La Hacienda for Illuminations?

[MouseketeerMommy]

We have reservations at La Hacienda at 8:15 for dinner on an Illuminations night. We are paying for our meals out of pocket, and are mostly eating at QS restaurants, except for an occasional exception or two.

Would you consider this worth it or not? I know it can be pricey, but I wondered if it would be worth the added OOP cost to have a nifty Illuminations experience.

 

[tinka-belle]

We like the restaurant and enjoy the food, but very few tables have a good Illuminations view, just the ones by the windows. The place is pretty large, two rooms of tables, you might have a view over people's heads between tables or none at all if you aren't lucky enough to get a window table. The booths along the side of the second room are slightly elevated so you might get a partial view there, but over other tables. I don't think they dim the lights or play the music for the show.

When we eat here we try to leave before Illuminations to grab a viewing spot rather than trust that the seating gods will bestow a window table on us. I don't think they let you wait for window table (others please chime in here), but I haven't asked for one so have no direct experience with that.

 

[Colleen27]

Only a very small percentage of tables there have a view of Illuminations and I've read that they don't even allow people to request and wait for a window table the way some other fireworks-view restaurants do, so booking specifically for the show is not a good idea.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're not really interested in the restaurant, are going just in hopes of getting an Illuminations view, and will be extremely disappointed if you don't get one, I don't recommend it.

They do dim the lights and play the music in the main dining room. Which is nice if you happen to get a table where you can see anything.

No, they won't let you wait for a window table, because pretty much everybody wants one. Someone posted here once about a guy who had a hissy fit at the podium because it was his wife's birthday and they wouldn't guarantee him a view table.

 

[MouseketeerMommy]

Based on these three replies, I think I'll cancel! I'm interested in the restaurant, but maybe with the dining plan! In this case I think I'd rather eat around the world and catch the show along the way. Or eat in Morocco. I love Morocco.

 

[WYNLOY]

We had dinner there in May. We sat in the 2nd row of tables on floor. I could see ok. My kids - NOT... my daugter said she wanted to go outside and watch next time.

 

[Kelblum]

We really like La Hacienda, have been there a few times. Enjoy the meal and we have been lucky enough to be the 2nd or 3rd table from the window. We were able to see Illuminations, but it was a little obstructed.

 

[KathleensKid]

We ate there late on an Illuminations night. I knew, thanks to the DIS that we might not be able to see from inside. Based on where our table was, we knew the view wouldn't be good. So, we enjoyed our meal but didn't order dessert or linger. We walked outside, found a great spot and watched the show right next to the restaurant.

I almost think that they should have a disclaimer on the reservations page saving that there is limited viewing available from the restaurant. If I hadn't read these boards before our trip, I would have fully expected to be able to see the show from inside the restaurant based on its location on the Epcot map (right on the water).

 

[Madhatter266]

We were seated in a booth against the far wall - the floor is slightly raised. The view was certainly not the best, but we were surprised at how much we could see. If you have never seen the show I would definately go outside. If you don't mind not seeing the lower views, it really wasn't bad.

 

[TDC Nala]

It's on the water but I'm not sure how that translates to a guaranteed fireworks view from INSIDE the restaurant. There is no restaurant anywhere at WDW from which you can get a guaranteed fireworks view from every single table. There are a couple, like California Grill and Rose & Crown, where you can get up from your table and walk OUTSIDE to a viewing area, then return to your table, but there's nothing like that at La Hacienda.