On the arrival day of our most recent Disney World vacation, we attended a special ticketed event away from the theme parks – the Ferrytale Fireworks Dessert Cruise. This was our first time at this event, and we were unsure what to expect. Let’s break down the experience, from planning to the overall ‘worth it’ factor.

Update: This experience is for the Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise in March 2023. As of March 30, 2023, the event is undergoing refurbishment until July 5, 2023.

What is the Disney World Ferrytale Dessert Cruise?

The Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise takes you on a ferryboat, the ones used to transport you back and forth from the Magic Kingdom, and lets you view the Cinderella Castle fireworks from the water.

How to Book the Ferrytale Dessert and Fireworks Cruise

The Ferrytale Dessert and Fireworks Cruise is available online at the Walt Disney World website. I found it through their ‘Enchanting Extras’ page, which offers a list of experiences in and outside of the theme parks.

Before booking, I decided to look at a video from a favorite YouTuber of mine – Paging Mr. Morrow. He has a video all about the cruise. However, there are some differences between our two experiences (note: not a sponsor/affiliate).

How Much Does the Disney World Dessert Cruise Cost?

The Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise costs $99 for adults and $69 for children (ages 3 to 9). Tax and gratuity are in this price. For two adults, our final cost was $198.

You’ll expect to find an array of desserts, cheese and crackers, a Build Your Own Mousse bar, and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). In addition, you receive a lanyard with a logo of the event with “Mickey Vision” lenses, which changes your view of the fireworks into Mickey shapes. For little ones, a blacklight scavenger hunt tours you around the ferryboat looking for invisible Mickeys.

When is the Disney World Dessert Cruise available?

At the time of this article, the cruise is available on select Wednesday and Saturday nights. Reserving a spot at this event proved straightforward, and dates become open up to 60 days before your trip. For us, we secured our Wednesday night booking roughly 45 days in advance.

Experiencing the Ferrytale Fireworks Dessert Cruise

Our experience for the Ferrytale Fireworks Cruise let us view Enchantment, the 50th-anniversary celebration show. This show is replaced with Happily Ever After, the fan-favorite show.

Check-In / Boarding the Ferryboats

Checking into the Ferrytale Fireworks Dessert Cruise was straightforward but had a few hiccups. Our reservation confirmation and the My Disney Experience app mentioned a 7:00 p.m. check-in time.

Disney World recommends allowing one-and-a-half hours for travel time throughout the property to accommodate for any delays. We left by Disney bus from Pop Century around 5:30 p.m., arriving at Magic Kingdom around 6:00 p.m. From there, we took a ferryboat to the Transportation & Ticket Center.

You can also access the Transportation & Ticket Center by parking at the Magic Kingdom lots. Note that you will need to pay to park at the lot.

Current daily parking rates for Disney World theme parks are:

• Standard Car or Motorcycle: $25
• Preferred Car or Motorcycle: $45 – $50
• Oversized Vehicle: $30

You can park for free if you stay at a Disney World Resort hotel. Or, you could use a rideshare service like Uber, Lyft, or Minnie Van.

Check-in is located near the blue Ferryboat sign. There was a sign near the check-in area and a Cast Member nearby.

Surprisingly, check-in started earlier than what was mentioned in the confirmation. We could check into the experience around 6:30 p.m. – nearly a half-hour before the reservation.

After we checked in, we sat in the waiting area for almost an hour (yes, an hour). As the waiting room started to fill in, people were getting antsy to get onto their ferryboat. Children were running around and playing with one another. Still, every passing minute had an aura of stress and anticipation.

While it was not a significant inconvenience that hindered our experience, some families had visibly upset and bored children throughout the hour. Had I known we would not have boarded the boat until nearly 7:30 p.m., I would have taken my time getting to the check-in.

Once cleared for boarding, we were instructed to walk to the ferryboat. Adults were greeted with sparkling wine, which was a lovely send-off to the night. From there, we could pick our table and gather dessert and drinks.

There were individuals in ECVs and wheelchairs on our cruise. They were able to board the ferryboat easily. However, there are no elevators or ramps on the vessel, and you must be able to walk up and around stairs to reach the second floor. However, this is unnecessary, as the same food and drink selections are on either floor.

Dessert & Drink Selections on the Ferrytale Cruise

If you love desserts, you will love the options available at this event! There were key lime tarts, cherry bomb choux pastries, fruit-flavored popcorn push-ups, panna cotta, and more.

My favorite? The key lime tart. My husband’s? The cherry pastries.

There are two main alcoholic cocktails – one with a coconut rum base and the other with a prosecco base. There were also two wine selections as well as a few beers available. We also saw non-alcoholic versions of the festive cocktails for little ones.

It is worth noting that the food and drink options are put away as soon as the firework show starts. If you want to grab a few extra desserts or cocktails, pay attention to the time before grabbing a snack during the show.

Ferrytale Cruise Resort Tour & Fireworks Viewing

Shortly after everyone boards, the ferryboat takes off for a tour of Seven Seas Lagoon. While you wait for the fireworks, the captain drives near the Magic Kingdom resorts, including the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. A narrator chimes in throughout the speakers with fun facts about the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, and the surrounding area.

The tour itself was leisurely and calm. We were able to navigate around the boat without significant instability. As the time reached closer to the 8:30 p.m. fireworks showtime, the ship angled itself sideways for a view of Cinderella Castle.

You can view the fireworks on the main or upper floors of the boat. The main floor has smaller windows, while the upper level has a better view. Despite the better view, we decided to enjoy the fireworks from the main floor, as we had a table and wanted to be away from the crowds.

While we could see some projections of the castle throughout the show, the most fantastic view was of the fireworks. The Magic Kingdom train station primarily blocks the castle, making it a little tricky to see. However, we were able to appreciate the fireworks a little more as we could see unique angles that were not viewable when up close to the show. There were also times were other ferryboats carrying guests to and from the park blocked the view of the show from our boat.

The “Mickey Vision” lenses were cute. They made each sparkle of firework change into a Mickey shape. While we did not use it for most of the show, it was fun to peek into the lenses occasionally. Little ones appeared to enjoy the feature more than adults.

The sound quality was lacking overall, and we were told by Cast Members that the soundtrack could be heard better on the upper floor. While that was not a bother to us, there were comments from the crowd who needed clarification on what was happening within the show.

After the show, our ferryboat quickly led us back to the dock. We were given a special cookie with a frosting decal showing the event logo as we unloaded.

Cast Members & Their Attentiveness

As a former Cast Member, I will never dismiss another Cast Member. On our cruise, they were attentive, kind, and helpful in answering questions about the dessert and drink selections. They quickly cleaned the ferryboat after the fireworks started and were kind enough to arrange bus transportation for Disney Resort hotel guests after the show.

Is the Ferrytale Dessert Cruise Worth It?

While the event is refurbished, it will likely return in the summer of 2023 with similar selections and experiences. So, should you book the Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise for your next trip?

Who is the Ferrytale Dessert and Fireworks Cruise Good For?

If you have a non-park day where you want to feel the magic uniquely, this event is a great starting point. The price is similar to other fireworks viewing events within Magic Kingdom; however, you do not need to worry about making a reservation or paying for theme park admission.

The event was only a few hours, but it felt like there was plenty to do for adults and children. With the scavenger hunt, dessert table, and tour, we never felt bored or out of things to do. In fact, we didn’t even have time to enjoy the Build Your Own Mousse table, which we would have loved to enjoy.

It was also a nice touch not having to worry about figuring out transportation back to our hotel. It felt as if we were VIPs being taken onto our bus.

The event had relatively low crowds, and we could easily stake out a table on the main floor. We decided to share out table with a family, as tables are not guaranteed. There were plenty of families eating on benches and while standing. If you want a comfortable experience where you can set down food, make your way to a table early and make sure you keep it!

Who should NOT book the Ferrytale Fireworks Dessert Cruise?

If you want an up-close view of Cinderella Castle or the fireworks, consider buying a ticket for Magic Kingdom instead of this event. While this event is a nice add-on to the experience, it is an additional cost that adds up quickly with more people in your party.

Is the Ferrytale Dessert Cruise Good for Adults?

Surprisingly…yes. Coming from a couple who likes intimate or romantic events within Disney World, it was a lovely event. We didn’t want to pay for a ticket to Magic Kingdom but still wanted to see the fireworks, so this fit the bill. The desserts are basic but fulfill the sweet tooth, and we could have easily spent more at a nice dinner on Disney World property for less food. If you are looking for a space without children running around, consider another event or restaurant experience.

The Most Common Questions & Tips

Some common questions and tips were overheard during the experience that might help make your visit a little easier.

Is there a bathroom on the Ferryboat?

Yes! There is one bathroom on the main floor. We have yet to confirm if there was a bathroom on the upper level (if there is, let us know!) Many parents were concerned about their children drinking or overeating and being unable to use the bathroom. Thankfully, that will be a non-issue for your journey.

Is there coffee or hot chocolate?

We attended on a cold night, and there was hot chocolate available. However, we did not see any coffee. Also, the hot water ran out early into the night.

Do you need a reservation for the Ferrytale Dessert Cruise?

Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance, like a dining reservation. Disney claims same-day reservations may be available until 5:00 p.m. However, we highly recommend making reservations ahead of time for time-budgeting purposes.

You can make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE or visiting the Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise page on the Disney World website.

Pro Tip – Bring Activity Kits for Little Ones

We saw many little children becoming bored, making already tired parents frustrated. If you have a little one, consider bringing an activity set for them to do while you wait to board the boat. Once they’re on the ship, there is so much to do and see that they will not need the kits – but it saves a headache beforehand!

Bring a Jacket!

Don’t make the mistake that we did – you’re on a floating vessel that encounters wind in addition to temperature drops in the evening. Bring a jacket or sweater if you get cold easily or visit during colder months.

Conclusion

We enjoyed the Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise at Disney World and would consider booking it again after its refurbishment. There was a good dessert selection, and we felt satisfied with how much we ate and drank over the evening. While it is not an up-close look at the Cinderella Castle projections, seeing the fireworks from any angle makes for a magical event.

If we had to do anything different, we would have shown up closer to the check-in time instead of arriving early. We waited a long time to board the boat, which caused some frustrations that could have otherwise been avoided. Beyond that, we found it a fun event for all ages.