Dinner time after Illuminations ?

Luckybee

DIS Veteran
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Jul 10, 2004
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We've decided to stay one night on property with our friends who are first timers for our May trip even though we don't expect t do a great deal of Disney this time around. That said we're expecting to do just a 2 day pass mainly so that we can do the Flower and Garden show and BOG.
Our plans for day 1 include FG, Illuminations, and Monsieur Paul. We likely wont get to the park until about 6pm and it is an emh night so we're planning to show our friends around the gardens and pavilions, use our fp only for Illuminations then have a late dinner. Given that we'll have to walk from the fp area for illuminations after it is over, and we can book dinner at any of 9:15, 9:30 or 9:45 what would you all suggest to get us there as soon as possible but without running ? Will we have enough time if we take 9:30 ? I expect with MP we're looking at about 1 1/2 -2 hrs for dinner or do they rush service more at these later times ?
 
9:45. IllumiNations starts at 9 and runs about 15 minutes, so even 9:30 might be pushing it.
 

Quite honestly, the FP+ section for Illuminations isn't great unless you get there early and stake out your spot. We had FP+ for Illuminations and my DS and I could barely see as we were still three people back from the lagoon railing.

I would suggest getting there early or even just viewing Illuminations from a spot closer to France along the lagoon (Italy is our favorite spot). That way you aren't running or going against the crowd as you head to dinner.
 
Quite honestly, the FP+ section for Illuminations isn't great unless you get there early and stake out your spot. We had FP+ for Illuminations and my DS and I could barely see as we were still three people back from the lagoon railing.

I would suggest getting there early or even just viewing Illuminations from a spot closer to France along the lagoon (Italy is our favorite spot). That way you aren't running or going against the crowd as you head to dinner.

So are you saying that without fp one can find a spot to still see without waiting 30 minutes or so ? If that's the case then I wont bother trying to get the fp's for us. Frankly we've missed Illuminations in our previous trips for one reason or another and I did want to see it this time but I wont wait an hour for it .
 














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