Am I being a hog?

[LaurenT]

Ok, I made an ADR - if enough of you think it's a greedy thing to do, I may cancel it - but here it is:
I read Mike's review of LaHacienda in today's Mousesavers... the food is ok, but what interested me was that it seems every table offers prime viewing of Illuminations! So, I tried to get an 8:15 ADR - no such luck...
They did, however have a 7:45 slot open, so I took it. I'm not the biggest fan of mexican food, but it's ok - my DH enjoys it...but the opportunity to sit in a nice spot and slowly finish my dessert while viewing Illuminations is very exciting to me.
Am I taking up the table for too long a time if I'm there an hour and a half? And would anyone else really be sitting down to dinner after my 7:45 slot anyway?

 

[Coach81]

get out yer popcorn...

 

[WDSearcher]

I don't think you're being a hog, but it really depends on how busy the place is that night. If there are lots of people waiting, you may find that you're being sort of gently prodded to finish. (Unless you just keep buying food and eating really slowly.) I'm sure you're not the only one to think of this.

Just be hopeful that the wind isn't blowing towards the restaurant, or the only thing you'll be getting a perfect view of is smoke!!

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

If you like the food then go for that. Most likely you will not be seated at exactly 7;45 so won't be there so long. Just play by ear and see his it works out.

 

[LaurenT]

I don't mean for it to become an argument...in a fine restaurant, DH and I can easily spend an hour and a half...but with the exception of V&A, I don't think it's ever taken that long at WDW...
Of course we could MAKE it takee that long, and how many people start dinner at 8:45 anyway..right? I'm just not sure what the etiquette is in this situation....
If the Dis is overwhelmingly against it...I'll go with the majority and assume I just don't have a handle on the protocol....

 

[Kay1]

Like Disney Princess Mom pointed out, it's very unlikely you'll be seated that quickly. If you order cocktails, dinner, and dessert, you may well be around long after Illuminations. I think 7:45 is a good time for what you want.

 

[LaurenT]

Like Disney Princess Mom pointed out, it's very unlikely you'll be seated that quickly. If you order cocktails, dinner, and dessert, you may well be around long after Illuminations. I think 7:45 is a good time for what you want.

Thanks! Guess it'll be ok! I'm so excited! I'll say a prayer to the wind gods...in all the trips to Epcot, I've never had a really good view of Illuminations...I'm always behind a tree or something!

 

[maxiesmom]

They did, however have a 7:45 slot open, so I took it. I'm not the biggest fan of mexican food, but it's ok - my DH enjoys it...but the opportunity to sit in a nice spot and slowly finish my dessert while viewing Illuminations is very exciting to me.
Am I taking up the table for too long a time if I'm there an hour and a half? And would anyone else really be sitting down to dinner after my 7:45 slot anyway?

The restaurants take ADRs until the park closes. So there will probably be quite a few people eating later than you and your hubby.

I guess it depends on how slowly you can eat, and how you will handle it if your server tries to hurry you along. I have an ADR for 8:30 at La H on a night they are showing Illuminations at 9:30. If we are seated anywhere near on time I do plan on ordering a 3 course meal, just to be sure we will still be in the restaurant in time for the fireworks. Hopefully the wait staff isn't pushy. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Princess_Belle]

Ask the host to be seated as close as possible to the water, for the best view. It will probably be a little longer of a wait, and if you get tired of waiting just go back up and tell them you changed your mind and you will take any table. I did this at Rose & Crown and we had to wait a little while longer but did have an awesome view!

 

[LaurenT]

The restaurants take ADRs until the park closes. So there will probably be quite a few people eating later than you and your hubby.

I guess it depends on how slowly you can eat, and how you will handle it if your server tries to hurry you along. I have an ADR for 8:30 at La H on a night they are showing Illuminations at 9:30. If we are seated anywhere near on time I do plan on ordering a 3 course meal, just to be sure we will still be in the restaurant in time for the fireworks. Hopefully the wait staff isn't pushy. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I got nervous when I saw your day has Illuminations at 9:30! I never heard of it being any time other than 9 pm..but I checked and it's at 9 pm when we're there. Whew! 9:30 would have been pushing it!

 

[Duckiedee]

I don't think a little over an hour is unreasonable at all. Three hours maybe, but not that amount of time. Personally when I go out I like to get a drink and sip it while perusing the menu, then order, then after my meal I like a cup of tea and at that point I peruse the dessert menu.

It is not unlikely for me to have three cups of tea... or another glass of wine and THEN tea!

Meal times are to eat, but when I go out I like to also socialize, relax and reconnect even with my immediate family. We've made 7:30 p.m. reservations at Rose and Crown to see Illuminations, by the time we get in and get settled I'm sure we won't be wrapping up until after anyways. And if you make your reservations much after 8 p.m., the people who arrive then are SURE to stay.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

If I wanted an Illuminations view with my table I would book between 730-745 at there or Rose and Crown. I don't think 1 hour 15 min is unreasonable amount of time to eat. We have spent much longer than that in restraunts at Disney. I actually don't know that we ate any TS in less than that time last trip (and there are 4 of us, 2 kids 2 adults) Disney does not have the fastest service and they rarely seat on time, so I wouldn't bat an eye at making a 745 reservation w/ the intention to stay till 9pm Illuminations.

 

[afwdwfan]

The key to this is that it is in the Mexican pavillion. That makes for an easy solution... margaritas. Drink one while you take your time looking at the menu. Drink one after your meal before you get dessert and then drink one afterwards while you watch illuminations. As long as you're running up a nice bar tab, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to let you hang around for a while.

 

[postage stamp]

The key to this is that it is in the Mexican pavillion. That makes for an easy solution... margaritas. Drink one while you take your time looking at the menu. Drink one after your meal before you get dessert and then drink one afterwards while you watch illuminations. As long as you're running up a nice bar tab, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to let you hang around for a while.

I agree! It's a win win.

Server doesn't care how long you sit there as long as you are upping the bill, and you get to drink lots of margaritas and watch a nice show!

 

[diamondcharl]

Go for it! Enjoy and sip slooooowly! P.S. Dont have too many margaritas cause you may end up seeing double!

 

[postage stamp]

Go for it! Enjoy and sip slooooowly! P.S. Dont have too many margaritas cause you may end up seeing double!

Then she gets TWICE as much illuminations! DUH!

 

[princessmom29]

If you are a hog them I am too because we have a 7:45 ressie on Thamksgiving day!! As a PP said you usually are not seated right away, and we plan to have after dinner drinks here and watch the fireworks.

 

[DisneyWade]

Then she can rename the show:

Hallucinations Reflections of Reflections of Earth

 

[skiingfast]

Ok, I made an ADR - if enough of you think it's a greedy thing to do, I may cancel it - but here it is:

They did, however have a 7:45 slot open, so I took it. I'm not the biggest fan of mexican food, but it's ok - my DH enjoys it...but the opportunity to sit in a nice spot and slowly finish my dessert while viewing Illuminations is very exciting to me.
Am I taking up the table for too long a time if I'm there an hour and a half? And would anyone else really be sitting down to dinner after my 7:45 slot anyway?

Are you a hog for doing this, yes you probably are. Otherwise you wouldn't question it. You know it's questionable and feel guilty. You post a question about it to get reasurance that you aren't the only one who would do this and that it's ok. You didn't say, is sitting down at 7:45 to see Illuminations a good plan?

You wonder if you are taking the table for a later diner. Yes, from me you are. Off my normal schedule I try to eat between 6 and 7. That's 8 and 9 in the east coast. I would be looking for that table at that time just because it's my habit.


I don't think using a table from 7:45 to 9:00, an hour and a quater is real bad, just borderline. Of course you will be sitting there until the show ends or about 9:30 so that's unquestionably too long.

 

[Pixie Princess]

LaurenT- Had the same thought last night as I booked a 7:45 reservation for LaHa. I think everyone has made good points about not being seated promptly at 7:45 and if you order dessert etc.

I decided to take the reservation because we are a party of 9, and there's a better than even chance we won't finish the meal in an hour so we wouldn't be lingering at the table just to see Illuminations. There are several people in the group for whom this will be a first visit, and three children who we will be celebrating birthdays, so lots of distractions going on as well.

BTW..Great name...it's my name too!