Budget dinner for illuminations?

MKCP5

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 20, 2005
Messages
2,137
I am looking at the options to try and find a place to eat and watch illuminations and it seems pretty difficult to make it happen Has anyone eaten in Mexico at the CS restaurant and stayed for illuminations? Do people start saving tables at 6 o clock or something ridiculous like that? I'd like to go pick up dinner and watch, but don't want to have to sit there for 3 hours!!
 
You'll have to be there for three hours. (They don't save tables - they sit and drink). Eat earlier, then grab a spot for Illuminations. There are plenty of spots, but very few spots you can sit and eat at.
 
You'll have to be there for three hours. (They don't save tables - they sit and drink). Eat earlier, then grab a spot for Illuminations. There are plenty of spots, but very few spots you can sit and eat at.
Ugh! Not worth it to me. Think of all the fun things I could be doing instead of sitting there!
 
I agree, all of the tables are occupied by people drinking the evening away. Eat early, get some treats, and watch from elsewhere.
 

Do they purchase drinks at the CS location? or do they get them from somewhere else and bring them over?
 
I would not waste time just sitting around. There are so many viewing areas around the lake to enjoy the display that I would have my dinner wherever and whenever I felt like eating and then pick up a treat to enjoy after you find your spot.
 
I agree with others. There is no reason to wait to eat until Illuminations and look for a spot that you will be able to do that from. Eat earlier, enjoy yourself and then find one of the many spots along the lagoon to watch.
 
I agree with others. There is no reason to wait to eat until Illuminations and look for a spot that you will be able to do that from. Eat earlier, enjoy yourself and then find one of the many spots along the lagoon to watch.

Dining while watching Illuminations is one aspect of planning that I never have been able to understand. No matter how well you plan, and how close you manage to secure your ADR at whatever restaurant you have chosen, there is just still way too much left to chance, IMO. You cannot insist on tables with the view. I love planning my meals to be over with time to space when I plan our Illuminations evening.
 
Dining while watching Illuminations is one aspect of planning that I never have been able to understand. No matter how well you plan, and how close you manage to secure your ADR at whatever restaurant you have chosen, there is just still way too much left to chance, IMO. You cannot insist on tables with the view. I love planning my meals to be over with time to space when I plan our Illuminations evening.
I love being able to sit in air-conditioned comfort to watch Illuminations. I've done it lots of times and very much prefer it to standing around the lagoon. La Cantina and Spice Road are outdoors and not worth the effort IMO, but there are a couple of TS places that have worked out well for me.
 
Dining while watching Illuminations is one aspect of planning that I never have been able to understand. No matter how well you plan, and how close you manage to secure your ADR at whatever restaurant you have chosen, there is just still way too much left to chance, IMO. You cannot insist on tables with the view. I love planning my meals to be over with time to space when I plan our Illuminations evening.

Yeah. I get that. I just know how tired I am by that part of the evening and having a place to sit while I enjoy it is very appealing. I am a lingering dinner eater as well. I like to relax and enjoy dinner. I might be too afraid to miss a minute in the parks to linger long. Lol. Might just be counter service!
 















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