Lagoon Side Seating For Illuminations!

Illuminations is the night time spectacular of music and fireworks that takes place nightly around World Showcase Lagoon in EPCOT.  Guests start finding those coveted unobstructed viewing locations up to 90 minutes before the nightly celebration.

We had lagoon side seating at Rose & Crown in the United Kingdom Pavilion—click here to read more about dining at Rose & Crown.

Our Advanced Dining Reservation was for 7:45 pm.  We checked in at the podium about 7:20 pm and were given a beeper.  It wasn’t long before we were seated.  Our table wasn’t waterfront, but on the patio.  As soon as we met our server, I asked about the possibility of sitting near the water for Illuminations.  Our server told us that she would see what we could do. 

The meal went off without a hitch and we were definitely hungry.  Bonus, there was a woman playing songs on the piano inside the pub, which you had to walk through to get to the restroom.  Lovely Irish tunes! 

When it was time for dessert, our server told us that indeed a waterfront table was available and she asked us to follow her.  We were directed out the back of the restaurant, down some stairs and to a lovely table on the waterfront.  It was about 8:50 pm, with a 9:00 pm start for Illuminations. 

The torches around World Showcase Lagoon were lit and the announcements were being made every five minutes informing guests of the upcoming Illuminations showing. 

Our dessert was served lagoon side and just as we were finishing the last delicious spoonful, the lights dimmed throughout EPCOT and Illuminations began. 

What an incredible experience!  Some of the pyrotechnics were being shot from the small island just feet from where we were sitting. 

Would I rather stake out a spot 90 minutes before and stand waiting for Illuminations or would I rather enjoy a meal and watch from a lagoon side table?  What do you think?  Give me the meal and the waterfront table!

Our experience sitting near the water and experiencing Illuminations was just one of many highlights from our most recent trip to Walt Disney World.

Ready To Make The Call?

Do you recognize where this photo was taken?  If you said the United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT at Walt Disney World, you would be correct.  The red booth surely gives it away. 

There are actually three such booths in the United Kingdom Pavilion.  Two across from the Rose & Crown and near the bathroom entrance and the other near the bridge to France.

On our most recent trip to Walt Disney World, we decided to have a little fun, well, I decided to have a little fun and surprise the husband at the same time.

You see, while he was posing for this photo, I took out my cell phone and called the phone inside the phone booth.  Yep!  I had the numbers for all the phone booths in the United Kingdom programmed into my phone. 

The number for the phone booth the husband was in:  407-827-9862.  The booth to the right of this one is:  407-827-9861.  And the both on the other side of the pavilion:  407-827-9863.

Seriously!  I called the phone and the husband picked up very surprised that I was talking to him.  The boy got into the act, too.  Later that evening, as we were waiting for our waterside table at Rose & Crown, we watched other guests enter the phone booth –for photos of course--and then called them up.  Mostly, they hung up.  We could see them but they didn’t know it was us making the calls.  I know, immature and very “seventh grade” and yet it was still fun.  We even tried a British accent when making the calls and it made our wait go by quite quickly.

So, the next time you find yourself posing in the famous red phone booths at the United Kingdom Pavilion, give yourself or the people you are with a call!

Dining at The Rose & Crown

It is our goal to eat around the world in EPCOT's World Showcase at the Walt Disney World Resort.  Prior to our last trip, we had eaten at Akershus in Norway, Biergarten in Germany, Teppan Edo in Japan, and Le Cellier in Canada.  Now we can add eating at Rose & Crown at the United Kingdom Pavilion.


 While most of the pavilion is located opposite the World Showcase Lagoon, the Rose & Crown is nestled beside the World Showcase Lagoon.  We had a lunch ADR and asked to sit outside.  Our table offered excellent views of World Showcase Lagoon and we would add this restaurant to the list of possible eateries to book for a time to eat and view EPCOT's Illuminations.

 Here's the boy and the husband enjoying the outside dining.  They are facing the World Showcase Lagoon.

 While the Rose & Crown has the word "pub" in it's title, don't let that scare you away from thinking it is a family place to eat.  Kids have their own menu and the atmosphere is very kid friendly. . . nothing stuffy here.  The word "pub" is meant to tell you that they do serve alcoholic beverages, especially various beers, and that it is quaint.  Both accurate descriptions of the Rose & Crown.

Note that the check in area for ADR's or any other inquiries as to tables for dining is located outside and left of the entrance. 

 The menu offers many British favorite signature dishes.  It was hard to decide what to eat.  The husband had the Filet of Beef and I had the Corned Beef Sandwich.  The boy had a more American meal from the kids menu, but he tried bites of each of our dishes.

 The husband enjoyed a hearty lunch as well as a couple of "ales."  He even came home with a souvenir glass, as show in the photo above.

 The photo above of the rooftops in the pavilion demonstrate the quaintness that abounds as well as reminds me of Bert, my favorite chimney sweep from Mary Poppins.  Can't you just imagine him dancing and singing among the chimneys?

 Since we were celebrating the boy's birthday, the wait staff delivered a chorus of "Happy Birthday" along with a make your own sundae as shown below. . .

The service at the Rose & Crown was great, the food hearty, the atmosphere fun and authentic.  I understand there is often a piano player performing inside later in the day.

We would eat here again.  But first, there are other restaurants to take in as we attempt to accomplish our goal of eating around the world in World Showcase.

United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT

During our last visit to the Walt Disney World Resort, we discovered more about the United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT. Don't get me wrong, we have strolled by here numerous times and have even taken in the World Showcase Player's audience participation skit and took photos of each other in the red telephone booth next to the Rose & Crown, it's just that we haven't explored much more than that. So after taking the boat from Studios to the International Gateway on the last day of our trip, we made a stop at the United Kingdom Pavilion. It is after all, just next to the International Gateway!

Much to our delight, Mary Poppins was hand for photos and an autograph in front of the Twinings Tea Car. It is always a jolly holiday with Mary!

And, just in time. . . not late at all, appeared Alice for photos and an autograph. She wished everyone a happy unbirthday!

Next, we ventured inside. OK, the United Kingdom is the "birthplace" for the Winnie the Pooh characters, Thomas the Train, and many others.

The boy discovered the train table! We were going to be there a while, so the husband decided to don hats (more like crowns) and paraphernalia in the store for a royal photo. See photo below.

As we made our way deeper into the store/pavilion, we discovered that Tigger and Pooh were in residence for photos and autographs. Tigger was totally terrific and Pooh was. . . hungry, for honey, of course!

Upon exiting the character meet and greet we found ourselves in a beautiful garden with a labyrinth. The husband and boy made their way through the maze.

Photopass photographers were on hand for the Pooh characters and Alice. Click here to read about Disney's Photopass service.

We were pleasantly surprised with the United Kingdom Pavilion and are considering an ADR at the Rose & Crown for our next visit which is in 181 days! But who's counting?? The 180 day window for dining reservations opens tomorrow. Guess what I will be doing tomorrow?