Cinderella Royal Table - Worth the $?

[TheRustyScupper]

Originally Posted by tgreen11

. . . I've begun to second guess the decision and if it's really worth the hefty cost ($140 for 2). Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Well . . .
1) We don't feel it is worth it.
2) The food quality is not high enough for the exorbitant prices.
3) The atmosphere isn't even that great.
4) But, if you want princesses in a castle for the daughters, you pay.
5) And, Disney knows you will pay dearly.
6) That is why it is double the price of Akershus.
7) And, Epcot has better character participation.

[P00H1010]

Originally Posted by tgreen11

While managing my ADR's for my trip to WDW next week, I noticed that someone had canceled their dinner reservation at CRT which I then booked on a whim of excitement for the hard to get table. After booking it however, I've begun to second guess the decision and if it's really worth the hefty cost ($140 for 2). Any input would be greatly appreciated!

DH and I ate there for lunch a few years back. We had a fabulous time. The food was good...not great, but definitely good. Really when it comes to eating there it is more about the atmosphere and experience than the food. I am very glad we ate there and I would go back again (however I would say I probably wouldn't shell out the cash again until we have kids).

[Disneytwinsmom]

It is well worth every penny. It is an amazing experience. You are in a castle meeting a princess. Need I say more?

[katt789]

I say yes, it is, there's something beyond amazing at being able to eat in Cinderella's Castle! I mean, how cool is that!? From what I've seen of the menus I think that dinner would be more worth your money, but it's still awesome.

You do have to think of going into it as a fine dining thing, you might be disappointed, but if you go into it for the experience of it as a whole, it's fantastic! I find that for the money you get the meal, the princesses, a wishing star/ceremony and you're in the castle!

[juliebug1997]

Originally Posted by TheRustyScupper

Well . . .
1) We don't feel it is worth it.
2) The food quality is not high enough for the exorbitant prices.
3) The atmosphere isn't even that great.
4) But, if you want princesses in a castle for the daughters, you pay.
5) And, Disney knows you will pay dearly.
6) That is why it is double the price of Akershus.
7) And, Epcot has better character participation.

I have to disagree. Our breakfast in Norway, a couple of the princesses barely even looked at us after signing our book and barely stood still for pictures. Plus, they had bread and bagels and English muffins, but no toaster. Just a little disappointing.

[MissionMouse]

Originally Posted by TheRustyScupper

Well . . .

4) But, if you want princesses in a castle for the daughters, you pay.
5) And, Disney knows you will pay dearly.

The two key points that Rusty made that drives the prices of CRT. As long as people are willing to pay the price for their little princeses, Disney is able to raise the price. You may not feel it is worth it, but look at any Disney price...which ones really equate to the normal sense of worth. Its more of are you willing and able to pay.

[sadossey]

The food was comparable to a hospital cafeteria. My meal tasted like it had just come out of a microwave.

[juliebug1997]

Originally Posted by sadossey

The food was comparable to a hospital cafeteria. My meal tasted like it had just come out of a microwave.

You must be eating better hospital food than I've gotten. CRT is like eating at the Four Seasons compared to the hospital food I've had to eat.

[disneywalkers]

We have gone every September since 2008 and have only ate at CRT once.

Last year we did lunch.

We had a great time.

But I am a firm believer in "you take a great time WITH you"

So I'd have a great time at the dump

We have 6 kids (4 girls, 2 boys).

There is indeed something about being INSIDE the castle, so I'd have eventually done it even if we didn't have kids, so don't let that stop you.

We are doing Breakfast this year, but I have gone back and forth on whether or not it's worth the over $400 We have 10 total with my parents going with us. So your $140 doesn't phase me

But....still......it's a once a year thing and these kids will be outta here before you know it

[jenn3456]

I'll throw my 2 cents in. We are taking our 5 kids to Disney for the 1st time this June. I had this reserved but we cancelled it. Mostly because of the food. We did not find the menu to be at all appealing. My oldest ds has Asperger's and it would have been a nightmare of a meal for him with the menu. We asked our girls and read them the menu there and for Norway in Epcot. My girls both quickly said they didn't want to eat at the Castle! SO I guess my answer is know your group!

[disneywalkers]

Originally Posted by jenn3456

I'll throw my 2 cents in. We are taking our 5 kids to Disney for the 1st time this June. I had this reserved but we cancelled it. Mostly because of the food. We did not find the menu to be at all appealing. My oldest ds has Asperger's and it would have been a nightmare of a meal for him with the menu. We asked our girls and read them the menu there and for Norway in Epcot. My girls both quickly said they didn't want to eat at the Castle! SO I guess my answer is know your group!

I was worried about the menu when I read it too. My oldest also has aspergers. We have 6 kids and almost all of them are picky eaters too. So I was very hesitant. But the menu doesn't sound as good as everything turned out to be and I didn't think my kids would like anything on it. I was wrong. My oldest ordered off the adult menu and LOVED it. My picky kids ordered off the kids menu, loved it and ate off of every adult plate there. There were 6 who ordered off the adult menu out of the 10 of us, so they tried quite a few different items.
I can't remember which meal it was, this was lunch, that they ate more of than what they ordered.

I am a firm believer in, you don't go to the Disney restaurants for the food. You go there for the experience so expecting them to be amazing is expecting too much. If I was expecting that I know I could find a lot of places off Disney property to go. But I'm going for the experience. And all of them have been great.

Ok minus one. And that was my own fault, kind of. We ate at Boma last year and when I went to pay I couldn't find my CC. So that kind of ruined the whole thing, but that wasn't Disney's fault.

[lhguillory]

I'm not sure I would shell out the dough for adults unless you really want to experience the castle. The food was good but not $140 good. However, if you have a child who really loves princesses, then this is the place to see them. We went a few years ago when my daughter was 4. Each princess came to our table for photos and signatures. Unbelievably, one of the princesses remembered my daughter from the day before when we stood in line to see the princesses. It was a special time for my daughter and she wants to do it again when we go this year, although she will be 9.5. I'm not paying for my son and other daughter to go, as they aren't interested enough for the money.

[housetomouse]

How is the atmosphere inside Cinderella's castle as compared with Beast's new castle? I don't care about meeting princesses and was wondering if the new castle compares. I have never been inside Cinderella's castle, but without anyone in our group wanting to meet the princesses, I have never wanted to shell out the $ for the meal. I was hoping Beast's castle would suffice.

[2012DisneyWorldBride]

Originally Posted by housetomouse

How is the atmosphere inside Cinderella's castle as compared with Beast's new castle? I don't care about meeting princesses and was wondering if the new castle compares. I have never been inside Cinderella's castle, but without anyone in our group wanting to meet the princesses, I have never wanted to shell out the $ for the meal. I was hoping Beast's castle would suffice.

We really LOVED Cinderellas Royal Table when we went on our honeymoon... It's pretty inside but not like Be Our Guest pretty. We have eaten at Be Our Guest 4 times now and I still am in amazement when we are in there. It is soooo pretty in the ballroom.

[Masonmj84]

We only do CRT for pre-park opening breakfasts. Under those circumstances, it's "worth it" to us but not because of the food or service (food is mediocre and we've found much of the wait staff to be somewhat surly and impatient).

Here's how I'd personally break down the value of the overall experience:

20% - being able to walk down a near empty Main Street beforehand and getting a jump on Fanstasyland afterward

30% - being able to eat in the castle.

30% - having princesses come to your table.

10% - picture with Cinderella (this is included in the price)

10% - the food (and service)

Honestly, the food and service here is probably only worth $7-10 per adult meal and $3-4 per kid's meal (IMO, not much better than a Denny's or IHOP). So it all depends on whether all of the other factors, collectively, take it to the leve of being worth it. This will obviously vary, depending on how much your group values those other factors.