Akershus vs CRT?

[glnrcker]

Would we be just as happy with the character experience and food at Akershus, or would we miss the experience of eating in the castle? There are 4 kids in our party ages 3,4,5,and 7. The meal would be lunch. Thanks for all opinions.

 

[bear_mom]

We haven't done CRT - didn't want to spend 2 TS credits on it, but we have eaten at Akershsus twice and have been pretty happy both times.

Our first trip we saw - Snow White (picture), Cinderella, Belle (in her blue dress), Ariel, and Jasmine

Our second trip we saw - Belle (picture), Mulan, Aurora, Ariel and Snow White.

Emily

 

[maddiesmom0116]

Would we be just as happy with the character experience and food at Akershus, or would we miss the experience of eating in the castle? There are 4 kids in our party ages 3,4,5,and 7. The meal would be lunch. Thanks for all opinions.

I have done both many times (5 or 6) and would have say to CRT for lunch. I only will eat Akerhaus for breakfast, I am not a fan of Norwegian food so the basic breakfast food is better for me there. The Castle experience is one I think everyone should do at least 1x. I think the food is better (not 2 TS worthy) at CRT and the interaction is about the same and you get photos at both. The 2TS cost is really the cost of eating at the castle in my opinion. i eat at both every trip because DD is 6, but as soon as I am able to drop Akerhaus as she gets older I will, but I can see myself keeping CRT in the annual plans, I feel it is a part of the Fantasyland MK experience.

 

[mom2cinderella]

I have done both many times (5 or 6) and would have say to CRT for lunch. I only will eat Akerhaus for breakfast, I am not a fan of Norwegian food so the basic breakfast food is better for me there. The Castle experience is one I think everyone should do at least 1x. I think the food is better (not 2 TS worthy) at CRT and the interaction is about the same and you get photos at both. The 2TS cost is really the cost of eating at the castle in my opinion. i eat at both every trip because DD is 6, but as soon as I am able to drop Akerhaus as she gets older I will, but I can see myself keeping CRT in the annual plans, I feel it is a part of the Fantasyland MK experience.

Totally agree with your entire post!

 

[KAA1972]

Totally agree with your entire post!

I also totally agree with entire post!!

 

[crazedprincess]

We ate at CRT on our first trip and enjoyed every minute of it. We now have ADRs at Akershus for our next trip and I'm looking forward to a different experience. I agree, you should do CRT at least once. I struggled with not doing it this next trip, but we thought the girls would love a new experience just as much. And since we got the big picture with Cinderella at CRT, I think they will be excited to get one taken with Belle this time. (I assume that is who they will get it taken with?)

 

[crzy4my2]

We did CRT last trip. DD was 4 and just LOVED it. The food was OK. We saw Snow White, Aurora, Belle and Jasmine and Cinderella was downstairs before the lunch for pictures.

This year we are going to Akershus..DD is 7 and is a closet princess fan..she likes them but doesn't want her friends to know..LOL

We did a lot of Princess-y stuff last time but now we are doing more Pirate-y things..so this is our only Princess meal. I am sure DS8 will be happy

 

[madcam]

We did both for breakfast. The food was no better at one than the other...both were standard breakfast...good, not fantastic (but it's breakfast so I don't expect fantastic). Both character interactions were great!

I will say that eating inside Cinderella Castle was A-MA-ZING!!!! If you haven't been, then you can say that you don't really know what you are missing. You're kids would get an equal level of princess interaction at Akershus (unless they are huge Cinderella fans...which my littlest is). Akershus itself is "quaint"....reminds me a bit of La Madeline's inside. I too will also not have a problem dropping the Akershus ressie once my girls outgrow the princess phase but I will always try to get a CRT ADR. Once you eat at the Castle....how can you not go back?? It is an experience in itself and quite magical. We have ADRs for both again. Is the food worth 2TS credits? No. But I think the experience is. Last time we paid this one OOP so we would have enough credits for every night (did not plan that effectively btw) but this time we have DxDP so I did not hesitate!

I have not eaten lunch or dinner at CRT and as those reviews are spotty, I would not. If I had horrible food somewhere it would probably taint the experience for me too. But we had breakfast and as it is kinda hard to mess up breakfast so this didn't happen for us. If you do decide to do it, my advice is to make a CRT breakfast ADR. It is a wonderful start to a day in the MK!!

 

[glnrcker]

While we haven't fully decided, I value the opinions.

 

[TLSnell1981]

While we haven't fully decided, I value the opinions.

CRT is normally a difficult ADR. If where you dine is important, I'd book sooner than later.

 

[steamboat_rachel]

I haven't been to CRT, but I was at Akershus last week and everything was wonderful. There is only one entree that is very distinctly Norwegian, and our entire family enjoyed every bit of it.

 

[Marblies]

We always wanted to eat at the castle, but the cost was prohibitive until....FreeDDP! Last year DH, DD20, DD19 and myself had a truly magical evening there. (except for the troll at the front desk who's job it is to herd everyone through). Our server was exceptional even bringing us wands and swords so the adults could be children, food was great - lamb superb, prime rib tender and juicy and we weren't rushed out. The ambiance incredible. We never could pay OOP for such an experience, but it was so worth the 2TS (tip included plus photo is a plus). DH really got in the spirit by slicing his dessert with his sword. He still talks about how cool it was and I had to drag him on the trip.

If it is all about the princesses, maybe dinner at CRT isn't the way to go, but fairy godmother and the mice are fun too!

108 days until Just the Girls Christmas Magic

 

[scdufek]

We did both for breakfast. The food was no better at one than the other...both were standard breakfast...good, not fantastic (but it's breakfast so I don't expect fantastic). Both character interactions were great!

I will say that eating inside Cinderella Castle was A-MA-ZING!!!! If you haven't been, then you can say that you don't really know what you are missing. You're kids would get an equal level of princess interaction at Akershus (unless they are huge Cinderella fans...which my littlest is). Akershus itself is "quaint"....reminds me a bit of La Madeline's inside. I too will also not have a problem dropping the Akershus ressie once my girls outgrow the princess phase but I will always try to get a CRT ADR. Once you eat at the Castle....how can you not go back?? It is an experience in itself and quite magical. We have ADRs for both again. Is the food worth 2TS credits? No. But I think the experience is. Last time we paid this one OOP so we would have enough credits for every night (did not plan that effectively btw) but this time we have DxDP so I did not hesitate!

I have not eaten lunch or dinner at CRT and as those reviews are spotty, I would not. If I had horrible food somewhere it would probably taint the experience for me too. But we had breakfast and as it is kinda hard to mess up breakfast so this didn't happen for us. If you do decide to do it, my advice is to make a CRT breakfast ADR. It is a wonderful start to a day in the MK!!

I totally agree with this post. This will be our second time doing the breakfast at CRT and was the very first ADR I made. We paid OOP so we wouldn't have to give up any of our other TS meals. It does add to the magic of Disney being able to eat in the castle.

 

[mom2cinderella]

If it is all about the princesses, maybe dinner at CRT isn't the way to go, but fairy godmother and the mice are fun too!

The dinner is no longer FG & the mice - it is now princesses, princesses, princesses all day.

 

[TLSnell1981]

If it is all about the princesses, maybe dinner at CRT isn't the way to go, but fairy godmother and the mice are fun too!

108 days until Just the Girls Christmas Magic

Unfortunately, this has changed. The Fairy Godmother & Company have been replaced. It's now ALL Princesses ALL the time.

 

[DW2010]

We chose CRT lunch to celebrate our DD's 4th birthday. If you look on allears, CRT lunch is actually rated higher than breakfast/dinner!

 

[Hootch]

done lunch three times. I really like the Major Domo's Favorite Pie. Probably not worth the price itself but coupled with the joy our daughter gets from it I don't complain about the cost. In addition to the castle setting, the general setting in Fantasyland (and now the BBB) also helps CRT's case. Our daughter has always worn a princess dress before the meal and just before we head to the desk to check in she gets one more ride on the carousel.

While planning the last trip we discussed that being the last CRT visit as our daughter was getting older. She had such a great time that less than 30 miles outside the gate on our way to the beach my wife broached the idea of one more trip.

 

[Marblies]

The dinner is no longer FG & the mice - it is now princesses, princesses, princesses all day.

Really? I had no idea. We were there last September. This is what happens when a person only hits the DIS boards after booking a trip. I blinked for 10 months and everything changed. Thanks for the correction - I just love you guys.

108 days until Just the Girls Christmas Magic

 

[glnrcker]

It seems that you can see princesses at both. It also seems that the food would be good (or okay) at both. So what's coming across loud and clear is the ambiance of eating at the castle that makes it all worthwhile. Does anyone have any pictures?

 

[ibela]

We've had dinner at both. Foodwise, I liked Akershus better. Characters are the same. I think interaction is a little better at Akershus because they seem a bit more rushed at CRT. We've done CRT once but Akershus 2x, IMHO CRT isn't worth the extra credit if on the DDP (or the $ if paying OOP). For us, dd is a HUGE Cinderella fan and she was able to have much more interaction with her at Akershus (both times) then while taking the picture at CRT since there's a line of people waiting to get their pictures taken too. All that said, she did love eating in the castle and would love to return (maybe next trip). Realistically, you can't go wrong with either, enjoy!