Best time to book a dinner reservation to watch Illuminations Fireworks (Epcot)

Stangg

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 5, 2018
I have an 8:30pm reservation at La Hacienda de San Angel (Mexico) to hopefully catch a good view of the fireworks for Illuminations... should I have a problem getting a good window seat for the fireworks?

I'm unsure if I should be booking for an earlier time to get on a waiting list for a firework view... or if Disney specifically ropes off certain seats for people at that time knowing full well that the firework view is why people reserve at that specific time! Any insight would be much appreciated
 
We had an 8:25pm reservation at Le Cellier last week and had a perfect view of Illuminations!

“But DK, isn’t Le Cellier inside?”, you might ask.

Well, yes it is....but they are perfectly happy to accommodate you stepping out to view the show. With an 8:30 res we were able to order and have a drink and appetizers then make it out just before the show started. If you let your server know that’s what you’d like to do he or she should try and time when they put your entrees down in relation to the show. Our steaks were served within minutes of us sitting down after the show.

Point being....I think 8:30 can work fine!
 
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We like to watch from Rose & Crown and book a 7:40pm ADR time for 9PM Illuminations.
When checking in tell them you are willing to wait for an outside table.
 
Everyone at La Hacienda will want a fireworks view. You may end up at a table with no view at all. If seeing Illuminations is important to you, eat early enough to be done in time to get a spot outside around the lagoon or eat at the Rose and Crown (they have a dedicated viewing area for guests dining inside).
 
I have an 8:30pm reservation at La Hacienda de San Angel (Mexico) to hopefully catch a good view of the fireworks for Illuminations... should I have a problem getting a good window seat for the fireworks?

I'm unsure if I should be booking for an earlier time to get on a waiting list for a firework view... or if Disney specifically ropes off certain seats for people at that time knowing full well that the firework view is why people reserve at that specific time! Any insight would be much appreciated
As @Moliphino stated if you want to see Illuminations get an early reservation, finish eating and go outside and find a spot around the lagoon to watch.
A few tables in La Hacienda have a great view. Some others have a partial view. Many have no view at all.
There is no waiting list for Illuminations view tables.
You can request a table with a view, everyone does. Whether you get one is the luck of the draw.
Disney does not "rope off" an area to watch, La Hacienda is a restaurant, not a fireworks patio. There is not an associated patio for Illuminations like there is at Rose and Crown
8:30 is too late. Anyone sitting at window at that point is staying there.
 


There are not that many tables with a really good view of Illuminations. Personally, I would eat earlier, grab a drink, and then find a good location to view illuminations.
As pointed out above, there is no waiting list for a winow table. Pure luck to get one.
 
Disney doesn’t intuit why you’ve booked a table at a certain time nor do they rope off tables for anyone. If they were to rope off tables for specific fireworks viewing reservations, you can bet your bottom dollar it would come with a significant up charge. You really can’t game La Hacienda and as many pointed out you may end up being seated with no view at all. I would either switch your reservation to R&C so you can utilize their outdoor viewing area if your table doesn’t have a view or eat earlier and find a spot around the lagoon.
 
We like to watch from Rose & Crown and book a 7:40pm ADR time for 9PM Illuminations.
When checking in tell them you are willing to wait for an outside table.
Has the policy officially change? For the last number of years, it's been that they will not allow guests to wait voluntarily. The choices have been 'accept the offered table' vs the ART being denied.
 
Has the policy officially change? For the last number of years, it's been that they will not allow guests to wait voluntarily. The choices have been 'accept the offered table' vs the ART being denied.

We just were there last November and we made the request when checking in and there was no issue, we maybe waited 25-30 mins for an outside table
 
We just were there last November and we made the request when checking in and there was no issue, we maybe waited 25-30 mins for an outside table

We did the same in April at Rose and Crown, but it was pretty quiet so I’m sure that has a lot to do with it. We also has a 7 reservation so our waiter took his time to help kill some of the time. I thought we would have to wait a lot longer for a patio table.
 
So to answer OPs original question, we've had luck with 730-745 before and hoping for one with at least a partial view (we always know it's a partial view at best here, if we want full we do Rose and crown). Occasionally they let you wait if it's a very special situation for a better table, but it's super rare. We do have luck at Rose and crown requesting outside tables to watch, only once did someone give us a hard time. But again, we do ADR early so we are getting dessert around fireworks time. Also remember it can take up to 20-30 minutes at peak times to be seated at these places.
 
So glad I found this thread and thanks to Erik the Red. While pricey I think the Frozen Ever After Dessert Party will be the way to go for us. We had a reservation at La Hacienda - quite honestly I wasnt thrilled with the idea of watching fireworks from a restaurant anyway. And the menu looks expensive. Also surprised how many reservations were still open for a party of 6 on a Sunday night. I think that speaks to the overall experience there.

At least we will get a true Disney Experience, treats, booze and a private ride along with the fireworks show...

Now I'm just waiting for the reservations to open up for April.
 

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