It’s time to talk Disney! I got to go on the new Ferrytale Dessert and Fireworks Cruise back in October 2015 shortly after it first started. (*Know that Disney can change any part of the experience at any time, so what I’m writing about may or may not be current when you go!) It was a super fun experience and something I’d definitely love to do again. Of all the different dessert buffets I’ve been to in Disney World, I think this was my favorite. So lets dive in!
Downsides –
There are a few things to be aware of, so we’ll get them out of the way before the fun stuff. First, the cruise departs from and returns to the Transportation and Ticket Center. That means you’re going to spend several hours outside of the park. It’s not a big deal if you’re staying for a week or if you’ve been to the park many times. But if this is a first visit just know you won’t be in the park for quite a while, so you can decide if that’s worth it for you. Second, the price is about twice as much as the other dessert buffets. While this cruise does offer unique experiences from the other dessert parties, the price reflects it. Third, the audio on the cruise tends to be rather soft and it’s easy to miss what they’re saying about the various locations you pass by amid the noise of the people and watching the scenery and getting your food. Lastly, the seating/tables don’t quite seem to fit the number of people on the cruise. It can be a little difficult at times to find a place to sit or a table to stand at. If you have trouble with that, try switching levels on the ferry – sometimes people congregate on one deck more than another.
Enough about that though! Let’s get on to the fun stuff!
We were all given a large plastic hoop necklace in various colors that lit up. (mine was pink!) You could have them flash in varied patterns or just stay on (or off, but that’s no fun!). Everyone was given a plastic plate with the logo of the party on them and a glass that also lit up in various colors. I enjoy the light-up items because, at Disney, it’s totally okay and fun to be a kid again! There were some drinks available in the waiting area so you could start the party before you even got on the ferry.
We were also given a black light flashlight. There were hidden Mickeys all over the walls of the ferry that you could only see with the black light. Most of them had letters inside Mickey. Once you found them all, you could unscramble the letters to solve a piece of Disney trivia. While I think it was mainly geared for the children, my mom and I had fun scouring the ferry for them.
The dessert buffet was wonderful! There was quite a good variety of types and flavors of dessert. I enjoyed just about everything I tried. The flourless chocolate cake themed for the Contemporary was absolutely fantastic! Very rich and dense and chocolately to the max! Cinderella’s shoe was also a fun touch. Since they’re made of a hard sugar, you can take them home with you… though I haven’t quite figured out what to do with them now! The buffet also had a couple kinds of tarts, cupcakes, and cakes. They also had cheese and cracker trays. I haven’t seen that at the other buffets and it’s a great addition. It’s so nice to have something to cut and balance out (a little!) the sweetness. Make sure you go to the tables on both the upper and lower decks as they have different desserts! And if the all-you-can-eat dessert buffet wasn’t enough sugar for you, they also handed out Mickey ice cream bars after the fireworks!
The cruise takes you around Bay Lake where you can see all the various Disney Magic Kingdom resorts. You also get to view the Electric Water Pageant – one of my favorite nostalgic things to see at Disney. Right before the fireworks go off, the ferry pulls up in line with Magic Kingdom. They pipe in the music very loud so you don’t have to worry about being able to hear. You are quite a ways off from Magic Kingdom though, so if you’re expecting it to pull up along the shore, you’ll be disappointed. It’s easy to see the fireworks and is a fun new angle to watch them.
Sorry for the bad iPhone photo, but that might give you a little idea of how far off the ferry is.
Overall, it was a great experience! The desserts were my favorite of any Disney dessert buffet so far and all the special extras made it very magical and fun. I’d definitely recommend it!
Happy Cruising!
Will you be booking a Ferrytale Wishes Fireworks Dessert Cruise in the near future?