Who knows about Rose and Crown and Ill. views?

[WDW4us2003]

I made a 7:30 PS at the Rose and Crown on a night when I would like to be in World Showcase to view Illuminations. A few questions:

Is this a good time to go for dinner, and is the view actually good for Illuminations from there?

What's the table set-up like, and what is the difference between the pub and the dining room?

Where are the tables with the best views?

If I can't get an outside table, is there still a spot we can watch from the R&C when we are done?

Sorry these are picky questions!

WE are staying at the Beach Club, so I thought this would be a good spot for a quick exit.

Thanks!

 

[Slartibartfast]

Based on your countdown timer, we're going to be there at the same time, doing the exact same thing! Our PSs are for 8:00 on Sunday the 10th. If yours are the same night, you're going to take my outside table!

Seriously, I was going to ask the exact same questions, so hopefully we'll get some good answers. What I have heard is that it's a good idea to stop by that afternoon and have them note that you'd like an outside table.

 

[jordgubben]

When we were there on our honeymoon we had a 7:50 PS and about half way through our dinner Illuminations started. We were on the porch right along the railing and it was a great view. Unfortunatley I didn't even see the inside of the restrurant so I can't give you any help with that.

I think you can have them make a note in your PS that you prefer the porch and you can request again at the podium.

Let me also say that the dinner we had there was our favorite. Not just the entertainment but the food was AWESOME!!

 

[DaisyLou2]

You can't see Illuminations from the bar area at the Rose and Crown. But you can see from the dining area outside on the deck and from the tables next to the windows in the indoor dining area.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

When we ate at R&C, we could not request a patio table. We were told at the podium, that EVERYONE does this, and we could either take the table given, or be taken off the list completely. It was Mother's day, so most other rest. were booked. We sat in the Dining room, but told our server our dillema. It was the first day of our trip, And I was thinking that this really stunk. The first tip I had used from these boards, and it was a dud.

Anyway, we were just through with our meal, and the server said that an outside table just opened up, and that she would move us out there for dessert. How perfect!!! We got to eat in the AC, and then enjoy the show, while eating chocolate.

We are probably going to try it again this trip.


Have fun

 

[chipscinderelly]

On our trip last August we had 7:30 pm Priority Seating ressies. When we made our PSs we requested that it be noted in our file that we wanted outside seating. We were told by Disney Dining that there were no guarantees. We checked in at the podium about 10 minutes early and mentioned it again. Like the prior poster we were told there were no guarantees... but we did get an oustide table near the rail. Our view was a bit obstructed by a light pole that was on the lake, but overall it was great!

I would not expect that with 7:30 ressies you will get an outside table - it's the luck of the draw.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I think 7:30 PM is the last time I would pick to get an outside table. Of course, if you get a PS that's too early, you'll have the difficulty of holding the table... you might have to eat very slowly

I had a PS for 7:40 PM and showed up at 7:30 PM and didn't notice too many people leaving from the patio after that. To me, that meant that most of the people on the patio had either just arrived or were there for a while.

We still asked to sit on the patio and the host told us that if we didn't like the first table we were given, we could wait for a second table but would be put at the bottom of the queue. In any case, we weren't seated until after 8:00 PM ... the seat we got was on the patio but didn't have a good view of the fireworks. Oh well... I wasn't terribly upset since we had seen IllumiNations from R&C last year. We just ate quickly and found a spot on near the bridge between France and Britain. Some of the other diners near us were pretty upset about their seats ... they said that when they made their PS, they were guaranteed a view of the fireworks. Some of them left very angry. I felt bad for the R&C staff

 

[Pat_Elliott]

I'll echo a lot of what I heard here...

7:30 is about right. We were at 7:40. And the poor wait staff....I stood in a line of about fifteen people, each requesting a patio view. Then I sheepishly asked for a patio view. They did NOT offer to let us wait for one, as they did others. We were very politely told they'd do their best, but we got what we got.

By the way, we scored big, on the lower patio, right up against the stone wall. We could feel the heat from the firing canisters. An incredible view of Illuminations.

There's actually pub, dining room, and patio. The patio has tables on one level by the entrance to the dining room, then a lower level with two rows of tables. I've been told that to really enjoy the R&C as a UK experience, you should sit inside. So I figured we couldn't loose either way.

The BEST place to watch is the table I sat last September! We were right below the steps to the upper patio and the back entrance to the dining room, farthest row forward. As I say, the view was incredible.

If you don't get the outside table, enjoy the dining room. They'll let you outside to watch the show. But a word of caution and request, on which I think other's will back me up: remember that those that got on the porch won the lottery. Don't block their view. I found it a little disheartening when a guy let his two kids jam between the back of my wife's chair and the chair next to her. I was about to get huffy, but a quick glance at him convinced him it wasn't a very nice thing to do.

I've found after Illuminations (I was staying at the Swan) that anything back near the I-Gateway is a good exit spot. As Illuminations ends, order another pint, pay your bill, listen to the music. By the time you're done, you can have a leisurely walk back to the BC. Just watch out for Surreys and avoid the six mile line at the B&C.

Pat

 

[Scottwdw]

Originally posted by bunnyfoo
... they said that when they made their PS, they were guaranteed a view of the fireworks. Some of them left very angry. I felt bad for the R&C staff

They are lying, bunnyfoo. There has NEVER been an official Illuminations PS at the Rose & Crown. As everyone has stated, it's a first come, first serve proposition. Now, they might have felt they deserved a better view...but that's another story.

I have a little history and some tips for the Rose & Crown here: Rose & Crown PS Spotlight

I have eaten outside a few times. Once, right behind the little island in the lagoon. Still, Illuminations is ALL around and above the lagoon. The Earth float is obstructed from some of the outside seating areas. If you have NEVER seen Illuminations, you may want to see it first and then, on another night or trip, do the Rose & Crown. Past Illuminations did not have the Earth float so didn't matter if the view was a little obstructed.

Of course, there is NO obstructions to the music.

 

[WDW4us2003]

That is great info! I just didn't know how it "worked" at the R&C and getting a good view. I will do what I can to score a good table, but I certainly understand there are no guarantees. The staff there must HATE that time of night!

By the way, Pat, I LOVE your countdown!

 

[Alice28]

We tried this and it didn't work. At first I was disappointed; not only did we not get to sit outside, but our table of 7 was split up at two different tables. We were side by side, but kind of at an angle. Like my Mom was next to me, but she was 6-8 inches behind me. However, we loved the service, we loved the food, and we exited the restaurant about 8:30 or so and parked it right next to the fence between Canada and the UK. Saw the show perfectly and it all worked out in the end. If you don't get a patio table, I suggest eating quickly and do what we did. And I hope you get Kerry as a waitress- she was great!

 

[PammyK]

The poor greeters at R&C get a lot of grief over this which is a shame. Unfortunately, a lot of people are demanding and rude and don't know how to behave in public. These supposed adults yell, scream and threaten the CMs - basically they have a temper tantrum. Its ridiculous, really.

To try to alleviate some of this, 2 weekends ago, the manager at R&C roped off the section of the beer garden next to the lower patio and removed the 3 table from that area. He then used this area as an IllumiNations viewing area for the guests dining inside the restaurant.

I'm of two minds about this...I hate to see more good spaces for IllumiNations taken away from the general public. And this was one of my favorite spots to get a snack and a g&t from the pub to watch the show.

At the same, I don't think the CMs deserve to have the idiots screaming at them on a nightly basis so if this can eliminate these situations, it is a good thing. Plus, the area that was used is front of the restaurant's upper patio and on the right side of the path down to the beer garden so it isn't outrageous to make it part of the restaurant space.

As far as I know, this was just an experiment and there are no plans to make it a permanent change. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[WDW4us2003]

Does anyone have pictures of the outside of the Rose and Crown so I can see what these patios look like?

 

[BevS97]

we ate at the R&C 2 years ago, we stopped by the podium earlier in the day and asked if it was possible to have a patio table, and then asked again when we checked it, about 15 minutes before our PS time (7:15 for a 7:30ps) - we were very lucky and got a great table right next to the wall on the lower patio.
We got chatting with the waitress who basically said that if you are loud, pushy or obnoxious then you are not going to get the patio table. It's up to the CMs at the podium where you are seated, and being rude to them is not going to help your cause.

You don't need to eat 'slowly' - we were told when we sat down, not to worry that the table was ours for the evening. When it was time for the fireworks, they came out and put all the umbrella's down to improve the view for the people on the upper patio, and then all the guests inside the restaurant were invited to come and stand outside. They were not allowed down the steps to the lower patio though.

Bev

 

[Jen D]

Doing this was such a hassle I don't know if we'd do it again but we did get a good seat. Here was our experience.

It was September 2001-- I think a little less than 2 weeks after 9/11-- Epcot seemed completely deserted, with the exception of course of the podium at Rose and Crown, which seemed to be surrounded by every patron at WDW trying to get a patio table for Illuminations. We checked in around 7:20 for our 7:30 seating and smilingly and politely requested a patio ta--

"THERE'S NO GUARANTEES!" said the hostess imperiously. "YOU CAN WAIT IF YOU WANT BUT YOU MIGHT WAIT AND STILL NOT GET A TABLE ON THE PATIO!"

Yikes. We'll wait , I say. We keep smiling in the face of adversity. Over the next 50 minutes, we check back politely maybe twice and are given the same, stern, line. We are strongly encouraged to give it up. At about 8:10pm, starved, we consider doing just that, when the beeper goes off, and surprise! The hostess has become a new person, a smiling fairy godmother, leading us to a lovely table on the lower patio. Patience is rewarded. From then on, everything was guidebook-perfect (the kid even got picked to "start" Illuminations.)

Although the borderline hostile attitude is a little off-putting, I undertstand why they have to adopt it, to battle the hostility they get from demanding guests. But it was a little stressful for this hungry family. I think we'll take our chances standing against the railing from now on.

 

[bunnyfoo]

Originally posted by Scottwdw
They are lying, bunnyfoo. There has NEVER been an official Illuminations PS at the Rose & Crown. As everyone has stated, it's a first come, first serve proposition. Now, they might have felt they deserved a better view...but that's another story.

That's what I thought ... It's just disheartening to see some of the adults (with children) yell and demand a patio table... especially when they're already on the patio and should be able to see that there are no open tables Ah well!

 

[jordgubben]

I have to say that after reading all this when we go back to WDW in November I am going to request to be inside since we have already had primo seats once and it was so cool that i think everyone should get a chance at them. Besides, someone wrote before that you get more of the UK pub feeling if you're inside so that's bound to be nice.