Fireworks, and food!

[xipotec]

So what are your tips on getting and ADR and. Good seat for fireworks viewing? You favorite places?

I will start . For those having trouble Oct - Dec with a fireworks dining ressie, remember, you can still see fireworks on Party nights, so long as your ressie is a little later to coincide with the party schedule.

I did some testing with this tonight and still plenty or ressies that overlap party fireworks.

Cheers!!

 

[figment_jii]

For Wishes, those can be viewed from any of the monorail resorts, WL, and TTC.

Contemporary - no view from Chef Mickey or the Wave.

• California Grill - the restaurant has an observation deck where you can watch Wishes. They pipe in the music. A few tables have a view of Wishes, but those are pretty hard to come by. CA Grill has excellent food and good service (assuming it keeps the same quality as before the refurb). You can ask for a window table, but they do not promise to have one available before fireworks. If you want to eat here, I would aim for an ADR about 2 to 2.5 hours before Wishes. Personally, I like the observation deck because you don't have to deal with reflections in the glass.
  
  
• 4th Floor Observation Deck - guests can watch the fireworks from the viewing area. They pipe in the music.

Polynesian - no view from Kona.

• 'Ohana - a few tables have a view, but most do not. I like the food, but I would not go with the plan to see fireworks from your table.
• Beach - guests can watch the fireworks from the beach. They do pipe in the music, but it can be hard to hear. The view is straight on, but at a distance.
  
  

Grand Floridian - no view from Citricos (a few bursts might be visible, but not really anything worth seeing) or 1900 Park Fare.

• Narcoossee's - this is my favorite restaurant in WDW. Most window tables have a view of Wishes, but the view is often blocked by folks standing out on the veranda. You'll probably have to go outside to watch as well. Then dim the lights and pipe in the music (inside the restaurant and outside on the veranda). You can request a window table. I would aim for an ADR about 90 minutes before Wishes.
• Boat Dock - guests are able to view the fireworks from the boat dock area. They pipe in the music. Almost the same view as Narcoossee's.
  
  

Magic Kingdom - no view from Liberty Tree Tavern or Be Our Guest. I don't know about Tony's (doubt it), Crystal Palace, or the Plaza.

• CRT - they dim the lights and pipe in the music. Some of the fireworks are visible through the stained glass windows. It's not the best view, but it's a fun view.
  
  

WL Boat - if you happen to be lucky and be taking the boat to MK from WL (or the opposite), you might be able to watch Wishes from the boat.

I've not as familiar with the layout of watching Wishes from WL or the TTC.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

FIREWORKS VIEWING (rev 1/6/2013)

1) Illuminations restaurant viewing
. . . Rose & Crown (UK) - Excellent Patio View
. . . La Hacienda (MX) - Excellent Window View
. . . Spice Road Table (MA) - Excellent Open-Air Lake-Side View (soon)
. . . Tokyo Dining (JP) - Good Window view, Good Patio View
. . . Chef de France (FR) - Obstructed Window View
. . . Bistro de Paris (FR) - Partially Obstructed Window View
. . . Liberty Inn (US) - Obstructed Patio View
2) Wishes restaurant viewing
. . . California Grille - Excellent table view, excellent balcony views
. . . Narcoossee's - Good view from only a few tables, good balcony view
. . . Ohana - Good view from only a very few tables
3) Non-Eating viewing
. . . Wishes: Wilderness Lodge employee parking lot - Good View
. . . Wishes: Poly Beach - Good View, with piped-in music
. . . Wishes: Fort Wilderness Beach - Fair view
. . . Illuminations: Boardwalk - Poor view, only high fireworks



PATIO-or-WINDOW SEATS FOR FIREWORKS:
. . . you CANNOT wait for a patio or window tables or make an ADR for such
. . . you must take whichever table is offered when it is offered.
. . . if not, your ADR is canceled.
. . . too many people would wait for a viewing table.
. . . if they didn't get it they left, so, there were unused tables, lost revenue.
. . . now, the policy is you take what is offered
. . . the Podium person verifies you will take the offered table

SEATING ASSIGNMENTS, THE NEW WAY: (almost all TS eateries)
. . . in most cases, the Podium person has no control over seating
. . . with the new system, the Seat Assigner determines your table
. . . the Assigner walks around with a computer and assigns the next table
. . . this assignment is then printed out at the podium
. . . the Seater then takes the printout and leads guest to the table
. . . the printout info also includes party size, adults/kids, DDP, special diets, etc
. . . this is done without any consulting with the podium people ahead of time
. . . once assigned, it almost takes and Act-of-God to change the table
. . . to change tables, requires a lot of computer work for the Assigner and Podium
. . . if you want to try for a good seat, get an ADR 2-2½ hrs before fireworks
. . . then, hope you get lucky

NOTE: Even with the above policy, we have seen people get a viewing
table when asking for it. If they are not too busy, which doesn't happen
often, they will try to accommodate you.

 

[figment_jii]

A few notes to add to RustyScupper's list...

Rose & Crown has excellent view from some patio tables (not all patio tables have a good view). In addition, there is a reserved viewing area just for R&C patrons. The front of the viewing area has an excellent view. The view from the back depends on how many folks are in the area and how much taller than you they area.

Monsieur Paul (Bistro de Paris) has a few window tables with a view, but most tables do not have a good view. I would not go to M.Paul with the intention of seeing IllumiNations from the window.