Cinderella's Royal Table, I have some questions

[Dolphan]

Can someone give me some additional information regarding character dining, specifically for Cinderella's Royal Table. I assume that at 27 days out, there is no way I would be able to get a reservation. So my questions are more for our next trip.

Is the lunch a buffet? Also, the website lists the prices as $36 - $59.99 per person. Am I correct then that the $36 price is for children under 10, and the $59.99 is for adults? Are children under 3 free? Is there anything other than the food included in this price?

Finally, do I even bother calling to see if I can make a reservation, or would I just be wasting my time? (I have fully accepted the fact that this event is fully booked by now) Is there a character dining that I'd be able to reserve at this point, or am I completely out of luck?

 

[Tammysue5]

You can never go wrong by calling. Stranger things have happened. You might just get lucky! I would try!

We did the CRT lunch and it was not a buffet. We did like the meal though! For the price we received two pictures with Cinderella (1 w/just DDs and Cindy and 1 w/the whole family) Each girl got a wand and wishing star. I have a pic of DD5 (then) w/her eyes closed when they are making a wish and it is my favorite. The ambiance is what you pay for and in my opinion it is worth every penny.

I am sorry I am not sure whether or not 3 yr olds are free.

 

[EnnEss]

I was able to get dinner fairly easily during free dining when its crazy and I didn't call way out. Its not as popular I know, but its still good. We also got a picture included with the meal with cinderella downstairs. Its not a buffet.

 

[Kurtoon]

Does the photo and wand come with the breakfast as well?
I am thinking about CRT for Thanksgiving weekend.
I would like to dine inside the castle but only for breakfast.

 

[skier_pete]

You might be able to still get in, give it a try.

Lunch is $35.99 for adults + tax and tip (which are both included if you are on the DDP, yes they include tip FOR CRT ONLY!) Kids are $23.99. Two and under are free. Lunch is not buffet, but is a limited menu. See wdwifo.com for menu selection. Lunch gives you Cinderella in the lobby including a picture package. (# of pictures varies by the size of your party, 4 or less is 1 picture, 5 people gives you 2 pictures, don't know how many you need for 3 pictures) You get 4 princesses (or 3 princesses + fairy godmother) inside. Breakfast and Lunch BOTH get you a wand (girls) or sword (boys) and wishing star. Our DD4 still plays with hers 8 months later. I would not do the dinner, since it is the most expensive of the meals and you don't get princesses inside the castle, just Fairy Godmother and the mice.

Is CRT worth the price? That depends on you. If you think of it as you are paying for the experience of dining in the castle, it is worth it. The Norway meal at Epcot is a slightly better value, a you get the same # of princesses (1 in lobby + 4 at table) and it now includes the picture package with the cost, but it's not the castle. We are going back for Free Dining. I asked Disney daughter which she preferred, and she tells me "the castle" so we are going back for lunch.

SKierPete

 

[bradk]

the photo package and wand/sword are included in all 3 meals.

 

[Freyja]

Don´t ever underestimate the magic of Disney. We got a same day ADR for lunc at CRT last June for a family of 6. I stopped by guest services just to ask if their was any character dining available that day (didn´t even think to ask about CRT) and where to meet some princesses, since my DD5 (dressed in her princess dress) hadn´t met any princesses during our trip and this was our last day.
We were told there were no ADR´s available for any character dining that day but the very nice CM gave my DD a princess button and told her where she would meet some princesses in Toon Town. Just as we were leaving another CM came over and said: "I heard you were looking for princesses and a fun place to eat. How about lunch at the castle?" Needless to say I could not believe my ears. It was such a wonderful way to end our trip. Pure magic!

Have a wonderful time at Disney, whether you get to dine at the castle or not

 

[Shir Kahn]

For our last trip, I was able to get reservations for breakfast at the castle just over a month away. I was also able to get a reservation for our August trip. Definitely give it a shot, you never know when someone has just canceled!

 

[mom2zandjsquared]

I just did lunch in the castle on Sunday and it was so worth it - you are paying for the ambiance but when you think about what's included its so worth it. There were 7 of us in our party (2 adults, 3 kids, 2 infants) so we received 2 photo packages with Cindy so we did just my family then just my cousin's family plus if you do photopass you can pull up all the photos that way so we actually had 4 photos taken of each family. Then my boys received the swords and the girls received the wands even the infants plus the wishing stars when we were upstairs. We saw Belle in Blue, Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty, and Mary Poppins. The food was so yummy and they were able to accomodate our food allergies so well - the 2 infants recevied complimentary food which is typically buttered noodles but for mine she has the food allergies so they brought her grilled chicken and took great care to make sure everything was wonderful for us.

 

[jack hannah bananah]

I had a friend get a late lunch less than two weeks out (during spring break).
Never hurts to try.

 

[Dolphan]

Thank you for all the responses. I am needing a reservation for 3 people, DD5, DD1 and myself. My DH wants nothing to do with an overpriced meal, so him and DS2 will get some "boyz time." He is very "tight" with his money, and I am starting to pick some of that up. Therefore, having to pay for 1 adult and 1 child pleases both of us. I don't think it's a good idea for me to attempt a meal with 3 kids alone.

What princesses are normally there? Is Aurora there often? When we were in MK 2 years ago, we never once saw Aurora outside of the parade and Cinderellabration, but we only did one day in the parks. My DD5 (who was 3 at the time) still talks about how sad she was to not see Aurora.

 

[moosebug]

I have an ADR on 5/26 @ 2:45. The allears site has lunch ending at 3PM. Does that mean the last lunch sitting is at three or will i only have 15 minutes with characters?

 

[Shir Kahn]

Aurora was there when we went.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this over to the dining board. You'll get even more great answers over there.

 

[Dolphan]

Sorry, I have another question. I did try calling this morning. Yikes! I didn't expect to wait so long on the phone. The CM acted like I was insane for thinking I could get something.

When is the best time to call (when hoping for a cancellation)? Unfortunately, I do not have unlimited calling. Right now I have 500 minutes per month for all calling. (I use every one of those minutes already talking to family) If it takes 20+ minutes to just get to a CM, I cannot call that often. I might try 1 more time, then wait until a day or two before we leave.

 

[skier_pete]

Sorry, I have another question. I did try calling this morning. Yikes! I didn't expect to wait so long on the phone. The CM acted like I was insane for thinking I could get something.

When is the best time to call (when hoping for a cancellation)? Unfortunately, I do not have unlimited calling. Right now I have 500 minutes per month for all calling. (I use every one of those minutes already talking to family) If it takes 20+ minutes to just get to a CM, I cannot call that often. I might try 1 more time, then wait until a day or two before we leave.

Don't call first thing in the AM, wait until mid-day or late evening. Usually hold times are shorter then. Try calling roughly 45 days before your dates, word on the DIS is lots of people end up cancelling trips right before their package payment is due. Best if you can be real flexible, don't specify a time, ask for breakfast or lunch. It is very hard to get. I called at exactly 180 days out.

As to the PP enquiring about the 2:45 reservation: you will not be shortchanged in your princess time, they just stop letting people in at 3 PM, don't kick you out. In fact, you may get a chance at some 1-on-1 time as the place starts to empty out.

SkierPete

 

[kimob_rn]

Don't give up on not gettting reservations. Someone may cancel at the last minute. I managed to get a Le Cellier reservation for our trip that's 33 days away and I just made it last week. It is possible. Luck of the draw maybe, but possible.

I did come across a toll free number to the reservation people. Call 1-800-711-4344. It worked for me. This way you can call everyday and not use up your minutes on your cell phone.

 

[BabyEeyore]

I have been looking into the CRT for our next trip to WDW. It will be in October so I can't make reservations yet, but it is going to be a special trip. My daughter will be just over 1 and it will be the first time my dad gets to meet her in person. My husband is in the Navy and we are stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, so it is difficult and expensive to get us to California to see him. My whole side of the family are Disney fanatics so this will make it so special. And I just had to say that your reviews are making me that much more excited! Hurry up October!!!

 

[SomDayMyPrnceWillCom]

We have a year before we can even begin to make ressies, but I'm wanting to try for a res at CRT this year. However, I'm torn between lunch and dinner. I know the princesses are at the lunch, but the menu at dinner sounds much more appealing to me (especially that Prime Rib). DD13 has left the decision up to me. I asked her if she wanted a meal at the castle this year and she agreed. When I was going over the menu with her, she basically didn't want to be bothered with that much detail and just said.. you choose! LOL.. I like to plan everything and well.. she doesn't. She leaves it all up to me and just shows up. This is going to be sooo hard. Waiting this long before we can really make any kind of plan. May 2010 can't get here soon enough.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Don't call first thing in the AM, wait until mid-day or late evening. Usually hold times are shorter then. Try calling roughly 45 days before your dates, word on the DIS is lots of people end up cancelling trips right before their package payment is due. Best if you can be real flexible, don't specify a time, ask for breakfast or lunch. It is very hard to get. I called at exactly 180 days out.

As to the PP enquiring about the 2:45 reservation: you will not be shortchanged in your princess time, they just stop letting people in at 3 PM, don't kick you out. In fact, you may get a chance at some 1-on-1 time as the place starts to empty out.

SkierPete

This is the only thing I don't agree with. Call at 7AM exactly, or even a minute prior. The cancellations of one day do not cycle through the system until overnight so they are all there first thing the next morning. The longer you wait in the day, the less of a chance time slot will be there when you call.