Walt Disney World has introduced an costly banquet to ring in 2025 with a view of the Magic Kingdom New Yr’s Eve fireworks, Princess and the Frog characters, scrumptious New Orleans-inspired buffet, and extra at California Grill atop Modern Resort. This shares particulars concerning the culinary journey together with our commentary.
For starters, that is nothing new. Modern Resort has been doing these fancy New Yr’s Eve events since a minimum of 2019. That yr, there have been a pair totally different Disney and Pixar choices for households held within the ballrooms, which might embrace fireworks viewing from the rooftop or not. These choices have been $199 to $299 every.
There have been additionally choices at a few half-dozen different Signature Eating places throughout Walt Disney World that included stay leisure or another ‘present’ element. Wanting again on the descriptions now, these sound grownup and intriguing, and Disney didn’t publish pricing–you needed to name the WDW-DINE cellphone line to inquire. Good transfer! My guess is that none of them eclipsed the $400 mark, however I really have no idea, as a result of even then, I knew they’d be greater than we have been keen to pay.
Final yr, Walt Disney World introduced these again with a culinary occasion at California Grill for New Yr’s Eve referred to as “Alice’s Whimsical World of Wonderland.” This was marketed as providing shimmering champagne, pleasant wines, marvelous meals, and one-of-a-kind leisure. As you dine, feast your eyes on a fantastic ice sculpture created to have a good time 2024 and California Grill. Ring in 2024 because the fireworks spectacular from Magic Kingdom fills the sky above.
Immerse your self within the whimsical environment of California Grill—remodeled into an immersive romp by means of Wonderland. You might even see characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland all through the night, you’ll come face-to-face with The Doorknob within the entryway, you might also get an opportunity to wave good day to Dinah the Hat Woman—however watch out for the Queen of Hearts! Oh, and the White Rabbit might be DJ.
This would possibly sound tremendous bizarre, and like Disney’s try at a family-friendly rave scene. However don’t fear, it’s additionally upscale and inexplicably costly! The fee for Alice’s Whimsical World of Wonderland was $799–sure, you learn that accurately. That features tax and gratuity, although, so perhaps it was a cut price in spite of everything!
Once more, all of that was final yr. So it ought to come as no shock that they’re bringing the thought again–albeit with a completely totally different theme and set of characters. Right here’s the announcement from Walt Disney World:
Ring within the New Yr with a fantastical night. Get pleasure from shimmering champagne, pleasant wines, marvelous meals and one-of-a-kind leisure as a part of Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill!
Enchanting Leisure – Immerse your self within the whimsical environment of California Grill—the place you’ll see Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. They’ve stopped by to pattern the delicacies, meet some new buddies and help Tiana’s pal Chef Matthew. However wait… there’s a twist!
With the assistance of Mama Odie’s magic, Louis and some of Tiana’s different critter buddies have crashed the celebration. All through the evening, Mama Odie will solid playful spells to assist Louis and buddies keep out of sight of Tiana and Naveen. Nonetheless, Tiana is wise—she’s going to unravel who crashed this celebration. However she’ll want your assist to do it, so be ready to hitch within the motion!
We hope you come wearing your greatest for Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill and are prepared to bounce to beats from stay musicians! Plus, we’ll cap the night and begin 2025 with a implausible champagne toast at midnight.
Scrumptious Dishes – As you float between the rooms, you’ll bask in scrumptious New Orleans-inspired dishes—together with delectable caviar—with our chef’s inventive twist. Menu highlights embrace the next:
Chilled Appetizer Station
- Beef Tartare
- Chilled Uncooked Bar Show
- Caviar Station
- Chopped Salad
Wooden Burning Appetizer Station
- Hen “Drumstick”
- Squash Blossom “Doughnut”
- Creole Pizza
- Muffaletta Pizza
- Rock Shrimp Po Boy
- Corn Fried Oysters
Sushi Station
- Maki
- Sashimi
- Nigiri
- A group of authentic sushi creations
Scorching Seafood Station
- Lobster Ravioli
- Jumbo Sea Scallops
- Blackened Redfish
- Seafood Boil
From the Grill and Rotisserie
- Suckling Pig “Porchetta”
- Smoked Duck
- Beef Tenderloin
- Pan Seared Lions Mane “Skate Wing”
- Gumbo
Desserts and Fascinating Breads
- Beignets & Chicory
- Assorted Housemade Truffles and Bon Bons
- Chocolate Coated Strawberries
- King Cake
Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill Occasion Data
- Date: December 31, 2024
- Test-In Time: Begins at 7:00 PM
- Occasion Time: 7:30 PM to 12:30 AM
- Reservations: Name (407) 824-2013 to e-book this expertise. Friends underneath 18 years of age will need to have dad or mum or guardian permission to name.
- Value: The fee for this expertise is $799, together with tax and gratuity.
- Fee & Cancellations: Full fee is due on the time of reserving. Cancellations should be acquired a minimum of at some point previous to the occasion to keep away from being charged full worth.
As you dine, feast your eyes on a fantastic ice sculpture created for Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey to have a good time 2025 and California Grill. Lastly, expertise the primary moments of 2025 because the fireworks spectacular from Magic Kingdom park fills the sky above.
Our Commentary
There’s no sense in making an attempt to make sense of Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill or its worth. That is tremendous restricted capability and area of interest, so there actually doesn’t should be that a lot demand to ensure that it to promote out. Given the utmost occupancy of California Grill and that the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve is much and away the busiest within the parks and highest-booked within the inns, this may refill even when lower than .01% of friends e-book it.
With previous New Yr’s Eve occasions like this, we’ve discovered that there are sufficient folks for whom cash is not any object. These items promote out whatever the worth proposition. On this case, Walt Disney World is making the calculation that the high-rollers are additionally huge followers of Princess and the Frog. I’m not so positive that’s a protected guess, however what do I do know!
This isn’t distinctive to Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey–it’s what I’ve all the time discovered perplexing about these New Yr’s Eve dinner events. Who’re they even for? For the sake of dialogue, let’s say we’re nonetheless DINKs who have been keen and capable of spend huge bucks to attend a elaborate New Yr’s Eve dinner. What would our splendid model of that appear to be?
Meals-wise, this sounds fairly good. Leisure-wise, it doesn’t. All we’d need in that regard can be stay musicians (just like the extinct Brunch on the Prime at California Grill) plus a photograph op with Minnie and Mickey Mouse in a ball robe and tuxedo, respectively. Possibly different members of the Fab 5 dressed equally, mingling with friends. I do know these costumes exist at Walt Disney World, as a result of I simply attended a DVC celebration the place they have been weirdly dressed like this in a dance celebration!
It strikes me as odd that Walt Disney World is taking an occasion and venue that lends itself to one thing refined and grownup, and making an attempt to broaden its enchantment to households. If we have been nonetheless DINKs, we’d not need to attend this as a result of it sounds too juvenile and family-oriented. Possibly I’ve a singular perspective in being a ‘Disney Grownup’ who has had my toes in each worlds, however I’m completely superb with one thing like this not catering to my household. Not every little thing must!
Let the {couples}, for whom the price is extra palatable anyway, have enjoyable with a complicated banquet. What I’ve described above would in all probability value Disney much less to provide and would really feel extra upscale. Charging friends $599 per particular person for a extra elegant night appears win-win to me.
Past that, I’ll reiterate one among my frequent considerations with upcharge choices like this. One among my recurring fears as a longtime fan is been that Disney is inflicting long-term model harm for short-term monetary acquire.
We’ve seen this with the elimination of free FastPass, leisure cuts, nickel and diming, catering to the prosperous, crowds and lengthy strains, and a laundry record of different complaints. To not point out Disney’s falling repute, which relies on the entire above plus different points. We’ve mentioned all of this at size–no sense in belaboring the purpose right here.
Past that, there are examples of very area of interest product choices which are clearly aimed on the rich. Most notable of those is the deserted Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. Similar goes for the $100,000+ non-public jet Disney Parks worldwide “journey” and the Cotino Storyliving by Disney communities.
Galactic Starcruiser was a colossal failure, however I’ve questioned whether or not–even assuming it have been a monetary success and didn’t shut prematurely–was it value the entire adverse headlines? The entire aforementioned choices cater to a small handful of friends, however have an outsized digital footprint. Is the financial acquire well worth the model harm and lack of goodwill?
Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill is like that on steroids. This can be a single-night occasion with a capability within the low tons of of individuals. Even assuming it books up absolutely, it’s in all probability not that worthwhile of an occasion because of the leisure prices for Disney and people not being diluted over a number of evenings.
In the meantime, exponentially extra folks will examine this information–and also you higher consider most headlines will embrace the worth. If I needed to guess, I’d say that tons of of hundreds of individuals will find out about this occasion. The commonest response isn’t going to be pleasure, and even “that’s not for me, nevertheless it’s cool they’re doing it for others!”
The variety of followers who really feel alienated or irritated by one more money seize or providing just for the rich goes to dwarf bookings for Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill. And there’s validity in these frustrations, as Walt Disney World nonetheless hasn’t put within the power, effort, or funds to revive the entire lacking leisure and “little issues” within the parks for normal friends…but they’ve time for this.
It’s additionally value remembering that the majority Christmas leisure nonetheless runs between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve (some runs even additional into January), so try our Final Information to Christmas at Walt Disney World for extra planning suggestions with regard to which vacation leisure you would possibly need to see on New Yr’s Eve. For Walt Disney World journey planning suggestions and complete recommendation, ensure to learn our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information.
Your Ideas
What do you consider Tiana’s New Yr’s Journey at California Grill? Will you be reserving this or is it not for you? Let’s say you could have the cash and are keen to spend it…is that this your splendid occasion or would you favor one thing extra refined or much more household pleasant? Have you ever ever visited Walt Disney World for New Yr’s Eve? Would you ever do it? Planning on ringing in 2025 at Walt Disney World? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Listening to from you is half the enjoyable, so please share your ideas and questions within the feedback!
