The 50th Anniversary of Disney World is here, which means we have a new fireworks show at Magic Kingdom– Disney Enchantment!

Today, we checked out one of the THREE new dessert parties inside Magic Kingdom. Here’s your first look at the most literal-sounding dessert party name: Magic Kingdom’s Disney Enchantment Treats & Seats Dessert Party!

Atmosphere

For this dessert party, you get to enjoy treats at Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland Terrace during the fireworks. This is similar in structure to an experience that was previously offered in Magic Kingdom, though many of the dessert offerings have changed.

The first thing you’ll want to do upon arriving to Magic Kingdom is head to Tomorrowland Terrace to check in.

Upon checking in, the Cast Members will check your ID and you’ll be provided with a wristband or two. We were provided with one band indicating we were 21+ (and thus able to drink alcoholic beverages during the party) and another simply for the party.

We checked in at around 7:30 PM, and the Cast Members indicated that the party starts at 8PM, but that they would start seating us soon after we checked in.

One important thing to know is that Cast Members escort guests to their seats. In other words, you generally won’t be able to pick what table or seats you get. It’s a luck of the draw type of thing. While all of the seats will generally provide you with a fantastic view of the Castle, those that are closer to the edge will obviously give you a greater view of the fireworks and a more unobstructed view of the Castle.

Still, because guests are escorted to their tables and you can’t really pick where you sit, it’s important to keep in mind that you might not get the seat you necessarily want.

We were let in not too long after we checked in at 7:30 PM, so we’d say arriving and checking in early is a good idea to help you get the most out of the experience. 

Once inside, you’ll be able to check out your table…

…and then head to the buffet to sample lots of tasty treats!

Menu

The dessert items here were served buffet-style. The buffet was 2-sided and the same desserts were served on both sides, so you can hop in whatever line looks shortest.

In terms of snacks, there were chocolate-covered strawberries with a 50th Anniversary design on them in chocolate…

…a variety of crackers…

…and an assortment of cheese.

So here’s the thing with the desserts. They had individual placards explaining they can be found at various locations around Magic Kingdom. Cute, right? Problem was, not all of them…can actually be found there. Some can, but others? Not as much. So it was a little confusing.

For example, the Devil’s chocolate pudding (made of chocolate filling, crumble brownie, milk chocolate, and whipped cream) …

…Tres Leches (made of coconut cake soaked with a three milk mixture)…

…a Chilling Chamber Pop (made of vanilla crumbs, caramel buttercream, and graham cracker crumbs)…

…Oreo Cheesecake Mousse topped with crumble, which can be found at Cinderella’s Royal Table…

…Chocolate silk pie (made of a chocolate tart shell, chocolate filling, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings) which can be found in bigger form now at Casey’s Corner…

…Butterscotch pudding with caramel popcorn…

…and Firehouse Doughnuts (ricotta doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar)…

…served with a strawberry topping) which you can find at Tony’s Town Square.

What’s interesting is that most of the food are items from Magic Kingdom restaurants. You can see where the items are as identified on their placards. That was a nice touch we really enjoyed!

In terms of drinks, there was iced tea, milk, water with lemons…

…the infamous POG juice, lemonade, and strawberry lemonade. We were rather surprised that the water option had lemons in it (if that’s not something you like, you’ll want to keep that in mind), and we were surprised that there were no Coca-Cola products available. Having regular water without lemons and more soda options is something we would have liked to have seen.

There was also coffee (regular and decaf)…

…and hot water, with a variety of tea bags nearby.

There was also a table with champagne flutes and some drinks available. Note that these were sparkling apple cider and were non-alcoholic.

If you’re looking for an alcoholic beverage, there was Veramonte Chardonnay, a Zolo Signature Red Blend…

…Villa Rose Moscato d’Asti, Paul Cheneau Lady of Spain Cuvee Cava…

…Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, and Bud Light Lager. Guests can grab 2 alcoholic beverages at a time.

At the end of the night, we were also provided with a Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel square! Yum! Another sweet treat to end the night.

We (of course) grabbed a little bit of almost everything to try!

Eats & Drinks

The chocolate-covered strawberries were actually surprisingly good! We loved the fun print on them that celebrated the 50th anniversary. LAST time we saw these, they were adorned with Happily Ever After’s logo (RIP!). The strawberry itself was wonderfully tangy, and well balanced by the sweetness of the chocolate it was covered in. Overall, it’s a basic and simple but good treat. There’s a reason it’s a classic.

The cheese and crackers were a welcome escape from all the sugar and sweets. It was nice to have something crunchy and more salty & savory to balance out the night. Still, this is essentially the only savory thing on the menu, so keep that in mind. It was a bit of a bummer to see savory foods underrepresented. On past visits we’ve had spinach dip, mini Cheeseburger Springrolls (YUSSSS), and a few other things NOT dripping with sugar! If you’re not a big fan of sweets, the cheese and crackers area is where you’ll likely spend all of your time.

The Devil’s chocolate pudding (made of chocolate filling, crumble brownie, milk chocolate, and whipped cream) really packed a good, real chocolate flavor, rather than just an artificial or surface-level chocolate flavor. The crunchy pearls added a nice change in texture, and the brownie pieces on the bottom added even more chocolate flavor to the treat. If you love chocolate, this might be a good choice for you. It’s a basic treat and a little bit on the boring side (great for little ones) but still very tasty. It’s worth noting some of these foods are labeled to indicate you could currently find them at various locations around the park when, in fact, you can’t. For instance, the Devil’s Chocolate Pudding can be found at the Friar’s Nook (but only…it can’t!).

With the Tres Leches, it was set up almost like a tres leches cupcake. The cake itself was buttery and very yummy. It also wasn’t overly sweet, which was great considering the number of desserts we were consuming all in one go!

Next up is the Chilling Chamber Pop (made of vanilla crumbs, caramel buttercream, and graham cracker crumbs). This treat was good but VERY sweet! It tasted like we were eating butterscotch flavored frosting — which can be a good thing depending on what you like. Overall, it was buttery and had a fun presentation we think guests will enjoy.

We also grabbed the Oreo Cheesecake Mousse topped with crumble. The flavor of this was very similar to the Grey Stuff. It wasn’t too sweet and the pearls added a nice crunch. Overall, if you like the Grey Stuff and that Oreo flavor, you’ll probably really enjoy this! You CAN Find this one (on the kids’ menu) over at Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch or dinner.

Then, we had the Chocolate silk pie (made of a chocolate tart shell, chocolate filling, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings). We found that the tart was a bit dry. The filling inside was very light though, which was nice. Overall, we got a light cocoa flavor from this, but not a really heavy amount of that chocolate taste. Just what you’d find in most chocolate silk pies.

Then, it was time for some Butterscotch pudding and caramel popcorn. The pudding here was sweet and milky tasting. But, unfortunately, the popcorn was not crunchy and instead was more on the stale side since it had been sitting in the wet pudding. Overall, this was a SUPER sugary treat, so be prepared for a sugar rush!

And finally, we grabbed the Firehouse Doughnuts (ricotta doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar served with a strawberry topping). These were cakey doughnuts covered in cinnamon sugar — what’s not to love?! Seriously, these were a favorite for most of our reporters. One of our reporters found them to be a bit dry, but they’re also not a fan of doughnuts in general so this wasn’t their favorite dish. We didn’t get a huge ricotta flavor from them, but the doughnuts themselves were tasty so we didn’t mind!

In terms of drinks, the POG juice is a clear winner (of course, no surprise there). We also liked the strawberry lemonade as it was tangy and not overly sweet. And the champagne we got was not too sweet, which was great.

And that’s a look at the food and drinks served at the party, but what about the view?

The View

While you’re paying for the food and drinks, with the Treats & Seats option in particular, you’re paying an upcharge to be able to sit and watch the fireworks from a table. There are 2 other fireworks dessert parties where you can enjoy the exact same eats — one where you eat before going to a standing-only fireworks viewing section, and another where you watch the fireworks first from the standing-only viewing section and then have desserts afterwards.

Both of those are priced at $99 for adults and $59 for kids. The Treats & Seats version is $114 per adult and $69 per child. For adults, that’s a $15 upcharge to watch the fireworks while seated. So decide: is a table and chair worth $15 buck to you? Some would say yes, others no. But when you’re already nearing triple digits for some cake and cheese cubes, it might be worth the EXTRA extra splurge!

Overall, the fireworks view is pretty good. You’ll essentially get a slightly side view of the castle, and watch as the fireworks go off to the sides of the castle.

This is a great way to experience the fireworks — emphasis on the fireworks themselves. This isn’t really a great way to experience the entire show. Your view of the castle is from the side and the castle itself can be obstructed by trees. That means you won’t get the full effect of all of the projections show on the castle as part of the show.

Plus, you are a bit further away. You’ll see some of the colors and maybe be able to make out some of the projection designs, but if you’re there to experience the entire show, and really want to see those projections up-close, this isn’t the best way to do it.

There’s also a NEW element you’ll be seriously missing out on. You also can’t get a view of the projections that go down Main Street, U.S.A. as part of this show. These interactive projections are a big, fun part of the new show and you’ll essentially miss it completely. Your view will be limited to the Castle and the fireworks around it.

Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As we mentioned, this is a fantastic way to see the fireworks themselves. You get a great view of those and also an awesome view of Tinker Bell as she flies right over you! Plus, you get to watch the fireworks from a designated spot, with seating, snacks, and drinks, and without the need to stand in or fight through a big crowd. If we learned anything from opening night of these new fireworks…not having that stress in your life might be a good thing.

It’s certainly a more relaxing way to watch the show.

Nosh or Not

You should grab your spot at the Treats and Seats party if:

• You want to get a great view of the fireworks WITHOUT the crowds.
• You want to sit down while you watch the fireworks, while munching on some treats and drinking some tasty drinks.
• You want to make your fireworks experience more special or do something unique to celebrate a special occasion.

You should skip this add-on if:

• You’re on a budget (this experience isn’t exactly cheap).
• You want the FULL fireworks show experience — a clear view of projections on the castle, a look at the projections down Main Street, U.S.A., AND the fireworks.
• You don’t like sweets (there really aren’t a lot of options here that are savory).

Overall

Overall, we really had a great experience at this dessert party. The Cast Members that were there were fantastic and some of the best we’ve encountered in Disney World. The trays of food were constantly being refilled, and the Cast members were all very attentive, excited, and kind. The cast was incredible – trays were constantly being refilled and they were very attentive and excited and kind. One of them even spoke to us for a while about the fireworks, the 50th Anniversary, and more. Seriously, we cannot say enough just how fantastic the Cast Members were here.

There was a decent amount of snacks to choose from, and more than enough to fill you up. But, be warned — as it notes, this is a DESSERT party. The only savory snack was the cheese and crackers. We would have loved to have seen another savory option so this could almost end up being a light dinner. That would make the high cost a bit more justifiable. Plus, most past firework parties at Tomorrowland Terrace offered some extra special treats — like a DIY sundae or cupcake bar, hot trays of Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake, and more. We couldn’t help but notice what we were missing (while still paying a high price). But, as it is a “dessert” party, it’s expected that there will be a LOT of sweet treats and that expectation was certainly met!

It is a LOT of sugar, so be warned if you’re planning on doing this with little ones — you’ll likely deal with a sugar rush and crash soon after the party begins!

We were seated starting at around 7:30PM, even though the advertised start time is 8PM. Our recommendation is to get there early, because by arriving early we got an extra 30 minutes of eating and drinking. That’s a great bonus time!

The event is expensive at $114 per adult and $69 per child. You’re essentially paying that extra $15 for adults, as compared to the other versions of this party, to have those set seats in Tomorrowland Terrace. If you’d prefer to sit down and not fight the crowds (it can even get a bit crowded in the reserved section sometimes), then this could be a good choice for you.

It’s likely not something you’d add on to every trip. But, if you’re visiting during a special occasion and looking to celebrate with fireworks, drinks, and snacks, this could be a good pick. That said, it would be hard to eat and drink enough in a short time to really get your $$ worth here, but it’s more about the whole special experience. We also (in the name of science) had a reporter checking out one of the other Magic Kingdom dessert party options to compare. We’ll be back with that review soon to see if the extra $15 is REALLY worth the added cost. Stay tuned!

We’re always keeping up with the latest at Disney, so stay tuned for all the latest 50th Anniversary news and more!

Click Here to Read Our Review of California Grill’s New Disney Enchantment Fireworks Dessert Party!

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What do you think about this dessert party? Let us know in the comments! 

The post Review: Is Sitting in a Chair Really Worth An Extra at This Disney World Dessert Party? first appeared on the disney food blog.