OK, CRT with no dining plan?????

[MouseMadness]

Is it worth it? Since we campers aren't offered the free dining, it's all out of pocket, which I just realized will be around $200 for the 4 of us

OK, let me start by saying that we are in love with FW and wouldn't consider staying anywhere else unless it were only for a week or less (currently booked for 11 days this October) and huge fans of character meals. We already have 6 planned for this trip.

So, last trip we did the Royal Banquet in Epcot and it was really nice. The food was a little "weird" but the experience was enjoyable. Also, DD was just getting into the princesses then (22 mos) so we used this time as "picture" time so as to not stand in the long lines.

Fast forward over a year now (DD will be 3 next month and DS is 6) and DD is TOTALLY PRINCESS . I just got off the phone with Disney, scheduling her at the BBB before lunch at CRT...then I started to realize what I had done.

Now, we've been to Disney countless times but never done the CRT with or without kids. I'm thinking this might be a great age (little, totally into the princess thing for now, and DS is also still young enough to be impressed we are actually eating "in" Cinderella's castle) to try this.

Any thoughts out there? Is it completely worth it to bite the bullet and go when it seems it might be the perfect time? Next October when we go, we'll have to stay in a resort due to time restrictions and we'll hopefully have free dining then...should I wait a year...will she "outgrow" the whole princess thing?

Help...any thoughts/experiences???? Thanks

 

[BradyBz12]

DH and I (no kids) ate at CRT 2 years ago on the DDP. Quite honestly, it was worth it for us to use up 2 TS credits just for the experience, but the food was just ok. And since we didn't have kids with us, the character part of the experience wasn't a huge deal for us. Although I do have a lovely pic of DH and Sleeping Beauty!

I don't think we'd have done it if we were paying out of pocket... well, maybe we'd have done lunch (a bit cheaper) just for the experience.

We wouldn't do it again without DDP, although I have to say, we were the only party of 2 and got the one small table in the place, which happened to be right in front of the big window overlooking Fantasyland. REALLY beautiful!

 

[liv luvs disney]

We ate at CRT 2 years ago also with DS-then 10 and DD-then 6. As you already know, like most things at Disney, you pay for the "experience". DD thought she had died and gone to heaven and DS enjoyed himself. I kept thinking, "I could have cooked all of this for under $20!" We were on the DDP, so for some reason, I justified it as being a "deal". Personally, I would not pay for it out of pocket, but that's just me. My DD just turned 9 and is still very much into the princess thing, so I wouldn't worry about your DD outgrowing her princess stage just yet.

Ultimately, it's up to you and your DH. We always do what we can afford, so if you have the $, go for it.

 

[Shan-man]

My DD just turned 9 and is still very much into the princess thing, so I wouldn't worry about your DD outgrowing her princess stage just yet.

Oh wow! I'm so jealous. My granddaughter is 7 and is way past Pooh, over the princesses already, and starting to get past Hannah Montana! I shudder tho think what the next phase will be (what's the new Britney/Paris fad anyhow?). I missed the WHOLE princess stage it seems, and her other grandparents have taken her to WDW like five times already and now she'd SO BORED with the whole thing! God it sucks being three states away (and broke!). Sorry, rant over...

 

[liv luvs disney]

Oh wow! I'm so jealous. My granddaughter is 7 and is way past Pooh, over the princesses already, and starting to get past Hannah Montana! I shudder tho think what the next phase will be (what's the new Britney/Paris fad anyhow?). I missed the WHOLE princess stage it seems, and her other grandparents have taken her to WDW like five times already and now she'd SO BORED with the whole thing! God it sucks being three states away (and broke!). Sorry, rant over...

Well, we are an odd family. In fact, I am sitting here watching that little 9 year old ride her scooter in the driveway in her Laura Ingalls outfit-bonnet and all! We don't keep up w/ Britney or Paris. In fact, my kids probably don't even know who they are! We don't have cable therefore, we don't watch Disney channel! Maybe that's why she is still into the princess thing (and Laura Ingalls). Plus we homeschool, so there's not a whole lot of influence from her peers.

Beg, beg, beg your children to not let that precious 7 year old grow up too fast! I'm sure a lot of people think my babies are immature and backwards, but they will be adults a lot longer than they will be babies/children/adolescents so I try to make the best of it.

Speaking from experience, don't think for one second that granddaughter loves you any less because of experiences with her other grandparents.

 

[DaveInTN]

We've done the CRT breakfast twice, paying out of pocket both times. I feel it was worth it, as my girls will only be girls once. I don't see us doing it again until MAYBE when my little one is 5 or 6...and then because it will be enjoyable to drag my older girls through it, who will be 16, 14 and 12 by then. That will be worth the price of admission!

 

[Sammi2]

We paid for it out of pocket last year. This year we're paying for it again. I'm not certain if I shelled out the money for the benefit of my girls, or if it was more for my benefit. Either way, I personally wouldn't miss it. And yeah... its not about the scrambled eggs.

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

We've never done the CRT thing out of pocket or otherwise so I can't comment on the "value vs experience" aspect. I can tell you that when we took my DD4.5, who from public school and older female cousins has plenty of outside influence, she was still "princess crazy". The only line we waited more than 15 mins in during our entire 9 day stay was and hour and 10 mins to see Cinderella. If you wait until next year, she'll still love it.