Anyone been to the new Princess meal?

[Zoemakes5]

Anyone actually been to the new Princess meal? Is it over at Ariels Grotto? Does it use the menu that has been listed for Ariels for awhile now? Would you recommend for lunch or dinner? This is a "must see" for my three year old daughter, but frankly the idea of having it for breakfast over at DL seemed like a whole lot better idea as my 2 DS's wouldn't have to join us!
Your feedback is appreciated!
Oh, edited to add...what's the cost?

 

[Brooklyn]

We have eaten at the Princess Dinner and was truly disappointed. The food is not the greatest. For $20 a person you chose from soup or salad, an entree and a dessert. The entree's are things like cobb salad and hamburgers.

You will get to meet 4-5 princesses. Do not go to dinner around the time before the electrical parade. Cinderella and Snow White will not be at AG since they are in the parade.

The breakfast was run much better! There was so much more interaction from the characters to the children. The breakfast also included characters like The Beast and Aladdin which would have been great for your boys. Basically the Princesses will come out once during your meal. Try not to blink you may miss them. They all go in the same order one right after the other. There is a little bit of interaction with each princess. Before they come a CM dresses as a Paige will come and tell you to have your autograph book and camera ready. Then basically wherever you are at in your meal you stop eating and just watch them go from table to table waiting your turn. For us they came out just as dessert was being served. It was all melted by the time we got to eat it.

I feel terrible for sounding so negative. I probably would not be that bad if the breakfast was not SOOOOOO wonderful. It blows my mind that people complained so much about the breakfast. We had breakfast at least 15 times and LOVED it everytime. I think one of the problems with breakfast was that it took about 1 1/2 hours to be able to see everyone. Boy was it worth the wait though! You would meet so many characters in that time from Cinderella and her Godmother, Aladdin and Jasmine, Snow Whilte, Mary Poppins and Bert, Belle and the Beast, and Mulan. Well people compained so now they are trying something new.

We used to go to AG all of the time before becuase it was so much fun. The characters were great and would do the limbo, the mambo, the chicken dance, etc... with the children (and adults sometimes too). Now they took away a great breakfast, a really fun lunch and dinner and replaced it with a really boring dinner.

Ok, I better stop now. I am sounding way too negative. I love DL, I just think they made the wrong decision changing that breakfast.

 

[chanchiluv]

We went to the lunch at Ariel's Grotto in August. My kids had a blast, and I thought the food was quite good. I thought it was very well done, because the princesses each spent as much time as was necessary to take pics and greet the kids. So, we weren't chasing the charaters around, which is something (unfortunately!) that you have to do in Disneyland if you want to see anyone.

 

[eatmypixiedust]

I've eaten at Ariel's Grotto before they changed it to the princess theme. Maybe this weekend I can eat lunch there and see what it's like. I love their striker penne pasta and french onion soup. Very good!

 

[Brooklyn]

Just to let you know lunch and dinner are now the same price. The menus are also the same. Now you get dessert with lunch for $22.62 per adult and $15.07 per child.

Oh, who thought these changes were a good idea???

 

[eatmypixiedust]

Just to let you know lunch and dinner are now the same price. The menus are also the same. Now you get dessert with lunch for $22.62 per adult and $15.07 per child.

Oh, who thought these changes were a good idea???

What?? I had no clue they changed the prices for lunch. This is where my AP comes in handy with the discount. Still, that's pricey for just lunch....Blue Bayou would be cheaper.

 

[Brooklyn]

I know, thoughts exactly! Even with an AP discount it is a pricey lunch

 

[zonamom]

we went this past saturday. It was the first Character dining I've ever been to and it was nice to see the princesses since the only one we saw walking around in DL was Sleeping beauty. The food was decent but basically I think you pay for the interaction. The meal includes your drink, soup or salad, entree and desert plus cotton candy...which my dd loved!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Actually, many people myself included had not so great experiences at the breakfast over at Disneyland. That's why they changed it. The manager at Ariel's on the 10th asked us how we liked our meal. I told him it was much better run than when it was the breakfast and he said they had so many problems with the one over at DLand they changed it. When we did this on Saturday the 10th it was my daughter's birthday and it was wonderful. Same food as always, pretty decent and overpriced like every other thing you get at a Disney theme park. We have always enjoyed Ariels. And one note, there is no Electrical Parade right now until Christmas time and then after that June of 2006 so unless you are planning on Christmas you don't need to worry about Snow White and other princesses not being there.

 

[Brooklyn]

Actually, many people myself included had not so great experiences at the breakfast over at Disneyland. That's why they changed it. The manager at Ariel's on the 10th asked us how we liked our meal. I told him it was much better run than when it was the breakfast and he said they had so many problems with the one over at DLand they changed it. When we did this on Saturday the 10th it was my daughter's birthday and it was wonderful. Same food as always, pretty decent and overpriced like every other thing you get at a Disney theme park. We have always enjoyed Ariels. And one note, there is no Electrical Parade right now until Christmas time and then after that June of 2006 so unless you are planning on Christmas you don't need to worry about Snow White and other princesses not being there.

I am sorry to hear that you had such a bad experience at the breakfast. I know that I have heard it time and time again about being not being happy at the breakfast and I have also talked to so many who loved it. I think it is great that you enjoyed Ariel's Grotto. Maybe the night we went to AG was a bad night just like you having a bad day at the breakfast.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I am sorry to hear that you had such a bad experience at the breakfast. I know that I have heard it time and time again about being not being happy at the breakfast and I have also talked to so many who loved it. I think it is great that you enjoyed Ariel's Grotto. Maybe the night we went to AG was a bad night just like you having a bad day at the breakfast.

I think any character meal is going to have its fans and critics and its good days and bad days! Our experience last December at the princess breakfast wasn't so horrible we considered it a waste it just was a bummer to be outside where the princesses weren't and to have to follow them around inside and sneak in when we could for pictures and autographs. If they just would have moved some of those outdoor tables away there would have been room for the princesses in those big ball gowns to move around! I would have done it again because one time isn't really enough to classify me as an expert and I am always willing to give something a second try. We probably could have had a whole different experience. My daughter is 9 now, so her days of eating with princesses may be coming to a close . We're going to the Norway Princess Dinner at Epcot next month in spite of all its critics and who knows we might just love it! But I was happy Ariel's worked out for us since it was my daughter's actual birthday and she was so excited. I did notice they had the princesses coming out in assembly line fashion with these cm/managers with headsets on watching them as they circulated. They looked liked secret service, it was almost comical! I still love Goofy's the most and have always lucked out with one or two princesses there so I usually recommend that one especially for families with girls and boys. It is always a shame when they change something you really enjoy. I envy you getting to do that breakfast 15 times!

 

[Brooklyn]

I have heard from many people who sat outside that their experience was not that great. Following the characters around is NO fun at all. I completly understand. My biggest problem from the breakfast to the dinner is that it went from one extreme to the other. It went from charcters wondering to like you said "the secret service." Goofy's is our favorite too. Who ever is running that place really has things down pat. Have a great time at WDW (I envy that)!

 

[camouseketeer]

We went to the princess lunch in mid September. It was fine. As an earlier poster said, you're paying for the interaction with the princesses. We saw Ariel, Jasmine, Snow White, Pocahontas, and Belle. The princesses staggered their appearances and moved from table to table. We got about minute or so with each. It was enough for some pictures and an autograph. I think they would have stayed longer to chat if my DD3 wanted to, but she was a bit shy.

The food was fine, but it is somewhat difficult to juggle eating, taking pictures, keeping DD2 in check, etc.

I was a bit surprised that they don't give crayons or something to occupy the kids while the princesses and food come.

We had a 11:50 PS and were one of the last families to sit inside. I think the Grotto opens at 11:30, so if you want to be assured a spot inside (so you don't have to worry about heat and wind) get an earlier PS time.

If your children are princess fans, you want to see as many as possible, and you don't want to stand in line in the parks, the lunch is a fine (but pricey - $60 for 2 adults and 1 child) choice.

 

[Zoemakes5]

Thanks, all! After much consideration, we've decided that DD and I will go for the meal together and let "the boys" (DH, DS's) to go do something else. I've already been "informed" by my 3 year old that she's wearing either Belle or Sleeping Beauty dress to the parks. (Isn't it just amazing how at three they think they can TELL you what they're doing?!
Thanks for all the input, it made me decide I wasn't going to spend the money for the whole family to go.

 

[zukeeper]

I just want to reiterate that you don't want to get stuck outside. We were in blinding hot sun which made hubby cranky which made me cranky. I am glad to pay a premium to see princesses, it saved a lot of time waiting in line in the park.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I just want to reiterate that you don't want to get stuck outside. We were in blinding hot sun which made hubby cranky which made me cranky. I am glad to pay a premium to see princesses, it saved a lot of time waiting in line in the park.

Sitting outside at night however can be wonderful. If you will be seated after dark its wonderful to look at the lights of Paradise Pier while you eat. During the cooler months they will even turn on heaters to keep it comfortable. We have sat outside in February, November and December at night and it was perfect. At sunset however the sun will be in someone's eyes and during the day it could be very hot as stated.