Dessert Party on December 30?

[brave321]

A few questions about this... Do they have a dessert party on December 30? Do they have one for both fireworks shows? When can you start reserving them? Is it better to call or check online? How much does it cost?

I wouldn't ask so many questions, but I don't know if they do things differently since it's the holidays and they do the first run of the NYE fireworks that night. Also, they don't appear to put any announcements or information about the dessert parties for the holidays in advance so I was hoping someone on here might have experience with this sort of thing.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[FelisLachesis]

I'm not sure which dessert party you're referring to, but from what i saw yesterday:

FEA at Epcot is not doing a dessert party that day

HEA at MK is doing a dessert party, but it was sold out, at least when I checked yesterday. There was availability for the 6:00 party on the 31st, but the midnight party is sold out, also.

For some reason today, everything is greyed out for all dessert parties. Maybe they'll come back online tomorrow, and there might be availability, but no promises.

 

[AnneK]

FYI I had to call in today to reserve the Magic Kingdom dessert party for Dec. 9th. For some reason I could see reservations last night but not today, but there was availability.

 

[brave321]

I'm not sure which dessert party you're referring to, but from what i saw yesterday:

FEA at Epcot is not doing a dessert party that day

HEA at MK is doing a dessert party, but it was sold out, at least when I checked yesterday. There was availability for the 6:00 party on the 31st, but the midnight party is sold out, also.

For some reason today, everything is greyed out for all dessert parties. Maybe they'll come back online tomorrow, and there might be availability, but no promises.

That's weird... I asked a cm online and they said that the reservations would open up at 90 days but I guess they opened it up early and I missed it

 

[FelisLachesis]

That's weird... I asked a cm online and they said that the reservations would open up at 90 days but I guess they opened it up early and I missed it

The parties have been added rather erratically a month at a time. HEA had opened for January 2018 at the beginning of July, and FEA opened for December 2017 in the middle of August. I was not paying attention to the SW party as I'm not interested in attending that one. Since HEA opened for January 6 months prior, I think December 2017 was opened in June sometime, but I'm not 100% sure.

Those of us with trips in 2018 are hoping the inability to book online today means that they're loading the next month in the system (Feb '18 for HEA, and Jan '18 for FEA)

I feel bad that you were waiting for something, and the availability already came and went. The best thing to do, now, is to keep checking like a hawk and see if something opens up. The Touringplans reservation finder does not, as of yet, check for dessert parties.

 

[LisaDKG]

I think the booking accessibility has either been really glitchy or Disney is messing around with their plans/timing so much that they just keep changing things online. I was able to book Dec. 30 for the midnight showing a week and a half ago but have been looking every day for the past month for a party on any night between Dec 27-29. Those dates changed from gray to blue and now gray again and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss them being released. It is definitely possible that any parties on the 30th are already sold out because of the special fireworks that night but I would absolutely keep checking for cancellation or even for the possibility that it is Disney that has taken down the availability and might put it back up.

 

[brave321]

I just got an email back from a cm... She said that the plans dessert parties for that date haven't opened yet but I should check back later this month. This confuses me because Lisadkg said she was already able to book one. I guess I should keep checking just in case? There must be some reason all the dates have been gray for the pst couple days

 

[FelisLachesis]

I just got an email back from a cm... She said that the plans dessert parties for that date haven't opened yet but I should check back later this month. This confuses me because Lisadkg said she was already able to book one. I guess I should keep checking just in case? There must be some reason all the dates have been gray for the pst couple days

That's blatantly wrong. I have a HEA dessert party booked for Jan 2.

 

[brave321]

That's blatantly wrong. I have a HEA dessert party booked for Jan 2.

I would say maybe it's different because they do New Year's fireworks on the 30th and treat it like a holiday, so they could have opened up other dates, just not the New Year's ones. However, someone said that they already booked one for the 30th so that can't be true. I'm utterly confused and can't seem to get a straight answer. I wish they would just come out and say what the deal is

 

[brave321]

And I can't even call the dining phone because they're only taking calls about trips during Irma right now. It's completely understandable and I'm glad they're helping people who have to cancel trips, but my timing couldn't have been worse (but that's my luck)

 

[LisaDKG]

On another related thread, a poster suggested they might be shutting things down entirely just to deal with Irma cancellations right now.

 

[brave321]

I chatted online with a cm. He then asked someone from the dining team who said that dessert parties for December 30 will open 60 days before on Oct. 31. I don't know if it was open for a time and people were able to book or what, but that's what he said and that's what I'm hoping is true

 

[FelisLachesis]

I would say maybe it's different because they do New Year's fireworks on the 30th and treat it like a holiday, so they could have opened up other dates, just not the New Year's ones. However, someone said that they already booked one for the 30th so that can't be true. I'm utterly confused and can't seem to get a straight answer. I wish they would just come out and say what the deal is

I'm curious, which dessert party are you looking for, the one at Epcot, MK, SW in HS? Is there one at AK?

 

[brave321]

I'm curious, which dessert party are you looking for, the one at Epcot, MK, SW in HS? Is there one at AK?

Magic Kingdom

 

[FelisLachesis]

Magic Kingdom

Back before they greyed everything out, the 30th was totally booked. Will thee be more slots when they reopen the dates? I don't know. However, HEA was bookable until January 31. The only unavailable dates were for the hard ticket party events. Since MVMCP ends December 22, then from the 23rd and on, HEA dessert should be bookable, unless sold out.

 

[LisaDKG]

Wait, I just had a thought! I remember reading somewhere that in the week after Christmas, all the shows that are normally on during MVMCP become the shows at MK up until the 30th/New Year's - I for sure remember a mention that the parade shown at the party becomes the parade in the afternoon. Maybe that is true of the fireworks too and Holiday Wishes is played instead of HEA? And that is why there has been no availability yet - because the calendars all show that HEA is playing but it will really be Holiday Wishes?

The trouble is that it is actually impossible to know if it is sold out or if it is just showing that way on the site. I just double checked my confirmation emails and I was able to book the Dec. 30th party on August 10th. I had been looking for these parties throughout the week of Christmas for over a month before then. I really wanted HEA on the 27th and checked 26th to 31st every day. They were all grayed out dates. Then they became blue but showed no availability - I'm pretty sure the whole week did not get sold out within the day that maybe passed with me checking repeatedly. Then the 30th became available and I booked it but it even stayed available for a couple of weeks after that. The dates earlier in that week went to blue but showed no availability. Now they are gray again. Unless someone on here is able to tell me they were, at some point, able to get an HEA (or Holiday Wishes for that matter) reservation for Dec. 26th to Dec 29th, then in my opinion HEA has never been made available online for that week yet.

Sorry for rambling OP - you are really asking about Dec. 30th fireworks and I'm going on and on with my conspiracy theories but I think the bottom line is that the CMs know nothing and website/party/reservation/upkeep is a hot mess!

 

[FelisLachesis]

Just wanted to give you an update, @brave321 regarding the dessert party. All the dates for the HEA dessert parties are blue until March 5, save the dates reserved for MNSSHP and MVMCP, which will be in grey.

Checking the dates around the 30th real quick, only the plaza view on the 31st for 6:00 pm is bookable. Midnight for the 31st is showing totally booked. Nothing for the 30th, either the terrace or garden is available.

Try calling WDW Dining at (407) 939-3463 (WDW-DINE) to see if they can see anything we can't.

 

[brave321]

Yeah, apparently there was some miscommunication with the cms I talked to. When I said dessert party, they thought I meant special event not dessert party and told me 60 days. Dessert parties all should be 180 day... meaning I missed it and there's truly no times available. I'm going to try to call but it seems like they are busy with Irma stuff. If that doesn't work I guess I'll be stuck checking multiple times a day and calling to see if anythings opened up. Unless there is another way to get reserved fireworks viewing, but I don't think there is

 

[brave321]

Wait, I just had a thought! I remember reading somewhere that in the week after Christmas, all the shows that are normally on during MVMCP become the shows at MK up until the 30th/New Year's - I for sure remember a mention that the parade shown at the party becomes the parade in the afternoon. Maybe that is true of the fireworks too and Holiday Wishes is played instead of HEA? And that is why there has been no availability yet - because the calendars all show that HEA is playing but it will really be Holiday Wishes?

The trouble is that it is actually impossible to know if it is sold out or if it is just showing that way on the site. I just double checked my confirmation emails and I was able to book the Dec. 30th party on August 10th. I had been looking for these parties throughout the week of Christmas for over a month before then. I really wanted HEA on the 27th and checked 26th to 31st every day. They were all grayed out dates. Then they became blue but showed no availability - I'm pretty sure the whole week did not get sold out within the day that maybe passed with me checking repeatedly. Then the 30th became available and I booked it but it even stayed available for a couple of weeks after that. The dates earlier in that week went to blue but showed no availability. Now they are gray again. Unless someone on here is able to tell me they were, at some point, able to get an HEA (or Holiday Wishes for that matter) reservation for Dec. 26th to Dec 29th, then in my opinion HEA has never been made available online for that week yet.

Sorry for rambling OP - you are really asking about Dec. 30th fireworks and I'm going on and on with my conspiracy theories but I think the bottom line is that the CMs know nothing and website/party/reservation/upkeep is a hot mess!

They really need to get more organized and shared more info with cast members! It seems like it was made available and is just sold out but I will keep checking!

 

[constanze]

I was able to book the 10:40 pm dessert party on December 30th. I checked my confirmation date and it was confirmed on August 9th.