Where to dine and watch Illuminations

[ski070880]

What establishments would be good to book to be able to dine and watch Illuminations at the same time. Any advise will be very helpful.

 

[TDC Nala]

Your only really good choices are Rose & Crown and Hacienda de San Angel. At neither place are you guaranteed a table with a view, but Hacienda has more of them.

The show is visible from Bistro de Paris and Tokyo Dining if you are windowside.

There are limited views from Chefs de France.

 

[redzinner]

What establishments would be good to book to be able to dine and watch Illuminations at the same time. Any advise will be very helpful.

We just dined at La Hacienda this evening. We asked for a table seat and did not get one initially. They told us to wait 2 minutes, bussed one for us and we were then seated at a window. Fantastic view of Illuminations from very high arched windows. I don't think a window seat was necessary in the main room. All tables had a view. They will rush your dinner but we didn't go with the rush. We took it very slowly with drinks, then appetizer, then slowly got around to order dinner. 7:30 reservations.

 

[tinkgurl]

I'd say Rose and Crown!

 

[sumsmommy03]

We just dined at La Hacienda this evening. We asked for a table seat and did not get one initially. They told us to wait 2 minutes, bussed one for us and we were then seated at a window. Fantastic view of Illuminations from very high arched windows. I don't think a window seat was necessary in the main room. All tables had a view. They will rush your dinner but we didn't go with the rush. We took it very slowly with drinks, then appetizer, then slowly got around to order dinner. 7:30 reservations.

Good to know thanks We have 7:45pm reservations here on our arrival day and to celebrate my son's birthday dinner. I am hoping we can get a table with a view and plan to have a cake for him after dinner. My kids are s-l-o-w eaters so we should be able to see illuminations.

 

[DLB]

I vote for Rose and Crown- we try to get ther for about 8pm and then if you don't have a table outside they bring you to a viewing area that is only for people eating in the restaurant.

 

[Twigs]

We just ate at La Hacienda last week and had a great view of Illuminations. The day before we stopped there and asked what were the cahnces of getting a window seat for our 8:25 PS. The hostess told us of course there is now guarantee (which we knew) but then told us that if a window seat wasn't available to ask for one of the half clam booths that are in the back and elevated. That way you do not have people right in front of you. And that is what we ended up with, the booth. The views were great. But anywhere in the main dining room does have a view. Here are two pics I took to get an idea of what the view is like. I hand held my camera and they are not the best pics but you can get the idea. The one thing that stood out to me was that you can really see the pictures on the globe really well from there.

 

[TDC Nala]

This is from a window table at La Hacienda.

I think their seating is all indoors. If you want a shot at sitting outside, pick Rose & Crown.

 

[Stephen121795]

I would shoot for R & C.

 

[alaskanmommy]

That's quite a view from La Hacienda! We have ADR's there for Illuminations and it's exactly what I was hoping for. Now if we can just get a window seat!

I do really like being outside and watching Illuminations but I think this will be a nice change. I have never done Rose and Crown during the show but I bet that would be great!

 

[Twigs]

You can also get an outside seat at the Cantina San Angel, there is a terrace there, and they were open in the evening.

 

[eva]

Don't eat at Bistro de Paris, if seeing Illuminations is important to you. We had a window seta there during the show and we could barely see the show through the aged glass in their windows. The windows are very small and hard to see through. And they don't pipe the music into the restaurant. We were very disappointed.

 

[mmay60046]

You can also get an outside seat at the Cantina San Angel, there is a terrace there, and they were open in the evening.

You do have to get there pretty early if you want a seat though. Especially if it's an EMH day.

 

[jblrn2b]

Thx to everyone who posted pix. Eating at la hacienda in Feb. Cant wait

 

[summerlady]

Thanks for the photos of La H! So happy we have an ADR there next month.

 

[sumsmommy03]

Wow...great view from La Hacienda!! I hope we can get something similar!! Thanks for posting those pictures.

 

[RebeccaB]

We had 7:30 adrs at Rose n Crown, and I asked for outdoor seating if at all possible. We got perfect outdoor seating, and they never rushed us, even asking if we were planning to view Illuminations. I will say, it was rather brisk (and it was the first week of October, lol)...so bring a sweatshirt. The food was excellent, service was superb.

 

[GeorgeG]

This past Friday we were at Epcot with friends (total 6 of us) and went to Rose & Crown with no ADR. We were given a pager and told the wait would be abount an hour and a half to an hour and 45. We had no plans on getting a patio table and watching Illuminations from the patio. We just wanted to eat. We passed the time over some drinks at the patio behind the outside bar and chatted with a bunch of nice people. It was more like two hours before we were seated, but we got a great table on the patio overlooking the lake and watched Illuminations during dessert, all by chance.

Just shows, don't fret too much over planning and things can happen. Good friends, Bass Ale, fish and chips and Illuminations all make for a nice evening.

 

[GeorgeG]

Another option I like is a cold Octoberfest beer and big pretzel from the outside bar in Germany and grab a bench back away from the tourists crowding the railing. Still a pretty good view and nobody trying to squeeze you into the railing.

 

[mguilford1]

We are eating at Le Cellier at 7:45 is there anywhere near there that would be a good spot to watch the fireworks?