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[Bullseye1967]

Thank you, I hope you enjoy your March trip! What are your dates? Mine are the 16th to the 23rd. Hope it isn't too much of a madhouse then. It will just be me and my daughter so it shouldn't be too hard to navigate around or to please everyone in my small party. I am mostly looking forward to Epcot at springtime! When we went in 2015, we were there in June so am expecting the weather to be nicer.

Welcome! we are hopefully a wealth of knowledge (at least we think we are). I have not done dessert parties, but I know many here have. Many different views on them in trips reports, as well as a lot of other helpful hints. You may even want to start a thread with dessert parties in the title and you will get plenty of opinions.

 

[Bullseye1967]

Thank you and here is to hoping this March is awesome at WDW!

BTW We was there during your dates last year and had great weather and for the most part lesser crowds except the weekends. Are you staying on property? How many in your party? All of these things help people give better answers for your situation.

 

[brifraz]

Well, I am debating on whether doing the dessert parties is going to save any time. It seems like you still may want to start lining up to get in around 2 hours before the event if you want to get a premium viewing spot.

And I frankly wouldn't recommend the SW dessert party at Hollywood Studios. You're off to the side over by Hollywood & Vine restaurant with lots of trees blocking your view and crammed together, while non-party people were standing dead center on Hollywood Blvd.

Hello and welcome! We have done the Star Wars dessert party twice and love it. The first time, we were seated in front of Hollywood and Vine, but the most recent time, we were seated right in front of the Chinese theatre - best seats in the park. I believe that the seating area is permanently right in front since they now have the removable stage. If you know where that stage usually is, right in front of the theatre - that's where we were seated the most recent time we were there. Since the food and drink portion is in the Launch Bay building, it's nice to be inside. There is some savory food as well as desserts, so we tend to make it our dinner - yes, crackers/cheese/hummus/flatbread/fruit isn't the best dinner ever, but that combined with AYCE desserts certainly got us full and happy. Plus unlimited drinks? Yes $80 is a big steep, but if I have dinner with 3-4 drinks at a Disney restaurant, I'm going to be getting close to that cost anyway! Here's a picture from the current seating, this is not zoomed in or edited, it's just what it looked like from our seat.

We have also done the HEA one and the Illuminations one (about 2 incarnations ago). We felt like the Star Wars one with the new seating area was definitely the best 'deal' of the three - we are going to do the Frozen one again this year (current Illuminations incarnation) because I really want to get that center view of that show one more time before it might be going away...still hoping those rumors are untrue!


BTW....here's my post from the last summer's version of the show - yes the seating is more off to the side, but it wasn't all that bad. https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/triskaidekaphobic-trip-report-live.928541/page-4#post-7790260

 

[Noralou]

Oh, sorry, misunderstood you. You can stake out a spot to watch the fireworks that early - yes, lots of people do. Just make sure to be aware of whatever ropes/tape on the ground Cast Members have laid out so you're not in designated lanes of traffic or they'll tell you to move on once the show starts. And don't get too close to the Castle, i.e., right in front, unless you want a crick in your neck. I found standing over by Casey's to be a good viewing spot.

I've not done the fireworks dessert party since they've changed things once the Hub redesign was completed. And I frankly wouldn't recommend the SW dessert party at Hollywood Studios. You're off to the side over by Hollywood & Vine restaurant with lots of trees blocking your view and crammed together, while non-party people were standing dead center on Hollywood Blvd.

Back when we made an effort to see the fireworks, we'd get the fastpass that let you into the Rose Garden over by the bridge leading to Tomorrowland. Great spot as you could sit down and it felt like the fireworks went off right over your head. We always found a spot right under the zip line for Tinkerbell.

Thanks for the SW review - that helps! I think I am going to cancel both. I am sure they are of value for some, but they don't seem worth it for me and my daughter.

 

[Noralou]

Hello and welcome! We have done the Star Wars dessert party twice and love it. The first time, we were seated in front of Hollywood and Vine, but the most recent time, we were seated right in front of the Chinese theatre - best seats in the park. I believe that the seating area is permanently right in front since they now have the removable stage. If you know where that stage usually is, right in front of the theatre - that's where we were seated the most recent time we were there. Since the food and drink portion is in the Launch Bay building, it's nice to be inside. There is some savory food as well as desserts, so we tend to make it our dinner - yes, crackers/cheese/hummus/flatbread/fruit isn't the best dinner ever, but that combined with AYCE desserts certainly got us full and happy. Plus unlimited drinks? Yes $80 is a big steep, but if I have dinner with 3-4 drinks at a Disney restaurant, I'm going to be getting close to that cost anyway! Here's a picture from the current seating, this is not zoomed in or edited, it's just what it looked like from our seat.

View attachment 263126

We have also done the HEA one and the Illuminations one (about 2 incarnations ago). We felt like the Star Wars one with the new seating area was definitely the best 'deal' of the three - we are going to do the Frozen one again this year (current Illuminations incarnation) because I really want to get that center view of that show one more time before it might be going away...still hoping those rumors are untrue!


BTW....here's my post from the last summer's version of the show - yes the seating is more off to the side, but it wasn't all that bad. https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/triskaidekaphobic-trip-report-live.928541/page-4#post-7790260

Thank you too for your review but oh no, now it doesn't seem as clear as to if I should cancel or not! I will read your link post. You are all so nice with the advice!

 

[JusticeDisney]

Hello All,

Just introducing myself. I have been to WDW in 2015 with little planning and am now going this March and have done much more planning. Part of my planning was going to another board/forum site and while helpful I found it clicky and many there judgmental. I don't want to call out the forum but can anyone relate? Anyway, looking forward to learning from you all and if I can, imparting any advice, etc..

Welcome! And I can say with the utmost confidence that this is the best Disney World forum out there. Enjoy your time here!

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Welcome.

 

[LAKid53]

Thank you too for your review but oh no, now it doesn't seem as clear as to if I should cancel or not! I will read your link post. You are all so nice with the advice!

After reading @brifraz's post, it appears they've changed and improved the setup for the SW dessert party at Hollywood Studios, so I'd use his review rather than mine to make your decision about that one.

 

[ColinP29]

I haven't noticed cliques on here, but sometimes a thread will turn into an argument between two of the posters, sometimes for quite silly reasons.

No it won't

 

[LAKid53]

No it won't

Never wandered into any of Spirit's threads, have you....

 

[Weather_Lady]

Well, I am debating on whether doing the dessert parties is going to save any time. It seems like you still may want to start lining up to get in around 2 hours before the event if you want to get a premium viewing spot. I think Shannon from WDW prep school recommended to get to the parties about 30 minutes before they let people in. There is probably a thread on dessert parties? I have a reservation for the Star Wars party and one for HEA but they are a lot of money and am considering cancelling one or both. I am sure that no matter what, the viewing spots will be better than most of standby (not sure if that is the right term here?) but am not sure if it is worth the money. I am willing to stake out a spot 2 hours in advance. The other thing those is that besides the view, people in standby get pushy and are packed in like sardines so yeah, just don't know what to do. I have not done a dessert party before. Thanks for the welcome!

I apologize if somebody already responded to this (I didn't read all the follow-ups), but...

We're planning to attend the HEA Dessert Party in May. It is a lot of money (far more than we'd typically spend), but it will be our daughter's birthday and we'll be having a late lunch and then skipping dinner to help offset the expense. After reading reviews of both the Plaza Garden viewing and the Tomorrowland Terrace viewing, we opted to go with the Plaza Garden. (Everybody eats at Tomorrowland Terrace -- the difference is that if you purchased viewing from the Terrace, you stay there for the fireworks, and if you purchased Plaza Garden viewing, you get escorted by CMs to a special viewing spot in the garden just before the fireworks start.) Since we're watching the fireworks from the garden, my understanding is that we don't need to get in line ahead of time, since our table location doesn't really matter. We'll just be eating there and then leaving. Bonus: Plaza Garden viewing is less expensive, but the view is more straight-on, so you get a better view of the projections. The downside of it is that you don't have a chair/table to relax in.

All that being said, it is a lot of money, and the people standing next to the reserved viewing areas (who showed up an hour or two early to stake out those spots) get the same view as the person who spent $60-$80 to stand on the other side of the rope. Whether you'd rather invest time, or money, to get a good spot is totally up to you. There's no wrong way to do it. Frankly, I get so impatient and claustrophobic-feeling in a crowd that we've typically watched the fireworks from New Fantasyland (sacrificing all the projections and the optimal vantage point, but enjoying the fireworks and music in places that are so deserted, we feel like rich people who rented out the park for ourselves.) The Dessert Party will represent the first time we've seen the fireworks from the front of the castle in six years.

 

[yensid67]

WELCOME! We are a FAMILY on here as with every family, there is some discord once in a while. As long as you stay NON POLITICAL in your posts, you will be fine! Welcome Little Sis!

 

[The Mom]

WELCOME! We are a FAMILY on here as with every family, there is some discord once in a while. As long as you stay NON POLITICAL in your posts, you will be fine! Welcome Little Sis!

And if you must say something political - we have a forum for that.

 

[yensid67]

Thanks Mom! When things go political, things tend to get nasty sometimes! Thank you for WDWMagic, I have tried other forums, but thins one makes me feel like part of the family!

 

[Noralou]

And if you must say something political - we have a forum for that.

What are some examples? I usually try to steer clear of those types of things.

 

[The Mom]

What are some examples? I usually try to steer clear of those types of things.

If you think that something could possibly be taken as a political statement - then it probably is.

 

[Noralou]

If you think that something could possibly be taken as a political statement - then it probably is.

I feel dumb asking this but you are talking Disney politics not government politics (unless it is a cross over with something like Trump in the Hall of Presidents,etc...)? Not having scoped out this forum much, I don't know what you guys get into .

 

[The Mom]

I feel dumb asking this but you are talking Disney politics not government politics (unless it is a cross over with something like Trump in the Hall of Presidents,etc...)? Not having scoped out this forum much, I don't know what you guys get into .

The Politics and Social Issues forum is for discussing those issues - locally, nationally (both US and UK), and sometimes internationally. So yes, way beyond WDW.

 

[DisneyJeff]

Thank you, I hope you enjoy your March trip! What are your dates? Mine are the 16th to the 23rd. Hope it isn't too much of a madhouse then. It will just be me and my daughter so it shouldn't be too hard to navigate around or to please everyone in my small party. I am mostly looking forward to Epcot at springtime! When we went in 2015, we were there in June so am expecting the weather to be nicer.

Welcome. I will be there in March as well: 3/21 - 3/26. I'll see you there! I'll be the touristy-looking guy in the Disney t-shirt. Should be easy to spot me.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

some of the people had been on there for like 10 years, had thousands of posts, and acted like they owned the darned thing.

Cough cough, martin person, cough cough.