Cynthia,
Thanks for asking your question to planDisney!
The
Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise leaves at 50 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the fireworks, and they keep very strictly to that schedule.
Using today as an example, the
Disney Enchantment show starts at 9:20 pm (21:20), so you have to be on board no later than 8:30 pm (16:30). To be candid, the cruise is a fun experience that often involves some cast member interaction prior to launching. I would want to be there by 8:00, just so I could enjoy the full experience and not feel rushed. Getting to the Transportation & Ticket Center should not be too hard, since any Disney resort can get you to the
Magic Kingdom Park, and then you are no more than a monorail ride away!
BOTTOM LINEIf your family eats early, like mine, dinner before an 8:00 pm arrival should not be too hard, depending on where we had reservations. If you can make plans at one of the nearby resort hotel dining options, that would make life even easier.
If you eat later, clearly getting to the boat by 8 or 8:30 pm might be more of an issue. If this is the case, consider a counter service meal at somewhere like
Captain Cook's at
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. The food is good, the setting is wonderfully themed, and you are just a walk away from your evening cruise.
Write me back if you have any follow-up questions.
Have a Magical Vacation!
Doug