Who doesn’t love capping off a night at Disney World with a Fireworks spectacular? I know I do, whether I’m standing shoulder-to-shoulder with literally thousands of other guests in the Hub of Magic Kingdom or taking it all in from the balcony at California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
But there is one thing that can make a nighttime show even better…
Desserts at the Happily Ever After fireworks dessert party
And that’s DESSERT. Better yet, make that plural: DESSERTS.
That’s where Fireworks Viewing Parties come in! At present Disney is offering the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party at Hollywood Studios, and the Frozen Ever After Dessert Party at Epcot, which pairs desserts and a ride on the Frozen Ever After attraction with a showing of IllumiNations.
But on my last trip, I booked what might be the highest in demand of them all: the Happily Ever After Dessert Party (technically named the Fireworks Dessert Party) at Magic Kingdom.
Happily Ever After
Like all dessert parties (and other special events), the Fireworks Dessert Party can be booked at DisneyWorld.com or by calling (407) WDW-DINE. You’ll want to check available times as early as possible as it can be a bit tricky to snag a reservation. While it can be a good idea to start checking within the 180-day out Advance Dining Reservation window, we have seen parties open up only as much as 30-60 days ahead, since there are plenty of instances when showtimes (which directly affect the Party start time) aren’t established much before that timeframe.
sparkling cider and desserts at fireworks dessert party in Magic Kingdom
When booking the Fireworks Dessert Party, you’ll actually find TWO different opportunities for viewing: Garden Plaza Viewing takes guests into the Garden Plaza in the Hub in front of the Castle to enjoy the show, and therefore offers no seating during the fireworks. Tomorrowland Terrace Viewing, however, offers seating during the show.
No matter which you choose, you’ll sit at Tomorrowland Terrace while enjoying your desserts, even if you’ve booked the Garden Plaza standing view for the actual show.
Tomorrowland Terrace Seating
As far as viewing from Tomorrowland Terrace, the views from the seated area do vary a bit. The closer you are to the railing, the better your view, generally speaking.
View from Tomorrowland Terrace
Whether you book the Tomorrowland Terrace or Garden Plaza option, the desserts part of the party itself is one in the same and gives you all-you-care-to-enjoy desserts and beverages. The parties begin 60-75 minutes ahead of the start of Happily Ever After, and you’ll check in with some friendly cast members before entering the party area.
Check In Desk
Of course, once you’re in, you’ll be treated to a full array of desserts and drinks, buffet-style!
Dessert Buffet
I imagine you’re curious as to what those are 😉 . Let’s go down the line! NOTE: as is the case with most Disney dessert parties, none of these desserts are life-changing. They’re all pretty mediocre.
The Raspberry Chocolate Cake was moist, and I liked the contrast between the rich chocolate and the tart berry.
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
The S’mores Tarts were a fun option, with toasted marshmallow topping, big chunks of dark chocolate, and a graham cracker crust.
S’mores Tarts
Red Velvet Cupcakes feature bright yellow cream cheese frosting and a Happily Ever After shard of printed white chocolate.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
But why have one cupcake when you can have two? These Dark Chocolate Cupcakes are topped with purple frosting to lend an air of drama appropriate to the colorful show.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Creamy and fruity Strawberry Tarts are finished off with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh berry.
Strawberry Tarts
These shiny Macarons were light and crispy on the outside with a soft interior.
Macarons
Meanwhile, the Pineapple Delights married pineapple compote, sweet cream, and a fresh sliver of pineapple for a fun alternative to heavier treats.
Pineapple Delights
Likewise, the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries offered a juicy and refreshing bite, plus they’re a classic go-to even for picky dessert eaters.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
For those looking to indulge even further, the Cheesecake Brownie Bites fit the bill. In keeping with most Disney round cheesecakes, the cheesecake was soft rather than dense, but the brownie bite was nice and fudgy.
Cheesecake Brownies
Mickey ears make an appearance on these Grey Stuff Oreos! Okay, though the topping is not exactly “The Grey Stuff” a la Be Our Guest Restaurant, the piped cookies-and-cream topping is fun to eat on the crispy Oreos. Though this was the most “phone-in-in” dessert I’ve seen on a Disney dessert buffet.
Grey Stuff and Oreos
Also available at the party were small Hot Fudge Sundaes, prepared to order by a cast member. (Note: the line gets LONG for these.)
Sundaes
And finally, the sweets finished up with Chocolate Chip and Sugar Cookies and some Frost-Your-Own Cupcakes. (I didn’t ask if the frosting bags counted as all-you-care-to-enjoy, but I was tempted!)
Cookies and Cupcakes
To counteract all that sugar, guests can also enjoy Cheese Cubes and an array of fresh fruit.
Cheese Cubes
In case you’re traveling with younger guests and are worried they won’t find suitable treats, there’s a super fun Kids’ Kabob Plate. Components can be skewered on a souvenir Mickey Straw and dunked in a cup of melted chocolate. Yum!
Kids’ Kabob Plate
Beverages include champagne flutes of Sparkling Apple Juice, in case you’re looking to class it up. 😉
Sparkling Apple Juice
Drinks include hot and cold options, and we’ll start with the cold since the heat of Florida sumer is still very much on as I write this.
Beverage Options
First from the left in the picture below is POG Juice! This passion fruit, orange, and guava juice combo is a big hit with guests at locations like ‘Ohana. Other fruity options include Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade.
Fruity Drink Options
Water, Milk, and Unsweetened Tea are also available, as is some sugar from the hot beverages area if you need.
Water, Milk, and Unsweetened Tea
Hot beverages include Coffee, Decaf Coffee, Hot Water for Twinings Tea, and Hot Cocoa. There are several tea bag options and all the necessary accompaniments.
Hot Beverages
And now… for the BIG SHOW!! After all, you’re really booking the party for a terrific view of the Happily Ever After projection and fireworks show, and this truly is a great location for that purpose. And the Garden Plaza option offers a terrific view as well… without waiting in the Hub for an hour prior to showtime and still having a bit of trouble finding a spot!
View from the Seated Area
Nosh or Not?
Now, let’s talk price, because obviously that’s a major factor in deciding if a Magic Kingdom Fireworks Party is a good value for you and your traveling group. The Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace (that’s the one that includes seating during the show) is $79 per adult and $47 per child ages 3 to 9. The Fireworks Dessert Party with Garden Plaza Viewing (from the Hub without seating during the show) is $59 per adult and $35 per child ages 3 to 9.
Personally, I think this is actually a good deal (a better deal for plaza garden viewing, but still a decent deal for seated viewing) and it’s something I would do again.
The Fireworks Dessert Party Might Be For You If:
- You’re looking for a failsafe way to see Happily Ever After. Booking the party — either plaza garden viewing or seated viewing — guarantees you a great view of the show. If you believe time is money and you don’t want to waste time looking for a good viewing spot, or holding it down once you do, this is a winner.
- You have a super sweet tooth. This many desserts might be overkill for some, but if you love sweet stuff and are totally willing to make a meal of it, this is a good option for you.
- You’re celebrating a special event. This is a lower-cost way to indulge in a Disney “enchanted extra” event.
The Fireworks Dessert Party Might Not Be For You If:
- You don’t care much for desserts or have a specific food allergy or dietary requirement that doesn’t allow you to eat desserts. Just the viewing alone isn’t enough to make the price worth it.
- You have a huge family. The price adds up FAST here.
- You’re on a significant budget. The price is worth it in my opinion, but if I was on a super budget trip to Disney World this would definitely get the ax. You can find good spots for Happily, and just grab a mickey bar on your way.
So, yes, it is for sure a splurge, but your group may find that the desserts, convenience, great view, and that bit of VIP feel may be well worth it to celebrate a special occasion or just make a magical memory together!
Have you enjoyed a Fireworks Dessert Party at the Parks? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
Looking for tips for seeing Happily Ever After in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom? Check out our youTube video with our advice!
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How do you get one of the tables close to the railing at Tomorrowland Terrace? Are the tables assigned or do people line up early to get in for the best tables? Thanks!
I love sweets. That said, that is def overkill even for me. I’d much rather, get one nice specialty cupcake or treat and pick my own viewing spot. Good report though, I enjoyed it!
Rebecca when we went to the wishes one the table were reserved for each party. We were told they were allocated depending when you booked.
Thank you AJ! Great review as always!
Rebecca, when we did this in 2014 for Wishes Dessert Party the tables were assigned – it didn’t matter who got there first. I have it reserved for our next trip and I hope this is the case. When you arrived at the table it said *Last Name* and the number in our party. My mom enjoys sitting down and getting to hear everything so well!
Thanks for the reviews! I’d been waiting to one since it changed from Wishes to Happily Ever After. I’ve never done a single dessert party or seen Happily Ever After so wanted to mark the occasion. It hekps not having to find a spot hours in advance and not get to move, especially since I’d be traveling alone and wouldn’t have anyone to “hold my place” if I needed to run to the restroom. I actually have never done the Star Wars fireworks either so I booked the dessert party for it too! Then they announced the Frozen party for illuminations, so I went for the trifecta and got that one as well. So no parties ever to 3 in one trip! Frozen will be night 1, Star Wars exactly midweek and finally Happily Ever After for last night of trip.
The the raspberry/chocolate and the strawberry tarts look the best and can’t wait to try that jungle juice! I’ve never had it!
I did this about 2 years ago and was lucky enough to get a front row table. The problem was, once the fireworks began people from the back moved to the front and stood in front of you. True the fireworks take place in the sky, but there is still blockage, you can’t really see the castle etc. Fights almost broke out, there was a lot of arguing and the Disney Host could not do much, they are kids and the adults were very badly behaved.
Wow – the price on this one has really gone up over the years….I first saw it several years ago…with the annual passholders discount it was $29. Nice to do but I felt the desserts were somewhat lacking since they were all so small – most tasted like just the dough the sweet stuff was sitting in! I would go again, but at these prices – I would rather get a better dessert somewhere else for much less cost…
If you do the standing Garden Plaza viewing party, how long are you out there standing for, and where are you located in relation to the castle? Thanks! Love the videos and reviews!
I just did the dessert party with Plaza viewing two weeks ago. It was a hot day and I had been hopping from park to park. It was a easy way to guarantee a great view with no effort. Here are a few observations:
1. The desserts are hit or miss. I was a big fan of the macarons and the chocolate-dipped strawberries. The staff provide boxes to take some with you so we loaded up. 🙂
2. Staff are great. Super helpful and walked us down to our spot on the plaza when we were ready (we headed down at about 8:40).
3. The view is amazing. The plaza view is advertised as “standing”, but we were able to sit with a perfectly unobstructed view of the castle.
4. At $59, it’s probably a little high, but time is money. We didn’t have to stress out scoping out a spot and got a nice sugar rush in the process.
Would I do it again? Probably not, but I would recommend it to a solo traveler or couple on a special occasion.
We did it in 2009, the price was significantly less! When I was looking for last year’s trip I couldn’t believe how much it’s gone up! It was fun, the kids thought it was the greatest thing EVER 🙂 We visit every 3 years so a splurge like this is worth it.
@Howie – thanks for the tip about the “to go” boxes. That totally changes my whole plan! 😀 I think we will pack a couple little boxes of desserts and take them with us to the garden view area. We should be able to enjoy a quiet little picnic on the grass while everyone else is still eating at Tomorrowland Terrace. Sounds like a great way to find some down-time in an otherwise hectic park!
When we did this a few years back it did not matter where you were seated due to people crowding and standing in front of the tables. I hope this is no longer the case
I’ve contemplated for years the whole dessert party, but always decide against it. Mainly because my sisters and I go to Disney often, so we’ve experienced almost everything, and don’t feel the urgency to be on a schedule. It’s bad enough they tie us down with fastpass times-lol!(of which we’ve missed quite a few;) That being said, your article has just completely talked me out of it with one word-mediocre. Mundane I could see, and deal with, or only a few standouts, but mediocre just makes me think yuck and not worth the calories! I’d rather have dinner at the California grill and watch the fireworks from its gorgeous view. Better yet, it makes me see that the club level at The Grand Floridian with passholder discount is really a deal if it’s within ones budget. For about $100.00 a night more, you can basically eat and drink something(including alcohol)from 7am-10pm. The majority of the food is quite yummy, with a splash of mundaneness here and there. Head out by the water with your goodies and get a spectacular view of the fireworks, just across the lake….and yes, you can eat enough hors d’oeuvres to call it dinner! Love the blog and vlogs! Keep up the good work!
Wow this Dessert Party sounds and looks incredible. We went to the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party for Fireworks at Disneyland in California and it was nothing compared to this. Our price was $45 per adult. I don’t know the child’s price as we didn’t have little ones with us. We were given a plastic box containing a cheddar cheese/bacon spread and 4 large cracker rounds, and 1 of each of the following, a Mickey Dream Cake which was a vanilla cake with white cream in the middle in the iconic shape of Mickey ears, a raspberry coconut vanilla cakelet with jelly inside, a portion of grapes, and a very small round chocolate covered chocolate cakelet. No all you can eat, no choices of what was in your box. We were also given all you can drink, coke, sprite, dasanti water- all in mini cans/bottles. We had the option of hot beverages, tea, hot chocolate and coffee. The Castle was not visible from anywhere in the viewing area, which was a great disappointment. You also were escorted to your seating area. You could not sit where you wanted. We wound up at the very end on high chairs and little round tables that had neon in them so they changed colors. The only thing I think is better than the eating area at Disney World’s Tomorrowland Terrace. There were comfy white couches set up with glowing neon tables but that wasn’t our designated seat assignment so we couldn’t sit there. However a large party had cancelled last minute and the hostess came and told us we could move to the couch area, which was much nicer, even though there still wasn’t a view of the castle. The best part of the evening was when Mickey and Minnie showed up and took picture with each family or group. They were not rushing so individual pictures were fine too. They did have games like Jenga, and Connect 4 that you could play with and they also had light sabers for the kids to play with as well. Unfortunately, the fireworks were cancelled due to high winds, so the party ended with no fan fair. Another note was that I was not allowed to have my (medical) scooter in the seating area, which was hard for me to walk the distance I had to. The hostess did check with me to see if I needed anything several times in the evening. Now that I have done it once, I don’t think I would do it again. I would like to try it at Disney World as it sounds so much nicer.
Thanks for the super review. Do you know if the desserts are labeled for allergens like peanuts?
Would any of these desserts be gluten free? I know cupcakes are out of the question but some of the others seems like they might work. My DBF (Disney Best Friend) & I are planning a B-day trip for our daughters but she can’t have gluten. This would be a great way to see the fireworks on a short trip.
I do believe they have a gluten free option at Disneyland, but not an allergen free one for nuts.
For the huge price, no one and certainly not the kids will ever eat or drink enough to justify it.
Attended the party in mid July with Garden view. Yes – it is a hefty price for desserts that are – IMHO – not Disney standards compared to regular sizes when sold in the other locales BUT – and this is a biggie: if you are seeing Happily… it is worth it at least once and I recommend the Garden view. Why? This is a major projection show experience on the castle, not just a fireworks display. Have seen many fireworks from different locales, Cali, GF, Poly Beach, Main Street Train etc. – but this show is best viewed in front of or to the front-sides to appreciate it’s incredible technology! It is truly worth it once. While no one offered a box to take desserts with us, after viewing Happily we were allowed back in to the Terrace to sit while the crowds dispersed and have more treats if there were any, or a beverage and relax. We did return and had the opportunity to see Once Upon A Time from a seated view in the Terrace and it confirmed that we made the right choice by going to the Garden Plaza. Yes we could see the castle but there are trees which “cut off” the view. We ended up Happily…. after and left with smiles despite “okay” desserts! Would do it again, but not every time. : )
Thank you so much for this review! We just told our travel agent we would like to book this for our upcoming trip, a large part to this review. We’re celebrating my 30th birthday with this trip and figured it would be a fun splurge since we aren’t doing any sit down meals (kids choice).
Wow! Thank you; so glad this helped. When you make your plans have your travel agent inform them you are celebrating! You never know – Disney has been known to add some magic sometimes! It is worth a shot! Have a wonderful 30th birthday!!
We enjoyed the Star Wars Dessert Party much more!! More variety, more savory options and adult beverages. There is no seating during Star Wars party….but the food was much better.
I currently have a reservation for the Happy Hallowishes Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing, but am wondering if the Tomorrowland Terrace has better views. With the terrace being $20 more, are tables reserved or is it 1st come 1st grab of a table by the railing or should I stick with the Plaza Garden view?
Monica, there are some who prefer the viewing from the Plaza Garden because it is more centered on the castle than the Tomorrowland Terrace seating, which is further from center. Another drawback to the Tomorrowland Terrace seating is that the majority of seats do not have fully unobstructed views of the castle. On the other hand, though, the opportunity to sit while viewing the show and being under a covering in case of weather is a big draw for some guests. Seating for the fireworks viewing at Tomorrowland Terrace is reserved and first come, first served, and it is highly encouraged to arrive at the party as early as possible in order to have a chance to secure seats with more preferable views. I hope this helps!
I’ve read you are assigned seats and “first come/first served”. Which is it? Are there issues with people coming to the overhang to see better? I’ve eaten in the terrace for lunch etc., and have found that unless you are directly at the edge your view would be severely limited. I’m surprised Disney has not had issues with upset guests.
Gail, in our experience, seating is pre-assigned.
Did this in February right at the end of the month on a Saturday and was able to get a reservation for 6 for the garden view only 2 days before!!! So super excited. It was amazing and so worth it. We Are DVC members so we figured we’d try something we’ve never done before and we’re so glad we did it!!
also forgot to say… we had a gluten free member in our party and they brought out a whole tray of extra desserts she could eat! So awesome
OMG our party of 6 (2 adults 4 children) would NOT be able to afford this. But doesn’t look like we’ll miss out on much. We will probably be eating at a restaurant with a great view of the fireworks instead.
On 02-01-2019 we went for my wife’s birthday. We were in the Tomorrow Land terrace and it was OK.
Not worth $74 per person though.
The view was less than I expected as well. The honest answer less is served there than at a wedding cookie table. Out cookie tables have way more of a selection than what was at WDW, granted I come from a family of bakers and chefs.
A for effort and cast. C for food and D for view.
Hi we are going to Disney World from the uk and we are looking at booking the after fireworks desert party, I was wondering how long do you get to stay to eat please?
Chloe, hi! Buses run for an hour after the Park closes, so we expect you could stay that long.
If you choose the Garden Viewing, are you allowed to take treats from the buffet to enjoy while you sit & wait on the fireworks – does anyone know?
Becky, we’re pretty sure guests can not take food down to the viewing area, but you can ask and see!
I’ve done happy ever after the last 2 years love it the cheeseburger spring rolls are amazing would recommend it