If you have ever been to Walt Disney World, you know that they offer plenty of special experiences to guests. You could never fit all of the special experiences available in to one trip. There are always new and exciting options to try out - making each vacation magical in its own way.

During our recent trip to Walt Disney World in February, we decided to try out the Fireworks Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing in Magic Kingdom. Crowds have never been our thing and we had struggled on past trips to find a good fireworks viewing spot where we felt like we had a bit of elbow room, but could still see everything.

Here’s why we love the Fireworks Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing:

The VIP treatment!

From the moment you check in at the podium for the dessert party, you feel yourself relax and take a deep breath. The staff was amazing, the ambiance and view were lovely, and there is a feeling of excitement in the air. We met some of the most wonderful Disney guests and staff members during this event, which added to our enjoyment.

After checking in, we were led to our reserved table in Tomorrowland Terrace and then were invited to help ourselves to the beautiful spread. When we finished dining, our hostess escorted us to the plaza garden viewing area which is a short walk from Tomorrowland Terrace. This is a fenced area directly in front of the castle and only guests of the dessert party experience are allowed in this area. We spread out, relaxed and waited for the show. Our view was awesome the entire time. While there are guests standing in front of this reserved area, the view of the castle remained unobstructed as you are looking up.

The view!

Seeing Cinderella’s Castle lit up at night is a beautiful sight. Being able to be so close to the castle also allowed us to easily see the projections. While there are many great spots to view the Happily Ever After fireworks show, we felt like we had the perfect view the entire time!

The food!

On the day of the dessert party, we planned a late lunch followed by a light snack at “dinner time”. This way when we arrived at the dessert party, we could take advantage of the delicious offerings. While the event is named “dessert party” there are also some appetizer style foods available as well. Our menu that evening consisted of cheese and crackers, spinach dip, and cheeseburger egg rolls to go along with the giant spread of delectable desserts! The dessert variety was impressive and included something for everyone. Not only were there premade options to choose from, but there were also “action stations”. One station was for S’mores, another included an ice cream sundae bar, and then there was even a decorating station. The decorating station had cookies, brownies and cupcakes that you could then decorate with piping bags full of icing and various toppings. The party also included a beverage bar of coffee, tea, juice, lemonade and sparkling cider.

My big tip here is to show up hungry because you’re going to want one of everything!

The space!

As I mentioned previously, my family is sensitive to crowds. We had struggled in the past to find a fireworks spot where we were comfortable and felt like we could enjoy the entire show. This event solved that problem so well for us! We had “front row seats” sitting on the grass inside the reserved area. The event was sold out that evening, but there was more than ample space for everyone to spread out and enjoy themselves. When I say spread out, I mean my 11-year-old had plenty of room to lay on the ground with his iPad and a bucket of popcorn (because, tweens) while waiting for the show. There was a buffer of a solid 10 feet to the closest other guests.

The overall magic!

The Fireworks Dessert Party added a huge dose of magic to our day in Magic Kingdom. This event allowed us to sample all sorts of delicious foods, have a relaxing experience to view the show, and meet some awesome people. During this event I witnessed kids sharing glow sticks with other children they just met, playing catch, and a lot of happiness and laughter. It also provided a great opportunity to “just be” together as a family. Much of a vacation like this can feel full to the brim of activity, but this gave us a chance to catch our breath. While this experience is an added fee, we felt like it was well worth it! Everyone wants to feel special while they’re on vacation, and this event did a fantastic job of doing just that.

Cheers to all things travel!