Cindy's alternates and dressing up

[choirfarm]

I'm trying to decide if my daughter would really care about eating AT Cinderella's castle or if we just had a meal with her at the Grand Floridian Cafe. I think the Grand Floridian only costs 1 TS credit also so we wouldn't end up with extra credits for my husband and boys. Also, a question about dressing up. How do you do parks with this. I think she would love to dress up in one of her Cinderella costumes (she has 2 gorgeous ones) but is that feasable for riding rides and such??? How does that work. Do you go back to the resort and change???
Christine

 

[JimMIA]

IMHO, Cindy's is something you do once when you have a princess. You have to understand what Cindy's is -- it's a brief photo op with the great woman downstairs, followed by your meal upstairs with some very minor characters. Cindy is very gracious, and you'll get plenty of pictures (plus the included photos), but it's a photo op.

1900 Park Fare at GF is a very good character experience. Cindy and Prince Charming are both there and they come to your table. Actually, on our visit they came so often DD5 was getting a little tired of them. There are a few other characters also, and sometimes another princess for a photo op outside.

For interaction with Cinderella, there's no question that 1900 is much better. But there's only one Castle.

The other princess meal that is really good is the one at Akerhaus (Norway/Epcot). There you have 4-5 princesses, plus one at the photo op. Cindy is not usually there, although she was on our last visit.

We usually let DD dress up for the princess events -- sometimes dressing at the restaurant, sometimes going dressed. After the event, she goes into the bathroom and changes into park clothes. Our last trip, however, she did the full treatment at Bibbity Bobbity and then went to Norway. She stayed in costume the whole day that day.

 

[GatorLady]

We are doing both 1900 Park Fare for dinner and Princess Dining in Norway this trip. Both of these are just 1 TS credit. Starting April 27th, the meal at Norway also includes a photo package.

I might do the castle with her when she is a little older, but right now she doesn't care about atmosphere, she wants to see Princesses. By the way, the other characters at Park Fare with Cinderella and Prince Charming are the two stepsisters and the stepmother. This is only for dinner though. If you go there for breakfast it is Mary Poppins, Alice and the Mad Hatter and I think a couple of Pooh characters.

 

[GatorLady]

Oh, just to make sure you realize, the Grand Floridian Cafe has no characters.

 

[canadianmom2three]

We (DH and I, MIL FIL, DS5, DD8, DS10) did the castle for dinner last year, and we were ALL impressed. The atmosphere was amazing, and even though no princesses came around the kids were all enchanted by the show the mice put on, and they came around to the tables too. The boys (10,5) were just as pleased as DD (8) when they got swords at the door (actually all the 'boys' even DH and FIL got swords!) and the girls got wands. The kids LOVED the ice cream with the chocolate crowns on top, and just thought the whole thing was great. I don't regret it for a minute, even at 2TS x7 people, it was an experience. We were very happy with the 2 8x10's we got back (one of DD with cindy, and one of the two boys), and the 4 smaller photos too. DD was delighted to wear her fancy dress and tiara. I know that we won't go back again this year, but I am happy we did it.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I say go for 1900 PF so she can see Cindy and the Prince, you only spend 1 TS for dinner and she gets to wear her dress! Also, have her dress in it when you get in line for the "Princess Rooms" in Toontown... Let her wear it as long as she is comfortable, but bring a chanage of clothes for a bathroom cahnge if needs be (You can always stash it in a locker afterwards if you don't want to carry it)