did NOT taste like McKenna's crap. They had a couple of naturally gf things on the spread for everyone and also offered gf brownies or cookies, some gf candy (the worms and bears you can also get at the halloween party with allergy tokens), AND they had done an all-chocolate gluten-free version of the Tiger Tail cake push pop. The beverages were amazing as well (no gf beer, but that was not an issue for me as I never liked beer even before my wheat allergy was discovered). Also, they walk around with Mickey bars and I think a fruit pop option also. Because of rain in the area, they had it at the Flame Tree seating area and then we were escorted to the seating area in the show arena. It was still kind of drizzly, so they gave us all ponchos, which was a nice bonus. And we were invited back after the show for more desserts. I'd definitely do this one again.

 

[Dug720]

why is tomorrowland terrace the most expensive?

You have a seat in a chair at a table.

It is exactly the same food offerings as the Garden Viewing one.