Rose & Crown Illumination Seating

[Tonyspad]

What are the chances of getting an outdoor table with an 8:30 reservation?? I have asked the concierge desk at the GF to do this for us and are waiting for a call back. I do not mind tipping 20 - 40 dollars to the seating hostess if that works?? Anyone have any expierence with this ???

 

[Michelemouse]

In the past you would be able to wait for an outside table. Now, however, you get what you get. When your name comes up you will be given the table that is available, whether it is inside or outside. You will not be allowed to pass on that table and wait for a different one. I guess the situation got pretty crazy, with too many people wanting the outside seating, so now it's the luck of the draw. Concierge will be able to get you the Priority Seating, but I don't think they will be able to do anything to override the restaurant's policy.

 

[bliss4us]

I'm curious, too - has anyone ever slipped the host/hostess cash for a better table?

Do people do that in Disney?

Daisy

 

[ILUVDXL]

MM is correct. It's now strictly the luck of the draw. This past December we were seated outside and it was freezing but we could not be moved indoors. Of all the times to get those highly prized outside seats. We ate as fast as we could abd headed bacj to the hotel to warm up.

 

[BuzzMe]

We had the Poly concierge make the reservation for us at R & C last July and we had an incredible table on the terrace.

 

[SAKPEG99OKW]

I can not speak for all CM's but tipping of the host/hostess at WDW is strictly forbiden. They are not supposed to take them.
I have never personally tried but I do know they are not supposed to accept them.

As for the rose and crown all the other posters are correct, you will have to take what they give you. Beasides, even with help, I doubt you would get an outside table with an 8:30 reservation. Nobody is getting up from a table at 8:30 with illuminations starting at 9:00pm. Almost everybody gets seated at the latest 8:00 or even earlyier for the outside tables. I have seen people have three or four cups of coffee inorder to keep their table.

Good luck.

Scott

 

[Dalpal]

I am trying to get the out side seating also.I made my res. for 7pm( I have done this in 2001)In 2001, I stopped by there at 6pm and talked to hostess she said she couldnt garentee this, but she did make a note on her sheet. came back at 6:45. They called us around 7:30 and we had great seats outside. We waited in the bar so it was a fun wait. I would change my res. for 7pm if I were you.

 

[reneesam]

I just got back from WDW. We ate at R&C on Thurs 5/1. I had a 7:30 PS (arrived at 6:50 and offered to wait) and it was noted that I requested outside. However, I was told no outside was available and they STRONGLY suggested that we would not get outside even if we waited (hinting that those seated outside were planning to stay,) so we agreed to eat inside.

HOWEVER, on the way to our table, the hostess told us that outside seating was limited that night because they had not opened the lower deck because of the chance of rain and told us to "take our time eating dinner " At 8:50, they escorted all of us eating inside (only in the restuarant, not in the pub) to come and sit on the lower deck!!! We had a FRONT ROW SEAT!!!! I couldn't have done better with and outside upper deck seat or, IMHO, with a boat rental!

So, sometimes sitting inside pays off!!!

Good luck!!

Renee

 

[Alice28]

We tried this trick in early March. I had made our PS WAY in advance (like the first possible day I could do it) for 7:30. I checked in around 6:15 and ever-so-pleasantly asked for a patio table, if possible. She must have been asked that 50 times in the previous 10 minutes because her tone was quite snotty- she said you get the first available table. When we checked back in at 7:15, they said it would be 20-30 minutes. 10 minutes later our pager went off and sure enough, we were seated inside. We had a party of 7,so I think that may have been a factor. However, once our server came, I was glad we were where we were- Kerry was one of THE most pleasant, cordial, warm, friendly servers I have ever had anywhere. She was simply wonderful and we had a great meal. I wrote her a great comment card, and then we decided just to watch Illuminations just to the left of the R and C- almost to Canada. We had great seats, and saw everything. So, if you don't get an outside table, don't despair- either watch on the patio anyways (like other people have posted) or go outside and watch it- if it's not crowded, you will get to see, no problem. (P.S.- I don't think Disney will accept tips like that at the hostess stand)

 

[GeorgeG]

I've never understood the obsession with getting a patio table for Illuminations.

People who do get a table and "milk" their dinner way past finishing their meal are just screwing others who are patiently waiting for dinner.

Two drawbacks to getting "lucky" enough to be seated out there for Illuminations are having to deal with rude people who manage to work their way out onto the patio and crowd your dinner and the fireworks debris that will land in your food when the breeze is blowing that way.

Have dinner wherever you like and time it so you finish in time to watch from wherever you are. Illuminations is big enough to enjoy even without a railing (or patio) vantage point!

If you absolutely "must" be up close and personal, spring for the Illuminations cruise.

 

[jeleebeene]

GeorgeG I totally agree with you, as we experienced this on our last trip.

I made PS for R&C for 8pm, but made sure I checked in 15 minutes early. People would NOT get up from their seats so we could even be seated! In my opinion, this is rude. To get there 2 hours early, eat and just sit and wait is ridiculous. DH and I ended up having to wait almost until 8:45 to even get seated, as no one would move!!! The wait staff finally told people that they had to leave so they could seat others - this part was amusing for me, ofcourse.

I was so mad, but the host was very pleasant and apologized over and over. He did sit us by the "window", even though we never asked for a preference.

So, I am all for PS's and such and for those wanting to see Illuminations, but please have consideration for those others wanting to eat as well. Make a later PS, not one 2 hours before Illuminations and then just sit at your table, when others are wanting to eat as well.

 

[MickeyisanNDfan]

I had a differnet experience. We had 7:30 PS and had no intention of staying for illuminations but we do like to sit outdoors. We were able to get a seat outside and as our dinner was coming to an end out server suggested that we stay for illuminations which at that point was almost 30 minutes away. We took him up on the offer and ordered another round of drinks. He said it helped him out as he didn't want another table and wanted to get out of work early, he was going over to PI to meet the boys from Canada and Norway. Every one has a different experience.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We tried to get outdoor seating and frankly the hostess was almost rude. We arrived 50 minutes before out PS and offered to wait. I'm sure this must happen every evening.

Of course we had an inside table and the food and service came out so slowly. The waiter assured us that we would get to go out on the patio if Illuminations started and we were still there.

Instead of the back patio we were crammed in the side patio, under a tree, with the wind blowing smoke in our faces and the gentleman in front of me was well over 6 ft. I had no view of anything above the lake. It was so bad I got the fit of giggles. It could not have been worse.

Years ago, my husband and I, with no plans on seeing Illuminations simply stopped with the crowd when they started. I had a better view then .

The food was good but there are better places in Epcot and next time I'll eat at Le Cellier then sit and wait it out.

 

[Familyof6]

Here's an excerpt from my trip report about our dinner at R & C. (OH, and we were staying in GF RPC)

Here comes one of my biggest mistakes of the trip! Disaster in the making! WARNING, WARNING! Stupid tourist trying to do too much in one day! WARNING, WARNING! Are you ready, here it comes! I had made a PS at Rose & Crown Pub for 7:20pm. I had requested patio seating and of course was told to tell them when I got to the podium and also tell them that I was willing to wait for a table on the patio. No Guarantees! Fine. We took the monorail over to Epcot. Nice ride, although it seemed that some were getting tired. (heed the warning signs and scrap the plans NOW!) Stupid tourist goes ahead with plans…”but we have PLANS”! DH would have rather of scraped the plans and wandered around Future World, but I informed him that it was closing soon. We’d be back on Saturday. We walked to the United Kingdom area of the World Showcase and found the R & C Pub. I asked (very nicely) when I checked in at the podium if it would be possible to get a table on the patio for Illuminations if we waited a bit. The cm at the very crowded podium informed me, in no uncertain terms and in a rather loud voice preceded by a huff, that they couldn’t have people waiting around for a table on the patio. I then asked if we could move to the patio following dinner and again was informed that we could go in their little garden area if there was space, but we couldn’t go on the patio where people were eating. (all this in a rather snippy voice) She then assigned us an inside table immediately. WARNING, WARNING…
We were seated and we asked for 2 booster seats. The hostess couldn’t find us even one booster seat and so she brought one high chair. We made do. She also brought crayons for the kids. We sat…the kids colored…we sat…the other tables ordered or were served…we sat…the kids got restless…we sat…each child got in trouble one at a time…we sat…the other tables were served dinner or dessert…we sat…I’m talking not even a drink order taken…NOTHING!!!! You can’t tell me that the other servers don’t see us sitting there with 4, now unruly, children. I swear we sat there at LEAST 25 mins! Finally, my DH got up to find out what was going on. I’m not sure where he went, but he said he talked to a guy who said he’d look into it and if he couldn’t find anyone, he’d serve us himself. About 5 mins later, that same guy came to take our orders. (Do you suppose it was because we’d asked to sit on the patio? Hmmmmmm) Soon after this guy took our orders he came out with rolls and two different appetizers that were “on the house”! (A very nice gesture and saving grace) One was a cheese and fruit plate and the other was some sort of mushroom dish with puff pastry. We all nibbled on that until our dinner arrived, in a timely manner I might add. I wish I had known the size of these portions! We certainly wouldn’t have ordered as much as we did. The kids could have shared a kid’s meal and I could only eat about ½ of my meal! There was no sense in taking anything with us since we had no place to keep it and no way to warm it up later. As soon as we finished eating the kids began to get into trouble again. We made a hasty exit out of there.

This is just our experience...

Lisa

 

[bunnyfoo]

We ate there last year and felt we were lucky to get a seat out on the patio. We were told by the host that they could not guarantee a seat outside. Our PS was at 7:30 and we were seated after 10 minutes of waiting. They gave us a neat hand-held to play with As for diners leaving the patio area, I didn't notice anyone leaving after 8:00 PM.

I've got a PS this year for 7:45 PM and I'm hoping we'll be able to sit outside, if we can't we'll just eat quickly and find another place to watch Illuminations from. No big deal

 

[reneesam]

Originally posted by GeorgeG
I've never understood the obsession with getting a patio table for Illuminations.

People who do get a table and "milk" their dinner way past finishing their meal are just screwing others who are patiently waiting for dinner.

Two drawbacks to getting "lucky" enough to be seated out there for Illuminations are having to deal with rude people who manage to work their way out onto the patio and crowd your dinner and the fireworks debris that will land in your food when the breeze is blowing that way.

Have dinner wherever you like and time it so you finish in time to watch from wherever you are. Illuminations is big enough to enjoy even without a railing (or patio) vantage point!

If you absolutely "must" be up close and personal, spring for the Illuminations cruise.

Just so that you realize our situation, my mother is 79 years old and has severe arthritis. She would not have done well even if I had "sprung" for the cruise. In the past, I have tried to find seating for Illuminations and always have someone come at the last minute and stand in front of me, usually with a child on his shoulders. My mom needed a seat and I do not think we "milked" our way through anything. Also, since we were on the lower deck, we didn't block anyone's view. Just wanted to show another side of the story.
Renee