Princess Dining Overload? Heck, Character Overload?

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Granted, I have a 4 year old daughter (and I myself am a grown up princess!),
but is this princess overload?

BF at CRT
BF at Akershus
D at 1900 Park Fare.

I just added CRT to our dining ressies, I got dd into BBB an hour before the CRT breakfast. We do not like the CRT lunch or dinner, but have never been for bf, and I thought it would be something special for dd to get all made up and then go meet Cinderella and have her picture taken.

Buyers remorse? Maybe. We are scheduled for CP, CM's, GG, and LTT, so it's not all princess all the time.

So, how is the breakfast at CRT? What are your experiences with the characters there (we found the lunch and dinner characters to be very rushed and even downright quiet).

Too many princesses? Heck, now that I'm looking at our ressies, I'm thinking too many character meals, period? Going with my 4 year old and 1 year old, so are too many character meals even a possibility? We do have it offset with Boma, Le Cellier and Mama Melrose. My goodness, we're going to be eating A LOT. Yahoo Free Dining!!

 

[Aimeedyan]

You know, I don't really think it's too many princesses. Each of those are different in many ways and you'll see some different characters. Plus at that age, esp if you don't go every year, you can capture the magic that fades away in just a few short years.

I DO think you might have too many character meals in total. They get really tiresome after awhile, and many are buffets which are challenging to handle with small children. Plus you may have some fear of characters since yours are young. Many children in that age bracket don't warm up to characters - even when excited to see them - and have melt downs at meals. Someone earlier was saying it takes a few days for her preschooler to warm up to characters so they planned the meals late in the week just in case they do it again. Character meals get tiresome for adults and it's sometimes nice, esp in the heat of the summer, to just get to sit and be served without having to mess with autographs, talking to characters, and taking pics.

But I don't think it's too many princesses at all!

(most kids have issues with the fully costumed characters, not the face characters like the princesses - and I can see why! Some have huge furry heads!!)

Have a great trip!

 

[erinmomof2]

My family has all 3 princess meals scheduled too for our September trip with our 4 year old princess. So no I don't think it's overload... we also have Chef Mickey's booked. My DD's favorite thing is princesses, so I know she'll be thrilled. Ever since we booked CRT she's been telling everyone she's eating in the castle. We have BBB scheduled the night we go to 1900 Park Fare (was sold out for the day we're going to CRT).

 

[ms*mountaineer]

Can't have too much princesses!

I am planning CRT and Akershus for our next trip - and was considering adding 1900 as well! I think it sounds great for your little princess!

 

[TifffanyD]

From what I've read BBB can sometimes run behind on reservations and also take awhile. I know there is NO travel time there but if it was me I might be worried about it. Especially since CRT is a prepaid meal. It sounds fun though... good luck!

 

[csclemons]

We took our 4 year old and 1 year old daughters in September. We did CRT, CM, CP, and the Storybook in Epcot plus BBB. Character overload? No, but it did take a lot of time getting to "appointments". I felt like we didn't get much else done! With preschoolers, however, you don't move too quickly anyway. I really wouldn't have changed a thing. The girls loved every minute, and we had a nice cool place to sit and talk with the princesses (as opposed to the hour we spent waiting for Ariel in the sun!)

Have fun!

 

[haley's mom]

I've done all 3 princess meals in 3 of our 4 trips the past 3 years. My dd is now 5 and we are planning on 2 of the meals in November for this trip.

What is nice is that CRT will have all princesses - Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Jasmine, not sure the exact rotation as it's been 2 years since we did CRT. The only reason we do not attend everytime is because of price. But there truly is something magical about eating in the castle.

Then when you go to Epcot for PSB, you will see Mulan. And on each of our trips, we've either seen Belle in her gold gown or Ariel with her legs (not fins).

Finally, the new 1900 PF we've done in the old format and new. The new format is wonderful. It features Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremain, Drizella and Anastasia. The step-sisters were so funny and Lady Tremaine played her character wonderfully. This was our favorite meal on our November 07 trip.

I say your kids are only young once, let them enjoy it. Plus, if you see all the Princess' at the meals, maybe you will not have to stand in the long line to see them in Toon Town. We still had to stand in line, but maybe you;ll luck out and get to miss this.

 

[Tanzanite]

H i i dont think you have to many i have 11 booked for a week if you love the charactors its great they are all different you can alway change when you get there if it is to much

 

[minniebeth]

The nice thing about all the character meals is that you don't have to search the characters out in the parks, you can focus on attractions. Many times you wait on long lines only to be disappointed that they need to cut the line off before your turn. Enjoy!

 

[MMmomto5]

We are doing basically the same as you. All of our meals will be character buffets. I think it might be overload for Dh and I trying to fix all the kids plates, take pictures, have books signed and still eat a meal ourselves, but with the August heat and the fact that our 2 year old doesn't like to sit too long, we figure it will be good to eat something other than counter service where he can get up dance, and march around in a parade at some places without disturbing other families. Plus if he gets cranky or is afraid of the characters we can eat and get out quickly since all of our choices are buffets. Our girls are thrilled with the choices, so it works out well for us.

I think if your kids would be happy with it and you don't mind the multi-tasking while eating it will be great.

 

[frannn]

We are on the deluxe plan for 10 days, and have CP 2x (B,D), CM 2x (B,D), PSB 2x, Park Fare 2x (B,D), TH, Ohana B, CRT L, and H&V L. We are also attending the Backyard BBQ. DD5 loves the characters, and we have to seek them out every single day, every single trip. In fact, even though we had many of these meals on the DP the past two years, DD also wanted to see many of the same characters in the parks. We don't mind, as we love seeing her get excited over Mickey, etc. We've been once a year since our honeymoon in '99 (except the year she was born), so we're living vicariously through her eyes! BTW, since there we're not interested in GG or LTT menus, we are also doing HDD, CR, LC, TE, Boma, TI, and Kona. Lots of good eats....took my DDR mat out today to preemptively burn some calories before Sept....

 

[frannn]

We are on the deluxe plan for 10 days, and have CP 2x (B,D), CM 2x (B,D), PSB 2x, Park Fare 2x (B,D), Ohana B, CRT L, and H&V L. We are also attending the Backyard BBQ. DD5 loves the characters, and we have to seek them out every single day, every single trip. In fact, even though we had many of these meals on the DP the past two years, DD also wanted to see many of the same characters in the parks. We don't mind, as we love seeing her get excited over Mickey, etc. We've been once a year since our honeymoon in '99 (except the year she was born), so we're living vicariously through her eyes!

 

[belleatheart]

Not too many princesses for sure, maybe a little overload on the character meals. I would pick maybe 2 more of those that the food interests you the most. There are alot of other restaurants that have interaction that is fun that does not include characters. When talking to neighbors who have done every character meal in a trip they said after awhile their kids just got tired and run down of the excitement that it brings, and actually their meals that they were able to just stop and chill were some of the best after long days in the park. Kind of stopped the melt down or at least let them go longer without one. I think at character meals it just gets so exciting they don't eat as much and just want to run and see the characters which honestly is why you are there.

 

[OnourwaytoWDW]

You know, I tend to think that it's vacation and who knows when we'll get back again. I have schedule that can be tweaked for work around our 2 almost 3 yo by then. We are late risersand tend to be night people.


We are arriving 9/16 and kick off the night with HDDR
9/17 taking it easy and eating at California Grill that night
9/18 CRT and off to DTD
9/19 Marrakesh in the afternoon and 1900 Park Faire in the evening
9/20 Beaches and Cream then off the Epcot for Rose and Crown
9/21 Whispering Canyon in the evening
9/22 Sci Fi in the afternoon
9/23 Chef Mickey chill at the resort Crystal Palace for the HAlloween Party
9/24 Kona Cafe in the morning,.. off to explore Orlando
9/25 Ohana in evening
9/26 1900 Park Faire and off to the beach
9/27 Mama Melrose with Fantasmic.
9/28 sad trek home.

We have a lot going on, but we also have lots of down time.

 

[jenb1023]

In my opinion, you can never have too many character meals - it beats waiting in long lines for every character.

We have been to breakfast at CRT twice and enjoy it very much. The princesses did not seem rushed to us and the food is good.

Depending on what time your BBB and CRT ressies are, you may want to arrive at BBB early. Our BBB time was 8:55 and CRT was 10:25 so we had an hour and a half in between and only had about 15 or 20 minutes to spare. They were already running behind that early in the morning.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Depending on what time your BBB and CRT ressies are, you may want to arrive at BBB early. Our BBB time was 8:55 and CRT was 10:25 so we had an hour and a half in between and only had about 15 or 20 minutes to spare. They were already running behind that early in the morning.

BBB is 8:05, CRT is 9:05. The cm said we'd have time for the crown package, just hair, nail, makeup. Plus, we're one of the first at BBB. What do you think about the time?

 

[jenb1023]

I think BBB opens at 8am so you should be fine. Enjoy! BTW - we already had DD in her Cinderella dress and got some great photos of her in front of the castle with no people in them before her BBB appointment. We also had the photopass photographer get a family shot too.

 

[ReggieB]

My only thought with all your Princess meals might be the possible, "Wow Aurora, you sure look different from yesterday" If you catch my drift.

I didn't see Mulan in Norway at the Princess breakfast last trip. It was Mary Poppins, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Jasmine. Belle was the meet and greet out front. I checked back in China later on in the day, and Mulan wasn't out and about there either. I have a feeling it may have been her day off. Not enough Mulan to go around the parks that day