WOC first timers

[beachteachlv]

We’ve never stayed late enough with our kids to enjoy WOC and now One is opening the day before our DCA park day!

I’m not sure the best way to approach. The dessert party is gonna be a hard sell on my husband because of the cost, plus I read your reservation is typically an hour before it starts? My youngest will tear the entire park down if I try to contain him at a table for an hour lol

I see the packages at Storyteller and Wine Country too. Again, $$$ that I’m not sure will be well spent.

Is it that bad to try and walk up to watch? What’s the best way to do this?

 

[NorCalFanatic]

We've done the walk up, but to get a good spot we showed up about an hour before, and while we had a great view, our little ones did not. We've done the desert party ever since, the kids have a great view. It's ALOT of food, we usually take about 2/3 back to the hotel. It's $$ well spent for us, but I also get why it may not be for everyone.

 

[maleficent55]

You can join a virtual queue through your app at noon the day of the show. You don’t have to be in DCA to join, but of course you do have to have Park hoppers if you’re in Disneyland.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Ive done both the dining package and the desert package.

The dining package I choose as I wanted to eat in Wine Country Tratoria one year and Storytellers another year.
Both times it was an awful lot of standing before the show and then during the show, which is hard after a full day in the park. Both times I was in line for the viewing areas at around 8pm for the 9pm show. The viewing areas fill up fast. I heard a lot of compliments around me from people who turned up at 8.45pm for the 9pm show and were not happy the viewing areas were so crowded. You really need to be in line when the viewing areas open at 8pm to get a good spot.

By contrast, the desert party was such a chilled experience. I checked in at 7pm, and got a wristband and requested a low table in a section by a flower / grass part, which meant I had no people in front of me. At 8pm we were walked from the check in area to the viewing area. The tables are shared, as I was a solo a family of 3 were also at my table. It was a different experience, having a chair and table, food and drinks. Yes it is a big expense, but to me it was worth it.

 

[Geemo]

We’ve never stayed late enough with our kids to enjoy WOC and now One is opening the day before our DCA park day!

I’m not sure the best way to approach. The dessert party is gonna be a hard sell on my husband because of the cost, plus I read your reservation is typically an hour before it starts? My youngest will tear the entire park down if I try to contain him at a table for an hour lol

I see the packages at Storyteller and Wine Country too. Again, $$$ that I’m not sure will be well spent.

Is it that bad to try and walk up to watch? What’s the best way to do this?

The last time (2015) we did the WOC general public que it turned into a nightmare.

I was there with DIL and 4 grandkids ages 21, 18, 13 and 11. We stake out a front row spot an hour early when they opened the viewing area.

A few minutes before the show, a family came in and pushed there way through all the people behind us to get towards the front. Then they tried to do the same to me and my family, the dad began a pushing match with me. It was the worst!!! Since this chaotic encounter I will never again do WOC with out a dedicated spot.

I have done the dessert party many times now. I love the high tables and chairs for the view and comfort after a day in the parks. It is the best way to end the day. The time prior to the show actually goes faster than you think.
I hope you can find a way to enjoy WOC in the dessert party section.

 

[AquaDame]

This might vary with the crowd... my husband and I had the dining package in late Jan last year, showed up later and still had a great spot. We just stood towards the back of the space instead of trying to be forward in the mass of bodies.

 

[Pluto468]

We've done the dessert party and love it. It IS pricey, but to me it's worth it. You have a place to sit and a plate of snacks and desserts. I don't drink alcohol but the CM gave me refills on coffee, soda and tea, my kids had soda and cocoa. Usually younger kids get a light up cube in their drink. The wait isn't actually that bad for kids, because they eat the treats and you can watch Mickey's fun wheel. If you had to you could take your littlest one on a ride after you get your table. We've had to leave for bathroom breaks and it's no problem to go and come back.

We have a very small dinner on WOC night since we know we'll be eating at the dessert party, which can offset the cost a little bit. I think last time we just had dumplings from Lucky Fortune cookery.

The best part is, with the dessert party you get a really great view!

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

The last time (2015) we did the WOC general public que it turned into a nightmare.

I was there with DIL and 4 grandkids ages 21, 18, 13 and 11. We stake out a front row spot an hour early when they opened the viewing area.

A few minutes before the show, a family came in and pushed there way through all the people behind us to get towards the front. Then they tried to do the same to me and my family, the dad began a pushing match with me. It was the worst!!! Since this chaotic encounter I will never again do WOC with out a dedicated spot.

Similar happened to me. I was in line before the viewing areas opened so was one of the first in the viewing area at 8pm and got a spot at the railings in the section behind the splash zone. A family arrived at 8.45pm , complained loudly about how crowded it was and tired to push their child in between me and the railings. Was not happening, I held my ground and made sure the parents knew I was not moving to allow their child push me off the railings.

Its also happened to me at Fantasmic, where someone has tried to space invade, I am very vocal and stand my ground and dont let it happen.

 

[beachteachlv]

Thank you all for the insight!!! If we decide to go for it, sounds like the dessert party is a must!

I’m just worried my kids won’t make it till 9 and then I’ll be out $89/each on tickets lol so I have to weigh this one a bit.

 

[maleficent55]

The last three times I’ve seen WOC has been with the dessert party

It would be HARD to do it without, the dessert are ok (some better than others), it’s amazing getting unlimited coffee, tea, hot chocolate and bottled water. The alcohol speciality drinks have been…meh?
But the SEATS! Omg, you’re paying for the seats!!!!

 

[Old Man Goofy Runner]

How early can you make the dessert party reservations? I'm used to WDW in which almost everything is a 60 day before time period.

 

[Pluto468]

How early can you make the dessert party reservations? I'm used to WDW in which almost everything is a 60 day before time period.

60 days for the dessert party when I've done it.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

Thank you all for the insight!!! If we decide to go for it, sounds like the dessert party is a must!

I’m just worried my kids won’t make it till 9 and then I’ll be out $89/each on tickets lol so I have to weigh this one a bit.

When we do it we go back in the park after a mid day nap, makes it easier for the kids to make it past 9pm

 

[starlite_]

It's either walk up and hope for the best or do the dessert party. Dining packages are crap for WoC.

 

[SpaceMan5]

A few minutes before the show, a family came in and pushed there way through all the people behind us to get towards the front. Then they tried to do the same to me and my family, the dad began a pushing match with me. It was the worst!!! Since this chaotic encounter I will never again do WOC with out a dedicated spot.

I have experienced this before and is why I so dislike waiting for a parade/show without some type of reserved space.

 

[KimberMama]

We did the dessert party for the first time ever this year, after having seen WoC many many times since 2010. We didn’t have children with us, but the table next to us did, and it seemed fine for them. We went with a low table, and had a great view. It did take some waiting though, first for the initial check in to choose a table and get a wrist band, and then again in the line for walking over and being seated. Even so, it was far less standing and waiting than when we used the virtual queue in 2022, and then we had a hard time seeing as several people boosted children onto their shoulders.

I thought it was 100% worth the splurge and would totally do it again! It was worth more than the experience of dining at Carthay Circle, for sure.

 

[beachteachlv]

When we do it we go back in the park after a mid day nap, makes it easier for the kids to make it past 9pm

That’s what I’m thinking will work in our favor to make this happen. I’m thinking I may splurge on the dessert party for my daughter and I, and send dad and little bro (3) to go ride something or head back to the hotel.

 

[Porsche4]

I would love to do this for my December trip this year but I am pretty sure I won't get a reservation, they will all be booked up by the time I try to get mine. Thats the really big down side to living in Australia and booking a Disney holiday, trying to get dining reservations. With the time difference here, bookings open up at 1:00am for us and I'm afraid as a 63 year old who is in bed by 9:30pm that really isn't an option. By the time I get up in the morning and log on there is typically no bookings available for any of the popular restaurants, only those that I don't want to dine at. I will say we did luck out last time at Oga's Cantina. On one of our days we headed into the new Star Wars area early, not to ride rides (we had LL's for those) but just to wander around and take everything in before the crowds got too bad, and they were taking walk ins at Oga's and there was no line or wait, we walked right in. It was a bit early for alcohol so we opted to share a non alcoholic beverage and just sat and soaked up the atmosphere. It was great.

 

[Pluto468]

I would love to do this for my December trip this year but I am pretty sure I won't get a reservation, they will all be booked up by the time I try to get mine. Thats the really big down side to living in Australia and booking a Disney holiday, trying to get dining reservations. With the time difference here, bookings open up at 1:00am for us and I'm afraid as a 63 year old who is in bed by 9:30pm that really isn't an option. By the time I get up in the morning and log on there is typically no bookings available for any of the popular restaurants, only those that I don't want to dine at. I will say we did luck out last time at Oga's Cantina. On one of our days we headed into the new Star Wars area early, not to ride rides (we had LL's for those) but just to wander around and take everything in before the crowds got too bad, and they were taking walk ins at Oga's and there was no line or wait, we walked right in. It was a bit early for alcohol so we opted to share a non alcoholic beverage and just sat and soaked up the atmosphere. It was great.

Just wanted to mention it's worth trying, because those reservations don't go as fast as things like Oga's or Blue Bayou. I've been able to get them a few hours after 6am, and once I got it a week before the dessert party.

 

[Porsche4]

Just wanted to mention it's worth trying, because those reservations don't go as fast as things like Oga's or Blue Bayou. I've been able to get them a few hours after 6am, and once I got it a week before the dessert party.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go and keep checking back regularly maybe we will be blessed with some Disney Magic.