Hacienda for Illuminations

[JCMHutch]

Got a reservation for La Hacienda so we will be there for Illuminations. How is the show from the restaurant? Do they play the music in the restaurant during the show?

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

This is funny - I just posted a question on the Theme Park board re: Illuminations and my ADR at La Hacienda!
What time did you schedule your reservation?
I made mine for 7:45 - assuming Illum was at 9PM. Now I've seen it posted that it will be at 10 PM in Aug....
Just wondering which is the right time...

 

[TheRustyScupper]

How is the show from the restaurant?
. . . IF you get a window seat, fine
. . . but, you might not get a window
. . . you could be a room without windows
. . . no guarantee on window seats

Do they play the music in the restaurant during the show?
. . . yes

 

[JCMHutch]

Rusty - Thanks for the info. I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope to get a window seat. I saw a picture on the food thread that someone posted of Illuminations from inside the Hacienda and it looked fantastic. Luckily we have 2 days in Epcot so we will see it on the other day if the ADR doesn't work out. I'll be happy just listening to the music from the show.

Gretchen - we scheduled an 8:30 ADR the first week of November. Illuminations is usually at 9:00 at that time of year. I've never gone in August (been there in March, April, May, July & October) so I'm not sure of the schedule during that month. I hope your ADR works out and you can see the show.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Thank you, JCMHutch.
I always thought Illum started at 9PM - & other Dissers have since confirmed that.
Saw a post somewhere mentioning Illum @ 10PM and thought "Oh No"... I'm thinking now that the person was probably referring to Wishes.
Hope you get a window seat & a great view!

 

[catne]

I'd try for a 7:30 ADR if you're hoping to get a window seat (or even to get any table in the room with the windows) People who are seated by 7:30 just draw the meal out & linger over each course...including ordering separate coffee or whatever after dessert...so they can keep the tables through Illuminations.

To the person with the 8:30 ADR...sorry, you will not get a seat in the room with a view, guarantee you...we were seated on a very slow night in November (around November 10 or so) at 7:45 and that was too late to get a table in the main room (with the view) The hostess told me it would be very rare for a table in the main room to be available after 7:30.

About 1/3 of the seats in La Hacienda are in a side room with NO view at all. They dim the lights during Illuminations (so dim you cannot continue to eat because literally cannot see your plate) and they pipe in the music. People in the side room are allowed to get up & go stand at the back of the room with the windows but the view from there is worse than standing outside at just about any other spot on the World showcase.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Wow! Appreciate the info, catne!
Will try to book earlier, thanks to your advice.
Much obliged.