We were at Rose and Crown last week. We were lucky enough to get outdoor seating again and it's just incredible. When we arrived at the podium, of course everyone was requesting outside. The hostess said that it was first available and if you refused the seat, you would lose the reservation.
I'd suggest stopping by the restaurant earlier in the day and explaining your situation. They can put comments right into the computer and maybe even make some suggestions. When we were there, they had a large group on the upper patio. As it got closer to illuminations, they moved them down to the lower level. I believe it was in the area that used to be set aside for AP special viewing. The saying, "you get more bee's with honey" is especially true in WDW. I've yet to meet a CM who hasn't tried to accomodate when treated nicely. I would just make it a point to stop by early and avoid trying to explain in the middle of the dinner rush.
Tammi