These days, if there’s a Nighttime Spectacular at a Disney World park, there’s bound to be a Dessert Party to go with it! These extra-ticket events have become a popular splurge option for guests who want some sweets to go along with the fabulous nighttime shows (not to mention the ease of reserving a prime viewing spot without waiting an hour before the fireworks begin).

Recently I reviewed the Happily Ever After Dessert Party at Magic Kingdom; but the Frozen Ever After Dessert Party kicked off in Epcot in July, so I wanted to get in on that action to relax and unwind after my VERY full day covering the Best of the Fest at the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

‘Cuz that’s how I roll. Check it out with me!

You may recall that for the past few years, guests could reserve the Sparkling IllumiNations Dessert Party, which also featured a dessert buffet and a reserved area for IllumiNations viewing.

But in July, Epcot replaced the Sparkling Party with the current Frozen theme. Now, look: we know some of you are completely Frozen-ed out. We hear you. But your kid may not be just yet. And this new party includes one neat perk. It still features plenty of desserts, and it still offers a great view of the show. But now, an after-hours ride on Frozen Ever After is included once the smoke clears from IllumiNations!

That’s right! You can clear a top-tier Fastpass+ reservation by seeing the show after you gorge on desserts! Because a Fastpass+ for Frozen Ever After is still a tough one to snag, and lines remain consistently long.

So it’s a cool (no pun intended!) bonus, especially if you’ve got a little Elsa or Kristoff in tow.

And, of course, the Frozen Ever After Dessert Party still offers a full dessert buffet. It’s just a bit more… Frozen-y.

The party takes place at the head of World Showcase — near the Canada and Mexico Friendship Boat launches and directly across from the American Adventure Pavilion. Did I mention there’s abundant seating along with the great view of the show? (Incidentally, if inclement weather is expected, the party is held in a banquet room in the Norway Pavilion.) Note that you will have assigned seating here.

The decor relies heavily on opaque tables up-lit in festive light blue. They look great, and it really does give the appearance of ice. (I think Kristoff would approve).

Now let’s see what’s on those glowing tables! The Frozen Ever After Dessert Party has both savory and sweet options, including… BROCCOLI.

Stay with me. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

Savory offerings include some yummy Flatbread, which is really a lot more like Naan in appearance and texture here. So if you dig Naan at any of the places it’s served (Sanaa, Art of Animation, Namaste Cafe Food Truck, etc.), you’ll like this.

You’ll also find large chunks of simple Country-Style Bread. (Notice the serving bowls continue the icy theme!)

And, finally, you’ll want to dive right into that slightly steamed Broccoli, right?! No? Well, here it is, anyway.

And here’s why you’ll actually want some. Because right nearby is some Three Cheese Fondue!! That’s why!

These savory items combine to create one big ol’ pile of stuff to eat with melted cheese. (Aren’t you glad you followed that train to the end of the track?)

This is not the best liquid cheese I’ve ever eaten (that’s over at Cookes of Dublin!). But it was VERY tasty, and I could serve myself by the ladle-full. Works for me!

And, honestly, I was actually really excited to see a low-carb, gluten-free option like broccoli with an awesome cheese sauce as an offering. It was delicious, and more than just a “token” item for those with alternative diets.

And now for the sweet stuff. And when I think dessert, I totally think… Trail Mix ;). No, in all seriousness, this is a pretty tasty mix, and it is nice to have a healthier option on the buffet. The mixture includes granola, dried apricots and apples, pistachios, and sunflower seeds.

Plus, I think it would be pretty good topping the ice cream you’ll see in a bit.

There’s also Fresh Fruit, which is a nice contrast to all the heavier desserts (and melted cheese!). Melon, apples, blueberries, pineapple, and grapes make up the offerings.

These little rounds of blue-sparkled fun are Crispy Bon Bons. They’re bite-sized and simple: a bit of Krispy Treat is topped with white chocolate and sprinkled with blue sugar. It’s a solid, safe option.

The Blue Velvet Cupcakes are super moist and have a pretty snowflake candy topper. The streaks of blue in the icing evoke Elsa’s swirling ice powers.

The sugar-free option on the dessert table is a No Sugar Added Lemon Curd with Blueberry, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It was a surprise hit (sugar free desserts aren’t always so good) and is absolutely delicious if you’re a lemon curd fan like I am.

The next dessert — despite all appearances — is actually a Key Lime Tart in a great little graham cracker shell. The orange glitter dust is sparkly, colorful, and… a little weird.

But it tasted fine, and I suppose they are testing the theory that anything is better with glitter. These are a hold-over from the Frozen Dessert Party at the Osborne Lights a couple of years ago, so they must be a hit.

The next dessert is called an Eclairons. Basically a mash-up of two traditional French pastries: eclairs and macarons.

They feature elongated macarons and creamy fillings. Basically, these are long macarons with a fancy name. Luckily, they’re also texturally perfect and tasty.

The Almond Cookies have a ton of crunch and are packed with almond flavor. A nice nod to a more traditional Norwegian  treat.

Here’s my plate of those desserts before moving on to the next round! (Note the Hidden Mickey in those blueberries 🙂 .)

There were a few desserts that were truly frozen. First up is traditional Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. This is hand-scooped by a friendly Cast Member, ready to eat plain or combined with two hot desserts nearby.

Douse your ice cream with the Double-Chocolate S’Mores Cake — complete with tons of toasted mini marshmallows! This is a pan full of warm chocolate cake smothered in chocolate sauce, then covered in graham cracker crumble and finished with the ‘mallows.

Or cover the ice cream with Warm Cottage Pudding with Caramel Glaze. This is also very chocolate-y, owing to the chocolate bread pudding base, and the pool of caramel is basically irresistible.

This perfectly gooey dessert went particularly well with the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!

The other frozen dessert — Nitro Popcorn — is far from traditional. It’s caramel popcorn frozen solid with liquid nitrogen. So when you bite into this, you don’t get the expected popcorn texture; you get, like, popcorn confetti in your mouth! This has been a trendy treat for years now around Disney World, but it’s still uncommon enough that it’s a fun effect.

It’s super cool (and actually cold!) and also a pretty unique experience. The effect is that everyone starts breathing out little puffs of cold air. It totally fits the Frozen Ever After theme, and it’s a really clever idea.

Dessert parties also offer a bevvy of beverages — and the Frozen Ever After Dessert Party has several options just for grown ups! Among the offerings of beer and wine, you’ll find Sangria (made with Blue Curacao for the Frozen-esque hue) and the Summertime Celebration Margarita (crafted with Strawberry Monin and lemonade)!

These were both super fruity and totally necessary in the even-after-sunset heat.

You can also imbibe in some soft drinks, served by the can.

Other cold beverages for all ages include water, POG (Pineapple, Orange, and Guava) Juice (!!!), and something called a “Frozen Heart.” This blue-tinted drink is lemonade, Sprite, and Cotton Candy Monin syrup. I love the thematic drinks!

You can also get coffee, decaf coffee, and warm water (with lots of tea bag options).

The coffee add-ins include DaVinci sugar syrups, which is a nice touch not seen at every party.

Now for the details! The Frozen Ever After Dessert Party will run you $79 for adults and $47 for guests 3-9 years old (tax and gratuity included), and is bookable via the Disney World website. So, it’s certainly a splurge for most. But with a guaranteed view of IllumiNations and unlimited treats and drinks, you just may decide it’s worth it.

And don’t forget to head over to Frozen Ever After once the lights, lasers, and fireworks show is done — because you’ve got yourself a date with a certain friendly snowman who just loooooves him some “SUMMMEEEERRRRRR!!!!!”

Nosh or Not?

The Frozen Dessert Party is for you if:

• You have a little frozen fan and you were planning on jostling for location for Illuminations anyway.
• You have an insatiable desire for dessert.
• You really love Frozen Ever After. Or Illuminations.
• You’re celebrating something special.

You can skip this one if:

• You’ve seen Illuminations before and don’t need the perfect view.
• You don’t care about riding Frozen Ever After.
• You’d rather spend your money on a more indulgent dinner/dessert experience.

Overall

Once again, the desserts here are pretty standard. Disney doesn’t ever wow with their dessert party desserts, though I was very impressed with the fondue here. So what you’re paying for is unlimited dessert and drinks (including cocktails), a great view of Illuminations, and the “free ride” on Frozen Ever After.

I’m actually OK with the price point on this, especially since it includes unlimited alcoholic beverages and the after-hours ride on Frozen Ever After in addition to all-you-can-eat dessert and Illuminations viewing. But if any one of those things doesn’t matter to you, it’s probably not worth the cash — especially if you have a large family.

Are a dessert party-goer? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below! 

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