It’s a beautiful day to think about Disney World, don’t you think? Who are we kidding? Every day is a beautiful day to think about Disney World!
If you’ve got a Disney vacation coming up this fall, you probably have Disney on the brain often. Well, if you’re lucky enough to be going to see the Mouse soon, we want to help you out with five NEW Disney upgrades that just might be the right fit for your trip! Let’s dive in.
1. Updates to the Happily Ever After Dessert Parties
The Happily Ever After Dessert Parties have been around for a while but they’ve had a big enough change that we’re calling it a TOTALLY new upgrade for your trip!
Since February of this year, the Magic Kingdom dessert parties now offer alcohol! Now, guests ages 21 and up can sip on beer or wine while they chow down on all types of Disney desserts! We’re still freaking out TBH.
The addition of booze also came with a price increase, but we still think this is a decent option! You’ll pay $99 for the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party, $79 for the Plaza Garden View Party, or $89 for the After Fireworks Party! Plus, this is the ONLY way you’ll get a drink in Magic Kingdom outside of an actual sit-down restaurant.
It’s worth noting here that we’ve had conflicting reports on if alcohol is served with the Plaza Garden Viewing option. Some guests have reported to us there was no alcohol, but when we spoke to a Cast Member, we were told alcohol WAS included with this party. We suggest if you’re looking at that particular party to call and verify BEFORE you book.
We definitely think splurging on one of these parties could be a GREAT addition to your vacay. You won’t have to stake out a spot for the fireworks, you’ll get a BETTER view than if you had, and you get to snack on some tasty desserts. Besides, we’ll never pass up a chance to watch Happily Ever After with a glass of sparkling wine in hand! 😉
Click HERE to see a full review of the UPGRADED Happily Ever After Dessert Party!
2. Disney Dining Plan Plus
This next one COULD be a great option for you, depending on how you use it. Disney World recently added a new version of the popular Disney Dining Plan called Disney Dining Plan Plus.
The Plus is more flexible than other versions of the plan and is priced at $94.61 per night for adults and $35.01 per night for kids. That’s pricier than the Standard Plan and less expensive than the Deluxe Plan.
While we always recommend crunching the numbers to see if you can save money with a Disney Dining Plan before purchasing it, the Plus plan is a nice middle ground between the Standard and Deluxe plans.
You’ll have two credits per day to get a full meal and dessert at whatever restaurant you like, whether it’s quick service or table service, plus two snack credits. That way you’re able to have more choice in where you dine!
Now, you are really going to have to crunch the numbers on this one. Can you eat ALL that food, and ensure you’re buying the most expensive items and saving as much dough as you can?
We broke down all the numbers for the new Dining Plan Plus. Check it out HERE!
3. Capture Your Moment Sessions
Next up, we’ve got a PhotoPass experience that’s brand new! Why don’t you consider adding a professional, personal photoshoot IN Magic Kingdom to your trip? Of course, you can always get tons of cool pictures around the Disney parks with the help of PhotoPass photographers, but now you can have a personal and dedicated photographer with the Capture Your Moment session!
Each session lasts up to 20 minutes for $50 or you can book back-to-back sessions for $100. When you consider that other Disney photoshoots can cost HUNDREDS of dollars, this one looks like a pretty darn good deal!
Keep in mind, you do have to purchase your pictures separately. BUT if you purchase Memory Maker for your trip or someone in your group is an Annual Passholder, you’ll get all the photos included!
If you’re planning on something special like an engagement, anniversary, or family reunion, these sessions could be a GREAT upgrade for your trip! Maybe you just want to “capture your moment” of a great Disney trip with the whole family — that sounds pretty special, too. You can call 407-939-7758 to book your own session.
To find out how YOU can ‘Capture Your Moment,’ click here!
4. Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life
If you’ve got a love of entertainment, then do we have a great idea for upgrading your next trip to Disney World! Cirque du Soleil is finally returning to Disney Springs with the all-new show Drawn to Life. If you haven’t seen a Cirque show then this may be the PERFECT first show to experience!
The new show is housed in a permanent theatre on the West Side of Disney Springs. We’re super excited to see the new story since all of the scenes are based on the magic of animation! We’ve already gotten a sneak peek of some of the costumes and the stage, and that just made us even more excited!
The opening for this show has been delayed with the current Disney World closures, but you can still buy tickets for the fall at around $79!
Want a sneak peek of the upcoming Cirque show? Click here!
5. Omakase Tasting Menu at Takumi-Tei
Lastly, we’ve got one for those foodies out there (like us!). Epcot is undergoing a lot of change right now, and just last summer an all-new restaurant opened in the Japan Pavilion. Takumi-Tei is a fine and LENGTHY dining experience and we loved every minute of it.
This spot is a signature dining restaurant with a seriously delicious menu in general, but they offer an even MORE swanky option: the Omakase Tasting Menu.
Omakase means “I’ll leave it up to you,” and acts as the Chef’s prix-fixe menu. That means we can’t tell you what’s going to be on it — it’s subject to change — but we CAN tell you that it will be an amazing experience.
It’s a seven-course meal (all culminating in a traditional tea ceremony!) and each course was equally wonderful when we experienced it. Plus, you get a sweet parting gift of Japanese candy!
The Omakase Tasting Menu is priced at $130 and you can add a beverage pairing for another $75. Keep in mind, if you’re thinking of adding this experience on to your vacation then you might want to make sure that you have some time to spare in Epcot. Our meal took FOUR HOURS when we went!
Click here for our FULL REVIEW of the Omakase Tasting Menu at Takumi-Tei!
So those are our top recommendations for NEW upgrades to check out for your Fall trip! With so many exciting new attractions and experiences opening soon, we think Fall will be a great time to visit (you know…once the parks reopen!). We can’t wait to see ya back in the parks!
Click here to learn about some more AWESOME Disney World upgrades!
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Will you be adding any of these fun upgrades to your upcoming Disney trip? Let us know in the comments!
Andrea says
I think the alcohol upgrade and price increase to the MK dessert parties is unfair as not all adults drink alcohol. I think they should have two options – one with alcohol and one without, with perhaps the one with alcohol having a wrist band as proof that you’ve paid for that one.
Dana says
I agree with Andrea 💯 having the 2 packages and a wristband is a great idea.
Jenn says
The Moscato we had at the dessert party was so good. I wish I could remember the brand. We really enjoyed the option to have a glass with our desserts.
Glenda says
I absolutely think that it is unfair to charge more for the dessert parties at Magic Kingdom to those of us who do not drink alcohol. I love the dessert parties but refuse to pay for something I will not partake in.
Renee' says
I agree with Andrea…I mean REALLY, IF, Disney is suppose to be the “Happiest Place” can’t Adults forgo drinking alcohol for Their Family Vacation? I, for one am sick & tired of seeing Adults vomiting in the trash cans & to drunk to walk to the water ways for transportation….REALLY, IS THIS THE MESSAGE DISNEY WANTS TO SEND CHILDREN?
Jeanne says
Totally agree that alcohol is not necessary at these events. It shouldn’t even be offered for a different price. If you can’t go without a drink for a few hours then you have a serious problem! This is Disney World, not Las Vegas!!
Nana says
I have been going to Disney World for most of my adult life. I started at the age of 20 when it opened. It has been a total disappointment to me that they have started serving alcohol in the Magic Kingdom. We went for how many years without it and it was so nice to know that I could take my family somewhere without having to worry about inebriated persons around me. I have had several instances at Epcot with people who have obviously been served more than the allowed amount of alcohol and it ruined the experience for me. Once I had a whole cup of beer spilled on me while I sat in a wheel chair because an entire family was standing close by and four out of the five of them were quite obviously drunk. Didn’t get one apology from any of them and spent the rest of the day smelling like beer. So, I do not see the addition of alcohol to the dessert parties as a good thing and I definitely wouldn’t pay extra for one. Not to mention that alot of those people will get into their cars and drive to their resorts or home after they have been drinking. Not a good decision on Disney’s part since they could be held liable for accidents.
Britt says
We loved the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party in February. However, the alcohol selection was very limited and the wines they served were bottom shelf. I’m not a wine shop by any means, but for the price we paid for a family of 3, I expected at least mid tier wines.