I love the fresh raspberry macaroons at Jolly Holiday! And I’m not even a macaroon fan. I think the fresh raspberries help it out. But I also like the hot cocoa one. Must be Disney Magic. If you want to try, get one before noon. They sell out. Sometimes, it doesn’t appear in mobile ordering because of limited quantities. Therefore, peek in to see if they have them before getting in line.
I also love the tomato basil soup with grill cheese sandwich.
This is super helpful!! Sounds like a great spot for lunch and/or treats one day.
Dessert party booked! It’s so strange to me to be able to book almost anything I want just three weeks out!
DLR is a totally different animal than WDW!
You might be able to join a waitlist for Blue Bayou. I agree that Cafe Orleans is the better choice for the monte Cristo as there are two versions (yes please to the three cheese with Brie version) and the pomme frites. But at least once in your life you have to eat in Blue Bayou. Why not both?!? 
My personal favorite is Fantasmic. You can watch the fireworks from here (they do some projections in this area I believe) though it’s not the ideal choice. But you can combine on the same night. I have done this before and from the castle for the fireworks but you’re gonna have to high tail it. I will say that the fireworks get cancelled a lot on the west coast so do not spend a lot of time waiting for them but they are good. World of Color for me is less than Fantasmic but a lot of people here love it. I think my experience is marred because I’m short and I can never see it very well and it’s so stressful trying to get a good spot.
We go the 1st week of August. My plan is MSEP/Disneyland Forever 1st night, Fanstasmic (with the option to see fireworks after, if canceled 1st night) and WOC dessert party 3rd night. We will see if it works out.
I like the way you think! Since this is our first time (and as of now I doubt we’ll be back soon since WDW is really our happy place) I’m struggling to not want to do ALL THE THINGS.
This is our basic plan too, I’m just kind of worried about how long we’ll last on our first night because of the two hour time difference. We did book the WOC dessert party on our 3rd (last) night. We’ll just miss you, we leave on Aug 1!
Are there specific places where it’s better to watch the different shows? I’m thinking of the purple wall/rocks in Tomorrowland for Enchantment, for example. We don’t need to be in the thick of the crowds as long as we can get a decent view.
I usually aim for the middle circle area. I have always been able to find a spot amongst the crowd even with only 15 minutes (maybe because they get cancelled so often others do the same in Cali compared to WDW). I cannot tell you how many times I have NOT gotten to see the fireworks because it was too windy. It’s a lot. So don’t count on them btw.
For Fantasmic, I would do a package if it’s available. Then you’ll be in an assigned area for viewing. Same will happen for WoC since you have the dessert party. For the parade, I honestly prefer watching it from opposite iasw in Fantasyland but anywhere on the route should suffice. I just love the iasw backdrop.
The last couple of times I’ve been, it feels much more crowded for the fireworks. I think the excitement of having Disneyland Forever back could have been part of it? Anyway, if you don’t mind being squished, you should be able to find a spot in the middle of Main Street as you approach the hub. But you will be shoulder to shoulder. We did that in April and ended up with a fantastic view. Did it again in May and had some tall people partially blocking us. So it’s hit and miss like always. Don’t get too close to the Hub or you’ll have trees blocking your view.
I always watch from the hub itself. I try to get in the front or to either Frontierland or Tomorrowland side but I squeeze myself in there last minute. But yes, this was pre-covid. So take @Julianne_fki word for post-covid crowds. We did aim to see the Halloween Screams last October and we ran there with 15 or 20 minutes to show time from SWGS and were able to squeeze into the hub on the Frontierland side but guess what happened. WIND! That cursed west coast weather. LOL I’ll still take that to FL humidity every time!
I like this iasw idea! How early should we stake out a spot?
No Fantasmic packages available as of now, but I’ll keep trying. I once hit up GS 4 times in a day and then went to the Tomorrowland Terrace podium 2 hours before fireworks to get a day-of dessert party, so I’m nothing if not stubborn! 
Depends on which direction the parade is going. Last parade I saw it ended there so we lined up about 30-60 min early. I can’t remember exactly but I do remember sitting there for awhile with a drink and a snack. But it takes 20-25 minutes to reach there if it starts on Main Street so you have some time.
For Fantasmic you might need to do 1-2 hours early to get a good spot without any reservation system. Are they not even doing any kind of fastpass type system now that it’s back. But I would try to get as front and center as possible if it were me and I’d have at least one family member that’s kind of tired and doesn’t want to ride any more rides stake that position out two hours early. Get a sandwich from Riverbelle Terrace and eat while you’re staking out you’re spot.
I hope things have calmed down, but when we tried to watch the MSEP near IASW in April (first weekend it was back), people had been waiting for hours and it was pretty filled up. We had my DxH in an ECV and there was nowhere for him. My DD and I probably could have found a spot to squeeze in, however. We were showing up about 45 minutes before the parade. This was first parade. It was really unbelievably crowded for the parade and the fireworks. I think it was a lot of pent up longing for Disney from the locals and they were out in force both in April and May when I went. I hope it’s calmed down. Plus many of the Magic Keys are blocked during the summer.
Yikes! Hopefully it’s calmed down at least a little by now.
This used to be a staple of our F! planning before it had a fastpass and when Riverbelle was a QS. Now Riverbelle is a table service so not able to get a BBQ picnic lined up for your F! camping out spot. A great nearby alternative is the corn dog from Stage Door Cafe.
Also, the last I read from a first-hand account you cannot stake any spot in the F! area prior to 7pm and so at about 6:30 crowds start amassing to be let into the viewing areas. I’m not entirely sure they have a specific place that you can prepare to be to enter, or if it’s just mass chaos.
We went in April & June. Our April experience was much like yours. But in June we went and IMO because F! was so recently returned, the demand for MSEP viewing had sharply decreased. The sections still get quite busy for the first show though, so if it’s the earlier show you want to see, I would aim to go 30-45 minutes beforehand if you want to have a selection/options. You can go under 30 min if you’re willing to be towards the back of the viewing section. For the 2nd showing, especially up by IASW, it was a virtual deadzone & many people walked right up as the parade was starting to be just behind a row or two of people who had setup to watch.