Spotlight on the Wishes! Dessert Party

by Brook Wozniak

brook@mouseworldtravel.com

My family has done the Wishes! Dessert Party twice and we very much enjoyed it both times!  It's an excellent way to end a day at the Magic Kingdom and since we have a young child, it was pure bliss not having to face the crowds to find a good spot to view the fireworks.  

The Wishes! Fireworks Dessert Party at the Magic Kingdom gives you an exclusive viewing area for the nightly fireworks and a self-service dessert buffet.

Held most nights throughout the year, the Wishes! Dessert Party is held in the Tomorrowland Terrace.  The Party starts one hour prior to the showing of the fireworks and ends about 30 minutes after the fireworks.  There is generally a PhotoPass photographer at the party to capture some pictures of your traveling party with the iconic Cinderella's Castle.

Advance reservations are highly recommended; however, the time frame for when the dining window opens varies from month to month.  Just today part of July was opened, it is generally around 90 days in advance.

There are no discounts for this party and the Disney Dining Plan is not accepted.  Park admission to the Magic Kingdom is required.  The price ranges from $21.99-$25.99/adult and $11.99-$13.99/child (ages 3-9) and it can be booked online.

Enough with the details!  Let's get on to the GOOD stuff!  The FOOD!  

Banana Creme Pie

Fresh fruit, brownie, peanut butter chocolate dessert, raspberry sipper

Mini-creme brulees!

Chocolate covered strawberry, fresh fruit, cannoli, donut holes and...and...and!!!

Fruit Tart

Fruit Tart

Chocolate Mousse

Mini Tiramisu! 

Chocolate Raspberry Pistachio 

The view! It's not perfectly straight-on, but still a good view.

PhotoPass Photographer at the Party to capture family pictures

Contact your Mouse World Travel Agent to book this delicious Magical Add-On!

Interactive Games at Walt Disney World

Last year we told you all about the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, which has now been re-themed into Agent P's World Showcase Adventure (from Phineas & Ferb).

Building on it's popularity Disney recently launched Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom where you join Merlin's elite squadron of apprentice sorcerers to defeat the Disney villains. Using Merlin's map you embark on missions throughout the various lands of Magic Kingdom, unlocking Magic Portals using your Sorcerer Key card, and then challenging Hades and other villains using your Spell Cards.

And now another game, called "A Pirate's Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas" will be debuting this spring in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom!

All of these games are included in your theme park admission.

What do you think of these interactive games? Have you played Agent P's or Sorcerers?

MyMagic+ - coming soon to Walt Disney World!

Tom Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, explains more details on MyMagic+ and how it will enhance the Guest experience:

At Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, we continually push the boundaries of creativity and innovation to deliver the best possible experience for our Guests. We're always looking for ways to take what we do and do it even better. Over the past few years, we've devoted considerable time and resources to create a more immersive, more seamless and more personal experience for each and every Guest who spends time with us. I know there's been significant speculation about these efforts among our fans, so we're pleased to give you a glimpse into the work we are doing to take the entire Disney Guest experience to the next level.

Some of these initiatives are more apparent and can already be seen by our Guests - like our interactive queues at Walt Disney World Resort and the Enchanted Art on our cruise ships - while others are more behind-the-scenes and are focused on "how" visitors plan, access and enjoy their experiences with us. Over the next several months, we'll be rolling out a collection of tools at the Walt Disney World Resort called MyMagic+ that will give Guests more opportunities to customize and personalize their entire visit.

Like most people who visit Walt Disney World Resort, my family and I have our "must-do" attractions, and as the father of three boys, those attractions often end with the word "mountain." Now, rather than dashing as a group, or even splitting up to gather FastPasses, imagine booking guaranteed ride times for your favorite shows and attractions even before setting foot in the park. With MyMagic+, Guests will be able to do that and more, enabling them to spend more time together and creating an experience that's better for everyone.

A major component of MyMagic+ is the new My Disney Experience website and mobile app, which gives Guests planning their trip the latest information on all Walt Disney World Resort has to offer. We know that some people like to plan every aspect of their Disney vacation in advance while others like to plan very little, letting their day unfold spontaneously. No matter where Guests fall in that spectrum, My Disney Experience gives them the flexibility to plan as much or as little as they'd like to create the exact Disney experience they want. They can book dining and other experiences and reserve times for their favorite attractions, shows and more through an enhanced FastPass system,FastPass+. Once they arrive, they can use their smart phones to spontaneously change their plans in the moment, exploring our parks at their own pace and getting the most out of their visit.

Linking the entire MyMagic+ experience together is an innovative piece of technology we developed called the MagicBand. Worn on the wrist, it will serve as a Guest's room key, theme park ticket, access to FastPass+ selections, PhotoPasscard and optional payment account all rolled into one. We've began testing certain aspects of MyMagic+ in Florida last month and the early reactions we've gotten have been fantastic.

This collection of tools is another step forward in the ongoing evolution of our Guest experience, giving us even more ways to help friends and family create the unforgettable Disney memories that they want most. We'll be testing, adjusting and adding features to MyMagic+ and My Disney Experience over time and will continue to make improvements based on our Guests' feedback. We look forward to sharing more with you in the months ahead!

We will share more news as we hear it!  Be sure to subscribe to our blog, or Like us on Facebook to stay on top of the latest Disney news!

Reservations for Be Our Guest Restaurant open on August 20th!

It’s almost time! You can make reservations for Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom® Park beginning at noon on Aug. 20 by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

You can make reservations up to 180 days out – the very first seating will be for dinner on Nov. 19 – by calling 407-WDW-DINE (3463), or visiting any Walt Disney World® Guest Relations Theme Park location or Guest Services desk at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Online reservations will be available beginning on Aug. 22. at www.disneyworld.com/dine.

On the Disney Dining Plan, Be Our Guest is one quick-service entitlement for lunch, and one table-service restaurant entitlement for dinner. When booking a reservation, you will be required to provide a credit card number in advance and they will be charged $10.00 per person if a cancellation isn’t made at least one day in advance. This helps ensure that more Guests can enjoy the dining experiences available at Walt Disney World Resort restaurants.

Located at the base of the mountain below Beast’s castle, this themed venue transports diners to the magical world of “Beauty and the Beast.” Lunch is quick and casual (no reservations required), with Guest-activated terminals that make ordering a snap (there also will be traditional cashiers for cash orders and special dietary requests). Once you have ordered, simply take a seat and lunch will be delivered to your table – on china, not paper. Dinner is table service.

Cuisine is French inspired to match the hit animated film’s theme. Dinner selections include the usual favorites like steak, poultry and fish; but with a French flair befitting of the environment. Grilled strip steak with pommes frites (French fries), French onion soup and thyme-scented pork chop are just a few of the things found on the dinner menu. For lunch, you will be able to enjoy salads like the tuna Nicoise and sandwiches such as the Croque Monsieur (ham and cheese) and grilled steak sandwich with garlic butter spread. There will also be heartier fare, like braised pork and vegetable quiche.

The restaurant features three themed dining rooms: the mysterious West Wing with the “enchanted rose;” the Rose Gallery with twirling, larger-than-life figures of Belle and Beast; and The Ballroom with elegant details, such as a domed ceiling, twinkling chandeliers and glimpses of softly falling snow outside.

Preview & Grand Opening Dates Set for the New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park

Late afternoon some very exciting news broke - a date that you will want to add to your calendar!

As we have reported here, Fantasyland at the Walt Disney World is nearly doubling in size with several new attractions. The date everyone has been looking for was announced yesterday...the Grand Opening will be December 6, 2012 with previews beginning November 19.

Attractions slated to make their debuts:

• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, a major attraction where guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the film. The new attraction combines the enduring appeal of a classic Disney “dark ride” with wonderful technological innovations to offer guests a personal journey into the scenes of the film. Adventurers will feel as if they are descending below the ocean’s surface. Once “under the sea,” guests will find themselves immersed in the story of “The Little Mermaid,” sharing Ariel’s adventure through a magical cast of characters and a captivating musical score that will entice everyone to sing along. The fun continues at “Ariel’s Grotto,” a meet-and-greet with the mermaid heroine herself.
• The castle of the Beast stands majestically upon a hill across an old stone bridge from Ariel’s new home. The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature a lavish dining experience in the elegant ballroom, gallery, and mysterious “West Wing” of the castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent facility will offer “great food fast” service by day and full table service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle’s Village, guests will find the rousing Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.
• Just outside the village is Belle’s cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle. The adventure begins in Maurice’s workshop, where a magical mirror is the doorway to a captivating new kind of storytelling experience: guests will be transported to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive re-telling of the “tale as old as time.”

Beyond 2012, there’s more in store for Fantasyland guests:

• Located in the Castle Courtyard in the center of Fantasyland, Princess Fairytale Hall will be the new home for visiting royalty in the Magic Kingdom. The castle-like entrance will feature walls of stone and stained glass windows, opening up into a large gallery – an airy space with a high ceiling, where portraits of the Disney princesses adorn the walls. When it’s time for their audience with a princess, guests will proceed to elegantly finished rooms to meet Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel (2013).
• The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will take guests on a rollicking, musical ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” The coaster will feature a first-of-its-kind ride system with a train of vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to every twist and turn of the track. The journey will be accompanied by music from the classic Disney film and animated figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs (2014).

If you'd like to visit Walt Disney World for this exciting occasion, be sure to contact us today! There is a Free Dining discount out near these dates that just might make your trip even more sweet!