Best choice of time for Rose & Crown Illuminations?

[Hettie]

I'm trying to choose between reservation times for Rose & Crown to have the best chance of outside seating for Illuminations at 9:00 pm. We'll be perfectly happy eating inside too so long as we can stretch the meal out to still be there to watch Illuminations from the viewing area outside. I am looking at:

7:15
7:35
8:10

The 8:10 is on a Friday during F & W (schedule still says 9:00 pm Illuminations), so I'm thinking that 8:10 may be too late with the Friday night crowds.

Opinions?

 

[etoiles]

I would go with the 7:35 reservation. It usually takes 10-15 minutes to be seated, at least for the times we have gone, so by the time you are sitting down you will have only about an hour before Illuminations. We had a similar time about 5-10 minutes earlier and we were eating dessert when Illuminations started. We did also order appetizers and entrees of course.

The 7:15 is early and you will really have to stretch it too much, especially since you have other options that are better.