ºoº "Epcot's Candlelight Processional 2005 F.A.Q. & Information,let's share our info.

[Maggie0507]

I really wanted to try to do the 6:45 Candlelight Processional and dinner at the Rose and Crown at 8:15 or so hoping to see Illuminations from the restaurant.

First I asked for November 29th and could only eat BEFORE the show, then I asked for December 2 and couldn't eat at Rose and Crown before OR after the show so I figured 3 strikes you're out and tried for Saturday the 3rd and was able to book the 6:45 show and 8 PM dinner.

My question is, since Illuminations is not til 9:30, any chance I will be able to draaaaaaaaaaag dinner out til 9:30, assuming I get an outdoor table KNOWING there is no guarantee.

What do the experts think?

M

 

[RachelTori]

Okay I have now booked 4 CP dinner packages at 4 different restaurants,two because they were convenient because I am staying onsite and planning to got to Epcot anyway(Phil Donahue and Haley Joel Osment)and 2 when I am staying at Universal because I really want to see Cicely Tyson and James Cavizel(who I just added today because of his rave reviews)do you think I need therapy?I may decide to cancel one or two before I go but this way I have plenty of time to decide without worrying about any day being soldout.

Do I think you need therapy? NO WAY!!! That's so awesome that you're able to book all those CP's! I'm quite jealous, for sure!! I hope you do them all - each one is sure to be a unique experience. Which 4 restaurants did you book? Are you mixing up the showtimes at all? You've got to post after the holidays and let us know how they were. (that's *green with envy*!!!)

 

[Jane E.]

I reserved the 8:15 show. I tried to get dinner at Restaurant Marakesh at 4,4:15 etc. The cm told me the first available time for my show was 5. I asked if it would help if I changed to a different restaurant and she said no. 5pm was the earliest she could book me. I explained I wanted to see the 6pm tree lighting but the cm said she couldn't change the restaurant times. I booked the 5pm - we're going to show up earlier and see if we can get seated. Since then I've read about other people getting earlier seatings for the 8:15 show. I wish I knew how the system actually works. Has anyone shown up early and been fortunate enough to get seated earlly?

If we do get seated early & get out by 5:45 would our best bet be to take the boat across instead of walking? Doesn't it run until 7pm even during CP?
When we were there during the Flower Festival Mexico's "port" was closed - leaving only 3 so the trip across the lake took longer. Does anyone know if Mexico has reopened?

Thank you Ray for starting this thread. If I hadn't read this I never would have reserved CP. The more I read the better it sounded.

 

[DebbieB]

I really wanted to try to do the 6:45 Candlelight Processional and dinner at the Rose and Crown at 8:15 or so hoping to see Illuminations from the restaurant.

First I asked for November 29th and could only eat BEFORE the show, then I asked for December 2 and couldn't eat at Rose and Crown before OR after the show so I figured 3 strikes you're out and tried for Saturday the 3rd and was able to book the 6:45 show and 8 PM dinner.

My question is, since Illuminations is not til 9:30, any chance I will be able to draaaaaaaaaaag dinner out til 9:30, assuming I get an outdoor table KNOWING there is no guarantee.

What do the experts think?

M

I think chances are you will not be seated at 8:00. We ate there in May on a Monday night, which you would think would be slow. Our PS was 7:20, we arrived at 7:10 and asked for an outside table, we were not seated until 8:00. Alot of people were complaining about the long waits but I didn't because I didn't want them to just seat us inside. We got a perfect outside table and the waitress asked if we were staying for the fireworks. We said yes, so she served the meal slowly, we were just done eating the main course at 9:00. People who were sitting at the table next to us were done eating at around 8:15-8:30, they just sat there until the fireworks, they didn't hassle them to leave. I think the last PS was 8:00 that night.

 

[Maggie0507]

I think chances are you will not be seated at 8:00. We ate there in May on a Monday night, which you would think would be slow. Our PS was 7:20, we arrived at 7:10 and asked for an outside table, we were not seated until 8:00. Alot of people were complaining about the long waits but I didn't because I didn't want them to just seat us inside. We got a perfect outside table and the waitress asked if we were staying for the fireworks. We said yes, so she served the meal slowly, we were just done eating the main course at 9:00. People who were sitting at the table next to us were done eating at around 8:15-8:30, they just sat there until the fireworks, they didn't hassle them to leave. I think the last PS was 8:00 that night.

Thanks Debbie,

I would love to see Illuminations while eating dessert
I wonder if they always fill requests to be seated outside?

M

 

[QuiltTeddy]

I'm bummed. Thought I had to wait until the 90 day mark to make the reservation. Guess I'll be calling tomorrow.

Any news on who is taking Gary Sinise's place yet?

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks Debbie,

I would love to see Illuminations while eating dessert
I wonder if they always fill requests to be seated outside?

M

I'm sure there are more requests than they can fill, especially closer to Illuminations time. One consideration in Nov/Dec is it might be cold outside, which might be in your favor.

 

[Kata]

Do I think you need therapy? NO WAY!!! That's so awesome that you're able to book all those CP's! I'm quite jealous, for sure!! I hope you do them all - each one is sure to be a unique experience. Which 4 restaurants did you book? Are you mixing up the showtimes at all? You've got to post after the holidays and let us know how they were. (that's *green with envy*!!!)

Thanks Laura I knew I could count on you to assure me I not crazy you have always been very helpful to me and I appreciate it alot.
I am doing 11/28/05 dinner 5:50 at Rose and Crown 8:15 CP
12/03/05 dinner 4:00 pm Le Cellier 8:15 CP
12/06/05 6:45 CP 8:15 Dinner at L'Originale Alfredo di Roma
12/08/05 6:45 CP 8:10 Dinner at Chefs De France
I really was only planning on 2 but the ones I really want to see are on the week I am staying at Universal and will only come to Epcot for the show and dinner and the other 2 are when I am planning on being at Epcot and would be buying dinner anyway. I am on the dining plan but since I am doing a couple of signature restaurants I will need to pay for some meals out of pocket so I figured I would just book the CP package, I know its not cheap but I am traveling solo so its not as expensive for me as it would be for a family.I am pretty sure I will cancel atleast one but I am not sure which one.
Thanks

 

[RachelTori]

How will you ever be able to decide which one you should cancel?!! What a great list! I guess you really won't have to worry about cancelling until 48 hours out. Maybe see how you feel after the 1st one on 11/28. If 3 more sounds like too much...... I still wouldn't know which one to cancel.

Have a great trip and please, please post when you get back and let us know how many you did and what each was like!

 

[Kata]

How will you ever be able to decide which one you should cancel?!! What a great list! I guess you really won't have to worry about cancelling until 48 hours out. Maybe see how you feel after the 1st one on 11/28. If 3 more sounds like too much...... I still wouldn't know which one to cancel.

Have a great trip and please, please post when you get back and let us know how many you did and what each was like!

I wll be sure to post when I get back.I have already seen Wayne Brady and James Avery and they were both awesome so this years narrators will have alot to live up to.
Thanks!!!

 

[BBGirl]

Bumping back to page one.

 

[EthansMom]

Made my reservations today!

Date: 12/7 (My Mom's Bday)
Narrator: Jim Caviezel
CP time: 5 p.m.
ADR time: 6:30 p.m.
Restaurant: Coral Reef
Party Size: 6 (Me, DH, Mom, Stepdad, DS4, DD1)

Should we have any problems walking from the theater to Coral Reef in 45 minutes? We plan to walk straight from the theater to the restaurant. Would we have any problems? (No one in our party is particularly slow or anything.) Just want to know if I should have gone with a later ADR time -- went with the earlier time because the kids aren't happy eating really late.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

Made ours today too!


Date: 12/22
Narrator: Unknown
CP time: 8:15 pm
ADR time: 5:15 pm
Restaurant: Nine Dragons
Party Size: 2 (DH and I)

Tried for Le Cellier, but it was booked that day and I could have changed it to 12/21, but wasn't keen on Marlee Maitlin. Figured I'd rather risk it for the 22nd....could always switch I guess.

 

[NJmouse]

Reservations made at 5pm on Sat 8/20 talked to a handsome sounding CM -Mitch. He was so helpful and fast. He knew just what he was doing and I was done with the transaction in just 5 minutes (after talking about his home state it happens to be mine and he home is about 1 hr from here)

Dec 1st.
Haley Joel Osment
CP 8:15
Alfredo's 5pm
Me and DH
1st Christmas trip to Disney

Mitch also told me there were 891 seats still available for that show. I told him my luck I would be the 891st person in line and be sitting in the back. We both got a chuckle out of it.

 

[RachelTori]

Reservations made at 5pm on Sat 8/20 talked to a handsome sounding CM -Mitch. He was so helpful and fast. He knew just what he was doing and I was done with the transaction in just 5 minutes (after talking about his home state it happens to be mine and he home is about 1 hr from here)

Dec 1st.
Haley Joel Osment
CP 8:15
Alfredo's 5pm
Me and DH
1st Christmas trip to Disney

Mitch also told me there were 891 seats still available for that show. I told him my luck I would be the 891st person in line and be sitting in the back. We both got a chuckle out of it.

I just wanted to tell you NOT to get discouraged if the line seems LONG when you get to it! You'll be amazed at how fast it goes and how many really *good* seats there are. If you truly want the full effect, I'd suggest not sitting too close to the front. When they start letting people in, watch where everyone heads - that'll be your clue because most of them will be heading for the best areas!! We find at least half way back (or even further!) and as close to center as possible to be great seats. You are in for an awesome experience!

 

[Terk-1]

I have a CP dinner package booked for 12/8 to see Jim Caviezel, with dinner afterwards at the Rose & Crown. I'd like to see Eartha Kitt that Monday and was wondering how early the stand by line starts. I'd rather not do another dinner package, as this would be another $40+. If I wanted to see her perform either the 5pm or the 6:45pm show, how early should I get in line? Where this will be on a Monday, how packed do you think it would be? Can you stand at the back of the theater to watch (without actually entering the theater) or do CM's block that area off?

 

[BWVPam]

When oh when will they announce Gary Sinese's replacement. I am very anxious, anyone else????

 

[QuiltTeddy]

When oh when will they announce Gary Sinese's replacement. I am very anxious, anyone else????

Yes, we booked the 22nd and figured we'd take our chances.......but getting curious.

 

[Feralpeg]

I just called to reserve the CP dinner package on December 2nd. I wanted LeCellier. I was told that they are only doing reservations for parties of 4 and up at LeCellier. Darn! I ended up doing Rose & Crown. I'm sure they can still sell out LeCellier with only larger parties. It takes up a table for four to do a party of two, but I really would have like to have gone there. LeCellier is my favorite restaurant there.

 

[Shelly S]

Feralpeg, Keep checking back for LeCellier. The first time we called, we were unable to book the CP package for 2 at LeCellier. We took an alternate restaurant instead. We called back 2 days later and sure enough there must have been a cancellation and we were able to get in. It is very easy to cancel your reservation and rebook. By the way, Dec 2nd is the day we got in. Good luck.