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Why we don’t think the Dessert Party during Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary Halloween party is worth it

Why we don’t think the Dessert Party during Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary Halloween party is worth it

There are several specially ticketed events offered at Walt Disney World throughout the year.

One of these events is the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom. These parties are offered several nights in August, September, and October and feature guests dressing up in costume, trick-or-treating, and other special activities that are only offered during the party.

chocolate covered strawberries with mickey's not so scary halloween party printed on them

One of the additional activities offered during the main Halloween party is the Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace. This event costs extra to attend (on top of the cost of the Halloween party ticket) and is kind of a party inside a party.

So, is it worth it to pay the extra to attend the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dessert party?

Probably not.

Dessert Parties

Dessert parties are not a Halloween Party exclusive thing. In fact, we’ve tried (and loved!) the dessert parties at Magic Kingdom several times.

We think those parties are great for when you are looking for something special to do during your vacation OR if you just don’t want to have to worry about finding a good spot to watch the fireworks OR if you have someone in your group who would feel safer being inside a closed area and not in the middle of the crowds.

But, when it comes to the dessert party at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, we feel a little bit differently.

mnsshp dessert party

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is already a specially ticketed event, which means you cannot use a normal park ticket to enter the park while it is occurring. You have to purchase a separate ticket if you want to go.

The cost to get into the Halloween Party is around $109-$199 (plus tax) for adults and $99-$189 (plus tax) for children (depending on the night). In all fairness, your MNSSHP ticket allows you to enter the park at 4pm even though the party itself runs from 7pm to 12am – but even with that perk, that is still pretty darn pricey.

Want to learn more about MNSSHP? Make sure you check out our Complete Guide to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which covers everything from tickets to entertainment to characters. We even have a map to help you find everything.

wristband for disney's not so spooky spectacular dessert party

Now add to that total ticket cost the price for the dessert parties during MNSSHP, which range from $99 to $115 per adult.

After some quick math, you can see just how pricey it can get.

Basically, if you want to do both (attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and the Halloween Dessert Party) you’re looking at paying a minimum of an estimate of $218/adult all the way to $300/adult.

Yikes!

Halloween Party Dessert Party Options

There are 2 different dessert party options to choose from. When it comes to desserts and drinks, both parties have the same offerings:

Desserts: Chocolate-dipped strawberries, cupcakes, seasonal fruits, cheeses, cookie decorating station, crêpes, etc.
Beverages: Sparkling beverages, signature lemonades, milk, water, coffee and tea; additionally, beer and wine will be available to guests 21 and over

The difference comes from the view you’ll have when attending the party.

Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing

  • Price: $99 (including tax and gratuity) for guests ages 10 and older; $69 (including tax and gratuity) for guests ages 3 to 9
  • View: Guaranteed firework viewing in the Plaza Garden. This view will put you nearly dead center on the castle, but although you can sit while you wait for the fireworks, during the show the Cast Members will require you to stand.
  • Book online
MNSSHP fireworks

Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace

  • Price: $115 (including tax and gratuity) for guests ages 10 and older; $69 (including tax and gratuity) for guests ages 3 to 9
  • View: Guaranteed firework viewing from a seating area on the restaurant’s terrace. This view is not “perfect” and you’ll be looking at the castle off on an angle, but, you will be able to sit during the show.
  • Book online
beer and wine - disney's not so spooky spectacular dessert party

Missing out on the Halloween Party

In addition to the costly expense of the dessert party, if you decide to attend one you’ll also be looking at losing a large chunk of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party time

This is one of our main complaints about “parties within parties” like this: the loss of time from the original event (the original event that you’re already paying a premium to attend, we might add).

assorted cheese - disney's not so spooky spectacular dessert party

Not only do you lose out on time to do other special events only offered at the party, unlike the other non-party nights, the crowds aren’t as bad, which means it shouldn’t be difficult to find a good viewing location for the fireworks without having to pay for dessert party viewing.

magic kingdom dessert parties

What to expect at the Halloween Dessert Parties

Here’s what to expect if you are planning to attend one of the Halloween Dessert Parties:

Checking In

After you book your reservation, you’ll receive information on checking in for the event. The fireworks are at 10:15 pm on party nights, but your check-in time will be 8:45 pm (for Plaza Garden Viewing) or 9:15 pm (for Tomorrowland Terrace viewing).

We recommend you show up closer to 8:15 pm if you want to avoid any lines and more importantly, if you would like to get one of the tables with the best views if you’ve booked the Tomorrowland Terrace dessert party.

disney's not so spooky spectacular dessert party check-in for mnsshp

When you check in you’ll be given a wristband and, if planning to drink alcohol, your ID will be checked. You’ll then be escorted to a table.

Snacks and drinks

After you get your table, you’ll be able to grab some snacks and drinks.

In general, there is nothing over-the-top “Halloween” about these treats. You can get basically very similar things during the regular dessert parties on non-MNSSHP days. That said, we think some of the desserts actually taste better here than what you get at the regular dessert parties.

The selection may always vary, but here’s an example of what you might find:

Beverages with alcohol

  • Veramonte Chardonnay
  • Zolo Signature Red Blend
  • Saracco Moscato d’Asti
  • Paul Cheneau Lady of Spain Cuvee Cava
  • Blue Moon Belgian White Ale
  • Bud Light
beverages

Beverages without alcohol

  • Water
  • Tea
  • Minute Maid Lemonade
  • Nestlé Passion Fruit, Orange, and Guava Juice
  • Strawberry Lemonade
  • Coffee
  • Hot tea
drinks

Snacks

  • Caramel apple crêpe
  • Assorted cheese and crackers
  • Assorted fruit
  • Chocolate and Vanilla cake bites
  • Firehouse donuts
  • Butterscotch pudding with caramel corn
  • Pumpkin toffee cupcakes
  • Devil’s chocolate pudding
  • Dark chocolate cookies
  • Chocolate covered strawberries
  • Pistachio crunch bars
  • Cookies ‘n cream cheesecake mousse
  • Key lime tarts
  • Decorate your own sugar cookie
snacks at the dessert party

You can come and go

As long as you have your wristband, you can come and go from Tomorrowland Terrace (if you are still dining) and the viewing area (if you have the dessert party with the Plaza Garden Viewing).

dessert party plate at disney's not so spooky spectacular fireworks dessert party

We did this several times, in fact. Our group split up and some stayed while others ducked out to catch the first parade or hop on a ride.

Fireworks

When it comes time for fireworks, those with the Plaza Garden View will be directed to the viewing location (or escorted if you don’t know where you are going). If you have Tomorrowland Terrace viewing, you’ll just be able to stay there at your table.

plaza garden viewing space for disney's not so spooky spectacular fireworks

If you want, you can even go out to the viewing area early to watch the parade from there – just know that the view isn’t that great.

On our night, we’d estimate the dessert party was at most 1/3 full. That means we had our pick of spots to watch the fireworks.

plaza garden dessert party viewing for disney's not so spooky spectacular

But, even on nights when it is sold out, it isn’t too difficult to find a spot in the garden. You can sit while you wait for the fireworks, but at about 5 minutes before showtime, they’ll ask you to stand up.

Who do we recommend attend the Fireworks Dessert Party?

Still on the fence? We have to admit, having a spot to sit and chill for a bit during a busy Halloween Party is kind of nice. We really loved that aspect of it when we gave it a try.

It may be worth it to those looking for something a little different to do at the party.

For instance, if you regularly attend the MNSSHP and are wanting to change your routine or experience something new, this could be a good option for you.

This might also be a good idea for anybody in your group that you know might need a break from the crowds and a place to sit and relax for a bit. The party almost becomes like a mini club lounge, where you have several hours to come and go while you snack and drink. That could be the perfect thing for some people.

disney's not so spooky spectacular fireworks

BUT – if you have never attended, or don’t attend the MNSSHP frequently, you should probably skip the dessert party and enjoy the Halloween party you are already paying a premium for.

For more information on the Fireworks Dessert Party during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (and to be purchase tickets), checkout the official Disney World website.

Want to learn more about MNSSHP? We have an entire Guide to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

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Heather Thomas

April

Thursday 24th of August 2023

How well can you see the Jack Skellingron puppet from the garden?

Lindsey

Monday 17th of October 2022

Can you stay in the plaza garden viewing area for the Hocus Pocus show? Is it a good view for that as well? Thanks!

Shannon Albert

Friday 21st of October 2022

That isn's a great space for Hocus Pocus. Need to be closer to the castle for that. We recommend being just behind the trolley tracks that go in front of the castle.

Edward Craft

Friday 10th of January 2020

Hi, We've attended the dessert parties both on normal days an during a NSSHP. While the ones on normal days have been excellent, the Halloween one was a major disappointment. It was the first Halloween party of the season and the cast members were not up to speed on the organisation. After finally gettng to the event we were seated on the far end next to Futureworld. There the lights spoint the view of the castle and nothing was audible over the peoplemover soundtrack repeating the same few lines every coupleof minutes. So we ended up having to watch the fireworks stood up throughout at the back of the restaurant behind everyone else. It wouldn't have been worth it even if it had been free - but as an expensive meal wasting our time it was a massive disappointment.