Rose and Crown for dinner to see Illuminations

[kileybeth]

Having never dined at this Epcot World Showcase restaurant and my husband continues to ask if we can get a ressie. . .

Well I Did end up with a reservation for about an hour before illuminations begins. Do we need a special seat to see the show or do all seats have a view? Kind of silly to go during illuminations and not be able to see it right?

Really need some guidance here. Do I ask when I arrive for table to be able to see show or do I need to sit outside or?? please help and share any experiences you have had. thanks so much.

[Ro Z]

We got seated at 7:10 on the patio and the CM says how this is the perfect view of the fireworks. We thought we were too early and would be gone by 9pm but she acted like she expected us to stay. So we did. We ordered an app to share then another. Then dinner and dessert. The food was great and the view was great. But we didn't ask for outside. We were just lucky. If you don't get a table with a view there is an area you can go to to see Illuminations.

[figment_jii]

Not all tables at R&C have a view of IllumiNations. Some are inside and even some of the patio tables have limited/restricted views because they're on the side. It largely depends on how busy things are, but you may not be able to wait for a patio table with a view. You may have to take the next available table, so be prepared to be told that.

My family doesn't request an outside table because we prefer to sit inside. There aren't a lot of patio tables with an ideal view...I have sat at one and it was a lot of fun. We did get to watch the show from our table and eat our desserts at the same time. I think our reservation was for between 60 and 90 minutes before the show. In more recent trips we've preferred to eat inside because of the weather (air conditioning is great when it's humid outside).

However, even if you are seated inside or at a table without a good view, you can go to the reserved viewing area for R&C guests. It's located to the left of the restaurant (when facing WS lagoon). Tell your server that you want to see IllumiNations and he/she will escort you put there. The view is really good.

[TheRustyScupper]

NOTE: Tables at restaurants with views are highly prized.
. . . you may ask for a able with a view at the podium
. . . but, must take ANY seat when your ADR is ready
. . . whether there is a fireworks view or not

[BradleyB]

I had a 750 ADR made for Rose and Crown as I wanted to take the wife and MIL for fireworks. Then, after reading these boards, I learned that waiting for a patio table is not an option, plus our time might be crowded. I went ahead and booked a"specialty cruise" instead, since the fireworks were a priority, and we will eat earlier using the England CS.

Good luck and pixie dust to you.

[aubriee]

Originally Posted by TheRustyScupper

NOTE: Tables at restaurants with views are highly prized.
. . . you may ask for a able with a view at the podium
. . . but, must take ANY seat when your ADR is ready
. . . whether there is a fireworks view or not

True! We always ask and for the last several years have been told that they will try, but we can not wait and must take the next available table for our party size. Every trip, they used to let us wait for an outside table, but not in the last several years. In the last several years, we've gotten one 3 out of maybe 7 times, so a little less than 50% of the time. As an AP holder I go to WDW 4-6 times a year and love Rose & Crown, regardless if we get an outside table or not, but really prefer the outside tables. Unfortuantely anyone that gets one around 7pm or later is probably going to be staying until after Illuminations. I usually try to make our ADR for around 7:15pm.

[ZoZo]

Originally Posted by figment_jii

Not all tables at R&C have a view of IllumiNations. Some are inside and even some of the patio tables have limited/restricted views because they're on the side. It largely depends on how busy things are, but you may not be able to wait for a patio table with a view. You may have to take the next available table, so be prepared to be told that.

My family doesn't request an outside table because we prefer to sit inside. There aren't a lot of patio tables with an ideal view...I have sat at one and it was a lot of fun. We did get to watch the show from our table and eat our desserts at the same time. I think our reservation was for between 60 and 90 minutes before the show. In more recent trips we've preferred to eat inside because of the weather (air conditioning is great when it's humid outside).

However, even if you are seated inside or at a table without a good view, you can go to the reserved viewing area for R&C guests. It's located to the left of the restaurant (when facing WS lagoon). Tell your server that you want to see IllumiNations and he/she will escort you put there. The view is really good.

This happened to us - we had an outside table but couldn't see the show because we were under a big awning. We had to get up and stand at the railing on the patio.

[toonaspie]

The latest reservation I managed to score is 6:35pm. However I think that 2 1/2 hours is too long a wait to have to hold down the fort for a good Illuminations viewing even if we do end up with an excellent table for viewing. Plus I don't wanna feel like a jerk for staying at a restaurant for 3 hrs just for this purpose.