Cinderella's Royal Table for childless couple?

[babygoboom]

Hey all!

I am really appealing for advice.

LOVE WDW, and just about to visit for our 9th time

I'm 44, hub 51 and we are a childless couple - not by choice.

I absolutely love all things Disney, and even cry at parades etc., but (because we couldn't have kids) there are certain things that I can't do at Disney - because it breaks my heart.

Biggest thing I can't do is look inside the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo Boutique. Made that mistake once. Sobbed for hours.

Now, my question is this.... I don't want us to miss out on the CRT experience, but

a) is there a good time to go / to be seated to avoid the most heartbreak
or
b) is it pointless, as we'll just be enveloped my the whole "you'll never be a Mom" thing?

Any honest advice will be greatfully accepted. Seriously. It's too much money to walk out of after 10 minutes!!!

Thanks ever so much.

Oh - and don't feel tooooo sorry for us. When your kids are screaming at 4pm because they're tired etc. we are the smuggest people in the park... x

 

[TDC Nala]

It's up to you. I am sure you realize you will be surrounded by families with children everywhere you go at WDW. I'm sure you also realize there will be a lot of them at CRT no matter what time it is. If you think you can't handle being surrounded by them and will need to leave, I'd suggest a meal that you didn't prepay.

 

[Donaldswife]

CRT is a wonderful experience, but it WILL be packed with families with little girls all dressed in the princess gowns, many of them freshly made up from BBB. There is a wishing ceremony for the kids every so often, if BBB made you cry then I would say CRT would probably leave you upset as well. My DD8 is growing up, and moving past the princess dress stage quickly. Sometimes I cry looking at all the little ones in their dresses, and I am blessed enough to have been able to have my little princess. Maybe a better option for you would be California Grill at the Contemporary, with the castle in the background and watching the fireworks from their deck. A beautiful experience, but hopefully not as painful for you.

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

That's a toughie - if you really really really want to do the CRT experience and it's always been your dream to eat inside the Castle, then I would say grab the last available seating time for breakfast. My HB and I did that once and it was practically empty so maybe that will help - however, I'm sure you know there will still be kids there, just maybe not as many??

 

[DCDisney]

What about doing the latest possible dinner seating? Breakfast is definitely to be avoided.

 

[cbg1027]

If you can't look in the BBB without crying, then I would say avoid CRT. It is going to have more kids than most restaurants, and half of those will be the little girls who were just in BBB.

Plus, I don't read many good reviews of the food there. Most people say the food is just ok to bad.

 

[handinpocket]

I think you should go to Vegas and skip WDW. Seriously, there are kids crawling everywhere, as should be expected.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

If you want CRT, do a late dinner.

 

[ipodluvr287]

Try the very last dinner seating. There will probably still be children, but not as many.

 

[Cindyrellablue]

I agree with trying out the last dinner seating. The restaurant is beautiful and the food is pretty decent from what I remember, but you will be surrounded by little princesses and I would suspect a pirate or two.

Have you tried to go to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall before? I haven't, but would expect the experience to be somewhat similar with the kids around dressed in costume and taking photos. If you are able to book Akershus in the beginning of your vacation and CRT at the end, you'd be able to cancel CRT if you find you aren't able to successfully get through the experience.

DH and I are newlyweds and haven't yet tried to start a family...though I know it would be absolutely heartbreaking for both of us to learn that we would be unable to. My heart goes out to you.

 

[ArthurIhde]

If you want CRT, do a late dinner.

that's a good idea!

 

[babygoboom]

Wow

Even in the first replies - I can see an idea forming.

It looks like a very late dinner sitting is the way to go!

Makes sense really, as most of the littl'uns will have gone to bed after a hard day "Disney-ing".

Just to clarify (for a couple of replies) - we are totally aware of the child/adult ratio in WDW. Wouldn't have it any other way. We LOVE to see the kids enjoy themselves, and for the most part... no problem. We also have been 8 times, (one year we went for 3 weeks!!! - another 'advantage' of being childless), and have also been to Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.

It's just certain things....

Mums...... you'll know what I mean!

But just to say thank you for really considering our plight, and replying honestly. REALLY appreciated

 

[babygoboom]

To anyone who read or replied to this thread, just thought that I'd let you know that we have decided against CRT for any meal.

On reflection, it may be just a step too far (like the BBB Boutique). Not worth getting upset.

However, don't feel bad for us - if you were!!! - because we'll be running around like maniacs enjoying the WDW experience as always, and enjoying watching you and your kids enjoy yourself too.

Cherish your littl'uns! Next time they get on your nerves... imagine what it would be like without them....

Have fun

 

[hart6066]

I agree with the skipping it--mostly because the food REALLY is not worth the money and I think you could have a MUCH better experience somewhere else and still get your Disney experience. Maybe Cali for Wishes, the upstairs restaurant in France (can't remember the name right now!) or, quite frankly, Victoria and Albert's!! We've never been there, but I'm sure they'd make you feel like a princess there and the scary part is it's probably not THAT much more, but it would be an amazing experience.

Have a great time--and you have such a wonderful attitude!!

 

[pixie08]

Go for breakfast....

I went twice, once with my dh, mom and bro and we had decent character interaction for breakfast and thought the food was good. Next year just DH and I went for my birthday at lunch. The food was terrible and I saw one character the whole time. Guess they do not ay too much attention to tables with just 2 adults, or maybe it was an off day? But the food was horrible!

I miss the roundtable days!

 

[Disney Fool]

I have an even better idea. Take a little girl you know( a niece or friend's daughter --there must be somebody's child who would love an opportunity to see princesses) with you. Not because you'd look weird without a child in tow, but because you will have made some little girl smile. In doing that, you'll make yourself happy --and not sad. When you give joy, you get joy in return. No need for tears, well....happy tears are allowed.

 

[si-am]

I have an even better idea. Take a little girl you know( a niece or friend's daughter --there must be somebody's child who would love an opportunity to see princesses) with you. Not because you'd look weird without a child in tow, but because you will have made some little girl smile. In doing that, you'll make yourself happy --and not sad. When you give joy, you get joy in return. No need for tears, well....happy tears are allowed.

I can't speak for the OP, but this seems like a strange idea. Wouldn't you have to invite this random kid along on your WHOLE vacation in order to do this?!

 

[Disney Fool]

Not strange at all --and it's not necessary to have a child tag along on your entire trip. With careful planning, it could be arranged to have a child spend the day with vacationers at WDW. It could be that the parent is there for business conference, or visiting relatives in Florida, or lives within driving distance to WDW. Not impossible.

I offer it as a possible alternative for OP, to see things through a child's eyes and have some fun.

 

[lisaviolet]

I think you should go to Vegas and skip WDW. Seriously, there are kids crawling everywhere, as should be expected.

Wow. The empathy is overwhelming.

She never said she was trying to avoid kids. She's been to WDW eight times for crying out loud. She knows there are "kids crawling everywhere" and expected (insert a sigh here). Not to mention she enjoys them immensely (by her own words). And she doesn't break down crying walking around WDW - she has fun with her husband. Or she wouldn't return so many times.

(My apologies for speaking for you OP)

She is simply trying for herself - by others' imput who have been there before - to determine if the experience of CRT would be overwhelming. That's not really about kids everywhere. That's about the "emotional" intimacy of the experience - kids dressed up in costume, everyone snapping pictures, mother's in glee - heck kids in glee etc (well actually I'm not quite sure all of them are in glee mode. Laughing). And I've never even been there or enjoy princesses AND actually think that it's all overblown. But to each their own. . Absolutely.


There are triggers for people who desperately want children but don't have them. And for her it's not about kids everywhere - that's life - it's about certain timemarkers in life - certain mother/child experiences. And it is absolutely not about NOT being happy for other's joy and happiness. It's not begrudging other's joy and good fortune in life. It is simply a trigger. All humans have them over something in life. The OP - good for her - is just conscious of hers.



OP - my thoughts. I would wait and not go this time. Not that it won't be a trigger years from now but maybe a little lessened as you go on in life.

Oh I forgot you already decided.

Love to you ,

Lisa

 

[walkdmc]

I went to breakfast at CRT in June. It was wonderful and there were a lot of little girls in their princess dresses. If seeing families be uber happy and "real" Disney princesses dote on little ones makes you sad, I would not go.

We also attended Akershus in Norway and it was a very different feel, IMO. It felt a little more grown-up. There were still kids dressed up and "real" princesses everywhere but the layout, size and design of the dining area allowed for plenty to look at, aside from your neighbors. We actually enjoyed talking to our server (from Norway) more than seeing the princesses, LOL. If you've ever done Tusker House for breakfast, it felt like that, to me. Plus, Epcot is the more "grown up" park and there's plenty to occupy your thoughts just strolling through the WS.

Have fun!!