Now I'm rethinking my plan of skipping CRT. Argh. I've spoken to 2 completely different and unrelated people IRL who have been to both CRB and the Akershus princess meal and both have said that CRT was horrible and the Epcot meal was much better. Both stated the reason being that Cindy was only in the lobby and the other princesses didn't spend much time at each table - not even enough for pictures. They didn't personally autograph any books; they just passed out papers with their autographs. Now, both of these women I spoke to offered that info without any prompting by me and they both went at totally different times. One just went at the beginning of October and the other has been there each year for the last 6. She said they go to CRT each year and they have never had a good experience. The next time, they will not go to it.
At least some people have had good experiences.
I agree...we did CRT in Sept '06 with my then 18-month-old twins. We waited almost an hour to have our picture taken with Cinderella. We were starving...the kids were so bored and restless waiting in that terribly slow-moving line. It got to the point where it wasn't worth it to wait for the photo-op with Cinderella. I asked a CM if we could bypass the photo, and just go upstairs, and she said no, that the table wouldn't be ready...there was a certain order. So we waited, and the picture, of course, turned out horrible because none of us were happy. When we finally got upstairs, we were trying to get DS and DD strapped into their hi-chairs, and the princesses were on top of us like rapid fire -- one after the other. I was scrambling to get my camera out, and the pictures turned out awful...it's a semi-pro camera, and I didn't have time to adjust it to the conditions. The food was good, the service was Ok.
In May '07, we took the advice of a friend who referred us to the Princess Storybook Breakfast in Norway, and it was 100 times better. We waited outside for 10-15min. When our name was called, and they guided us in to have our picture taken with Belle, I thought, "Oh no! Here we go again! Another long line!" Not at all! Belle was right there, and we walked right up to her, and the photographer got great shots of DD and Belle. We were seated, and had plenty of time to get settled before the princesses came to our area. It just seemed much more organized...as if they rotated the sections. When we sat down, our section was almost completely empty...all the tables were clean and set. We must've been one of the first ones in our section...it slowly filled up, and then the princesses made their way in. They moved at a comfortable pace around the room...not one on top of the other as we experienced at CRT.
Overall, PSB was a much more pleasant and relaxed experience. Food was good, and service was terrific...very attentive to the children's needs. Until the day comes when DD specifically requests eating in the castle, it will be PSB for us.
), and hopefully next year going back with my sister and nephew and we'll do Akershus. But the castle is just magical.
I don't know anything about passing out sheets of paper with their autographs? They each signed my kids' books and spent a long time with us. The food was delicious. It was very classy-we took my mil and she was very impressed!
