Question about watching illuminations at Rose and Crown

[katebeth]

We have ADR's at the Rose and Crown at 7 one night of our trip and we are hoping to watch illuminations from there...If we finish eating before it starts, can we just stay there and watch, or should we ask for our desert to be brought closer to time of the show....We don't want to make anyone mad by taking up a table, but if we are there anyway, we thought it would be a good way to watch illuminations

Just intersted in what other's have done
Thanks

 

[Hopefully]

Since you asked, I believe that an ADR for 7 PM is too early to expect to see Illuminations. 2+ hours is a long time to keep a table, especially since you will be finished. You will be tying up a table that another family is expecting to be seated at, based on Disney's scheme for ADR's. They will have booked another party at that table for that night.
We have always made our ADR's for 7:45 when hoping to see Illuminations. This is usually just right, since we almost always end up waiting 20 to 40 minutes to be seated. So we are actually seated after 8, an hour after your 7 ADR.
I would call back and try to make your ADR for later in the evening.
JMHO.

 

[wilma-bride]

You do realise there is no guarantee you will get a table outside on the terrace? I agree with the previous poster that 7 may be a bit early. We have an ADR for 7.30 and plan to show up around 15 minutes early to check in and say we are prepared to wait for a table on the terrace, if necessary. Apparently, though, if you don't get seated outside there is a private viewing area which the staff will let you watch from. Perhaps if you finish early, rather than tying up the tale, you could ask if you could go into the viewing area to watch

 

[bicker]

We've been lucky enough to have been seated at a patio table three times out of the eight times we've had dinner at Rose and Crown during the show. It is a chance though, and folks shouldn't be counting on it.