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Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party Review

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Last year, I booked the Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. So, I thought I would post a review of that experience in case anyone was considering booking it this year.

Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party

Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party

You may recall that I posted the Mickey’s Very Merry Dessert Party Review the other year. However, that was the party with seated Tomorrowland Terrace viewing of the fireworks. This party is a few bucks cheaper and comes with standing viewing in the Garden Plaza. So, was it worth saving a few dollars?

The Food

The food for both parties is the same. It’s an assortment of holiday goodies found at the party and other sweet treats. I’m happy to report that the apple caramel crepe was still there as were the chocolate covered strawberries! As with the other party, it’s a buffet and you can get as much as you like. I enjoy trying different goodies at these parties. However, once again, there’s very few savory options. I think it was once again mostly cheeses that was available. So, you definitely need a sweet tooth to appreciate these dessert parties.

The Dessert Party Experience

I know some people are against paying extra for this dessert party. However, I had a really long travel day with flight delays on the day of the party last year. So, it was amazing to just sit down and enjoy some sweet treats during the party. In fact a family sitting near me struck up a conversation with me about visiting solo and other locations to visit for Christmas. That was a neat way to relax prior to the fireworks. Although, it does take time away from the party itself. I’m lucky in that I’ve attended several times and don’t feel like it’s wasting time to sit down and enjoy myself.

Plaza Garden Viewing

Where the parties differ is the fireworks viewing. Instead of staying in one seat at the Terrace for fireworks, you are led over to a reserved area in the Plaza Garden for fireworks viewing. Initially, people were allowed to sit down. Although, the grass was wet from rain earlier in the day, so I remained standing. We were able to view some of Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show from the Plaza Garden Viewing area. So, that was a nice perk.

Right before the fireworks, they had everyone stand up. While I appreciated the fact that we weren’t all crammed together like you typically are for fireworks at Disney, I wasn’t super impressed with the view. I still had several people in front of me blocking the bottom part of the castle. Then, there were some poles blocking part of the view as well. It wasn’t a terrible view, but it certainly wasn’t the best either.

Is the Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party worth it?

For 2025, the Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing costs $99/person. That’s on top of the party ticket price. So, it’s a really expensive evening. However, it was so nice to sit and enjoy some treats. Plus, I was by myself and appreciated having some breathing room during the fireworks. However, I think I will probably stick with the seated Tomorrowland Terrace viewing going forward. While I think the view of the castle and projections is probably superior in this party, I prefer staying seated if the view is going to be obstructed.

Disneyland 70th Anniversary Tour Review

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On my recent solo trip, I got to take the Disneyland 70th Anniversary Tour! Here’s a review of that experience to help you decide if it’s worth it.

Disneyland 70th Anniversary Tour

Disneyland 70th Anniversary Tour

Given how much I enjoyed Walt’s Main Street Story Tour last year, I decided to book the new Disneyland 70th Anniversary Guided Tour for this trip. Unlike last time though, I booked this tour in advance. In fact, I booked it 60 days out when I booked my dining reservations as I was sure that I wanted to do it. Unlike the other tour, it’s 2 hours (versus 90 minutes) and slightly cheaper ($120 vs $160).

The Walking Tour

At the start of the tour, everyone is given an ear piece, a lanyard, and a pin with your name on it to wear. The ear piece helps you hear the tour guide better and they play some old clips of Disneyland promotional things from 70 years ago. The walking tour is basically a walk around the park with a brief look at each land and facts about opening day attractions in each land. We rode the Disneyland Railroad from Tomorrowland to New Orleans Square. Then, we rode the Main Twain Riverboat. Both rides opened with the park.

We also received a Lightning Lane Entry for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. I rode this right after the tour since the tour ends outside Toontown.

Each of us also received a special pin. You can see the keepsake pin in the 3rd image in my Instagram post. I like that it features the Mark Twain since we rode it on the tour. I also liked the nod to Autopia since I met Bob Gurr while in California on this trip!

I will admit, the tour itself is kind of dry. We didn’t really do much that you couldn’t do on your own. It wasn’t special access to a hidden area of the park or anything. In fact, I’m not sure I learned many new facts on the tour. So, I wouldn’t book this tour solely for the tour itself…

Paint the Night Viewing

The real reason I wanted to book this tour was that it came with reserved viewing of the new Paint the Night parade! I didn’t feel like dealing with people squishing me since I was by myself. So, a reserved area to view the parade from with less people sounded great to me! Plus, they gave us some popcorn to munch on while we waited for the parade! It was so nice to be able to spread out while viewing the parade. Plus, it made for a great way to end the day at the park.

Is the Disneyland 70th Anniversary Tour worth it?

A two hour tour probably isn’t ideal for a first time visitor. $120 isn’t exactly cheap either. While I really enjoyed the reserved viewing for the parade, I think it’s harder to recommend this tour for most folks. While I don’t regret taking the tour, I just think it’s harder to justify this one. It’s interesting to be guided around the park and to hear stories about its opening. However, the vast majority of the information shared is already online. This is mostly for people are interested in the park history but just starting to learn about it. It’s also great for people wanting a reserved space for the parade. Everyone else probably won’t find it worth the time and money.

Bush’s Beans Visitor Center Guide

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Back in June, my mom and I visited Bush’s Beans Visitor Center for the first time. So, I thought I would provide a little guide/review of that experience.

Bush's Beans Visitor Center

Bush’s Beans Visitor Center

Just before you get to the Sevierville, TN exit (coming from Virginia), you can take an exit to visit Chestnut Hill. It looks to be an rather desolate exit without much to see. However, the exit sign promises a Bush’s Beans Visitor Center and Cafe can be found here. If you keep driving, you will eventually find a little out of the way experience that the whole family can enjoy!

Museum

You can easily spend an hour or two at the museum. You learn about the Bush family and the creation of the company. There’s even a short video showing their factory and how the beans are canned. My mom really enjoyed that since she has experience working in a factory. I enjoy learning about how things work. So, it was a hit with both of us. It reminded us a little bit of the Charleston Tea Garden Tour we did a few months prior.

The museum also has some information on their marketing over the years and where their beans come from. There’s even an interactive display showing the different varieties of products you can purchase from Bush’s.

Gift Shop

As with any good museum (or theme park attraction), you end the experience in the gift shop! This one is a great gift shop though. There’s all kinds of Bush’s beans and other products to be had here. They are also pretty affordable too. Following that there’s lots of Bush’s/beans/Duke merchandise to look at. My mom ended up purchasing a Duke (as in the dog) Christmas ornament and a t-shirt.

However, I was impressed with their little kitchen themed area. They had several other non-branded items. My mom and I were influenced to purchase a kitchen dish rag because another woman was getting an armload of them. She said they really were the best she’s ever had! I think it’s a really good dish rag and it’s fun to wash our dishes while remembering our trip to Bush’s.

Bush’s Family Cafe

While we really liked the museum and gift shop, the real star here is the Cafe! Yum! While it’s a tiny restaurant that can get loud, it has good food. We had to wait 15-20 minutes for a seat and ended up being placed at the dessert bar. There was a loud youth baseball team that added to the noise. However, once they left, it was much quieter.

Everyone is given a free sample of Bush’s product when they eat here. We were lucky enough to try the Rustic Tuscany Chickpeas. We both ate the entire sample they gave us and had no complaints. For an entree, my mom got the Bush’s Chili Pie. It looked like a taco salad to me. She said it was “so good.” Everything in it looked fresh and tasty, but I didn’t try it.

I selected the bean burger for my entree. I don’t see it on the online menu, but it was on the menu at the Cafe and I highly recommend it. It wasn’t real spicy, but it had some spices in it. It was a pretty good sized patty with a good amount of moisture (not dry unlike some bean burgers I’ve had). In fact, it was probably the best bean burger I’ve ever had. I guess it makes sense that Bush’s makes a mean bean burger. Haha! I also got the fried apples for my side, which were also tasty!

The Chocolate Pinto Bean Pecan Pie

I couldn’t leave the Cafe without trying Bush’s Chocolate Pinto Bean Pecan Pie! My mom and another lady sitting to my left at the dessert bar thought I was crazy for ordering it. However, I am pleased to report that it was really good! It reminded me of a gooey brownie with nuts! I made my mom try a little bit and she agreed it was better than she thought it would be. They also have a non-chocolate Pinto Bean Pecan Pie as well as some other simpler pies that looked good. While seated at the dessert bar, we got to watch them prepare the brownies and they looked yummy!

Should you visit Bush’s Beans Visitor Center?

Bush’s Beans Visitor Center is a little ways out from Pigeon Forge. However, it’s not too far removed. Tip: Get gas before you arrive as the nearest gas station is a few miles away. The food is certainly worth a trip for anyone who likes beans or southern/country food. The museum is great for people who like to learn. The gift shop is interesting for anyone looking for a unique/cheap side dish to serve at dinner or anyone who wants a shirt that says they were there.

I’m fairly certain I’ll make a return visit here someday. I’d love to take my husband so he can try the pie. So, I think it’s worth a visit.

Dollywood Summer Festival Tour Review

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I’ve just returned from a quick visit to the Smoky Mountains with my mom, where we got to experience some of the Dollywood Summer Festival Tour!

Full Disclosure: Due to the weather messing up the tour, we will be receiving a refund for this tour. However, I think I have a good idea of what you can expect when you take this tour.

Dollywood Summer Festival Tour

Dollywood Summer Festival Tour

During my last visit to the park, I was able to do two tours: the Dolly Parton Experience and the I Will Always Love You Music Festival Tour. My mom thought those tours sounded like fun, so we booked one for this trip. We booked this tour online ahead of time and I was able to use my gold pass for a small discount. We paid $74/each plus taxes and fees.

The website listed a 8 PM start time, but also stated that I should check in before 6 PM. That’s so that they know you are actually there and so you know where to meet up with the group at 7:55 PM. You also receive your lanyard when you check in. I know the site also mentions receiving a TimeSaver at check-in, however we didn’t receive that.

The Tour

As I stated above, unfortunately the weather ruined a good chunk of this tour. Typically, you are supposed to have a bit of a tour of Wilderness Pass before heading over to Wildwood Grove. We spent much of this time hiding out from the weather. However, we did walk over to FireChaser Express where the guides told us about its creation. The ride wasn’t running due to the weather, however you usually get to skip the line to ride it after they tell you about it.

From there, we received a complimentary snack. We were all given a deep fried s’more. There doesn’t appear to be any substitutions for this snack, regardless of dietary restrictions or preferences. The deep fried s’more was good. It reminded me of a marshmallow filled funnel cake with chocolate sauce.

After that snack, we walked over to Wildwood Grove. While we didn’t get to hear much about the newest ride, Big Bear Mountain, we did get a chance to ride it as soon as it opened back up from the weather. Our tour guide led us over to skip the line and everyone who wanted to was able to ride it. We were also given the chance to ride it a second time with skipping the line. Once was enough for my mom and I though. So, we all just stood around waiting for those other folks to ride again.

I believe somewhere around here you are supposed to receive a festival beverage – a icee/slushee beverage of some sort. We didn’t get a chance to get those though. We also missed the dance party, which I think was cancelled due to the weather. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment of all came when they cancelled the drones and simply showed the fireworks. We did have a reserved area to stand in and watch the show from. However, we missed the beginning of the show and it was really short. I imagine this would be much more worth it with the drone portion of the show.

Is the Dollywood Summer Festival Tour worth it?

While I know that we are receiving a refund for this experience, I don’t know that the whole tour is worth $74/79. It’s nice to learn about the park and to skip the lines. The added snack and beverage is great too. However, it’s a pricey addition to your park day. I think maybe they should just give TimeSaver passes to those rides to be used during the park day. Then, have you meet up at the reserved viewing area where they have the snack and beverage. That would make more sense to me.

If you are concerned about crowds for the drone/fireworks show or really want to ride the two included rides, it might be worth the price. If you are on a tight budget, you can probably skip this one.

Also, I just want to stress that our tour guides were awesome! They made the best of a less than ideal situation with the weather not cooperating. They also advocated for us to get refunds due to the weather issues. So, if you book a tour, just know that you are in good hands!

Dolly Parton Experience Tour at Dollywood Review

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One of the things I was able to do on my recent solo trip to Dollywood was the Dolly Parton Experience Tour! I haven’t seen any online reviews for this tour either, so I thought I would publish an overview and review for anyone considering it.

Dolly Parton Experience Tour

Dolly Parton Experience Tour

As I stated in my I Will Always Love You Tour review, I did two tours on the same day. This is the other tour I did. It began at 11 AM. Unfortunately, I was unable to fully utilize the Golden Hour time in the park due to needing to arrive early for the tour (10:45 AM). So, just something to keep in mind if you plan on doing both in one morning.

This tour is cheaper than the other tour by $20. It’s priced at $59/person, with discounts available for passholders. It includes a lanyard (seen in the post image above), an hour long guided tour of the Dolly Parton Experience area of the park, and reserved seating for the Heidi Parton’s Kin and Friends show.

The Tour

The tour was supposed to be me and another family. However, the other family never showed up. So, I was lucky enough to get a one-on-one tour of the new Dolly Parton Experience area of the park!

The tour started off with some general info on the designing of the park, starting with Juxebox Junction being themed to Dolly’s childhood. Did you know that they re-created Red’s Drive-In because that’s where Dolly had her first taste of fast food? Wasting no time, we moved over to the Songteller building. Opened last year, it does an amazing and engaging job of telling Dolly’s life story. I was very impressed with the work they have done here. The use of technology to tell her story in different rooms was cool. I will definitely be re-visiting it to slow down and look more closely at the things located here.

Next up, we walked over to Behind the Seams. This building houses some of Dolly’s clothing and accessories. Supposedly, they switch out the items here periodically. So, you should be able to make return visits and see different items showcased. I thought it was really cool to see some of her clothing up close. She’s much smaller than I imagined!

Then, we walked over to enjoy some of the Precious Memories video in the DreamSong theater. Lastly, we visited Dolly’s Home-on-Wheels, which is an old tour bus of hers. I had been in it once before, but it’s still cool to see. Plus, we were able to skip the line to go on it.

The tour also includes reserved seating to a later showing of Heidi Parton’s Kin and Friends show (or another show in the DreamSong theater if it’s not available). I think that’s a great touch and lovely way to wrap this experience up!

Is the Dolly Parton Experience Tour worth it?

Even though I was the only person on the tour, it was still a pretty quickly paced one hour tour. I didn’t really get a chance to stop and take photos or to look at the clothing/artifacts on the tour. I plan to go back to take a slower look at the stuff in the buildings. The tour was great for additional information on the park’s design and about Dolly. It’s perfect for Dollywood/theme park/Dolly Parton fans! I don’t know that children would enjoy it. Also, we were up walking for the entire hour. So, you need to be able to be mobile for that length of time. Overall, I really enjoyed this tour and think it’s worth the time and money if you like learning about the park or Dolly.