Best Epcot Restaurants for Illuminations?

[MKCP5]

I would like to try and make an ADR so we can be seated, have dinner, and watch illuminations. I'd rather pay for dinner than just a dessert buffet and not be seated. I guess i Have a couple of questions. Which restaurants have a view, and what time should I try and get a reservation for? What are my odds of getting a seat where we can see? I'm assuming you can't actually request that. Thanks so much for your input!

 

[kam1011]

England, Mexico, and Morocco, I believe. We always go with England (Rose and Crown). It'snot guaranteed, but we've always ended up outside on the patio with an amazing view. If you get seated inside, they let you go out on the patio to see the show.

 

[SuzaBanana]

We booked a 7:30pm table at La Hacienda de San Angel and did not get a window table. BUT! When Illuminations started, the whole restaurant went dark and the music was piped in and everyone stood in front of the windows to watch. Great view and no loud fireworks (which was one of our reasons for booking there). You can also get QS at the Cantina and watch from outside.

 

[Pawpsicle]

We booked around 8pm and waited for a window seat at Tokyo Dining. Fortunately, we got one, but I don't think we were seated until around 8:45.

 

[mckennarose]

We've done both Rose and Crown and Spice Road table for Illuminations. Rose and Crown was an amazing view and I highly recommend it. We requested a patio table and were accommodated. Our ressie was for 7:25 and we were seated by 7:40. I booked that one right at my 180 day mark and all other times closer to 8 were gone.

Spice Road Table was a good view, but father away and slightly obstructed by an island. They have good food though, better than R&C IMO. I think that ressie was around 8.

IMO, nothing beats a leisurely meal with a great show and walking out of Epcot after most people have gone.

 

[MKCP5]

We've done both Rose and Crown and Spice Road table for Illuminations. Rose and Crown was an amazing view and I highly recommend it. We requested a patio table and were accommodated. Our ressie was for 7:25 and we were seated by 7:40. I booked that one right at my 180 day mark and all other times closer to 8 were gone.

Spice Road Table was a good view, but father away and slightly obstructed by an island. They have good food though, better than R&C IMO. I think that ressie was around 8.

IMO, nothing beats a leisurely meal with a great show and walking out of Epcot after most people have gone.

So when you said you requested a patio table that was when you got there? You can't do that at reservation time can you? And do I book the pub or the dining room at rose and crown? Thanks for the info! I'm late for the Ressie but will see what I can do. It's a last minute trip.

 

[Hopefully]

So when you said you requested a patio table that was when you got there? You can't do that at reservation time can you? And do I book the pub or the dining room at rose and crown? Thanks for the info! I'm late for the Ressie but will see what I can do. It's a last minute trip.

You request it when you check in, but you may no longer wait for a patio table. You must take the next available table or loose your ADR.
If you are "late for the Ressie" it is highly unlikely that the prime times to see Illuminations are even available. They book very quickly.
You need to book for the restaurant - the pub does not take reservations and only has 4 tables total - and we try to book about 7:40 - 7:45.
Good Luck

 

[MKCP5]

You request it when you check in, but you may no longer wait for a patio table. You must take the next available table or loose your ADR.
If you are "late for the Ressie" it is highly unlikely that the prime times to see Illuminations are even available. They book very quickly.
You need to book for the restaurant - the pub does not take reservations and only has 4 tables total - and we try to book about 7:40 - 7:45.
Good Luck

Okay, we will see what we can do. I usually have good luck just checking back a few times. Something usually pops up. And if it doesn't, we will work it out. After all, we will be at Disney world!!

 

[justme0729]

We ate at San Angel Inn and ended up not being done with our meal so we were there during fireworks and I think it is a better experience to see the show outside of a restaurant if you haven't seen it yet. We felt like we missed out because the view wasn't great from our table.

 

[mckennarose]

So when you said you requested a patio table that was when you got there? You can't do that at reservation time can you? And do I book the pub or the dining room at rose and crown? Thanks for the info! I'm late for the Ressie but will see what I can do. It's a last minute trip.

If you can't get a patio table at R&C and get seated inside, they have an area for the other restaurant guests to watch illuminations.
Good luck!

 

[Hopefully]

We ate at San Angel Inn and ended up not being done with our meal so we were there during fireworks and I think it is a better experience to see the show outside of a restaurant if you haven't seen it yet. We felt like we missed out because the view wasn't great from our table.

San Angel Inn is inside the Mexican Pavilion and has no view outside at all. La Hacienda de San Angel is on the lagoon & some tables have a view, many more do not.
I believe that the best way to experience Illumunations is around the lake.

 

[SweetSerenity]

I'm throwing in another vote for Rose and Crown. It's a tradition for us to have a dinner reservation there. We love the food, ambience, and view. As other posters mentioned, if you don't get a waterside view outside, they do let you go outside for the show. In fact, we're always asked if we'd like to go out for the show and then come back inside for dessert. I try to book around a 7:30 reservation in case they are running a little behind. This way, we don't feel rushed to go outside in the middle of our entree course.