Dining with fireworks

[sparklepnh]

We are going to Disney again next October and staying onsite for the first time at Port Orleans Riverside. Any suggestions on good restaurants where you can watch the fireworks? I'd heard that making a reservation at Ohana at 8 pm was a good choice. Any others?

 

[caffeinegirl47]

The best tip I got before we went was to make reservations for La Hacienda de San Angel the night we wanted to watch Illuminations. We made our reservation for 6:15 [EDIT: our ADR was actually for 7:30pm, please see below posts. Sorry for any confusion!]. When we checked in, we asked for a table by the window, adding that we would be willing to wait to be seated. We waited about 10 minutes, and were then shown to an absolutely prime table by the window. (From what I could tell, nearly all of the dining room could see, but it was extra nice being by the window!)

We had a lovely dinner (get one of the fajita platters for 2!) and a perfect view of Illuminations without ever fighting the crowds. Looking back, this is my favorite memory of our trip.

(We also stayed at Riverside and it was so lush and beautiful, you'll love it!)

 

[ddluvsdisney]

We are going to Disney again next October and staying onsite for the first time at Port Orleans Riverside. Any suggestions on good restaurants where you can watch the fireworks? I'd heard that making a reservation at Ohana at 8 pm was a good choice. Any others?

We've eaten at Cali Grill and Narcoossees to watch Wishes. Cali Grill is definitely a must do.
If you'd like to see Illuminations make a ressie at Rosé & Crown and request the patio-definitely the highlight of our last 2 trips!!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

FIREWORKS VIEWING (rev 5/6/2012)

1) Illuminations restaurant viewing
. . . Rose & Crown - Excellent Patio View
. . . La Hacienda - Excellent Window View
. . . Tokyo Dining - Good Window view, Good Patio View
. . . Chef de France - Obstructed Window View
. . . Bistro de Paris - Partially Obstructed Window View
. . . Liberty Inn - Obstructed Patio View
2) Wishes restaurant viewing
. . . California Grille - Excellent table view, excellent balcony views
. . . Narcoossee's - Good view from only a few tables, good balcony view
. . . Ohana - Good view from very few tables
3) Non-Eating viewing
. . . Wishes: Wilderness Lodge employee parking lot - Good View
. . . Wishes: Poly Beach - Good View, with piped-in music
. . . Wishes: Fort Wilderness Beach - Fair view
. . . Illuminations: Boardwalk - Poor view, only high fireworks


NOTE: Tables at restaurants with views are highly prized.
. . . you may ask for a able with a view at the podium
. . . but, must take ANY seat when your ADR is ready
. . . whether there is a fireworks view or not

 

[figment_jii]

We are going to Disney again next October and staying onsite for the first time at Port Orleans Riverside. Any suggestions on good restaurants where you can watch the fireworks? I'd heard that making a reservation at Ohana at 8 pm was a good choice. Any others?

It depends on which fireworks show you want to see.

IllumiNations at Epcot can best be seen from Rose & Crown. Some of the patio tables have an excellent view and even if you don't get a good patio table (or are seated inside) there is a reserved viewing area. (Just note that you may not be allowed to wait for a patio table.) La Hacienda has some tables with a excellent view, but most of the tables have a limited or restricted view. Some of the other WS restaurants also have some tables with a view, but most do not.

For Wishes at MK, Narcoossee's and California Grill have great views or viewing areas. I've read that a few tables at 'Ohana have a good view, but it's a very limited number of tables.

In general, there is no way to be sure that you'll get a table with a view of the fireworks. You might be able to ask/request one when you check-in, but none of the restaurants will promise you one.

 

[ImpossibleOfMe]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but Im wondering how long before the fireworks start you should make the ADR for.
Like would a 6:15 adr still be good if Illuminations isn't until 9?

Trying to plan for when DS will be at Kids Club and this sounds like a great idea since he is simply awful with TS meals...but don't have a clue as to how long to plan for.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but Im wondering how long before the fireworks start you should make the ADR for.
Like would a 6:15 adr still be good if Illuminations isn't until 9?

Trying to plan for when DS will be at Kids Club and this sounds like a great idea since he is simply awful with TS meals...but don't have a clue as to how long to plan for.

Personally, 2.75 hours is a long time to hold the table. Assuming your asking about Rose & Crown, meals there are pretty fast (90 minutes for three courses with my family). So I would say that an ADR for anything earlier than 7:30 is pushing it.

On average in-park TS meals take between 60 and 90 minutes depending on how many courses you order, how busy it is, etc.

 

[caffeinegirl47]

Personally, 2.75 hours is a long time to hold the table. Assuming your asking about Rose & Crown, meals there are pretty fast (90 minutes for three courses with my family). So I would say that an ADR for anything earlier than 7:30 is pushing it.

On average in-park TS meals take between 60 and 90 minutes depending on how many courses you order, how busy it is, etc.

Whoops! I just went back and checked my ADRs from that trip and it looks like our ADR was actually at 7:30pm. 6:15 would have probably been too early. 7:30 was perfect.

Thanks for catching that figment_jii!

 

[Peachkins]

Haven't done it myself, but I've also heard that California Grill is a great place to watch the MK fireworks show. Apparently they even pipe in the music so you get the whole experience.

 

[mfd25wife]

Check the dates and time for Wishes. We get 9:00 and later and have always been able to see Wishes, but I think the times change. They pipe in the music,also. If you eat at 8:00, I wouldn't stress, though and just go to the beach to watch from there. Also, we stayed at BLT this last visit. There is a great view from the Contemporary on the same level as the monorail. If we were cutting it close, we just stopped and watched from the outside patio.

LaHacienda has a great window view for Illuminations. I am not overly impressed with their food. It's good, but they think highly of it based on pricing. I will say the food and service have improved over time. The first time I went, they had only been open a month. I give everyone a second chance, and it has been better since then.

 

[purple figment]

Narcoossee's: Good view from the window tables, but people will stand on the deck and may obstruct the view of the diners. Music is piped in and the lights are dimmed. You can go out on the deck to view the fireworks and the Electric Water Pageant as well. You can see the EWP from inside the restaurant, but you won't be able to hear the music.

Cali Grill: Good view from the window tables facing the MK. Music is piped in and the lights are dimmed. Excellent view from the observation deck where many diners view the fireworks.

Rose & Crown: Good view from many of the patio tables, but there are some with obstructed or no view. If you're seated inside there is a viewing area adjacent to the patio for R&C diners. Let your server know you want to go out there to see IllumiNations.

La Hacienda: Good view of IllumiNations from some window tables, but many other tables have obstructed or no view.

However, there is no restaurant that will guarantee you a table with a fireworks view. You can request it when you check in, but so many people make the same request that it may not be possible. At other times if the restaurant is very busy they will not let you wait for a table with a view.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Last trip I made our ADR for Ohana 2 hrs before Wishes started. It worked out perfectly to have dinner then walk around and check out the grounds at the Poly before settling on a bench to watch the fire works from the beach.

That was one of our most memorable moments from the trip.

I would suggest doing that rather than stress if you're going to get seated by a window or not to watch it.

 

[jakers2154]

If you are out of dinner you should go to the tommorowland terrace restaurant desert party.