We also went last year and are going again this year.
Random helpful hints: CMs (and ADR computer) get this one wrong a lot. No matter what they tell you, the 'party' starts 1 hour before that night's fireworks. You want to get to the location about 15 minutes before that. Go up to the podium. They check you in and give your whole group wristbands. Then right on the 1 hour mark they escort the checked-in groups to their pre-assigned tables. Get there late and you have to wait until everyone else is seated, thereby missing valuable munching time.
You can immediately start helping yourself to the goodies. There is no 'party' per se - no characters, no entertainment. It's just food and drinks and a nice private place to sit and talk. They put out an assortment of little fancy desserts like you would get at the nicer TS restaurants. Take some on a little plate, get a drink, go back to your table. Come back and get more. Rinse and repeat. The beverages included hot coffee, iced tea, milk, and lemonade. They did not have soda pop.
You can't see much of the Parade from the Noodle Terrace; pretty much just the lit-up tops of the floats. If you go to Main Street to watch the parade, then come back to the Dessert Party, you will have missed about 3/4 of the Dessert Party time; makes it kind of a waste IMHO. If this is your only night in MK and seeing the parade is a deal-breaker I think the Dessert Party is not the best choice.
Do NOT have a TS dinner that night unless you are going to be DONE EATING (not just starting) at least 4 hours before the Dessert Party. As a prior poster said, you want to come hungry.
People just naturally tend to stand up and move to the railing when the fireworks start but there is lots of room for everyone and you can see just fine sitting at most of the tables.
The CMs start to consolidate the buffet when the fireworks start - originally they have multiple tables/lines with the same assortment on each, but they bring it down to just one table. They do leave it open until 10 minutes or so after the fireworks are done. They'll start to clear the plates too but just tell them you want to keep yours.
When the fireworks are over, go get a drink refill and one - OK, two - more chocolate-covered strawberries. Give the huge crowd that first 5 minutes and they really do start to disperse. Then you can head out towards Main Street without being crushed to death.
Best hint: book the Dessert Party for a night when you are staying on for evening EMH afterwards. You start the night on a sugar high that can carry you through until 2 am (ask me how I know this
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