Cinderella's Royal Table Changes

[Sarangel]

I know you guys are all up on the smallest of details, but you should know about the CRT changes as of 2/1/06, courtesy of MousePlanet:

On February 1, major changes will take effect at all meals at Cinderella's Royal Table, the popular restaurant inside Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom.

The first, and most obvious change, will take place as your arrive at the restaurant. Taking a page from Chef Mickey's restaurant at the Contemporary Resort, your party will be posed for photos in the lobby before they will seat you for your meal. A package of the photos will be presented to you during your meal to give you the option to purchase them. The package of four 4x6 inch and one 6x8 inch prints of your photo, plus one 6x8 inch print of Cinderella Castle, all in a Cinderella photo holder, will set you back $29.95. Of course, you can also buy additional photos.

Breakfast and lunch will still be Princess character meals, but the meal will be from a fixed-price, set menu. The pricing has gone up as well, to $31.99 for adults/$21.99 for children ages 3-9 for breakfast and $33.99 for adults/$22.99 for children ages 3-9 for lunch. The breakfast and adult lunch menus appear to be largely unchanged (just some renaming of menu items on the lunch menu), though the children's lunch menu will be much less imaginative, switching the Pretzel Dogs for a "Wrapped Cheese Hot Dog" and dropping the "Minor Domo" sandwich and Pasta Marinara in favor of hamburger and cheeseburger options to go with the remaining fourth option of chicken strips.

Dinner will now also move to a fixed-price, set menu meal. Dinner will be hosted by the Fairy Godmother, rather than the princesses. Diners will also receive a special, unframed, unmatted lithograph (est. retail price $50). The meal itself will cost $39.99 for adults/$24.99 for children ages 3-9. The new children's menu is the same as lunch (no more prime rib for kids), while the adult menu has undergone some severe cutbacks. To start with, the ability to order your own appetizer has been replaced by an appetizer plate to be shared by the table, as at lunch. The greater change is in the entree, however, as the current eight entrees have been reduced to four, three of which may change on a daily basis. There are "Chef's Creation" offerings of chicken, pasta and seafood. The fourth option will come as a comfort to several on our MousePad discussion forums, as the Prime Rib will still be available.

Guests will be able to use Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan credits at the restaurant, but it will require two table service credits.

Also effective February 1, all meals at the restaurant will require pre-payment in full with a credit card at the time of booking. The ability to make a reservation and then follow up with payment by check is now gone. No reservations can be made without a credit card. There will also be a cancellation penalty of the full price of the meal if you don't show or cancel within 24 hours of your seating time. In addition, Disney Dining Experience and cast member discounts will also cease beginning February 1. Photo identification will be checked when the group checks in to ensure that the person who made the reservation is present at the meal. For reservations up until February 1, though, all current rules and pricing will still be in place.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Thanks.
Lively discussions on-going over on the restaurant board about all this. Appears most folks aren't liking the changes a whole lot..

 

[DisneyKidds]

Yes.....this is a change that will preclude us from dining there again in the future. $160 for breakfast? No thank you.....and I don't care how many "free" pictures they give me.

Mouseplanet has it wrong, by the way. The photo package (one per table? one per family? still a little confusing....) IS included with the meal price. Additional photos can be purchased.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Sara, hope you don't mind me piggybacking. This topic is getting a lot of play on the restaurants board, let's put on our R&N business caps and discuss it from that perspective.

By now all have seen the news regarding the changes at CRT, changes that would have a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children) drop $160 for breakfast in the castle ($170 for lunch). Is this a prudent business move on Disney's part?

My guess is that Disney will continue to sell out breakfast and lunch at this red hot location, at least for a while. Of course in the past you may have had 1,500 parties jokeying for 150 reservation slots (just hypothetical numbers) whereas now there might be 200 parties willing to pay the high price vying for those same 150 slots. So, in the short term, Disney will continue to sell out at this location, and profit margins will soar. Disney will be getting an additional $10 per guest where their increased cost per guest (for the photo equipment and processing) will be maybe a dollar or two, tops. That is a tidy short term profit in the coffers of the Mouse.

But is it a good move?

I tend to think not. Here's why.

Repeat visitors......I don't think they'll get that many at the high price they are charging. Yes, they are high prices for what you get. Sure, I've paid $32 per adult for a breafast/brunch at many a fancy location.......but the food is gourmet and the wait staff brings you champaign and bloody mary's (included in the price) while you dine. Places like the Hotel Thayer at West Point and a few country clubs I've been to come to mind. So the prices are very high for what you get at CRT come Feb 1, and some photos aren't going to justify the increase. So most of those who go out of a desire to have eaten in the castle will probably only do it once.

Sell outs........won't last for long. Demand won't be what it was, and Disney will burn through the population willing to drop that amount of coin in a relative hurry. Within a year or two you will be able to get a reservation at will (if this pricing structure lasts). Now, one could argue that a few empty seats (will it only be a few?) are justified if the margin on those who come more than makes up the difference......but that is a purely economic argument that ignores other important factors.

Alienated guests.......or at least the potential for many once this pricing scheme outlives it's usefullness. If I'm the family that begrudgingly drop that kind of dough on breakfast one day and see's Disney cancel the failed experiment the next....well, I'm gonna feel ripped off.

It just ain't Disney.......at least to me. This move is clearly about raising the bottom line in $$$$$. It does nothing to improve or add upon the Disney experience. Given that I believe this will only be a short term grab for profits it just highlights to me the erred thinking that still exists in the Disney of today.

Thoughts?

 

[DancingBear]

If this plays out as you suggest, DKidds, it may have the positive effect of breaking the irrational obsession with the Princess Breakfast offering. Which would be a good thing for all concerned, even Disney---this thing has gotten way out of hand.

Mind you, I doubt that the powers that instituted these changes have that goal.

 

[Sarangel]

Also, look at the guest population. There are a *lot* of people that only visit WDW once in a lifetime, and many who visit once every 5-7 years. The numbers who visit more regularly are (I believe) small in comparison, and you will get parents willing to shell out that kind of coin to make their 5 year old daughter happy.

Will it increase profit? You betcha.

Can it last? I don't know, but there are a lot of things that I wouldn't pay the money for that have lasted (Illuminations cruises come to mind).

Sarangel

 

[YoHo]

Actually, I think you'll find that Disney has really been targeting repeat business over the past 10-15 years. I don't know whether this move relates to that in any way though cause I'm sure the regulars aren't the problem anyway. The hassle involved in calling in is probably enough to keep the regulars at bay.

 

[All Aboard]

I've burned through a lot of keystrokes on this topic over on the restaurant board, so I won't be repetitive. One of the more interesting arguments make by those who feel this was a wise move on Disney's part is that they have now elevated a meal to "event" status. And, by doing so, have justified the price. But what seems contradictory is that at the same time, they've multiplied the frequency thus making it more commonplace. Where just a year or so ago there was one princess meal per day, soon there will be six.

I can't imagine that a majority of families will walk away from the castle feeling like they got real value. Those first-timers are going to go in with very high expectations given the price. A couple of minutes of princess time zips by very quickly. If you've ever been to CRT, you know that you get hustled out of there with some vigor. Signing that check for $150 and thinking "Jeez, that's 2 nights at the hotel, blown in 40 minutes" is likely to leave some disgruntled patrons. Try as they might to think of it as a once in a lifetime experience, can it really live up to that billing? In the end, it's just a character meal. Some eggs and toast and a few minutes of pretty ladies at the table.

 

[lordhavemercy]

well, we had reservations for CRT for Feb 6th...with the meal plan...for my daughter's 16th birthday....when she found out that it would take 2 credits...(i told her it was fine with me... ) She decided that she'd already done the castle once....this last may...and didn't think it would be worth the difference.....hmmmm. So, we're choosing elsewhere to celebrate her birthday. i was surprised at her decision...particularly since she really liked the castle...but when she heard what they were doing....(reading it here and on Deb W's site)...she didn't care for it.....didn't like the menu change....she loved the lamb...now she doesn't know if it will even be offered the day she'll be there.....ok...that's it from this part of indiana....

 

[drakethib]

While the pricing has jumped up and that I don't like, what I do like is the fact that people will think twice about making resevrations for dinner only to not show up and put other families who do want to go eat but cant because there are no available tables due to these resvervations.

I have been an advocate of having Disney charge a $25 (or so) non refundable deposit when you make a reservation.

Many people don't like that idea, but I think it is fair as Disney loses $$ for no shows and people who really want to eat @ a certain place cannot due to "bookings".

 

[DemoBri1]

Also, look at the guest population. There are a *lot* of people that only visit WDW once in a lifetime, and many who visit once every 5-7 years. The numbers who visit more regularly are (I believe) small in comparison, and you will get parents willing to shell out that kind of coin to make their 5 year old daughter happy.

Will it increase profit? You betcha.

Can it last? I don't know, but there are a lot of things that I wouldn't pay the money for that have lasted (Illuminations cruises come to mind).

Couldn't have said it better myself. While we usually make at least 1 trip down per year, if I was going every 5 years, or maybe only making that "once in a lifetime" trip with your kids when they're still intrigued by the notion of dining with the princesses, you'll shell the clams out for that. Disney knows this and that is why they're doing it.

 

[fan of the TTA]

first of all i think the price rise is exstaushinate. i think not only will people not choose to go there but with the new changes the resturant is not going to last long is it?

 

[drakethib]

first of all i think the price rise is exstaushinate. i think not only will people not choose to go there but with the new changes the resturant is not going to last long is it?

I agree that the price is high but people will pay and Disney knows it.

People pay 3 bucks or more for a Ice Cream bar, 6 bucks for a burger, etc.


Everything at Disney is high and we all keep going back and will continue to do so.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Darn. It was a good place for dinner. Another off the list (following Akershus).

 

[Planogirl]

Darn. It was a good place for dinner. Another off the list (following Akershus).

Ooh, don't get me started fussing about Akershus!

I can't see that elevating these meals to event status will necessarily go over in the long run. Mickey's luau at the Polynesian was an event too but look at how it ended up.

But have they crossed that line yet? I doubt it.

 

[lordhavemercy]

While the pricing has jumped up and that I don't like, what I do like is the fact that people will think twice about making resevrations for dinner only to not show up and put other families who do want to go eat but cant because there are no available tables due to these resvervations.

I have been an advocate of having Disney charge a $25 (or so) non refundable deposit when you make a reservation.

Many people don't like that idea, but I think it is fair as Disney loses $$ for no shows and people who really want to eat @ a certain place cannot due to "bookings".

Yup...i have to say, i agree with your point. it just doesn't occur to me that there are people that make reservations and then don't keep them...without cancelling....so i have to say that the $25....is a good idea...for Disney and for other business that work on a reservation basis.....

 

[kilarney]

As a family with two sons, we used to like to eat in the castle when it was NOT a character meal. (We used to eat lunch there.)
There is no way we'll be paying the premium to see the princesses.
So... no more castle for us. Very sad!

 

[ilovefh]

I agree with everyone about the new dinner change. When I worked there there were plenty of kids that dined there but also plenty of couples. I can't even begin to count the number of proposals I've seen there. By changing this to a character meal they are eliminating that. Not that it is a bad business move. With the popularity of breakfast and lunch I'm sure they'll do fine, but it was somewhere that I liked to dine at night without characters.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am currently planning a trip with our DD 5. We had planned to take her to the Princess breakfast and I still will, but I think DH and DS13 will use the time for a few extra Space Mountain rides. They have "been there, done that" and while DH would enjoy experiencing it again with DD he is not to thrilled with paying that amount for french toast.

This is not a once in a lifetime trip but DD is just at the right age to enjoy this, I doubt we will bother with it again on our next trip in 2 years.

I think people will change how they plan this meal, time will tell I guess.

 

[GrimGhost]

Well, I am glad I went a few times...NEVER again!