Once upon a time, 2 princess-wannabes decided to check out one of the fanciest events of them all: The Signature Celebration Package at Cinderella's Royal Table.
With delectable eats, an exclusive viewing location for the Happily Ever After fireworks, and a price tag that might make even the fairest in the land gasp, this special event was a lot of fun, but probably not worth it for everyone.
Here's why...
What is the Signature Celebration Package at Cinderella's Royal Table?
Probably the easiest way to think of this package is kind of like 3 things wrapped up into one:
- dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table (with an exclusive menu only available to guests booking this package)
- a dessert party (with other guests that booked the After-Fireworks Dessert Party for Happily Ever After)
- priority viewing for Happily Ever After (the viewing for this package is better than the viewing location you get from the regular dessert parties at Magic Kingdom)
Cost and reservations
The total cost for this package is $199 for adults and $169 for kids (plus tax and gratuities).
Guests wishing to book it can do so online.
How it works
First of all, let it be known that we love the splurge of an exclusive event, especially to mark special occasions.
And, lots of times, once you do the math the extra cost for lots of splurges really don't seem so bad when you consider what you get in return.
So, when we attended the Signature Celebration we really, really wanted to love it.
And we did.
We loved it all, but when compared to other special events (like the Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace) we weren't sure we quite got our money's worth.
More on that below.
Check-In
When it comes time to check-in you'll want to make sure you're prompt and not too early.
In fact, we were told we could check in no earlier than 5 minutes before our reservation.
Just like when you dine at Cinderella's Royal Table normally, the check-in location is at a podium/desk outside just off the walkway through the castle (right next to the entrance to Sir Mickey's).
Wristband & photograph
After you check-in you'll be directed inside where you'll receive your sparkly wristband before lining up for a photograph with both Cinderella and Prince Charming.
Typically, outside of special occasions like Valentines Day, guests dining at Cinderella's Royal Table only get to take a photograph with Cinderella, so the photo opp with both is a nice touch.
After your photo you'll be directed to wait downstairs until your party is called.
Menu
The menu for this special package is slightly different from the standard dinner offerings and as a nice perk you get to take it with you to as a souvenir.
You get 1 complimentary glass of sparkling wine (but you can order more for an additional charge). Your choice of soda, tea, or coffee is also included with your meal.
In addition to your drink, this package also includes an appetizer and an entrée:
Since an entire dessert party is included later in the evening, instead of a full dessert at dinner you get cute souvenir truffles decorated like Cinderella's carriage:
Characters
Cinderella's Royal Table is a character meal and that means you'll be visited by several princesses while you dine.
Arial, Snow White, Jasmine, and Aurora all make their way through the restaurant for photos and autographs.
Fun extras
The other extras that Cinderella's Royal Table is known for are also included.
Wishing Stars, magic wands, and swords are all part of the experience.
And yes, even if you are 2 adult women dining without children you still get your own magic wands.
Fireworks
As your meal is wrapping up you'll be given a map to show you where you need to go for your exclusive fireworks viewing location.
You'll be asked to arrive 15 minutes before the show begins.
We arrived roughly 30 minutes before the show and had our pick of spots. But, even the people that arrived just a few minutes before the fireworks started had lots of good seats to choose from.
Out of all of the pieces to this package, this was by far our favorite.
Located in West Plaza Garden, this is a great spot for watching the fireworks.
And, unlike the East Plaza Garden (where all the regular Happily Ever After Dessert Party guests watch) this space does not get crowded at all.
In fact, there was tons of room for people to spread out.
Because we were pretty tired (and we were in the front row) we opted to stay seated for the fireworks.
This was our view from that spot:
As you can see by the photo, this location puts you just a tiny bit off-center but you still get the full effect of all the fireworks and projections.
And, had we opted to stand we would have had an even better view.
Dessert party
After the fireworks are over you'll be directed to stay in place for a few minutes while the crowds thin out a bit.
When enough people have cleared the sidewalk outside the viewing area, Cast Members will lead everybody as 1 group over to the Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant for the dessert party portion of the evening.
For us, this was probably the least magical part of the entire package.
There isn't anything special or extra to this dessert party; it is the same dessert party attended by the After-Fireworks Dessert Party guests.
In fact, because this fireworks viewing location was further away from Tomorrowland Terrace (and because we had to wait for the crowds to clear to make it over there), our group of Signature Celebration people was the last to arrive.
There were still plenty of treats and desserts left, but, we felt very rushed.
While the menu can change, the typical offerings include:
- chocolate-dipped strawberries
- Disney character-themed desserts
- ice cream
- decorate-your-own cookies and cupcakes
- Ooey gooey toffee cake
- s’mores
- eggrolls
- spinach dip
- selection of cheeses
When it comes to drinks you'll have the choice of:
- sparkling cider
- Hot chocolate
- lemonade and punch
- water
- coffee and tea
Perhaps things would have felt different had the park been closing later, but we had just started dining on our desserts when the After-Fireworks Dessert Party guests started leaving and the Cast Members started cleaning up.
Is the Signature Celebration Dining Package worth it?
To find out if it is worth it or not, let's assign some values to the different components:
Purchased separately:
Dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table: $75 (on average)
After-Fireworks Dessert Party: $89 (for parties booked beginning Feb. 1, 2020)
Total: $164
Compared to:
Signature Celebration Dining Package
Dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table
Exclusive viewing location for fireworks
After-Fireworks Dessert Party
Total: $199
So, you're basically paying $35 dollars for a (much) less-crowded exclusive fireworks viewing area, a glass of sparkling wine, and a souvenir truffle.
For some people, that $35 difference will be totally worth it. And, in fact, for a couple or small group we might even agree.
But, if you have a large family, that average of $35 extra per person is going to add up fast.
Our vote is save this package for special occasions or times when you really want that feeling of exclusivity.
Otherwise, purchase the events separately and save some money.
One Response
This is a great article! Exactly the information I was looking for. I think we will “splurge” on the $35 for a 5 year old little girl’s 1st visit. We have CRT breakfast and a dessert party already booked, so will switch to this! Thanks!