Whenever we visit Epcot we cannot resist visiting The Rose and Crown Dining Room and Pub in the UK Pavilion. You’d think that we could manage a fortnight without English food, wouldn’t you? The food is excellent but the real reason is that if you eat at around 8pm and are lucky enough to be seated outside you get one of the best viewing areas to watch the nightly fireworks and laser show - IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
I would recommend that you make a dinner reservation and ask to be seated on the outside patio area. You won’t be guaranteed a lagoon side table but they will do their best if there is availability at the time you arrive. However, even if you are seated inside, the cast members will usually allow you to go onto the patio after your meal.
The Rose and Crown Dining Room and Pub is described as ‘An Authentic British Pub with traditional English fare’ and that’s exactly what it is. Although, I have not frequented many British Pubs lately where the girls are dressed in wenches’ costumes and the men are in breeches! The cast members wear name badges with the UK town in which they live. When they know you are from the UK they will always stop for a chat and ask what’s been happening back home and especially the men who want to know how their football teams are performing.
The outside architecture is worth a look around whilst you are waiting to be seated. Each of the facades is designed in a different architectural style – one side reflects a late 19th century pub, another the 17th century and a third side a present day country pub.
The menu features plenty of choices and for the children there is always a kid’s menu. Harry Ramsden's Famous Fish & Chips, English Pie Sampler or Bangers and Mash are amongst my favourites followed by either sherry trifle or sticky toffee pudding. The kids’ meals are for guests ages 3 to 11 but we have ordered them in the past for our children who were teenagers at the time.
If you are missing your British pint, or if you are from outside the UK and would like to try the real thing, there is plenty of choice from Guinness Stout and Harp to Tennants Lager or Boddingtons Ale. If you cannot decide, why not try the ‘Imperial Sampler’ which includes 5 4oz samples.
There is always a good atmosphere in the Rose and Crown Dining Room but if the restaurant is fully booked you can always try a fish ‘n chip takeaway from the outside shop. Wrapped in ‘nearly’ authentic newspaper you can sit at an outside table or wander across the road and eat them sitting on a park bench in the small garden. The only slight disappointment .……………no mushy peas!