If you're looking for an extra special event to highlight your Walt Disney World vacation, you'll find there are many choices. One of the favorites is the Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage.
This is not simply viewing the fireworks on a boat in Bay Lake, but a Pirate party with plenty of snacks, a dance party, character encounters, and surprises.
The festivities begin at the Contemporary resort. You'll check in, have time to pose like a pirate and enjoy some activities with the kids. Then the pirate crew appears and invites you to the party!
And a party it is. Any good party has a yummy cake, and that is the case here.
You can also choose bagged snacks like popcorn, apples and the like (bring a bag to stock up on a few extras), and help yourselves to chips and salsa. Of course there's plenty of drinks to choose from as well. Go easy, since there's no restrooms on the boat.
Beware the kid favorite snacks at easy reach of the littles, such as cotton candy and huge pirate chest of chocolate gold doubloons.
Don't be so overwhelmed by all the treats on the festively decorated table in the middle of the room that you miss these gems in a small freezer along a wall.
This is a freewheeling party with plenty of dancing and room for active children to burn off their new sugar highs. Captain Hook and Smee are on hand for interaction and photo opportunities.
The real star of the party is when your Pirate host begins to round you all up for the main event. Much like the Jungle Cruise ride, your fun factor is determined by your Pirate host. We had 'Patch', who was wonderful with kids and adults alike.
You are gathered up, reminded several times that there are no restrooms on the boat and off you go on a parade to the dock, where you have have yet one more chance at a restroom since there are "no restrooms on the boat!"
You board your boat, not a pirate ship at all, but the usual Disney boat shuttle transport, Smee wishes you well, and off you go. From now on it's all about how your Pirate host relates to the group. This is a lot of fun as there's jokes and singing and maybe even a dance. There's trivia and sword play.
The fireworks are fun to watch, and the music is piped into the boat. You have a nice overview of the show, but it's not the in your face experience you'd get in the park.
Then it's back to the dock with little surprises for the kids.
Is that it? No! Peter Pan himself greets you at the dock waving his lantern to welcome you back.
You are then treated to some Pan time, and he isn't stingy with the interactions. He played with the kids, adopted myself and my daughter as his mother, posed and signed autographs, all with the Photo Pass person snapping away.
The experience at the time of writing was $72 per adult and $43 per child, before tax.
This was well worth it and very memorable. Give it a try.
