Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts

Decadent Desserts and Fantastic Fireworks!

If you have a sweet tooth and crave a little VIP experience, you won't want to miss the Happily Ever After Fireworks  Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace in Magic Kingdom.  On our most recent Walt Disney World Resort vacation, our group decided to try this out and we weren't disappointed.  I have never done one of the paid dessert parties while visiting Walt Disney World for a few reasons - namely it seems crazy to pay for premier fireworks viewing that you can ultimately get for free.  However, the experience was well worth it!

First of all, you'll want to note when booking that there are two options for the Happily Ever After Fireworks Dessert Party.  While both begin with a dessert smorgasbord at Tomorrowland Terrace, there are two different viewing locations when it comes time to watch the show.  The first is to remain on the Tomorrowland Terrace where seating is available, but, from some reviews I've read, viewing can sometimes be a bit "off" as you are looking at the castle from an off-center location.  The other option, which we happened to select, was the Garden Viewing.  This takes you front and center with a prime location to watch the nighttime spectacular.  This is the same as the old FastPass+ viewing location if you ever used that during Wishes.  With the limited number of tickets sold, there is so much room available, you won't be crowded at all!

Stepping back to the beginning, when you arrive at Tomorrowland Terrace, you are greeted by a cast member who checks you in and gives you a wristband depending on your viewing location.  On the night of our party, the fireworks were scheduled to begin at 9 and our dessert party began at 7:45.  No worries if you're not there right on time though as it's simply an open buffet.  The desserts were quite delicious and there were certainly plenty to choose from.  My personal favorites were the chocolate covered strawberries and the chocolate fountain with fresh fruit and marshmallows.  There was also a beverage station that featured a selection of juices, including the ever popular POG juice (pomegranate, orange, and grapefruit).  There was also a selection of hot tea, coffee, and hot chocolate - which was very popular on our December night as temps were in the 30s during the dessert party.  Another added perk during dessert time is the private bathrooms for the party!

Around 8:45, we made our way down to the reserved viewing location.  It felt great to be able to walk up to a prime spot without having to be sitting and saving our seats for 90 minutes!  The show began promptly at 9 and it was AMAZING!  I'll have a separate post devoted to the show itself, but the new Happily Ever After is not one to miss.  As I mentioned earlier, we had so much room around us, Brody actually held his own dance party throughout the fireworks.  When the show ended, cast members showed us to the back of Main Street USA to exit.  While this is not a reserved exit for those in the show, it's a handy tip to remember if you're near Tomorrowland Terrace to view as there were a lot less people heading that way then the normal crowds on Main Street USA.  You still merge back with the crowd at the train station to then exit the park, but it gets you down there much quicker.

View from the Garden Viewing Location
Overall, the Happily Ever After Fireworks Dessert Party was enjoyable for our group.  Is it something I would splurge on every trip?  Definitely not.  At $59 per adult and $35 per child, it's an added expense that certainly is not a necessity.  But it was very convenient, great viewing location, and good food.  If you're looking for a special treat on your next Walt Disney World vacation, check it out!
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Can You Handle The Kitchen Sink??

There are several things that any Disney fanatic will tell you should be on your "must conquer" list at some point during your Walt Disney World vacations.  In November, we tackled one of my bucket list items - the Kitchen Sink Sundae at Beaches and Cream.  Beaches and Cream is located poolside at Disney's Beach Club Resort just outside of Epcot.  It's a great place to visit on your Epcot park day as you can easily exit Epcot through International Gateway, turn to your right, and you're just a short 5 minute walk away.

While Beaches and Cream serves a full menu of lunch and dinner items, they are best known for their ice cream.  The decor is reminiscent of a 1950s soda shop and features diner favorites, such as grilled sandwiches and fries.  We had dinner in Epcot and then made a 7:30 reservation for Beaches and Cream to grab dessert prior to going back for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth.  Reservations are tough to grab for this restaurant as the inside seating area is extremely small.  There is a "carry-out" side of Beaches and Cream if you can't get a reservation inside.  They feature a smaller version of the kitchen sink sundae then what you'll find inside, but they host a full compliment of ice cream flavors.
Upon being seated, our server quickly greeted us and we shared that we were here with one thing on our mind - the Kitchen Sink.  He was happy to fill us in on all of the delicious details.  We have a picky eater in our family and our server even offered to "deconstruct" the sundae a bit and put some of the ice cream in a separate dish so that Brody could enjoy a plain treat if all of the sundae toppings were too much.  After placing our order, it was just a short wait for the arrival of our dessert.  And it arrived in grand fashion.  The lights in the restaurant dimmed and sirens went off to signal that a brave table was attempting to conquer The Kitchen Sink.

So what's in this sundae you ask?  It features ice cream, whipped cream, hot fudge, cake, brownies, sprinkles, candy, and so much more.  The full list of what's included can be found on the Disney Parks Blog.  It was heaven in a bowl. We didn't quite finish the masterpiece - actually we didn't even come close, but it was enjoyable down to the last bite that we could manage.  At $32.00, the Kitchen Sink is a heavy hit to the budget, but when you think that it can easily serve a family of 4+ as opposed to paying for four individual desserts and that it's probably a splurge for a special occasion, it really isn't too terrible of a price for you get.

What do you think?  Can your family conquer the Kitchen Sink?  Don't forget one of my favorite sayings for all of your runners out there. . ."I run Disney so I can eat Disney!"
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