Disney is introducing a new fireworks dining package at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, called Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering. This shares details about the $89 counter service meal and nighttime spectacular viewing, info about the fireworks, and our commentary about the whole package.
Let’s start with “Fire of the Rising Moons,” which is the new(ish) nighttime ‘experience’ that debuted during Season of the Force and offers a different view of the stunning Disneyland fireworks display with musical accompaniment. Basically, what “Fire of the Rising Moons” does is capitalizing on the great angle Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge offers of the existing Disneyland pyro pad.
This part of the park is actually much closer to the rear launch site than is Sleeping Beauty Castle or Main Street. That’s been true since the land opened 2019–it’s not a new development. Disneyland basically “borrows” the fireworks from the seasonal fireworks show at Disneyland and uses the pyro to “create” a new show. Rather than piping in the (off-planet) music from those shows, they’re scoring them to music from composer John Williams’ Star Wars film scores. It’s truly a great idea, and one we lauded back when it was launched.
“Fire of the Rising Moons” can be experienced from multiple areas in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, including the Black Spire Spaceport, the TIE Echelon docking platform and the speeder garage. These are solid spots for seeing the fireworks, but also weird ones until “Fire of the Rising Moons,” as no music was played (for the sake of thematic integrity). “Fire of the Rising Moons” makes it feel like an actual nighttime spectacular designed for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Here’s the official description & details of the Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering Fireworks Dining Package:
Travel to the far reaches of the galaxy to dine on delectable eats and feast your eyes on an amazing fireworks spectacular—all during one incredible experience!
Check in with a Cast Member at Docking Bay 7 where you’ll order a refreshing beverage and gather your food rations. Choose a seat under cover or step out on to the patio to enjoy sweeping views of Batuu while you dine.
Your package includes an array of menu options, including:
- Fried Cheeseburger Croquette Bites
- Apricot goat cheese topped with honey, za’atar, sour cherry gel, cheddar, Monterey jack and pita chips
- Dragon fruit yogurt topped with lychee popping pearls and fresh blueberries
- Cream puff pair of Black Caf cold brew and blue milk flavors
- Unlimited fountain beverages
- Specialty nonalcoholic beverages in a souvenir novelty cup
Additionally, a selection of wine, beer and hard seltzer are available for purchase for Guests ages 21 and over. A valid form of government identification is required. Please note that Guests from outside of the United States must present an original physical passport to purchase alcoholic beverages. Guests may only consume alcohol at Docking Bay 7 while participating in the Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering.
Then, enjoy exclusive access to a standing view area of Falcon Overlook and watch in awe as the skies above Batuu burst into color during Fire of the Rising Moons. Villagers and visitors alike can come together to celebrate their freedom and to honor the heroes and legends who came before them. This frenzy of fireworks is accompanied by iconic music associated with tales from across the galaxy to ignite our imaginations.
Please note: Fireworks occur on select nights only. Please check the Entertainment Schedule for performance dates. All fireworks at Disneyland Park are dependent on weather conditions and are subject to change or cancellation.
Price: Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering costs $89 per Guest.
The price does not include theme park admission and park reservations which are required for the same day of the experience reservation for each Guest aged 3 and older.
Full payment is due at the time of booking. Discounts do not apply. Price includes tax but does not include gratuity. Children ages 2 and younger may attend free of charge, provided they are seated on the lap of an adult.
Reservations: Make advance dining reservations online or via the Disneyland app. Same-day reservations can be made on a limited basis and are subject to availability.
- Reserve an arrival time between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM.
- Same-day reservations can be made on a limited basis and are subject to availability.
- Full payment is due at the time of booking.
- Upon your arrival, please keep in mind that all members of your party must be present before seating.
Check reservation availability here: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dine-res/restaurant/docking-bay-7-food-and-cargo
Cancellation Policy
- There is a 2-day cancellation policy. You must cancel at least 2 days prior to your reservation to avoid a per-person cancellation fee. If you fail to cancel by then or are a “no-show,” the credit card provided at the time of reservation will be charged the full price per person.
- Cancellations and modifications to reservations can be made by visiting My Dining and Activity Reservations in your MyDisney account or via the Disneyland app by tapping “My Plans.”
Additional Information
- Performances can be cancelled without notice due to technical, weather or other issues.
- No refunds or exchanges will be available, even if the show is cancelled.
- Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering may not be refunded, redeemed for cash, sold, or exchanged for different dates or times.
- The Fire of the Rising Moons viewing area is standing room only.
- All children must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older for the duration of the dining and viewing experience.
- All prices, food options, services, age ranges, locations, dates, dining times, menus and show times are subject to change without notice.
Turning to commentary, we’ll start by reiterating that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a great alternative angle for fireworks viewing. We love “Fire of the Rising Moons” as a nice little plussing that helps redistribute crowds. It gives people a reason to head back to Galaxy’s Edge, which can be eerily uncrowded during the Disneyland fireworks.
Disneyland does a good job of offering alternative angles of the fireworks. The park has done projections on the Rivers of America and the facade of “it’s a small world” for several years. If you still haven’t experienced “Fire of the Rising Moons,” it’s a like like those vantages. I’d actually say Star Wars land is superior, but it still doesn’t hold a candle to viewing from Main Street or the Central Plaza in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.
That advantage, as with all of those alternative viewings, is that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is not wall-to-wall people. So you’re basically trading the more iconic view for lower crowds.
This is what makes the Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering fireworks dining package so perplexing. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is not a prime or in-demand viewing location for the Disneyland fireworks. It’s a good alternative angle, which is not the same as being a great or iconic or popular view.
This would be the equivalent of Walt Disney World doing a Happily Ever After dining package at Pinocchio Village Haus and charging $89 for it. (Walt Disney World, that’s not a free suggestion–please don’t make me regret sharing this as an example of a bad idea.) That area of the park isn’t a premium location that needs reserved viewing, it’s where you go to avoid the crowds.
Disneyland would honestly be better off doing dining packages out in the Esplanade, eliminating some of the “free” space out there (also not an actual suggestion–just another bad idea example).
Even before pricing was announced, I assumed this would be a waste of money because the value of reserved fireworks viewing in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is $0.
Nevertheless, I held out a kernel of hope that there was a real reason for this being offered in the first place since it’s somewhat of a nonsensical offering on its face. That Imagineering came up with a compelling justification or that some of the excellent cuisine from Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was making its way to California, and they just turned it into a fireworks dining package to justify that experience. I was intrigued and thought maybe the meal or overarching experience would justify the price.
Honestly, I still think the meal looks cool! But definitely not $89 cool. For one thing, I have no use for a novelty sipper. For another, I’d have to drink like 55 sodas just to break even via the unlimited refills. Probably unwise. Finally, it’s $89! I could have a nice meal at Carthay Circle or maybe even Napa Rose for about that.
I’d still love to be wrong. For there to be some detail that hasn’t been released, an entertainment element, or something–anything–to make sense of why a spot that has zero need for a fireworks viewing package is getting a fireworks viewing package. Here’s hoping that’s the case with the Docking Bay 7 Nighttime Gathering!
With all of that said, I should admit that I’m generally averse to upcharge offerings at Disneyland. Despite the laid back nature of the California parks, there’s an increasingly pervasive sense of FOMO on social media and in certain online planning communities–even Disneyland-centric ones–that drives many people to spend on unnecessary add-ons. This is exacerbated by popular experiences booking up quickly, which only serves to perpetuate the cycle of hype. In reality, it’s less a reflection of quality and demand than it is limited supply.
Unless there’s some huge we don’t know about, the Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering fireworks dining package will likely become the ultimate example of this. I’m already expecting this to easily dethrone the World of Color Dessert Party and Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace as the worst upcharges at Disneyland. At least with those, there are certain circumstances where they’re not complete wastes of money. (For more, see our World of Color Dessert Party Review.)
With that said, we strive to make this website a useful resource and not just rants about Disney’s latest cash grabs. To that end, we actually do highly recommend the Fantasmic Dining Packages. We’ve done a variety of those, and they’ve all been varying degrees of “worth it.”
Even the very top tier of those is the exact same price as this Star Wars thing, which is just wild to me because that includes dinner at Blue Bayou and Fantasmic is much more difficult to see from a prime spot. I’m not suggesting that you need to do the Blue Bayou one–we usually opt for the cheapest tier–but if you want to blow $89, Blue Bayou is a much better option. (For more, see our Guide to Fantasmic at Disneyland: Dining Packages, Best Viewing & Seating Spots.)
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo Nighttime Gathering? Will you be booking this fireworks dining package, or is it too rich for your blood? Excited to see the “Fire of the Rising Moons” fireworks over Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
