Seating at the Coral Reef

[tazdev3225]

I have eaten here several times on past trips. Like the restaurant and never really cared where we sat. I am going with my DD and her family in August for my DGS's first trip. All together we will be a party of 6, 4 adults and 2 kids 3 y/o and 13 y/o. My DD has her heart set at sitting right by the aquarium. She is willing to wait as long as we have to for a table. Does anybody know if the tables will accommodate our party? Thanks for any help.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I think the seats right next to the glass are 2-4 seaters. DS and I got to sit right next to the glass in 2007. This past August we were a party of 8 and split between 2 neighboring tables (our choice) - 4 & 4. We were on the first riser and, quite honestly, those tables were far better than sitting right next to the glass. We could see the whole window rather than just a few feet in either direction.

Enjoy your DGS's first trip!!

 

[Costino1]

Above posted is right, the seats directly "on" the tank are 4 person tables...however there are booths across from the tank a few tables next to the tank that accommodate 6-8 and you get a better view...just not "on the glass"

 

[Pakey]

As a party of 6, we have always been seated at the tables on the second tier (would be the 3rd row from tank). The seats/views are very good from here.

The booths generally seat only a party of 5. We've sat in these two and actually prefer the view from the 6 top tables. Even more so than sitting at the 4 tops against the tank.

 

[Tricia1972]

We loved Coral Reef so much we went twice last trip. The first as a party of 6 (In a booth third tier)

The second time we were a party of 7 and we were seated at the booth on the bottom row like Costino mentioned. I think that most booths accomodate 5 adults or a party of 6 if you have kids, however, there is at least one "Big" booth. We had the same semi circle, but were seated at two tables that were inches apart from each other. I think that with the age ranges in your group that would be a viable option for you guys as well.

 

[DCDisney]

I think the pp have answered about tables BUT we have found that even when we have been willing to wait no matter how long we have never been able to have a tank side table and we were a party of 4. We always ask but it never happens. I'm not sure how they do the table allocations and we were always fine with our views just want to sit next to the tank sometime

 

[chocovrdmicears]

The other factor that may help you is that if you book your ADR for one of the first seatings. We typically have lunch there and book an 11:30am reservation and of the last 3 times, twice we have been seated next to the tank (party of 4 i should add). If you are going for dinner I would book one of the earliest times you can can get to increase your chances.

 

[candielips]

The other factor that may help you is that if you book your ADR for one of the first seatings. We typically have lunch there and book an 11:30am reservation and of the last 3 times, twice we have been seated next to the tank (party of 4 i should add). If you are going for dinner I would book one of the earliest times you can can get to increase your chances.

We do the same thing.

The booths right on the 1st tier are facing the tanks and will def be large enough to accommodate your party.

 

[tazdev3225]

Thank you all for your responses. I think I book an early ADR but tell my DD we will be better off at location not quite at the tank. I have sat in the third tier and thought it was a great location.

 

[bleeps]

I want to chime in here, too, about the benefits of NOT sitting tank-side.

We've eaten at Coral Reef many times; it's one of our favs and we go every trip. We usually get seated in the first row along the first tier, and it is a wonderful vantage point from which to see the entire tank. The booths in the first tier, as others have described, are also really wonderful.

Once, we were given a tank-side table. We were thrilled! That is, until parents from throughout the restaurant thought NOTHING of having their children squeeze in next to our chairs to get right up to the tank. (There is NO room for anyone to stand there, but that didn't deter them.) I had to say to one child (kindly, and loud enough for his mother to hear), "honey, you're going to have to go back to your own table because you're squeezing my boy so much that he can't even eat his lunch!"

Tank-side table? No thanks!!

 

[n2mm]

As others have said, the tables near the tank are only for parties of 2 or 4. As a party of 2 we sit here often and I would rather not. I prefer the next teir up as the view is much better there. I think my fellow posters covered everything else. We just returned last weekend from our 2 week trip and we ate here twice. It was great both times. Lunch and dinner and in the future we will only do lunch. We find lunch much more relaxing. Dinner is utter chaos and noisey. We generally like the first lunch seating at 11:30AM.

 

[Ro Z]

We were there for my DS and DDIL anniversary (3 of us) and got the 1st table next to the tank (where the turtle hangs out). Don't know if it was because of the celebration? BUT........there was a kid about 12 who squeezed in behind my DS to see the turtle. Not that bad until he actually stood at the head of our table and leaned down with both elbows on our table I had to tell him he had to go and let us eat. He walked to the other side of the room and up to the highest tier. He was as far away from his parents as he could get without actually leaving the restaurant! Other than that we loved being so close to the tank. We have been many times and have sat at the tank 4-5 times. The servers used to keep the kids away but the last 2 times I didn't see anyone doing anything about them!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Yes, the tables right next to the tank are all 2-tops, or 4-tops if 2 tables are pushed together. I always get to sit next to the tank when I go solo. Maybe your DD will be fortunate enough to meet a fiendly solo-whenever I'm there, if a child comes up to view the tank, I always invite them to join me at my table for a little bit. I've had some real interesting conversations with kids who've pointed out the fish they're seeing and telling me about their trip. It's lots of fun.

 

[tazdev3225]

Thank you all for your responses. My DD and I need to go over our ADR plans in the next week and I will definitely mention all of the cons to her. We sat in the middle with my oldest DGS and I thought we had a great spot so we will plan for that. My DD is also the type that will say something to people and I don't want to start a riot. She has no patience for rude people.

 

[emmysmommy]

Thank you all for your responses. My DD and I need to go over our ADR plans in the next week and I will definitely mention all of the cons to her. We sat in the middle with my oldest DGS and I thought we had a great spot so we will plan for that. My DD is also the type that will say something to people and I don't want to start a riot. She has no patience for rude people.

I think I needed your dd last time we dined at CR! There was a large party seated in the first tier that thought nothing of their kids sitting on the wall by the tank where we were eating....I told our waiter how annoying it was to have kids hanging out there and he fetched the manager who spoke to the kids to have them go back to their table. It took two times for her to get the kids to listen to her and the entire time the parents were clueless as to this interaction.