Is the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party Worth It? Full Review for Disney Families

If you’ve ever tried watching fireworks at Magic Kingdom with kids, you know the struggle: staking out a spot way too early, tired feet, hungry little ones, and someone then blocking your view with a kid on their shoulders. I’ve been there.

On a recent Disney World trip, I decided it was time to try something different, something that didn’t involve juggling snacks, navigating wall-to-wall crowds, or dragging cranky kiddos through Main Street at the end of the night. That’s when we booked the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party.

I had seen so many posts and questions online wondering whether the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party is “worth it,” especially for families, and I was wondering the same thing. So today, I’m sharing our honest review, what the experience was really like with kids, and whether we’d spend the money again.

If you’re planning a Disney World trip and thinking about booking the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party, this review will walk you through everything…from what’s included to our experience, and the tips I wish I knew before we went.

What Is the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party?

The dessert party at Magic Kingdom is considered an Enchanting Extra. You will need to reserve this before you visit Magic Kingdom and I suggest booking this when you book your other advanced dining reservations 60 days before your trip.

The party takes place at the Tomorrowland Terrace in Magic Kingdom. What makes this extra really fun is it includes lots of fun desserts, snacks, adult beverages, regular beverages AND a reserved viewing area for the Happily Ever After fireworks show.

For the snacks there are cupcakes, cookies, cheeses, assorted deli meats, cheesecakes and breads. For drinks you can have coffee, tea, beer, wine, champagne, water, or sparkling cider.

You’ll want to know that there is more than one type of dessert party at Magic Kingdom. You can choose from the Seats and Sweets option or the pre or post dessert party. The Seats and Sweets option is more expensive but you get a designated table to sit at to view the fireworks show. Most people opt for the pre or post party options where you enjoy your snacks and drinks in the terrace before moving to a reserved area on the hub grass to view the fireworks.

The pre party is what my family prefers. You arrive 90 minutes before the fireworks to enjoy snacks and drinks. Then you watch the fireworks from the reserved area. The post party means you watch the fireworks in the reserved area THEN head to the terrace to enjoy snacks and drinks.

For families with small children, the pre party seems to be the most popular choice!

Why We Chose the Dessert Party (A Mom’s Perspective)

I’ll cut to the chase here. Watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from Main Street or the main hub area stresses me out. Have I done it and survived? Yes. Do I enjoy it? Not really. The areas are so crowded and really this is the only time I’ve seen people get in fights at Disney World. True story. It’s just not very magical…

Also, once the fireworks are over there is a mad dash to exit the park which stirs up even more anxiety for me. I wanted to find a way to avoid the crowds and watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom.

So we splurged and booked the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party – Pre Party and I have zero regrets. We LOVED our experience. I’ll detail our experience more below.

Booking the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party (How It Works)

Let me break down exactly how to book the Magic Kingdom Dessert party:

• 60 days before check in (or your park visit) login to your My Disney Experience Account
• Search “Dessert party” and click the option you want from the drop down in the search
• Click “Check availability”
• Choose the date your prefer
• Enter your party size (adults and kids, anyone under 3 is free!)
• Select your time
• Click to the next page and pay

This extra does have to be paid in full at time of booking. You must cancel at least 24 hours in advance to receive a refund.

The price of the party ranges from $99-$109 for adults and is $59 for children ages 3-9. Sorry, kids 10 and up are considered adults. I know, it hurts.

This party does tend to sell out but I’ve also found availability last minute as well. Always book in advance to make sure you get a spot!

Our Family’s Experience at the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party

We arrived at the party at 7:30pm to check in. A Cast Member confirmed our reservation and gave us all a wrist band to wear. Next we were shown to our table and given instructions on what to do and the Cast Member confirmed any food allergies.

Since we did the pre party, we enjoyed the food and drinks before the fireworks. We had plenty of time to do this, and it was very relaxing.

My kids loved the snacks. They made me and my husband many custom cookies and ate their weight in sweets and cheeses. I just enjoyed watching my family have the best experience at this party.

I will say the food itself does not make it worth the $$$. It is the reserved viewing area that made this extra even more special.

Around 8:30pm we headed down to our reserved area on the hub grass and settled in.

My kids had space to sit on the hub grass and play with other kids before the fireworks.

It is also against the rules to place kids on shoulders if you are in the reserved area, so that issues was almost completely eliminated and we had a great view!

After the fireworks we hung out in the reserved area for a little bit as the crowds exited. We were not in a rush to follow the crowd.

To this day, and it’s been over a year since we did this party, my family still talks about this experience and how it elevated our trip. We would 100% do this party again with kids.

So YES, the Magic Kingdom Dessert party is worth it for families with kids who are visiting Disney World.

Tips for Families Considering the Dessert Party

• Don’t stress about arriving before the scheduled time. You can even arrive a little late and still have time other than enjoy the snacks and drinks.
• A Cast Member will direct you where to park your stroller, so don’t worry about finding a spot for the stroller beforehand.
• Make sure to tell a Cast Member of any food allergies
• The food won’t substitute for dinner. I recommend eating a light meal before the party. This truly is a dessert party
• You can enjoy as many adult beverages as you like, just be mindful!
• Picky eaters may not be happy, so pack back up snacks if this is your situation
• All ages will love this party but I really think families with young kids benefit the most from the Magic Kingdom Dessert party
• Pack a small blanket to sit on before the firework show but while hanging out on the hub grass
• Use the bathroom before the party and again before the fireworks show. If you’re a mom you know a kid will just have to go during the fireworks show, so try and prevent this so you can enjoy the experience too!
• Choose the pre party if you want to leave right after the fireworks show
• Choose the post party if you have older kids and don’t mind hanging out to snack after Happily Ever After
• Choose the Seats and Sweets if you want to really splurge!

Is the Magic Kingdom Dessert Party Worth It? (Honest Opinion)

I’ve said this earlier but I will say it again, YES! I do believe this Disney splurge is worth it. We were able to avoid the crowds at Magic Kingdom’s fireworks show and enjoy some yummy treats as well.

Even my husband, who would pick to vacation anywhere else other than Disney World, enjoyed the Magic Kingdom Dessert party. So for me, if my husband and kids are happy, I am happy!

I will do this party again and if this is in your budget, I highly recommend you give it a try too!

If you’re planning a Disney World trip and want help deciding what’s worth the money and what isn’t, I help moms plan stress-free, magical vacations. Learn more at themainstreetmom.com.