La Hacienda de San Angel for Illuminations

[Onceuponadream2]

Just booked a 7:45 dinner at La Hacienda on Easter Sunday. What do I need to do to get a table on the terrace? Is it first come first serve, or can I request it? If first come first serve, what's my chance of getting one out there at that time (party of 5) to watch Illuminations? TIA!

 

[cigar95]

Restaurant seating is all inside.

And I've found that the inside seating, even with a seat right by the window, doesn't give a particularly good angle on the show.

 

[Onceuponadream2]

Oh no! I read on another site to make an early reservation because outdoor terrace seating fills up quickly. Ugh, bummer. Okay, so - suggestion for best restaurant to sit outside and view Illuminations? Thanks!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Rose and crown and spice road table are the only other ones with illuminations viewing, but none of them are in any way a guarantee of a good view. Rose and crown has a small amount of outdoor seating, but there is no guarantee you can get that at ANY time, and a pastry of 5 would make it very difficult as seating is limited for snything more than a 4 top. I wouldn't book any of them and expect that.

 

[Anal Annie]

We have watched Illuminations from both Rose & Crown and La Hacienda. The view from Rose & Crown can be somewhat obscured by their canopy over the terrace seating - it blocks the higher fireworks so you really have to be right on the lake. And as already noted there's no guarantee you'll be seated out on the patio. It's a common request so YMMV and if it's your lucky day maybe. We actually thought the large windows from La Hacienda de San Angel made for a great view. No trees or islands or canopies blocking. But you ARE watching from indoors. The terrace someone mentioned to you is probably the outdoor seating from the adjacent QS Cantina. Yes, that patio fills up early & the overhead roof blocks the higher fireworks - you really have to go all the way over to the edge & stand to watch without obstructions. When you do this you're bascially hawking in & standing over top of the people who managed to get lakeside tables. The BEST viewing for Illuminations is outdoors right on the lake - making sure there's no islands or trees blocking your view of the center of the lake. We've watched from France before & had "stuff" in the way. We've never watched from Spice Road Table so I don't know if that's a clear shot or not but might be OK?!?!

We considered booking La Hacienda again for 8:15 our upcoming trip but decided instead to go somewhere else at 7:45 so we could be done before Illuminations & then we'll just find a spot to stand & watch. If you have a reservation toooooo early then you need to plan to stay & linger with additional drinks so that you're not just sitting there tying up a table & screwing the server out of a table turn. You'll want to plan to tip the server well if you stay & don't allow the table to turn again for them. Timing is tough for these kinds of reservations.

 

[Onceuponadream2]

Thank you so much for the detailed replies. This info is super helpful (unlike the cast member I spoke to on the phone who didn't even know what restaurants in WS have outdoor seating...)

So, update: I cancelled the La Hacienda reservation and now have a 7:05 at Rose & Crown. My plan was to ask to wait for an outdoor table, and then by the time we actually get seated, the timing would work out for Illuminations. Cast member on the phone said this would work, but now your replies are making me think that she was wrong & that you can't ask to wait for the terrace? Ugh! Since it's Easter Sunday, I'm obviously anticipating huge crowds & thought that having a table for the show, even with a canopy slightly obstructing our view, would be my best bet. Now I don't know what to do again!

Edit: hmmm, my daughter's birthday is 6 days after Easter. Would they try to make her dinner more magical if this was a "birthday celebration?"

 

[siskaren]

1. My plan was to ask to wait for an outdoor table, and then by the time we actually get seated, the timing would work out for Illuminations.

2. Cast member on the phone said this would work, but now your replies are making me think that she was wrong & that you can't ask to wait for the terrace?

1. That's pretty much everybody's plan who makes a Rose & Crown ADR for around that time.

2. Because of #1, my understanding is that no, you can't ask to wait for the terrace. (Well, you can ask, but you most likely will be told no.)

 

[Onceuponadream2]

1. That's pretty much everybody's plan who makes a Rose & Crown ADR for around that time.

2. Because of #1, my understanding is that no, you can't ask to wait for the terrace. (Well, you can ask, but you most likely will be told no.)

This was the info I needed. So sad. Thank you!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Can't blame them. Everyone at that time asks for an outdoor table, and it creates a lot of issues since ADR booking is based on total capacity, not terrace-only.

And everyone shows up with a "celebration" when they ask for special treatment. So I wouldn't expect anything based on that.

 

[purple figment]

Cast member on the phone said this would work, but now your replies are making me think that she was wrong & that you can't ask to wait for the terrace?

Castmembers on the phone are at call centers or working from home, but many have never even been to Disney World so have little or no knowledge of the restaurants.

2. Since it's Easter Sunday, I'm obviously anticipating huge crowds & thought that having a table for the show, even with a canopy slightly obstructing our view, would be my best bet. Now I don't know what to do again!

On Easter Sunday I wouldn't count on being able to wait for a patio table. The park and restaurants will be packed so while you can ask, most likely they will be seating according to the next available table for your party size. R&C is the only restaurant that has a viewing area adjacent to the patio for those dining at the restaurant during IllumiNations so even if you are seated inside or on the patio at a table with an obstructed or no view you can let your server know you want to go outside to see the fireworks.

Edit: hmmm, my daughter's birthday is 6 days after Easter. Would they try to make her dinner more magical if this was a "birthday celebration?"

Tthousands of visitors are celebrating something every day at DW. You would have a better chance on a non-holiday evening.

 

[tjmw2727]

Hate to pile on here but after an initial "very lucky" first time experience, we have tried 4 additional times for an outside table at R&C in the evening and not been successful. If there is a table available that fits your party size after you check in that is your table and you aren't allowed to pass it by for another.

 

[Boopuff]

We had lightning strike twice. Once we had a perfect spot right on the rail at R&C (that was a mid-May trip low crowds) then we tried Spice Road last year. We were seated along the window, but as the show started (the restaurant was really empty) our waiter took us out a side door and we watched the show from a small patio unobstructed view... very special and cool.