Cindy's Breakfast advice & encouragement

[dancemomnj]

It was better than I had even imagined. We were the first lunch seating at 12:00, and it was great because the princesses started coming around before the tables were even full. Each princess comes to the table and actually spends some time.

If possible, have your kids dress up in costumes - all of the princesses commented on my girls' princess regalia.

The food - which was not the reason we went - was excellent! We had the salmon, the foccacia sandwich, and the pasta, and we all really liked our choices. The kids had a baked rigatoni dish and ate every bite. The kids got ice cream sundaes with chocolate crowns for dessert.

This was definitely a highlight of our trip.

Welcome and than you for the post! We have the 12:00 time for our November trip. Thanks for the information!

 

[gabbyrosebud]

It was better than I had even imagined. We were the first lunch seating at 12:00, and it was great because the princesses started coming around before the tables were even full. Each princess comes to the table and actually spends some time.

If possible, have your kids dress up in costumes - all of the princesses commented on my girls' princess regalia.

The food - which was not the reason we went - was excellent! We had the salmon, the foccacia sandwich, and the pasta, and we all really liked our choices. The kids had a baked rigatoni dish and ate every bite. The kids got ice cream sundaes with chocolate crowns for dessert.

This was definitely a highlight of our trip.

Hi! I'm so glad to hear of your wonderful experience! What princesses were at your lunch? How did the picture with Cinderella come out? When we go, we'll have 5 of us. I'm hoping to do one picture with Cinderella and my daughter and one with all of us. Thanks so much for your review!

Also, Has somebody done the last seating at 2:45PM for lunch? I'm just curious how the princess interaction might be. I just hope they won't be rushed when visiting the tables. Thanks in advance!

 

[zoeabbymom]

We had the Fairy Godmother, Snow White, Aurora, single Belle (not Princess Belle). Then Cinderella was downstairs for photos, but she does not come upstairs. The photos turned out well, and they give kids plenty of time to greet her, get an autograph, hug her, etc. Then, we had two kids, so they gave up two photo packages.

I really was extremely surprised at the amount and quality of the princess interaction. It was fantastic!

 

[Chrissie-riel]

Also, Has somebody done the last seating at 2:45PM for lunch? I'm just curious how the princess interaction might be. I just hope they won't be rushed when visiting the tables. Thanks in advance!

We went to CRT for Mother's Day at lunch. Our ressie was for 2:40 and we were the last "royal family" to be summoned up the stairs. I would say that it was good and bad to be the last ones up there. The food was still fine, and we got to participate in the last wishing ceremony.

The "Bad" was that they really had to remind the princesses to come by our table so we wouldn't be forgotten - guess they were all ready to finish and go upstairs for some beauty rest! Also, the wait staff started turning over the tables for dinner, which started seating at 4:00.

The "Good" was our interaction with Cinderella!!! She is downstairs for pictures and hangs out with the photographers and the "character herders" until her shift is over. Since we were the last guests to go up, Cindy came over and talked to us for like 10 minutes!! My DD6 was wearing her Snow White costume, so Cinderella gave her some private princess lessons. My little princess got to learn how to curtsy, twirl and pose like a "really real princess" It was truly magical!

One final note - after we finished lunch and came downstairs, Cinderella looked a little different. I had to quickly usher my DD6 and DS5 past the families lined up for their Cinderella dinner photos. Didn't want to chance that the kids would notice the difference and ruin some of the magic.

 

[gabbyrosebud]

Thank you both for the helpful info. It sounded like you had wonderful experiences dining in the castle! I'm taking my Princess Gabby to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique before our lunch. She will be dressed liked Cinderella and then we will be attending the MNSSHP later that night. I hope it will be a truly magical day!

 

[Cinderpals]

Thank you both for the helpful info. It sounded like you had wonderful experiences dining in the castle! I'm taking my Princess Gabby to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique before our lunch. She will be dressed liked Cinderella and then we will be attending the MNSSHP later that night. I hope it will be a truly magical day!

Lucky girl!! We're still on the fence, whether or not to go October. Two kids, different school schedules. That sounds like a plan for your little princess!!
Loved the MNSSHP**anxious to get tickets if we're going!!

 

[zoeabbymom]

Just an update - we went to CRT yesterday and Storybook lunch at Akershus today. For my girls (5 and 6), there was no noticeable difference. The Akerbus room isn't quite as pretty, and you don't get the photo package included, but we bought the photos and it still came in $50 less than CRT did. The princesses were just as plentiful, they gave our girls even MORE time (including Ariel giving them curtsying lessons and Jasmine helping them count out their ages on their fingers), and there were princesses that weren't at CRT (Jasmine and Ariel). Oh, and they don't get a wand, but the wand at CRT wasn't much to write home about.

The food was still very good, too!

So, if you can't get CRT, I really think that little girls will love Storybook at Akershus just as much. And it's so much easier to book. I booked it three days ahead for five people.

One other tip - if you see a princess standing around, don't hesitate to go up and chat. Ariel (with whom the entrance photos were shot) was waiting for the next crowd to come in, and we walked up and asked if we could visit with her. She spent at least 10 minutes just chatting and talking with my girls. It was great!

 

[BethyBelle]

I have CRT booked for dinner and Akershus for lunch. Will we miss seeing some princesses if we don't have lunch in the caste and have dinner instead?
Thanks!

 

[beattyfamily]

I have CRT booked for dinner and Akershus for lunch. Will we miss seeing some princesses if we don't have lunch in the caste and have dinner instead?
Thanks!

Dinner at the castle, you will only see Cinderella downstairs and then Fairy Godmother and the mice do a small show but they do not circulate for photos/autographs.

 

[BethyBelle]

We'd like to see Aurora, Belle, Ariel, and Jasmine. Do you think we'll probably see these princesses at Akershus? I'm wondering whether I should change my ADR from dinner to lunch at CRT in case we don't see them at Akershus.

 

[beattyfamily]

We'd like to see Aurora, Belle, Ariel, and Jasmine. Do you think we'll probably see these princesses at Akershus? I'm wondering whether I should change my ADR from dinner to lunch at CRT in case we don't see them at Akershus.

Ariel has been seen there (at the entrance for photos) at lunch and dinner while Belle, in her yellow gown, takes Ariel's place usually at breakfast.

Then inside we usuallly see Aurora, Belle (if Ariel was out front) in her blue gown, Jasmine, Snow White and Mulan.

If you want to be sure and see lots of princesses, then you may want to change your ADR to lunch at CRT.

Usually we see Belle, Snow white, mary poppins, Fairy godmother, sleeping beauty at CRT but of course, it varies from meal to meal.

 

[KJF]

I'm a little confused -

I see that breakfast & lunch are supposed to be similar in the characters that are there, but it seems that breakfast is preferred. Is that the only meal that you need to call to get as soon as they open? How hard is it to get lunch times? Is there a reason that breakfast is preferred over lunch? My guess is to be in the park then when it opens, but I'm not sure. Any help would be really appreciated as the dates I want I can start booking this coming Monday.

 

[Chrissie-riel]

I think most people prefer breakfast because you get into the park before opening and then are raring to go after you eat. I did the breakfast a few years ago and thought it was great for those reasons. Many people don't want to stop their park activities to spend 2 hours sitting for lunch. My kids are at the age now where they don't nap, but still need some quiet downtime (DD6 & DS5). The late CRT lunch was the perfect answer!! They were just getting to the burnout stage at 2:30 - by the time late lunch was over we were ready for the afternoon and evening activities, all the way through Wishes!

 

[Epcot Mom]

Just fyi. I called today at the 190 day mark (for those staying on property) and even at 10:30 eastern, I could have booked several tables for breakfast still. I would say all their changes have left this not as hard to get.

Also, I missed the 190 day mark for a different Nov trip I was arranging for a friend. The Disney Dining people told me they do not hold back tables for the 180 day mark, that I would just have to get lucky. Well, I don't believe it because I called at 7:00 eastern on the 180 day mark and had my choice of times. I had called several times the day before (still within the on-property 190 day frame) and was told they will booked fully. They have to hold tables back for the off site people! My advice, try right at 7:00 eastern as early as you can call but if you don't get in, just keep trying.

Epcot Mom

 

[beattyfamily]

It's not 190 days, it's 180 days from checkin and you can then book 10 days worth of ADRs. Sometimes CMs are a bit confused by the 180 +10 name.

They do hold tables back for the true 180 days from when you actually want to eat and only release just a few at the 180 days from checkin date.

 

[bjakmom]

They definitely hold CRT tables back from the 180 + 10 timetable. I called on Monday at my 180 mark and tried to make a CRT ADR for two 2 days into my vacation - CM told me the entire breakfast was booked, but "call back in 2 days at 180 for that day because they hold back seating to be fair to those not able to book the +10 option." Sure enough, called this AM and got seating for 2 at 8:15 - Taking DGrD (3) all by myself for 5 days of Christmas and Princess fun - how lucky can a Grandmother get?!!!! They didn't have Princess meals when my girls were little - not that I could have afforded it then, anyway !

 

[ccgegg]

What's all this talk about CRT giving out free photos and a wand? We were there this past Dec for lunch and the photos cost a nice chunk of change (enough that I quickly passed). Did something change?

 

[beattyfamily]

What's all this talk about CRT giving out free photos and a wand? We were there this past Dec for lunch and the photos cost a nice chunk of change (enough that I quickly passed). Did something change?

Yes, on Feb 1, they increased the price and made it 2 TS credits on the dining plan and then they included the photo package and added wands/swords for breakfast and lunch and at dinner it's the package with a lithograph. Now you must pay in full too.

 

[ccgegg]

Yes, on Feb 1, they increased the price and made it 2 TS credits on the dining plan and then they included the photo package and added wands/swords for breakfast and lunch and at dinner it's the package with a lithograph. Now you must pay in full too.

At $34/adt and $23/chd for lunch, I'm wondering if I should just pay for that meal out-of-pocket instead of using 2 TS credits. Are people doing that?

 

[beattyfamily]

At $34/adt and $23/chd for lunch, I'm wondering if I should just pay for that meal out-of-pocket instead of using 2 TS credits. Are people doing that?

From what I read, yes, most people are paying OOP for this meal.