World of Color Dessert Party Gluten Free Review
How to View World of Color
The roped-off, reserved viewing areas offer the best vantage point to fully experience World of Color. All reserved viewing areas for World of Color are standing-room only.
In order to enter the reserved viewing areas, Guests must present one of the following:
- A valid virtual queue selection for World of Color (one per Guest)
- A valid voucher from a World of Color dining package or World of Color Dessert Party (one per Guest)
Additional viewing for each performance is located around Paradise Bay on a first-come, first-served basis.
World of Color Dessert Party Information
- Theme Park Reservation and Valid Admission for Disney California Adventure Park on the same date is Required.
- Advance reservations can be made unto 60 days prior. (book online or via the Disneyland app.)
- Full payment is due upon booking.
- Cost is $89 + taxes & gratuity (same price for all ages 3+)
By booking this dessert party, you do not need to enter the virtual queue for the World of Color nighttime spectacular.
Checking In Process
- Check in at the Eureka water wheel near the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Guests will receive a wristband for the preferred viewing area for their designated showtime. The app will tell you what time to check in on your reservation.
- First show reservations: Guests must check in at their reservation time, 60 minutes prior to showtime.
- Second show reservations: Guests may check in 60 minutes prior to the first show or 60 minutes prior to the second show.
- You will be asked at Check in if you would prefer a low table or a high table. (both are on the same ground level just different height tables)
If checking in prior to the first show, Guests will receive a wristband and instructions on when to return for their experience. Each person in the party must be included in your reservation to enter the World of Color Dessert Party, located in the World of Color viewing area at Paradise Gardens Park. Please ask a Cast Member if you need directions to the seating area. Accommodations for Guests with disabilities are available.
Special Dietary Requests
When making dining reservations, LOOK for the PROMPT to add your request. Check the BOX of your allergen before you pay for your Dessert Party to confirm your Allergy accommodations.
We use reasonable efforts in our food preparation and handling procedures to avoid the introduction of the most common allergens into your menu choices. While we take steps to prevent cross-contact, we do not have separate allergy-friendly kitchens and are unable to guarantee that a menu item is completely free of allergens.
Additionally, allergy-friendly offerings are reliant on supplier ingredient labels, and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the contents of each food item. Allergen advisory statements (e.g., “may contain”) are not regulated and therefore not taken into consideration when developing allergy-friendly meals. It is ultimately up to your discretion to make an informed choice based upon your individual dietary needs.
Please note this review is what I experienced and contains my personal opinions. You may or may not have the same experience. I did pay for this experience on my own dime.
Prior to My Reservation
I made my reservation online 60 days prior to my visit and I selected the 9pm show time. In my reservation I made sure to select that there was a Gluten Allergy before I completed the checkout (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT STEP). You do need to prepay in FULL at check out and gratuity and tax will automatically be added as well as if you have any Magic Key Holder discounts.
4 days before my reservation I received an email from Disneyland Banquet Team wanting to confirm how many Gluten Free people were in my party. I knew ahead of time to look for this email from another Gluten Free guest and ironically it did end up being in my spam. So keep an eye out both in your inbox and spam starting a week before your reservation. This email is not from the Special Diets team but a separate Banquet/Catering Team with a Disney email.
Check In Process
While the Check In instructions seem straight forward there are certainly kinks to work out. You will check in behind the Little Mermaid Attraction near by the Big Eureka Waterwheel across from the restrooms. Surprisingly there was no signs telling you where to go until you basically reach the Waterwheel. It is also very dark in this area after sunset with not enough adequate lighting.
In the app I could pull up my Dessert Party Reservation under the Dining Reservation tab. That is where it told me information about what time to check in and how late you can check in. For some reason the app was showing an 8:55 pm check in time and a 9:15pm show time. I was extremely confused as that seemed very close for a first show. I decided to arrive early to check in about 8:20pm and there was no line at all. This is where something went wrong.... apparently either I messed up or Disney messed up but for some reason I was not in the list for the 1st show. I was informed my reservation was for the 2nd show. I know for a fact I specifically chose the 1st show because I knew I would be exhausted come the 2nd show and I didn't want to risk that when I booked.
After explaining my frustration very calmly to the Cast Members they were some how able to work some of their Disney Magic and set up a table for us for the 1st show. The CM mentioned to us the whole process is kinda confusing when you reserve. Because it was so late (about 15 minutes before show time) they didn't have our Gluten Free Plates available. The allergy plates are prepared and stored in a refrigeration back stage until the Reservation for that time slot opens. While we waited for an amazing Cast Member to get our gluten free plates that were waiting back stage for the 2nd Showing, we were offered fruit plates, as well as our beverages.
PRO TIP:
Order all your beverages when asked because the servers get busy and might not be able to come back as often. Once the show starts they will not come back to your table. I believe they do this so that there will not be blocking your Show View.
Included in Dessert party
- Up to 2 Alcoholic Beverages from prefix menu
- Unlimited Water, Soda, Coffee, Tea and Hot Cocoa
- Dessert Plate
Gluten Free Dessert Plate came with an assortment of fresh fruit, cheeses, and some sort of large Chocolate Brownie Muffin with a chocolate circle piece that had the World of Color logo on top dusted in powdered sugar.
A few of you have messaged me to let me know the new gluten free plate as of April 2023 has changed. It now contains gluten free chia parfait, gluten free crème brûlée, gluten free oat crisp and a couple other dessert items with very limited fruit on the plate.
Please take note which phone number you used to make your reservation because it has also been report that some have received a phone call the day before to verify how many gluten free guests were in the party.
Was It Worth It?
While some may disagree with me I feel like it was definitely worth the price to experience at least once. The show itself was amazing and to be able to have an actual chair to sit in was absolutely delightful. While there are other Park guests standing they are not obstructing the view at all. You need to go to this event with the expectation that your Allergy plate is not going to look the same. While this is called a Dessert party, dessert is not really the main focus it is the experience of the Show and the seat.
I was extremely impressed with the Gluten Free Dessert plate. I have never had the opportunity to attend one of these events and with my vast knowledge of the Disneyland Gluten Free options my expectations were low. The Chocolate brownie muffin was delicious and the chocolate pice on top was a nice delicious decorative touch. I absolutely loved the cheeses and the fruit was so sweet and fresh. As for the beverages the alcoholic mixed drink tasted kinda like basil to me but then again I don't indulge often in adult beverages so it could have just been me. My favorite was the non alcoholic drink which was described to me as a Shirley Temple but tasted way better. After the show we had so much fruit left over they offered us some to go boxes.
Does the Gluten Free plate look like what other guests receive?
No it doesn't but I also wasn't expecting it to be either.
Could they have done better with the Gluten Free plate?
Sure they could have, they could have offered more options that were similar to the non allergy plates or even included some of the Gluten Free options that are available in the Park already like the Incredicookie and a Macaron like they have at the Food Festivals.
Would I do this again?
Absolutely. Yes even with the mishaps that occurred with my particular reservation I would 100% book this again. Definitely not something I will do every trip but most certainly for a special occasion or even with a group of friends/family.
