Hi Lisa,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! It sounds like you have a fantastic vacation planned to the Walt Disney World Resort. Coral Reef is one of our favorite restaurants. The underwater view provides such a soothing dining experience!
My family had the same predicament on one of our trips. It is possible but it will be tough. It depends on how quickly the restaurant is moving that evening. There are, at times, unpredictable delays with dining. Having said that, we were able to make it happen so you can too!
I suggest that you arrive at the restaurant at least 15 minutes prior to your reservation. If you are seated when you arrive or by 7:35, you have a chance of making the
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth show. Be sure that everyone in your party has reviewed the
Coral Reef Dinner Menu so that they know what they will order prior to arriving at the restaurant. As soon as you are seated, just inform the cast member who serves you that you would like to place your entire order (drinks and food). When we were facing the same dilemma, we explained to our server that we had a
Fast Pass+ reservation for IllumiNations and he was very efficient with the meal service.
We also had to take our desserts to go and we jogged (okay, maybe sprinted) to the Fast Pass section for the show. But we made it and it was just a perfect way to end the evening.
In the meantime, I suggest that you keep checking to try to move that reservation to an earlier time. Guests do make changes, so keep checking!
I am sending pixie dust your way hoping that you have a fabulous dinner and see the show!
-Donyell