To celebrate Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary and the debut of the all-new nighttime fireworks spectacular Disney Enchantment, Disney brought back not just one, but 5 different fireworks dessert parties to enjoy the show!
Here is my review of my recent experience at the Enchantment Dessert Pre-Party!
Overview
If you are considering any one of the dessert parties offered at Magic Kingdom, keep reading. I’m hoping that this review will help you and your family / friends decide if any one of them is right for you.
All of the dessert parties take place either in the Magic Kingdom or within the vicinity.
Keep in mind Guests will still need both theme park admission tickets and Disney Park Pass reservations if you choose the Pre-Party, Treats & Seats or the After-Party – neither are included with the purchase of a Magic Kingdom Dessert Party reservation. Be mindful of this if you plan on hopping from another park to the Magic Kingdom for the party.
While I believe there is no longer capacity limits at the parks (in terms of COVID restrictions), there are still few times parks fill to capacity (unless perhaps Christmas Day or New Years Eve), and you still need to realize this could happen. Be cautious. If you have Enchantment dessert party reservations and the park is at capacity, you won’t be allowed in. My suggestion is to be mindful of the crowd levels throughout the day if you plan to park hop. If it’s busy, do it sooner rather than later.
Dessert Party Options
So what are the options if thinking about a dessert party at Magic Kingdom?
There are three in park parties taking place at the Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland, an amazing upscale option at the Contemporary and a Fireworks Dessert Cruise on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Here is more information on each of these options:
Celebration at the Top: 50th Flavors and Fireworks at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
An elevated cocktail hour, magnificent views and fancy dining are all part of this extraordinary experience.
Price: $129 per person
There is a dress code for this one – click on the link above for more information.
Magic Kingdom 50th Fireworks Dessert Parties: Disney Enchantment Pre-Party
50th Anniversary-themed desserts, including chocolate-dipped strawberries, butterscotch pudding and a variety of cheeses. Drink selections will also be available, including an assortment of beer and wine for Guests ages 21 and over.
Price: $99 per adult (ages 10 and up); $59 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included
Theme Park Admission and Reservation required.
Magic Kingdom 50th Fireworks Dessert Parties: Disney Enchantment Treats & Seats
50th Anniversary-themed desserts prepared by our pastry chef, including chocolate-dipped strawberries, butterscotch pudding and a variety of cheeses. Drink selections will also be available, including an assortment of beer and wine for Guests ages 21 and over.
Price: $114 per adult (ages 10 and up); $69 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included
Theme Park Admission and Reservation required.
Magic Kingdom 50th Fireworks Dessert Parties: Disney Enchantment After-Party
50th Anniversary-themed desserts prepared by our pastry chef, including chocolate-dipped strawberries, butterscotch pudding and a variety of cheese. Drink selections will also be available, including an assortment of beer and wine for Guests ages 21 and over.
Price: $99 per adult (ages 10 and up); $59 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included
Theme Park Admission and Reservation required.
Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise
Sweeten your night at a party featuring dream-come-true desserts and dazzling water views of the fireworks from Magic Kingdom park.
Price: Takes place on select Wednesday and Saturday nights beginning September 18, 2021. Admission is $99 for adults and $69 for children ages 3 to 9 (tax and gratuity included) and even includes a special takeaway surprise.
Choosing the Right Dessert Party
With multiple options it’s easy to get overwhelmed and not know which one is best for you and your family. In most cases, many will choose one of the three that are located directly in Magic Kingdom. This obviously brings you closest to Cinderella Castle to see the beautiful projections and fireworks.
The other two options (Contemporary & Dessert Cruise) are mainly focused on ambiance and the fireworks themselves, as you are much too far away to experience the Castle projections. These options do take you out and away from the crowds though, so if you will need a break from that, one of these options outside the park might be ideal for you.
Which Party Did I Choose?
For anyone who visited Magic Kingdom on October 1, 2021 for the kickoff of the celebration knows the park was packed! Guests were staked out to watch the debut of Disney Enchantment HOURS before the actual fireworks show that evening, and unless you were willing to sacrifice much of your day waiting, the odds of getting up close and personal with the Castle to see it were slim. And this is exactly what happened to me.
So on a recent return trip to Walt Disney World, my best friend and I opted to attend one of the dessert parties to guarantee a viewing spot for the show. Selecting one wasn’t all that hard, we chose the Pre-Party. This gave us the option to relax before the show, enjoy some treats and drinks and then view the fireworks. The park was open until 10pm, so after the show we were able to grab a bite to eat (the dessert party isn’t dinner – more on that in a minute), and hit some attractions before closing down the park.
Check-In Process
It was pretty simple to check-in. Since there are multiple party options, there are several check-in tables located along the corridor in the Tomorrowland Terrace dining area. Enter from either side and find the table designated for your reserved dessert party.
When booking your reservation, it notes to be at check-in approximately 45 minutes before the start of the party. Since the pre-party started at 6:30pm, we made sure to be there by 5:45pm (we were actually there even earlier).
They were right on time, checking Guests in about 5:45pm. We were given a wristband and asked to wait in line (I was first). They officially opened around 6:00pm (30 minutes before the actual start of the party).
Moral of the story: Be there early! This allows you more time to sit, relax and enjoy the treats and drinks before moving to the hub for your spot to watch the show.
The Menu
Keep in mind this is a dessert party – so the focus is on sweets. There were some fruit options and some cheese & crackers to balance the sweets, but if you have a sweet tooth this is definitely for you.
And even though the party falls right around dinner time, this will not suffice for dinner (at least not by my standards). My recommendation is to have something solid to eat earlier in the day, or mobile order something to grab after the fireworks. The show lasts approximately 20 minutes. We ordered dinner from Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland for a pickup between 8:40 and 9:00 pm. Give yourself a bit of time to walk to the Quick Service location. The crowds are heavy leaving the hub after the fireworks, you’ll need time.
Desserts
- Assorted Cheese & Crackers
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
- Tres Leche (Coconut Cake soaked with Four Milk Mixture)
- Devil’s Chocolate Pudding (Chocolate Filing, Crumble Brownie, Milk Chocolate, Whipped Cream)
- Butterscotch Pudding with Caramel Popcorn
- Firehouse Doughnuts (Ricotta Doughnuts rolled in Cinnamon Sugar served with a Strawberry topping)
- Chilling Chamber Pop (Vanilla Crumbs, Caramel Buttercream, and Graham Cracker Crumbs)
- Chocolate Silk Pie (Chocolate Tart Shell, Chocolate Filling, Whipped Cream, and Chocolate Shavings)
- Oreo Cheesecake Mouse (topped with Crumble)
Drinks
- Red Wine (Red Blend)
- White Wine selections (Chardonnay, Moscato d’Asti)
- Beer options (Bud Light, Blue Moon)
- Sparkling Wine (Cuvee Cava)
- Non-alcoholic options (Ice Tea, Milk, POG juice, Water, Lemonade)
- Coffee and Tea
My Thoughts
So is it worth it? In a nutshell, it was worth it (with a few caveats).
Let’s start with the pros. First off, you don’t have to wait hours to view Enchantment. Since the fireworks show is still so new, Guests are still claiming their spot 2+ hours before the show even begins. If you don’t have that kind of time, or simple the patience to wait, the dessert party is a great option to mitigate this. This does come with a price tag though – at $99 per person for the event, you will really need to weigh out if your time is worth the money. For me, it was.
The Cast Members were amazing. Every single one of them were absolutely delightful and they were all so excited we were there. When the evening started, each family was guided by a Cast Member to their special reserved table. You are seated with your own party, not with other Guests. Once seated, they explained what food and drink options were available as well as what time we should plan to make our way to the hub to watch the fireworks. Then, it was time to eat!
TIP: The fireworks start at 8:00 pm, start to make your way to the hub by 7:15 pm. Even though reserved, you still want to get a prime spot to view the fireworks (more on this in a minute).
The buffet presentation was stellar. Everything looked festive, colorful, fresh, enticing and ready to eat and drink! The selections were bountiful and there was plenty to go around. Lines did get very long for the buffet, but there were 2 long tables set up, so it moved pretty quickly. The Cast Members continuously replenished the desserts, so there wasn’t a chance anything would run out. You can revisit the buffet as many times as you’d like, there is no limit.
The desserts were overall just ok, nothing really stood out to be honest. Although I’m actually not a big dessert / sweets person, so there is that. I tried almost everything on the buffet to at least taste it, I’m not sure I finished anything in totality except some cheese and crackers (which is very basic) and a chocolate covered strawberry. I had a glass of white wine and downed POG juice like it was going out of style (SO GOOD)! For anyone that doesn’t know what that is, it’s a mix of Passionfruit, Orange and Guava. It’s awesome and a cult classic among many Disney fans. I was so excited they had it!
Now to a few cons. I think the first one is there isn’t a lot of time to enjoy the actual dessert / drink part of the “party”. Even when entering 30 minutes early at 6:00 pm, we had about an hour and 15 minutes before we wanted to head to the hub to claim our spot. Even though I just finished saying the desserts themselves weren’t all that great, this still isn’t much time to relax and enjoy. I felt it was a bit rushed.
When we actually made our way to the hub at 7:15 pm, I found that many others had beat us to it and the “front row” of the section was already taken up. At 5′ 2″, I often gripe about not being able to see, so I was a bit concerned about this. In the end, this wasn’t exactly an issue, but what was (in my opinion) were the obstructions that I did not anticipate.
Because we were in Plaza Garden east viewing area, we were sitting in the grassy section in front of the Plaza Inn. Directly in front of us were many light structure (some lamp posts, some lights used for the projections / lighting during the show). Had I chosen my own spot for Enchantment, it would actually have been in front of this and not behind it. I found it difficult to see the full view of the Castle at times and pictures / videos did not come out as nicely as I hoped.
My only other gripe with the viewing area is you can’t see the projections down Main Street U.S.A during the show. While these may not be the centerpiece of the show, I think they add to the overall experience. I wouldn’t say this is a make or break, but not being able to see them at all from our viewpoint was a bit of a bummer.
All in all, there are definitely more pros than cons. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see Enchantment certainly for the first time, or get a better view of it for their second or third. Since it does massively cut down on the wait time, I think that alone makes the value worth it. When I signed up for this, that was my motivation and intent – to see Enchantment without waiting. This allowed just that! It was worth the splurge.