I have some confusion about the CP

[Shelbelle6]

I've never done this, so I'm a bit confused. If we buy a dinner package with CP, how does this work? The info about CP says, "You receive entrance to the reserved seating area at the America Gardens Theatre, in the front few rows if you purchase the Dinner Package." But I read somewhere else where someone made their reservations for 7:30 pm and was seated and then also had great seats for Illuminations. I'm so confused. Do you go to the America Gardens first and then proceed to your chosen restaurant or do you view CP from your seat at the restaurant? Then what happens in the America Gardens? Can someone explain this to me? I didn't think I was this dense!!!

 

[kyirish25]

You go eat dinner at the place your package is at. Afterwards you make your way over to America Gardens to be seated to watch the CP. And depending on which showing and dinner time you have you may still have time to go watch Illuminations afterwards from a location of your choice.

 

[ktglads]

Okay, first, there are 3 showings of the CP per night: 5:00, 6:45, and 8:15. When you make your reservations, you will pick one of the shows and then a corresponding dinner time, depending on what would work best for you. Since the show is about 40 minutes long, I will assume that the person whose report you read went to the 5:00 show. They made reservations to eat dinner afterwards at 7:30 PM. They were able to watch Illuminations (showing at 9:30 PM) from their table. You would only be able to do this from select restaurants since they do not all offer views of the fireworks. But beware, booking here does not garuntee you this great table. Its more luck of the draw with those.

You can choose to eat early and got to the later show or see the show early and eat late. We went to the 6:45 show and then had dinner at 8:30. We missed Illuminations since we were inside at Italy, but we were seeing them another night so that was fine. By the time we were done with dinner, the park was deserted so we were able to have a nice leisurely walk out.

 

[Shelbelle6]

You would only be able to do this from select restaurants since they do not all offer views of the fireworks. But beware, booking here does not garuntee you this great table. Its more luck of the draw with those.

How would I be able to find out which restaurants offer views of the fireworks?
It sounds like such a great way to fit all the things into one evening, but maybe it won't end up working out anyway and I'll just be stressing for no good reason!!

 

[ccgegg]

A couple more tips about CP.....
-- Don't assume that because you have a reserved seat for CP thru the dinner pkg that you will just walk right in and sit down. I hear the CP reserved seat line can be long at times-- but don't worry, you'll still get a seat. It's just if you want the best seat in the house, you may want to show up at America Gardens about an hour ahead of show time.
-- CP is best when it's dark out, which at that time of year means the 6:45 or later show.

We're planning on eating at 4:45 and seeing the 6:45 show, then catching Illuminations (if the kids stay awake).

 

[ktglads]

For more info on CP (at least from 2004), see this website http://allearsnet.com/tp/h_cpfaq.htm

The Rose and Crown is the only one that offers a view, but you COULD end up inside that I can think of. I would not bet on having an outside table, but it is possible. I would hate to be betting on an outside table and then end up inside. You can go out during the show, but then you also may be leaving your food at that time. I

Depending on when in December you are going, Illuminations is actually quite easy to see, since it shows at 9:30 and early in the month the other parks close at 8 or earlier. We saw it the same day we went to AK since the park closed at 5 that day, so there was no rush or anything to get over to Epcot