Dinner at CRT...waste of 2 TS!

[DisneyBride'03]

Decided to do dinner at CRT, so my mom and daughter could enjoy the experience.
However , on 3/4, the Fairy Godmother never showed up, and management wasn't giving any info. I think alot of people just didnt realize. Suzy and Perla came out....that's it. Food was so so, not good enough to give up 2 TS points.
My DD10 did like getting her photo taken w/Cinderella and the photos are nice with the folder. Gone are the lithographs, and in place of them are cheap plastic wands!
So, the manager coughed up 4 champagne flutes for us after I discussed my disappointment when she said "There is only 1 FM, and she was somewhere else" ummm....not a good enough reason.

Service was ok, I never got coffee....I hope others have had a good experience here, I just didn't. We wasted time also "waiting" for the FM, before they actually told me.
I did send off a letter to Guest Communications...hate to complain...but they market the dinner with "FG Hosts the Dinner...celebrates b days and anniv...." which we were doing.
Maybe its better at breakfast...I also thought the CM's ushering you in at check in could have been a bit friendlier. At least my daughter had fun, ate in the castle and we wont have to do this next time!!! :)

[Warmwinds]

I could have written your post word for word - we did have a FG, but she had cheesy canned script and music she just lip-synced to, so you didn't miss much. We got the champagne flutes because it was our anniversary, but we agree it was simply not worth it. Not only was it so loud and chaotic (that's my fault for thinking somehow it would be a different experience) but I was very disappointed in the food, too (AND our waiter forgot my coffee! we must have had the same one). I read about bad food before we went, but I kept thinking "how can they screw up prime rib?"...well, they did.

It's the only meal we wished we hadn't done (we paid oop)...but I have to say I loved watching our Cinderella interact with the kids while we were waiting - she was just a lovely, gracious, kind jewel of a young lady.

[DisneyBride'03]

HA! I had prime rib too! Yes...we probably had the same waiter...did he seem like he was going to cry when you told him abt the coffee?! Poor thing....My mom liked her salmon.....well, we live and learn. We will have lovely photos with our children forever...so that's the good thing:)

[TyRy]

Wow - we had the exact opposite experince when we were there in October. Performance went off without a hitch and DH thought it was one of the better meals of the trip. Sorry everyone is having such bad experiences!

Ty

[DznyLvr2005]

We ate here last year Oct 1st, for our First wedding anniversary. We got champagne flutes. Dinner was so/so the raspberry dessert was delicious! Entertainment was so cute. I think it was worth it.

[dfarner]

Decided to do dinner at CRT, so my mom and daughter could enjoy the experience.
However , on 3/4, the Fairy Godmother never showed up, and management wasn't giving any info. I think alot of people just didnt realize. Suzy and Perla came out....that's it. Food was so so, not good enough to give up 2 TS points.
My DD10 did like getting her photo taken w/Cinderella and the photos are nice with the folder. Gone are the lithographs, and in place of them are cheap plastic wands!
So, the manager coughed up 4 champagne flutes for us after I discussed my disappointment when she said "There is only 1 FM, and she was somewhere else" ummm....not a good enough reason.

Service was ok, I never got coffee....I hope others have had a good experience here, I just didn't. We wasted time also "waiting" for the FM, before they actually told me.
I did send off a letter to Guest Communications...hate to complain...but they market the dinner with "FG Hosts the Dinner...celebrates b days and anniv...." which we were doing.
Maybe its better at breakfast...I also thought the CM's ushering you in at check in could have been a bit friendlier. At least my daughter had fun, ate in the castle and we wont have to do this next time!!! :)

DITTO DITTO DITTO. We had breakfast there and were very disappointed w/ the entire operation.

[Dis1978]

Thanks for that post because I was thinking of booking it and won't bother now.
Think I will stick to the boma

[planning06]

We did breakfast in 2003 and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We did lunch Jan 2006 right before it switched to 2 TS credits and was very disappointed with the food. The princess interaction was good though.

I don't think I will go back again now that it is 2 TS credits. I don't think it is worth it. I enjoyed 1900 PF last time and we are trying Princess Storybook Lunch this time.

[is_it_oct_yet?]

What is storybook lunch??

[DumboDreamer]

Well yea I have good and bad things about CRT. but we think we are going to go there, in April. just for the kids, I don't want to be dissapointed tho, we went last year, not to CRT, but to CM, and 1900 Park fare. I just don't know, the kids want to go, but we are still thinking.. was it that bad? im would want to see the Fairy godmother tho..? they would enjoy that. and cinderella. but i don't feel like wasting my money.. so any comments? sould i risk it?

[Laurafoster]

Have to agree - although we paid OOP on this meal i would not have thought it worth while for 2 credits!

Im very glad i did it and if you've never been or if you ahve kids then yes i would risk it. Kids will ove it anyway! And it is special to eat in the castle! Its just a shame the food isnt special!

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

I am sorry about your bad experience at Dinner. It really makes me miss the "good ol' days" when it was "King Stefan's Banquet Hall" Back in 95 when I last had dinner there, it was the best prime rib I have ever tasted and the staff was wonderful for my first anniversary. Again sorry you had such a bad experience

[2Pirates_1Princess]

We are having lunch there in June. I heard so many bad things that I had decided not to book, but my DD4 kept looking at pictures of the castle and I figured oh well.. So we booked. I am figuring it will be the most over priced lunch on the planet, but watching her hug Cindy will be worth every penny.

pirate: pirate: princess:

[Disney owl]

Thanks for the info

[DisneyBride'03]

I tried to be as forthcoming as possible abt the review...I forgot to add that this was the one place that had Root Beer!! (That we found)...not at POp or Ohanas...my DD10 was thrilled. She had no complaints, nor did my mom.
I am just glad I did CRT on this trip, and not the family trip next year...DH probably wouldn't have liked it, knowing we could have eaten at the Flying Fish or California Grill.
If you feel that you must eat in the Castle and See Cinderella with your kids, at least ONCE...try giving up 1 TS and go to **Akershus Royal Banquet Hall** at Epcot.

Its a replica of a rustic Norwegian castle...with Disney Princesses All day long!! There is B, L and D!!
May be a nice alternative...and only 1 TS!

[DisneyBride'03]

I tried to be as forthcoming as possible abt the review...I forgot to add that this was the one place that had Root Beer!! (That we found)...not at POp or Ohanas...my DD10 was thrilled. She had no complaints, nor did my mom.
I am just glad I did CRT on this trip, and not the family trip next year...DH probably wouldn't have liked it, knowing we could have eaten at the Flying Fish or California Grill.
If you feel that you must eat in the Castle and See Cinderella with your kids, at least ONCE...try giving up 1 TS and go to **Akershus Royal Banquet Hall** at Epcot.

Its a replica of a rustic Norwegian castle...with Disney Princesses All day long!! There is B, L and D!!
May be a nice alternative...and only 1 TS!

[DisneyBride'03]

oops

[asfarrell]

These reviews are killing me! The main thing I have told my DD 4, is that WE ARE EATING DINNER AT CINDERELLA'S CASTLE. We KNOW the food isn't going to be great, and we KNOW there might not be many characters (even though it is a character dining), but still isn't it worth it, just to eat in the castle? We will be there 6 nights, but the first night, we arrive late, so we don't mind using 2TS credits. I can't change, we have to eat their, she believes we are going to Cinderella's house and eating with her.

[Disneyolic]

These reviews are killing me! The main thing I have told my DD 4, is that WE ARE EATING DINNER AT CINDERELLA'S CASTLE. We KNOW the food isn't going to be great, and we KNOW there might not be many characters (even though it is a character dining), but still isn't it worth it, just to eat in the castle? We will be there 6 nights, but the first night, we arrive late, so we don't mind using 2TS credits. I can't change, we have to eat their, she believes we are going to Cinderella's house and eating with her.Some things just cannot substitute Cinderella's castle. I will be taking my daughter there for lunch and using 2 TS of my own (she will be free) and I don't mind doing so. I did appreciate that the CM informed me that the dinner did not have the princesses coming to the tables for meet-and-greet so we decided on lunch instead. We are not breakfast people and did not want to do that. The PSB in Norway lunches and dinners do not appeal to me at all as far as food goes - YUCK. That would be a waste of 1 TS IMO. We too are arriving late the first night so using that extra TS is not a big deal for me.

[ufgator]

Thanks for your review. Sorry it stunk though.

[DisneyBride'03]

Again, my review, my opinion. My DD10 and mom liked it....it was the "experience" as I stated. My youngest is 8 mths old now, if at the age of 4 , she wants to do it, I will. However, she may never "find" out you can eat in the castle...lol...;)
I would hope that everyone has a great experience there! But for character dining, and the "host" of the show, is a no show....well....that would leave a bad taste in your mouth...no pun intended! lol..My mom loved her salmon by the way!
As far as Norway...did you eat there before Disneyolic?? Just wondering....
Curious how it is.....
The one thing I enjoy abt this forum is that everyone has different experiences and opinions....and hopefully everyone will have a better experience than I did at dinner at CRT:)

[tadamom]

I hate that your dinner was less than perfect but I'm glad you gave your review. We aren't doing this character dinner (we are doing Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's), but we thought about going here. I don't like that it is a 2 TS meal and that was ultimately what led to us not eating here. And, when we went on our honeymoon to Disney World 10 years ago, we at our first meal in the castle (when it was the regular restaurant) and it was awful! The food wasn't good, the service was bad and it was too dark to even enjoy the scenery. When we went there we were expecting Cinderella's Castle to be the best dinner in all of Disney b/c to me anytime I see the Castle on anything I think Disney and I held that place up on a pedastel (not anymore). I don't think we will every eat there!

[Disneyolic]

As far as Norway...did you eat there before Disneyolic?? Just wondering....
Curious how it is.....Okay. I fess up. I've never eaten in Norway but I think I am the plainest eater ever. I looked at the menus and my nose all wrinkled up. :sad2:

I hope I didn't sound like I disagreed with your feeling that you wasted 2 TS. I do believe everyone has their own experience and opinion. I personally would not have wanted to have dinner at CRT. I am truly hoping that lunch is better with the princess interaction and I don't think I will be "wasting" 2 TS for that meal. For me, this is a "mommy & daughter" day at the MK while DH has the boys at BB so just the whole experience is great for me.:flower1:

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

We went in Sep of 06 for dinner. I didn't realize until later that we didn't get our lithograph. That stunk, but other than that, we loved it! Cinderella was wonderful with our 2 dds. The atmosphere was amazing. I thought the show was adorable, and the FGM and the mice were very interactive and sweet. The food was very good. The only flaw was that my pork looked like it might have been slightly pink (couldn't tell in the light), which made me a little nervous. I loved the pretzel rolls with honey butter, my salad, and my entree. I LOVED the sorbet! I thought it was so magical there. It was one of my favorite meals of the trip, and I would definitely do dinner there again. Of course, it did help that we were there on free dining. If I had to pay for the DDP, I would definitely still go back. If I was paying OOP, it would depend on how tight my budget was. I don't know know how the castle USED to be, but this was our first trip to WDW, and it lived up to my expectations.

Oh, I almost forgot, we also had dinner at Akershus (Norway). While several princesses were there, it held less magic than when we met them on the street in Epcot. I also thought the food was pretty awful. That's just my opinion to share. :)

[mommykds]

Some things just cannot substitute Cinderella's castle. I will be taking my daughter there for lunch and using 2 TS of my own (she will be free) and I don't mind doing so. I did appreciate that the CM informed me that the dinner did not have the princesses coming to the tables for meet-and-greet so we decided on lunch instead. We are not breakfast people and did not want to do that. The PSB in Norway lunches and dinners do not appeal to me at all as far as food goes - YUCK. That would be a waste of 1 TS IMO. We too are arriving late the first night so using that extra TS is not a big deal for me.

The princesses don't come to the table? What do they do then? I didn't know this when i booked. Can someone tell me what you get for 2 TS?

[DisneyBride'03]

At the DINNER.....you get your photo with CInderella...a 5 X7 in a beautiful folder w/addt'l 4 x 6's...(4) I think...a cheap plastic wand in place of the lithograph...Suzy and Perla and the Fairy Godmother host the dinner.....
As I started this thread.....the FG never showed up...2 characters came out during dinner and that was it,
I was aware that we only saw Cinderella downstairs and just got her photo....I brought my DD10 and my mom for their b days to eat in the castle.

Thats why I said I could not personally recommend this, as the character who was suppose to be there and host the dinner etc was a no show...etc...If you are looking for princesses they are not at Dinner:)
Hope this helps.

[DisneyBride'03]

Disneyolic....oh I was genuinely interested how the food was there... I have not read much abt that place on the boards!

You will have a wonderful lunch there I am sure....I still treasure that I shared a meal there with my mom and DD10. I just hope my esperience may help someone who is "on the fence" considering Dinner there:)

Again, my DD is older.....she is just abt over the whole princess thing:(
But Ava is only 8 mths old!!:)

[Ajax]

We've had both breakfast and dinner at CRT. Both meals could best be described as mediocre in all respects.

Unless you have a child set on breakfast with the princesses, or you're just looking for the expierience of dining in the castle, avoid it. Your dollars will go further elsewhere.

[DisneyMomx7]

I have to tell you we've had good experiences with CRT lunch. We used to do CRT breakfast (which was nice) but when the price went up I switched to lunch and we're very happy with it. Yes it is expensive but the photos are nice and my kids LOVE to eat in the castle. The Major Domo's pie is very good if you are there at lunch time. Hope the rest of you have a good experience.

[AZMermaid]

we did CRT for dinner this past Tuesday. The FGM or the mice never came out. There was no mention of them and they never showed. Now, I didn't ask but we were there for almost an hour and no characters. We did get our pic with Cindy and got a window seat! This was not really worth 2 credits but it was fun once!! So, don't go to see the show, it may not be happening any more....

[DisneyBride'03]

wow! I am the original poster...I would write a letter to guest communications....I nicely voiced my concern abt my experience...same..and rec'd 4 champagne flutes, 1 fast pass for 2 of us and 2 popcorns!! lol I am still waiting tho for a response from Disney themselves...I also had a not so great experience at the Emporium store:( No biggie...sorry to hear abt your dinner!

[AZMermaid]

Maybe I should have asked. We weren't there for the characters so it wasn't a huge deal. It was just weird. The food was decent and the view was great. I am glad we did it but we probably wouldn't do it again! I just wanted to let people know the show might not be a part of the deal anymore. It could be that it was just an off night. I'm not sure!