Cinderella Royal Table---a do or don't

[Fatima1922]

This my first official vacation to Disney. I am taking my mom (74 and has never been to WDW) and daughter (2 1/2). I was able to secure the Cinderella Royal Table dinner but I have read mixed reviews especially about the food. So I am now questioning is it worth going with my daughter being so young (especially when I know we will go back again)? Or should I just go for the experience especially having my mom with me? FYI - I am also doing Arkershus two days later. I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

[annabelle26]

Welcome! Our family love the place but we didn't care for the food or way they rush you out.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

We had dinner here last month and REALLY enjoyed it. Cinderella is in the lobby for pics. The fairy godmother and the mice do a little show during dinner but don't do a regular meet and greet. The mice run from table to table to take a fast picture, but no autographs etc. Girls get a wand, boys get a sword.

We thought the food was surprisingly good. I had the prime rib and DH had the lamb chops (don't remember what DS had).

It was not a rushed meal and our server was outstanding. We all enjoyed it and I have already booked it again for June

 

[eventamy]

Welcome to Disboards! This place has been an amazing help to me!
Last year was my first year going as a Mom and my first time planning our trip. We did dinner at CRT and really enjoyed it!
I had the spring rolls for appy and tortellini for my entree and really loved both. My DH and Mom both had the prime rib and both said it was ok. Both loved their spring rolls too.
My DD4 (now 5) had the childrens fish meal, but wasn't really into it other then the yogurt parfait, but she was really tired.
DD9months (now 20 months) was given a bowl of buttered pasta and chowed.
They both loved the show, where the Fairy Godmother sings and dances and loved seeing the mice, although one of them scared my little one a little when she didn't know she was behind her, but handled it great.
They both got wands on the way up the stairs and both really enjoyed seeing Cinderella for pictures.
If I was doing it again for dinner I would do things a little differently. I would have tried to get an early dinner reservation, ours was at 7:15, next time I would go for 5:15-5:30. I also made a huge rookie mistake and scheduled it for an EMH night, the crowd leaving was just hellish!


This year I scheduled a lunch reservation because DD5 specifically requested more princesses.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I was thinking of booking this one but decided to go back to the Princess breakfast in Norway instead...

 

[donahue5]

I booked the dinner for our first night in Disney. It is our first trip and our ds wants to see the castle more than anything. We also have 2 other ds one who is nine and we are hoping will not feel out of place. We booked the earliest dinner and figured we could hit the rides after.

 

[perriwinkleblue]

We have done dinner here twice and feel "been there - done that" about it now. The food was okay but we did feel a little rushed. Also, for us, the character interaction is better at Akershus and 1900 Park Fare.

That said, if you and your Mom would get a kick out of eating in the castle, then go for it. When my dd was smaller she really couldn't have cared less if she was inside the castle or outside the castle. - Sometimes it's us, the adults, that get the real thrill! It's great to be "Mom" on the outside "princess" on the inside, even if it's just for dinner

If dd continues to be a Cinderella fan, try 1900 Park Fare when she gets a little bigger. The CM there do an awesome job and the Grand Floridian is lovely: easy to believe Cinderella would host a dinner there.

Have a wonderful trip.

 

[GatorLady]

So I am now questioning is it worth going with my daughter being so young (especially when I know we will go back again)? Or should I just go for the experience especially having my mom with me?

Have you asked your Mom what she would like to do? My Mom is the same age as yours and she would pick a nice TS restaurant over the castle any day, but everyone has their own likes and dislikes.

We are doing the castle for the first time this year. We usually do Akershus. I wanted to wait until she was older (I knew we would be back too) so she could really appreciate it. For some people eating at the castle is a must do, but for us, it wasn't worth it to use up 2TS credits or pay OOP to go, especially when Akershus is only 1TS. My DH wasn't too thrilled either when he found out breakfast for just DD and myself was over $75.00!

Welcome to the DIS, and I hope you have fun no matter what you decide!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

CRT is one of our favorites. We have gone on all but one trip, though always for breakfast. We LOVE the food and never have felt rushed. If this is going to be a one time thing, I'd wait till your DD is old enough to remember it. However, if this is not a once in a lifetime thing, take your mom. We took my grandparents with us when we went in November and they loved it. It is a unique experiece for sure and a great family memory.

Akerhaus got a from us too (dinner), except I would not recommend the pasta. DH said it was hs best meal in Disney, he had salmon.

ENJOY!!!

 

[jenjersnap]

Breakfast is much, much better than dinner, but it is worth doing once.

 

[hgoff79]

CRT is one of our favorites. We have gone on all but one trip, though always for breakfast. We LOVE the food and never have felt rushed. If this is going to be a one time thing, I'd wait till your DD is old enough to remember it. However, if this is not a once in a lifetime thing, take your mom. We took my grandparents with us when we went in November and they loved it. It is a unique experiece for sure and a great family memory.

Akerhaus got a from us too (dinner), except I would not recommend the pasta. DH said it was hs best meal in Disney, he had salmon.

ENJOY!!!

Do you remember who was at CRT breakfast? Trying to decide about it and/or Akershus, and we did CRT dinner last time w/ Akershus breakfast.

 

[Fatima1922]

Thank you for the great responses. No I haven't asked my mom what she wants to do. She has no clue what to expect. She is just excited about being with her grandchild and going on vacation so I guess it is me wanting to make this trip extremely memorable. Can you visit the inside of the castle without eating there? My mother (and I) would prefer a good meal but I need to make sure my daughter is entertained because she isn't the most patient child. If we don't do CRT, any suggestions of a good place to eat the first night we arrive. One concern, my mom doesn't eat meat on Friday...old school Roman Catholic so I need a place that serve fish.

 

[eventamy]

What about Chef Mickey's? It's a buffet so I'm sure there will be some type of food she can eat there, plus your daughter will get to meet the classic characters! We're doing Chef Mickey the 2nd night we are there. Intended it to be the first but we're flying in a day early and hitting the shops at Downtown Disney and Earl of Sandwich!

 

[pooh2001]

I would go to CRT at least once.

We have done breakfast on a day MK does not open early. We ask for a window seat. You walk down Main Street in MK, taking pictures, in an almost empty MK park. Then on to the castle - pictures with the Fairy God Mother or Cindy (we have had both) and up to your seat. We get an 8 am ADR for a 9 AM park opening. From our window we could see the carosel and people arriving to the park around 9 AM - what a great view.
Before yo leave the castle - check out the bathrooms (even if you do not have to go) - they are so nice to see. Mens and Ladies rooms are both decked out royal colors.

We may try dinner the next time we go Our kids will be teens - DS age 18 and DD age 15 - so chararcters fluttering around are fine - no autographs are necessary.

Dinner:
Appetizers Choice of one:
Castle Salad - Mixed Field greens with Blue Cheese, Raspberries and Candied Walnusts tossed in a Berry Vinaigrette
Vegetable Spring Roll with soy bean and bok choy salad and ginger-garlic sauce
BLT Salad - a mixture of frisee, iceberg lettuce, baby spinach, with applewood bacon, tomato, eggs, red onion and roasted shallot vinaigrette
Corn and Crab Soup with sour cream and chives

Entrees Royale Choice of one:
Roast Lamb Chops with fingerling potatoes, Vegetable Ragout, and drizzled with a Herb Pesto
Pork Chop with bacon and Mushroom Ragout, and Yukon Gold Smashed Potatoes finished with a sweet Chipolte glaze
Lemon Lavender Chicken on Mashed Potatoes served with Wilted Spinach and a chicken Jus
Roast Prime Rib of Beef with grilled asparagus, roasted fingerling potatoes and a cabernet sauce
Pan Seared Salmon with a grain pilaf, Grilled Asparagus and glazed with Rosemary-lemon Honey
Cheese Tortellini with julienne vegetables, garlic marinara Sauce and grated Romano

Finale Choice of one:
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buckle - a single layer of chocolate cake stuffed with cream cheese topped with Cremé Chantilly and finished with Cremé Anglaise Sauce
Seasonal No Sugar Added Sorbet with berries
Mocha Espresso Cremé Brulée

 

[allison_wonderland]

My husband and I did CRT on our honeymoon and LOVED it! we went for breakfast, and it was so nice being in the park with nobody else in it yet! the characters that were there were Cinderella, of course, fairy godmother, snow white, Jasmine, and Belle. The food was all you can eat, but served at your table family style. Since it was our honeymoon they decorated our table with confetti hearts and gave us free cinderella champagne glasses (which I hear they give out if you are celebrating anything) When planning this up and coming trip my husband asked me if we could eat breakfast there again! i was shocked!

 

[dvcdisney]

We have done the CRT twice and both times, the food was not that great. We didn't find it worth the money. I did like photo with Cinderella. On our first time, my son was 4, he liked the atmosphere, but not the food. And again, the second time we went, my son was 6 and daughter was almost 2, neither were too thrilled with the food, however they both liked meeting and having photos with Cinderella.

 

[Disneyfan71]

Personally I think EVERYONE who has never been to WDW/MK should experience Cinderella's Royal Table. The view is incredible too. And seeing my favorirte Disney character EVER, well

There is a limited menu but if you're on the Disney Dining Plan price shouldn't matter--although I believe it takes two table service credits. I'd look into it to be 100%. But again, this is a must for first time Disneyers Although I've been six times we'll definitely be going back.

 

[danielle.st]

We didn't feel rushed.
I wasn't crazy abuot the appies at lunch. I liked the major domo's pie. I'm not a big meat eater and only ate a little of that part (it did taste good, I would think meat eaters would love it), I loved the pastry and vegetable part of it. The dessert was very good.
We thought it was a nice meal and I know it's one my family would want to go back to, especially the kids. I do think Akershus was a better value for a very similar quality though.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

We haven't done CRT for Dinner, but we did do breakfast and lunch. It is a once in a lifetime experience...so we're done! My family much prefered PSB and 1900 PF Dinner for the same amount of dining credits. We felt rushed through Cinderella's picture (as we did Belle at Akerhaus) at CRT...and hey it is HER royal table some meet n greet time would have been nice (I know this was due to the crowds).
It really is all up to preference...you may love it. I do think it would be a cool thing to do for the girls!

 

[disneycruiser2007]

Maybe ask your Mom? We went with our daughters 5 and 8. It was a wonderful experience and we were all humming Cinderella's song for days. We all still talk about it. We went the last reservation for the night at 9:45 p.m. and stayed as long as we wanted. They did not rush us out, and we took plenty of pictures of the castle (plus, there is the professional photo take that is with Cinderella included in the price of dinner). We had a window view, which was great (and lucky) for us. We took a lot of time and prepared and dressed for the "royal ball." The kids were totally psyched. For 4 of us it was $180, and for us, it was well worth it. Mom, Dad and Aunt were not interested in attending, so I guess it's really up to the individuals. If you do go at night, I would definitely recommend a nap prior to going for the family. We watched the tail end of a castle show and walked down Main Street in "snow flake" soap bubbles and ended up exiting the park at 5 til Midnight (and joked about turning into a pumpkin).