castle dining questions.

[twins4mimi]

Hello everyone!!

We are planning our disney trip for December and was going to do the castle dining for the first time. Our girls are 4 years old and love princess' this year. Does anyone have any thoughts, suggestions or past experience they would like to share.

My plan is to go to the BBB in the castle first then followed by the meal. Any advice is welcomed!!!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[emmiesmom]

We have done the Castle for dinner and lunch (not breakfast) and we also have done BBB (but not on the same day as CRT)
My advice would be:
*Lunch was better than dinner - more characters and better "attitude" with our 4 yr old since she wasn't all tired out yet
* BBB can take longer then they tell you - we had to wait almost 30 minutes after our appointment time before we were seen. So make sure to schedule enough time between the 2 to experience some BBB delays
* Try to get the first seating of whatever meal you go to (for the lunch I think it's 11:45/11:50) We did this for the lunch but not the dinner and it significantly reduced a lot of the lag time between meeting Cinderella and getting to eat (always important with little ones!)

 

[Perditamarie]

We did this on our June trip and it was absolutely magical and worth every penny.

We had an 8:05 am BBB appt, which was great. I had read on the disboards about long waits, and being one of the first appts. made this a non-issue. I paid the $5 extra for the nails to be polished....and our goody bag included 2 huge bottle of princess polish as well as the other goodies, so that ended up being worth it.

We were done well before rope drop and had plenty of time to walk around the castle and take some pics w/NO crowds. We met the Fairy Godmother while we were waiting to be let into Fantasyland, and then promptly got on Dumbo!

Our castle meal was for lunch at 12:00. I had the pic package w/Cinderella (that comes w/the meal) w/just my daughter and it came out great ... and was another way to maximize the BBB makeover w/o paying more $$ for photopass pics.

The actual meal was great -- I was pleasantly surprised and the service was also good....they serve the courses kind of quick, but didn't rush us and were on top of refills. The princesses also move through w/precision, but are friendly and chat for a minute and take pics and sign autographs (they don't seem to have as much time as the princesses at Akershus in Norway, however)....we met Cinderella in the lobby, then Aurora, Snow White, Belle and I think Jasmine.

This was a great experience and we liked being able to have time for rides between BBB and CRT...afterall, it seems kind of cruel to take a kid to MK and not let them take rides.

My daughter did the classic princess bun....that thing was solid!! It lasted a full 2 days (we would have gone for 3, but she was ready for a change!), including swimming. Also, the CMs really make a girl feel special when they see the kids w/the BBB makeovers!

Just wanted to add that only breakfast and lunch have princesses....the dinner has Cindy in lobby and maybe Fairy Godmother in dining room.

 

[twins4mimi]

Thanks so much for your tips!!! Anyone else have any ideas to share?

 

[Gowahoowa]

We have been to CRT for lunch twice now and my girls, now 6 and 4, love it!! We are going in 2 weeks and doing BBB, which is a secret!! Shhh! I can't wait to surprise them!!! I just hope that I have enough time between the two ressies?? I have 10:30 at BBB and 12:10 at CRT. We always go into the parks with our princesses dresses on for CRT. I then bring a big plastic bag and extra clothes. It can get a little hot in August walking around in a princess dress.
Cinderella poses for pictures in the lobby. We have seen various different princesses, Aurora, Snow White, Jasmine and Belle. Mary Poppins was there last year and also the Fairy Godmother.
Lunch is a always a good meal. My kids love getting their 'wand' and 'wishing star' I would recommend calling at exactly 90 days out to get the time that you want, CRT is very popular!!

 

[JUJU814]

Be aware that dinner does not include any other princesses..just Cinderella greeting outside and the fairy godmother and mice during dinner, while the breakfast and lunch there are other princesses there. I was surprised to learn this after booking our dinner.

Julie

 

[luvsJack]

We have done breakfast and lunch at CRT and loved both. Will probably do the breakfast from now on, mainly because it is so great to get into the park before it opens and after breakfast being one of the first families in the park to the attractions at rope drop. We were the first people on Peter Pan's Flight that morning!

We had 8:10 a.m. ressies in CRT this past November and actually saw more families heading toward BBB than we did to CRT. The line there was out in the walk way and, once we signed in, we went right in to take pics with Cinderella. Having never been to BBB, I don't know how it works once you get in line.

 

[TheQueenMama]

We have been to CRT for lunch twice now and my girls, now 6 and 4, love it!! We are going in 2 weeks and doing BBB, which is a secret!! Shhh! I can't wait to surprise them!!! I just hope that I have enough time between the two ressies?? I have 10:30 at BBB and 12:10 at CRT. We always go into the parks with our princesses dresses on for CRT. I then bring a big plastic bag and extra clothes. It can get a little hot in August walking around in a princess dress.
Cinderella poses for pictures in the lobby. We have seen various different princesses, Aurora, Snow White, Jasmine and Belle. Mary Poppins was there last year and also the Fairy Godmother.
Lunch is a always a good meal. My kids love getting their 'wand' and 'wishing star' I would recommend calling at exactly 90 days out to get the time that you want, CRT is very popular!!

Hey Gowahoowa - we will be at the CRT in the Castle at the SAME time in 2 weeks!!We have a 10am BBB appt and then 12:05am seating at CRT. SO exciting. Our appts...actually the whole trip...is a surprise!

 

[ireland_nicole]

my only other advice is to book CRT the second you are able to. The ressie is notoriously hard to get!

 

[kckmom]

We loved CRT for breakfast, the food was excellent! Have a great time, and take lots of pics at BBB, before, during and after!

 

[Gowahoowa]

Hey Gowahoowa - we will be at the CRT in the Castle at the SAME time in 2 weeks!!We have a 10am BBB appt and then 12:05am seating at CRT. SO exciting. Our appts...actually the whole trip...is a surprise!

Awesome!!! Too funny!! I would love to surprise them for the whole trip but this is our 3rd trip in the summer so the girls are on to us!!! But we are surprising them this Christmas with a holiday trip!! I can't wait!!! CRT is great!

My DH will have his Wilderness Lodge Pin hat on!!! See ya there!!! It is getting close!!!

 

[3_disprincesses]

We really enjoyed our breakfast at CRT last fall. We had an 8:10 ressie which allowed us to get in the park early for great pics on Main Street (see avatar) and in front of the castle. Meeting/Pics with Cinderella, shown to our table, interactions with Aurora, Snow White and Jasmine, a fabulous breakfast. We were just in time for rope drop and first on Cinderella's Golden Carousel. Will definately do this again on our next trip(s)!

 

[AirGoofy]

Breakfast is the only meal worth it at the castle. The lunch/dinner foods were not nearly as good as the breakfast. All the princesses are at the castle for breakfast, and my children enjoyed meeting them and the brief little show in the middle. That may not work for the BBB at the same time. If you factor out BBB, there are 2 choices - (1) schedule the earliest breakfast so that you get inside the park before rope drip or (2) schedule the latest breakfast so that you can enjoy some park magic and then enjoy an hour rest with a lot of fun for the children. Careful with choice 2 - a 10:30 AM photo after playing 2 hours (or it rains) can be interesting.

 

[hopeis]

I'm hoping to go to breakfast in early January. Where & when do the step-sisters, step-mother and prince make an appearance?? Is it at a meal in the castle as well??

 

[scrapple]

question, where can you reserve the castle breakfast? is their a link?

 

[Gowahoowa]

I'm hoping to go to breakfast in early January. Where & when do the step-sisters, step-mother and prince make an appearance?? Is it at a meal in the castle as well??

They are at 1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian for dinner!

 

[momma of 2]

Funny story-we did a bbb ressie for my dd last sept. I stayed with her while my husband and son took off to ride rides (or whatever those boys do). it took close to an hour to do her hair. we then had a 11:45 lunch at crt (so my husband did not see my daughter in between this time). we are standing in line for crt-get pictures with cinderella-sat down at our table. My husband finally looked at my daughter (it was crazy trying to get in and get to our table) he did a double and triple take, then looked at me wondering where our daughter was.

still to this day he says he did not realize it was her-until I showed him the pictures of the process of the hair doing.

BBB was alot of fun-but I wished I could have got the breakfast at crt. we are not doing bbb for her this year because this trip is all about the birthday boy

 

[Carri]

We went in June and all my kids loved it - even DS! Cinderella was so kind - my DD (3) was in awe! We also celebrated my DD (8) birthday that day and she was treated like a queen! I am a firm believer that character meals are the way to go! No lines to wait in, air conditioning, and food while the princesses come to you! We went for breakfast and the food was fabulous! I was so surprised at all the freebies - the wishing stars, wands, swords, and the picture package! Well worth the money! The only thing I wish we did different was to get an early morning reservation so we could get some great pictures on an empty Main Street - maybe next time!

 

[hopeis]

They are at 1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian for dinner!

Thanks!