Now that the Happily Ever After firework show is back in Magic Kingdom (squeals), you may be thinking about adding a Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party to make your night feel more special.
Coming from a “never skip the fireworks” family, I know my options when it comes to watching fireworks in Magic Kingdom:
- Watching from a low-crowd spot, like Fantasyland. Great view of the *boom!* *boom!*s in the sky, but missing out on the cool Castle projections.
- Stake out a solid spot on Main Street at least an hour before and hope no one tall gets in front of my 5’1″ frame. If I didn’t have my kids with me, this would be a solid option — I would happily sit with a churro or two waiting for the show to start.
- Buy tickets for a dessert party so we can use the reserved viewing area with a good view, and as a bonus, the night feels more special: the girls love their sparkling cider, Kolton loves his beer, and I love my coffee.
That last option has been the go-to since our daughter was about 2 years old, and I’ve found the fireworks a lot less stressful since!
In this post I go through the difference between the different party options, and when it is (or isn’t) worth it.
If you need help planning your day in Magic Kingdom, grab my park guide here!
Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party Basics
These are separately-ticketed dining events at Tomorrowland Terrace in the Magic Kingdom.
Once you check in, you’ll each be given a wristband that gives you access to a buffet of bite-size desserts, cheeses, fruit, plus sparkling cider, coffee, and glasses of champagne, Blue Moon, and wine for anyone over 21.
Kids under 3 are free and don’t need their own ticket!
To make it harder to decide, there are THREE different parties to choose from:
- Pre-Party (this is the one we gravitate towards)
- Sweets & Seats
- Post-Party
These parties need a reservation, which you can make up to 60 days before your trip at 6am EST. Unlike other dining reservations, you’ll need to pay in full when you book it — so make sure you have your credit card nearby.
Firework Dessert Party, Which One to Choose?
Pre-Party: have dessert first, then head to a reserved standing space in Plaza Garden to watch Happily Ever After.
First, the pros:
For families with younger kids like ours, this is the best option. We get dessert out of the way so we can head straight home after the fireworks. My toddler wouldn’t be a treat to be around past 9pm after a sugar high.
and cons:
Since check-in for the Pre-Party is 90 minutes before the fireworks start, this could feel too early for some people that want more time to enjoy Magic Kingdom at night. For example, with a start time of 9pm, you’re checking in at 7:30pm (and honestly should check in a smidge before then to have a shorter check-in line.)
When you’re finished with dessert, you can let a Cast Member know and you’ll be escorted to Plaza Garden.
Here’s what we’ve learned from going to 5 of these pre-parties:
- Don’t book a sit-down or character dinner on the night of the dessert party! You’ll end up rushing to check in and will be stuffed, defeating the point of the all-you-can-eat desserts.
- Head to Tomorrowland Terrace a touch before check-in time to get a shorter line.
- You can pop in and out of Tomorrowland Terrace and the Plaza Garden. I’ve been known to scarf down my dessert and leave my husband with the girls while I go hit my Space Mountain Lightning Lane. Just saying…
- Hit the bathrooms inside Tomorrowland Terrace before heading to the Plaza Garden.
- Bring your stroller with you, so you can head out easily when the show is finished.
Sweets & Seats: instead of having dessert separately from the fireworks show, this party has you sitting at a designated table on the balcony of Tomorrowland Terrace. You stay seated the entire time while the desserts are brought to you.
Would be great for:
- date night
- a surprise for the grandparents
- anyone that has trouble standing for a longer period of time.
If you have little wiggle worms, I’d skip this, since you’re seated during the show.
Note, too, that the terrace is more of a horseshoe shape, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be seated on the edge of that horseshoe or the inside with more obstructed views.
Post-Party: just like the pre-party, but reverse. Check in is 60 minutes before. From there you’ll be escorted to the Plaza Garden to watch Happily Ever After.
Snack on the same desserts back at Tomorrowland Terrace after the show.
If you don’t have kids with you, or they’re older and can stay up late enough for dessert, this is a great option! You can get to the viewing area a little earlier while the Pre-Partiers are eating dessert, which some people like.
Firework Dessert Party Pricing
- Pre-Party: $99 per adult (ages 10 and up); $59 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included.
- Sweets & Seats: $114 per adult (ages 10 and up); $69 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included.
- Post-Party: $99 per adult (ages 10 and up); $59 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included.
Kids under 3 are free and don’t need a ticket!
View From Plaza Garden
The viewing area from the Plaza Garden is in front of Cinderella Castle, and sliiiightly to the right. This is standing room only, with a mix of sidewalk and faux grass.
PRE-PARTY PEOPLE, LISTEN UP.
When you’re escorted to the Plaza Garden, it may seem crowded at first. Everyone sits down, sprawls out (seemingly to make themselves as big as possible…I have no idea) and you’re like, what the heck?? Why is it crowded?
These are post-party goers that aren’t having dessert until after the show, so they checked in and were escorted before you. No big deal.
Once the show starts, everyone stands, and about 60% of the space miraculously opens up.
There has always been enough room for us, and while we wait my kids usually make friends with a nearby family and everyone is honky dory.
Tip: glow sticks and/or light-up wands are really fun while you wait for the fireworks to start!
Is the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party worth it?
I want to be very clear when it comes to the fireworks dessert parties in Magic Kingdom:
If you are looking into a dessert party because you’re looking for epic desserts: skip it.
The desserts at these parties are NOT worth $100.
If you’re “eh” about fireworks and will watch them from anywhere: skip it.
If your kid is scared of fireworks: skip it!
To me, it’s been worth it. When I asked my 6-year-old daughter if she wanted to do the dessert party again, she replied “OF COURSE??” like I was some kind of idiot.
Sometimes it’s hard to quantify value in Walt Disney World. I look at the reason for the high cost that it’s because there are only X number of spots available in the VIP viewing area, and I’m taking up a spot.
A few final details
- Starting in August, there will be nights with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Happily Ever After won’t be showing on those nights!
- There is a 7-day cancellation policy. You won’t get a refund if you cancel within 7 days or are a “no show” for the party. If you cancel earlier than that, you’ll get a full refund.
For more Disney World planning, here’s how I can be of help:
- Subscribe to my newsletter where I give weekly planning tips and Disney news (the kind you should know, not the silly stuff.)
- Join Laid-back Magic, my members-only planning guide and community to help you plan your vacation.
- Follow me on Instagram where I share tips and tricks for taking the kids to Disney World.
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Now that the Happily Ever After firework show is back in Magic Kingdom (squeals), you may be thinking about adding a Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party to make your night feel more special.
Coming from a “never skip the fireworks” family, I know my options when it comes to watching fireworks in Magic Kingdom:
- Watching from a low-crowd spot, like Fantasyland. Great view of the *boom!* *boom!*s in the sky, but missing out on the cool Castle projections.
- Stake out a solid spot on Main Street at least an hour before and hope no one tall gets in front of my 5’1″ frame. If I didn’t have my kids with me, this would be a solid option — I would happily sit with a churro or two waiting for the show to start.
- Buy tickets for a dessert party so we can use the reserved viewing area with a good view, and as a bonus, the night feels more special: the girls love their sparkling cider, Kolton loves his beer, and I love my coffee.
That last option has been the go-to since our daughter was about 2 years old, and I’ve found the fireworks a lot less stressful since!
In this post I go through the difference between the different party options, and when it is (or isn’t) worth it.
If you need help planning your day in Magic Kingdom, grab my park guide here!
Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party Basics
These are separately-ticketed dining events at Tomorrowland Terrace in the Magic Kingdom.
Once you check in, you’ll each be given a wristband that gives you access to a buffet of bite-size desserts, cheeses, fruit, plus sparkling cider, coffee, and glasses of champagne, Blue Moon, and wine for anyone over 21.
Kids under 3 are free and don’t need their own ticket!
To make it harder to decide, there are THREE different parties to choose from:
- Pre-Party (this is the one we gravitate towards)
- Sweets & Seats
- Post-Party
These parties need a reservation, which you can make up to 60 days before your trip at 6am EST. Unlike other dining reservations, you’ll need to pay in full when you book it — so make sure you have your credit card nearby.
Firework Dessert Party, Which One to Choose?
Pre-Party: have dessert first, then head to a reserved standing space in Plaza Garden to watch Happily Ever After.
First, the pros:
For families with younger kids like ours, this is the best option. We get dessert out of the way so we can head straight home after the fireworks. My toddler wouldn’t be a treat to be around past 9pm after a sugar high.
and cons:
Since check-in for the Pre-Party is 90 minutes before the fireworks start, this could feel too early for some people that want more time to enjoy Magic Kingdom at night. For example, with a start time of 9pm, you’re checking in at 7:30pm (and honestly should check in a smidge before then to have a shorter check-in line.)
When you’re finished with dessert, you can let a Cast Member know and you’ll be escorted to Plaza Garden.
Here’s what we’ve learned from going to 5 of these pre-parties:
- Don’t book a sit-down or character dinner on the night of the dessert party! You’ll end up rushing to check in and will be stuffed, defeating the point of the all-you-can-eat desserts.
- Head to Tomorrowland Terrace a touch before check-in time to get a shorter line.
- You can pop in and out of Tomorrowland Terrace and the Plaza Garden. I’ve been known to scarf down my dessert and leave my husband with the girls while I go hit my Space Mountain Lightning Lane. Just saying…
- Hit the bathrooms inside Tomorrowland Terrace before heading to the Plaza Garden.
- Bring your stroller with you, so you can head out easily when the show is finished.
Sweets & Seats: instead of having dessert separately from the fireworks show, this party has you sitting at a designated table on the balcony of Tomorrowland Terrace. You stay seated the entire time while the desserts are brought to you.
Would be great for:
- date night
- a surprise for the grandparents
- anyone that has trouble standing for a longer period of time.
If you have little wiggle worms, I’d skip this, since you’re seated during the show.
Note, too, that the terrace is more of a horseshoe shape, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be seated on the edge of that horseshoe or the inside with more obstructed views.
Post-Party: just like the pre-party, but reverse. Check in is 60 minutes before. From there you’ll be escorted to the Plaza Garden to watch Happily Ever After.
Snack on the same desserts back at Tomorrowland Terrace after the show.
If you don’t have kids with you, or they’re older and can stay up late enough for dessert, this is a great option! You can get to the viewing area a little earlier while the Pre-Partiers are eating dessert, which some people like.
Firework Dessert Party Pricing
- Pre-Party: $99 per adult (ages 10 and up); $59 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included.
- Sweets & Seats: $114 per adult (ages 10 and up); $69 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included.
- Post-Party: $99 per adult (ages 10 and up); $59 per child (ages 3 to 9), tax included.
Kids under 3 are free and don’t need a ticket!
View From Plaza Garden
The viewing area from the Plaza Garden is in front of Cinderella Castle, and sliiiightly to the right. This is standing room only, with a mix of sidewalk and faux grass.
PRE-PARTY PEOPLE, LISTEN UP.
When you’re escorted to the Plaza Garden, it may seem crowded at first. Everyone sits down, sprawls out (seemingly to make themselves as big as possible…I have no idea) and you’re like, what the heck?? Why is it crowded?
These are post-party goers that aren’t having dessert until after the show, so they checked in and were escorted before you. No big deal.
Once the show starts, everyone stands, and about 60% of the space miraculously opens up.
There has always been enough room for us, and while we wait my kids usually make friends with a nearby family and everyone is honky dory.
Tip: glow sticks and/or light-up wands are really fun while you wait for the fireworks to start!
Is the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party worth it?
I want to be very clear when it comes to the fireworks dessert parties in Magic Kingdom:
If you are looking into a dessert party because you’re looking for epic desserts: skip it.
The desserts at these parties are NOT worth $100.
If you’re “eh” about fireworks and will watch them from anywhere: skip it.
If your kid is scared of fireworks: skip it!
To me, it’s been worth it. When I asked my 6-year-old daughter if she wanted to do the dessert party again, she replied “OF COURSE??” like I was some kind of idiot.
Sometimes it’s hard to quantify value in Walt Disney World. I look at the reason for the high cost that it’s because there are only X number of spots available in the VIP viewing area, and I’m taking up a spot.
A few final details
- Starting in August, there will be nights with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Happily Ever After won’t be showing on those nights!
- There is a 7-day cancellation policy. You won’t get a refund if you cancel within 7 days or are a “no show” for the party. If you cancel earlier than that, you’ll get a full refund.
For more Disney World planning, here’s how I can be of help:
- Subscribe to my newsletter where I give weekly planning tips and Disney news (the kind you should know, not the silly stuff.)
- Join Laid-back Magic, my members-only planning guide and community to help you plan your vacation.
- Follow me on Instagram where I share tips and tricks for taking the kids to Disney World.
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