I recently had the opportunity to go to Club Villain, a special event that’s held in Sunset Showcase at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Now, I’ve been to many private events at the Walt Disney World Resort and they have all been pretty fantastic but, here’s the thing. Whenever I’ve read about these kinds of special ‘paid‘ events for guests, the feedback has been less than stellar so I’ve been hesitant to spend the money on them. There are always complaints about crowds, lines for special characters being way too long, and the food being mediocre. I have not often heard that guests felt events like this one were worth the money.
I’m happy to say that my hesitation went right out the window the moment I walked into Sunset Showcase. We are always talking about how Disney theming is out of this world and this venue did not disappoint. From the giant caramel apple (looking exactly like the ones you can buy at the Candy Cauldron) disco ball hanging from the ceiling to the chilling projections all over the walls, I knew we were in for a real treat.
Let’s start with the food and drink. There were some delicious specialty cocktails available at each of the Potion Bars; each beverage was themed around one of the villains at the party. My favorite was the Poisoned Cinnamon Apple – deelish! Also available were soft drinks, bottled water, beer, and wine. As you can see from the menu above, there were plenty of choices and everything was all-you-care-to-enjoy, so you could really make this dinner if you wanted to. The entrees were delicious! I’m not a fan of spicy foods, so when I saw that a lot of the choices had that Louisiana flair going on, I wasn’t sure there would be much that I would eat. That thought didn’t last long either because Disney is very conscientious of what they serve and they strive to appease all taste palettes. There were even some delicious vegetarian choices too! I have to say though, my favorite was between two of the items – I really can’t pick one favorite because these two were just awesome – the Voodoo Sticky “Pig Wings” were fabulous; just make sure you eat them with the citrus gremolata – to die for! The Herb de Province Rubbed Striploin of Beef was also cooked perfectly and fantastic!
Now, on to the desserts! The desserts served during this party were absolutely the cutest! Each villain had their own dessert table with delectable goodies that were themed to their movies! The ones with the paw prints were as cute as can be – they all were! My favorites were the French Macaroons and that green truffle with the chocolate drizzle that’s on its own little spoon. Can you tell which ones go with which villain?
And now, for the Characters! As you enter, each Guest is given a brochure with all the details of the event including your table number and reserved times to meet the Villains. Yes, folks, those are your SCHEDULED times to meet and interact with the Villains! You’ll need to bring this brochure with you as you arrive at the line because you won’t be allowed to get in line without it.
This was the greatest thing because there was no doubt that we would have our time to play with each Villain and not have to worry about missing one thing. The longest line we experienced the whole evening only had 6 groups ahead of us because of the way the event was organized. Bravo, Disney!! This is the way to throw a party!
I had the best time with all of these Villains, but the Queen of Hearts and her “GIGANTIC” crown had to be my favorite. I told her that I meant to bring my paint brush to paint the roses on her collar red, but that I’d left it on the counter at home. She loved that I’d thought about it and was all cheesy in our photos about it! Cute! The Villains do not sign autographs at this party, but on the brochure you receive, their signatures are on one of the pages for keepsake purposes.
The most amazing part of this event, in my opinion, was the entertainment! The music being played by the DJ had a great vibe going on and when the ‘evil-diva’ cohosts came out, the party really got started! This guy knew how dance and his voice was incredible – in fact, I got the chills on more than one occasion throughout the evening! And his jacket? Wow! The costumes were all gorgeous! The talent of these Cast Members putting on this show went completely beyond any show I’ve seen at Walt Disney World. I can’t say enough good things about it and I really hope that this event becomes more permanent and that they keep up the great work!
The dance of the Shadow Man was next and Guests were taught a number of dance moves including Stir the Gumbo, The Bayou Stroll, Voodoo Hands, Dragon Claws, and the Jambalaya Jam. Thank goodness JL and Steve were game to learn those moves and even perform for the camera! Take a look at this great video to get a sneak peak of all the awesomeness.
Club Villain takes place on Saturdays through the remainder of April and May and there are two times to choose from- 5:45 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. As I mentioned, space is very limited so if you’re thinking about going, don’t wait too long to buy your tickets. The cost to attend this event is $129 per person ages 3 and up and does not include Park admission. There is a discount available currently for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members, so be sure to mention when you call for tickets if either apply to you.
