I am not generally a Disneyland parade person, I'd rather spend park time riding my favorite rides. However, the Paint the Night Parade is an exception.   [caption id="attachment_2974" align="alignright" width="356"] Paint the Night Parade at DCA[/caption] The lights are brilliant, the costumes and floats are clever, and the music is infectious. As soon as the lights dim and the twinkly voices start singing, I feel like Tinkerbell might be real. Because I’m not willing to spend hours guarding a coveted spot on the curb I often wind up standing behind someone who is recording the show on a phone at my eye level and we’re packed in like sardines. Still, I love it every time. This year I decided, as a special birthday treat to myself, to purchase Paint the Night Sonoma Terrace Reception dining package for my husband and myself. According to the website, the package includes: premium reserved seating, two beverages, a charcuterie plate with bread, and truffles at a cost of $79 per person, pre-paid, including tax and gratuity.  The suggested arrival time was 8:00 pm for an 8:45 pm parade start time. We arrived at check-in just before 8:00 pm and were lined up behind about 20 people. We had the option of sitting up front at a shared table but opted for a private table in the back row (back tables are bar height so it’s still an unobstructed view). [caption id="attachment_2976" align="alignleft" width="293"] Charcuterie plates with bread and drinks[/caption] All of the staff were super friendly and welcoming. Immediately upon sitting down we were offered our choice of adult beverages: Unsung Brewing Company American Double/Imperial IPA, Noble Ale Works American IPA, Franciscan Chardonnay, Simi Cabernet Sauvignon, and the special of the day: Sangria. If you want non-alcoholic drinks, you can choose from: water, soda, milk, juice, hot cocoa, tea, or coffee. My husband ordered the red wine, I ordered the white wine, and we both asked for water. The chardonnay was sweet, as expected. The Cabernet Sauvignon was earthy and lighter tasting than expected but both went well with the food. The plates of food are pre-made so they come out quickly. The grapes were fresh and firm. The veggies (broccolini, red peppers, and zucchini) tasted like they’d been grilled over a fire and then chilled to perfection. The meat and olives were salty (in a good way). The manchego and pearl mozzarella cheeses were yummy and felt like a special treat, while the cubes of Jack cheese were ‘meh”. The bread basket consisted of soft pretzels, crunchy cheese sticks, and herbed rolls. It would have been nice if the breads were warmed and the cheese sticks were a little lighter. The pretzel was my favorite. [caption id="attachment_2972" align="alignright" width="296"] Paint the Night truffles[/caption] Our server was super attentive. We were given a second basket of bread, bottled water, and a warm drink at the end of the meal (bringing the actual drink total to four per person). Plus they brought out a special birthday treat for me. We were given way more food than we could eat and at the end they offered to package up our leftovers to go. As we walked out we were handed a box containing four small chocolate truffles: salted, raspberry, vanilla, and chocolate. They were rich and pretty tasty.  I did the math and if I ate elsewhere at a sit down restaurant in the parks, ordered four drinks plus a meal, plus dessert, plus tax & tip, I could see spending close to $79. So, even though never spend that much on dinner at Disneyland, I think it’s a pretty decent value. The Paint the Night Parade officially runs at DCA through November 7, 2018. However, it’s hard to imagine it will be fully retired as they just introduced a new Incredibles float last summer for Pixar Fest. Fingers crossed, it will return after the holiday season. If you can afford a splurge, it’s worth trying a dining package. Of course, I recommend Paint the Night but there are also dining packages for Fantasmic and other shows. I suggest you read up on the packages as they vary widely in terms of what you get and where you sit. Would I do this again? Yes, but only for a special occasion.