MK dessert party annoyance...

[acarsme123]

Not sure if this or the restaurant thread was most appropriate to post this, but I have a little rant about the Magic Kingdom before fireworks dessert party. I just wanted to see if anyone else experienced this. The dessert party itself was fine. I thought the selections and quality were pretty decent. We were definitely stuffed. We showed up slightly before 7:30pm and they seated us right away. We were some of the first ones in. We had plenty of time to eat and didn’t feel rushed at all. We decided to head to the garden area a little early. There were already a decent amount of people sitting in the garden area. We found a spot near one of the fenced off shrubs towards the back and sat down. As the show time got closer I noticed a lot of people standing along a fence line on the other side of the sidewalk that runs in front of the garden area we were in. These people were kind of starting to block the view. My wife noted that it looked like a lot of people in wheelchairs were in this area. Ok, if that’s what it was then I guess that’s understandable. But as the show time got closer it seemed this area was filling up with more people standing that weren’t part of any wheelchair escort. But I can’t say for sure.
Then, a few minutes before show time, one of the ushers motions to people sitting in our garden area to stand up and come forward! So everyone starts standing up and pushing towards the fence! So now our good view was further ruined, which forced us to stand in which now I felt like the jerk because I was now blocking the views of some of the families that were sitting behind us on the ground! There was absolutely no need for them to tell everyone to start standing. I thought the whole point of the garden area was to be able to sit and relax and enjoy the show from a seated position? If everyone would have kept sitting, we all would have had good views for the most part.

 

[Anna131517]

I’m sorry you had a bad experience. That wasn’t our experience at all. It wasn’t super crowded, no one stood on the sidewalk in front of us, and we sat for the entire thing - most people did. We were there over MLK week in January. I loved it because the kids could run around with other kids in an enclosed area while we waited for things to start. They did have an area marked off for wheelchairs at the front of the area.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't have expected everyone to sit for the fireworks. In fact, I'm surprised that some have had that experience.

 

[Dug720]

I wouldn't have expected everyone to sit for the fireworks. In fact, I'm surprised that some have had that experience.

This. I would honestly not feel safe sitting in a crowd that big. What if there was an emergency requiring immediate movement? You'd be trampled trying to get up.

 

[Bjkandma]

Never been able to sit during fireworks or shows. Disney cast members make everyone stand. It is a safety issue. If you are sittinb, you risk being injured.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

This happened to my son and his family when they did the dessert party. They had a great spot but their view was blocked by people in front of the fence so they stood up. The people behind them kept telling them to sit down and complaining about them blocking the view. Partially ruined his experience and he said he would not do it again.

 

[acarsme123]

I don’t feel there would have been any safety issues with people sitting in the garden area for the show. I felt bad for the families with real little kids. The kids would have been able to see if everyone could have stayed sitting. But as soon as the ushers told people to stand that was ruined and now families would have been forced to hoist their kids up on shoulders just to see. Completely ridiculous and unnecessary in my opinion.

i am convinced too that a lot of people standing on the sidewalk in front of the garden area were not with any wheelchair party. It seemed like the ushers were trying to keep it blocked off from people early on but that they were losing control as the fireworks show got closer and people were just doing what they wanted.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don’t feel there would have been any safety issues with people sitting in the garden area for the show. I felt bad for the families with real little kids. The kids would have been able to see if everyone could have stayed sitting. But as soon as the ushers told people to stand that was ruined and now families would have been forced to hoist their kids up on shoulders just to see. Completely ridiculous and unnecessary in my opinion.

i am convinced too that a lot of people standing on the sidewalk in front of the garden area were not with any wheelchair party. It seemed like the ushers were trying to keep it blocked off from people early on but that they were losing control as the fireworks show got closer and people were just doing what they wanted.

The sidewalk in front of the garden is not blocked off for the fireworks, or is it?

I would never have booked that area and assumed everyone would be seated. It in fact wouldn't be safe, as in what if a parent had to hurry a child out? Too easy to step on someone. I'm sorry you were disappointed.

 

[acarsme123]

When we watched the party two years ago from Main Street I remember we initially tried to stay by the fence area along the sidewalk. The ushers l told us we had to move. It seemed like during our dessert party the ushers were initially telling people they couldn’t stop at the sidewalk to view the fireworks. As the show got closer though it seemed like the ushers were losing out on that battle and people were just doing what they wanted.

 

[Disnsyncey]

I just don't know why they smushed everybody to the front. I know that sitting is probably unsafe once the lights go down, but if everyone were standing, I would scoot myself to the far back to get the better view (and to look over the people all squished at the front).

 

[galnar]

I totally agree with you OP. We had some people bum rush the rope while the ushers were preoccupied, which contributed to the problem. This is one add on that wasn't worth the $ for us.

 

[Skywise]

Yeah - I was there for the 12/30 NYE party and everybody was sitting and chilling and then suddenly the CMs are walking around demanding everybody stand up for the fireworks.
I don't get the safety issue - I suppose there's some fear that people walking during the fireworks will step on people sitting but you have that same problem for the previous 30 minutes working up to the fireworks.
Maybe it's a general rule park-wide during the fireworks and THAT makes sense but I would think you could at least stay seated in a controlled area like that.

 

[sjrec]

We leaned along the fence in the very back and had a great view. I just assumed people would stand but many were seated when the fireworks began.

 

[acarsme123]

We were originally by the fenced in bush there in the middle but the one off to the right of your picture. Had a great view while sitting. Lots of families behind us with little kids. We all had good views until they forced us to stand. Then when we decided to stand after everyone in front of us was doing it, we were now blocking the families behind us with young kids. I felt bad. It didn’t really have to be that way in my opinion. I feel like writing Disney to just voice my opinion about it. Not that it will probably do any good.

 

[chaoskids]

Everyone stood when we did this party.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Then, a few minutes before show time, one of the ushers motions to people sitting in our garden area to stand up and come forward! So everyone starts standing up and pushing towards the fence! So now our good view was further ruined, which forced us to stand in which now I felt like the jerk because I was now blocking the views of some of the families that were sitting behind us on the ground! There was absolutely no need for them to tell everyone to start standing. I thought the whole point of the garden area was to be able to sit and relax and enjoy the show from a seated position? If everyone would have kept sitting, we all would have had good views for the most part.

The only guaranteed seated area for HEA is the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party. The garden is there so you can have a closer view of the castle, but it's still technically "standing-room" only.

 

[cakebaker]

We’ve done this many times and have always been told to stand. People sitting tend to stick their legs out, extend their arms, even lay down. In the dark, if someone needed to leave, they could easily trip, fall or step on someone. We do this party every trip, now only the after party, and have never been dissatisfied. On the few times someone blocked our view, always either their phone in the air or their kid on their shoulders, there was plenty of room to shift a little to be able to see. Those times are rare though, for us at least.

 

[Kaadk]

Not sure if this or the restaurant thread was most appropriate to post this, but I have a little rant about the Magic Kingdom before fireworks dessert party. I just wanted to see if anyone else experienced this. The dessert party itself was fine. I thought the selections and quality were pretty decent. We were definitely stuffed. We showed up slightly before 7:30pm and they seated us right away. We were some of the first ones in. We had plenty of time to eat and didn’t feel rushed at all. We decided to head to the garden area a little early. There were already a decent amount of people sitting in the garden area. We found a spot near one of the fenced off shrubs towards the back and sat down. As the show time got closer I noticed a lot of people standing along a fence line on the other side of the sidewalk that runs in front of the garden area we were in. These people were kind of starting to block the view. My wife noted that it looked like a lot of people in wheelchairs were in this area. Ok, if that’s what it was then I guess that’s understandable. But as the show time got closer it seemed this area was filling up with more people standing that weren’t part of any wheelchair escort. But I can’t say for sure.
Then, a few minutes before show time, one of the ushers motions to people sitting in our garden area to stand up and come forward! So everyone starts standing up and pushing towards the fence! So now our good view was further ruined, which forced us to stand in which now I felt like the jerk because I was now blocking the views of some of the families that were sitting behind us on the ground! There was absolutely no need for them to tell everyone to start standing. I thought the whole point of the garden area was to be able to sit and relax and enjoy the show from a seated position? If everyone would have kept sitting, we all would have had good views for the most part.

This was pretty much our experience too. First dessert party I did was in the terrace in ‘14, and that was great. When we went back in ‘17 the garden viewing was an option, and it was a little cheaper, so I booked that, assuming it was just maybe an expanded area outside of the roof, and was cheaper because of the risk of rain. It wasn’t what I expected or wanted, instead getting the experience you did. For what I got, I could have saved the money and just showed up to stake out a place 3 hours before the fireworks. That would have been the same amount of time out of our day, and the same lack of seats or views.

So, during the ‘19 trip, I paid attention to what I was booking and made sure to be back on the terrace. It’s the only way I’ll do the dessert party anymore.

 

[Donzie]

Long gone are the days of scoring a fastpass for the Rose Garden Wishes viewing area. It was (dare I say) free, just had to score a last minute fastpass or grab it earlier and know you had a secure crush free area.

Last time I went to it (prior to them bulldozing the area) crowds were massive. People were trying to jump the knee high fence and trample hedges and roses and CM's had to create a wall and yell at folks to keep walking. All the while I sat 20 feet away with my fastpass in the not crowded Rose Garden while Tink flew above.

No longer, thanks Chapek. Now it's pay for a desert party premium seat at the Terrace or standing room only Garden Plaza viewing area. If you enjoy it and got the $$ good on you, I just cannot accept that it was once free to have a secured calm area (albeit no deserts).

 

[Mambo Junkie]

My son was not upset at standing, he was upset with the people who were yelling at him to sit down or otherwise making comments about their standing.