Coveted CRT 8:00 am reservation - is it worth the $$?

[jewelsb]

Ok, so I called in to make our ADR's for the week and just out of curiosity, I asked if there was an 8:00 am at Cinderella's Round Table on our last day - and there was! I was shocked! But I took it and now I'm thinking - really? $200 for breakfast?!?!?! Am I nuts?? So - tell me - is it worth it??

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Ok, so I called in to make our ADR's for the week and just out of curiosity, I asked if there was an 8:00 am at Cinderella's Round Table on our last day - and there was! I was shocked! But I took it and now I'm thinking - really? $200 for breakfast?!?!?! Am I nuts?? So - tell me - is it worth it??

Only you can answer if it's worth it to you. We've eaten there twice. It is a special experience to eat in the castle. If it's something that you want to do, then it's worth it to do it at least once. But having eaten there before, I don't feel a need to go back. The food was fine but not outstanding. The princess interaction was good, but I didn't think it was any better than Akershus in Epcot. DD and I now skip CRT and do the breakfast at Akershus instead. It's cheaper and I enjoy the meal there better.

 

[morethananyonex]

I'd rather do an early Crystal Palace breakfast instead.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

We've been for lunch and dinner, but we've never gone during breakfast. I feel that the type of food served at later meals is a little more reasonable for the price tag. Personally, the only way breakfast in the castle would be worth $200 for me would be if they started serving Dom P (or at least Disney's Fairy Tale sparkling wine) with my meal.

 

[jewelsb]

Only you can answer if it's worth it to you. We've eaten there twice. It is a special experience to eat in the castle. If it's something that you want to do, then it's worth it to do it at least once. But having eaten there before, I don't feel a need to go back. The food was fine but not outstanding. The princess interaction was good, but I didn't think it was any better than Akershus in Epcot. DD and I now skip CRT and do the breakfast at Akershus instead. It's cheaper and I enjoy the meal there better.

I guess my thought is that it's all for the experience of being in the castle more than even dining with the princesses. I don't see us getting back to do a big Disney trip again anytime in the next 4 years or so, as we have other trips we want to do with the kids. So it would be kind of a one time deal for us. But $200....ugh. I guess I can wait until it gets a little closer to the trip too and see what our budget is looking like. I still need to weigh out doing the dining plan vs not and see if that makes a difference. Just wondering if it's as big of a "wow" as I'm hoping for that kind of money! The reservation would be on the last full day of our trip, so I'm thinking we'll go out with a bang - or maybe by that time the magic will be wearing down and it won't be a big deal?

So many decisions.....

 

[disneybliss2]

It wasn't the "wow" factor I expected it to be. It's such a coveted reservation but for us it wasn't all that it's hyped up to be. Yes, it was lovely eating in the castle. Yes, it was a neat experience. No, it wasn't worth it for us. However, there are many that feel it is, so it's very hard to say if it would be worth it to you. I did it because I felt I had to since everyone made such a huge deal about this reservation prior to our trip, but once we did it, I didn't see what the big deal was. Both of my girls have always enjoyed Akershus for dinner much more and it's not as pricey. They also love 1900 Park Fare. The character interaction just can't be beat there. And in regards to your thought about it being at the end of the trip....My kids seem to be more into the character meals earlier in the trip than the end. They've seen the characters all over the parks and by the end of the trip it just isn't as special for them I guess. It's a fun way to end the trip, though. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Southern Bell]

I am spending $300 to eat breakfast at CRT. 4 adults, 2 children. Personally I think that's a little crazy for me to spend $300 dollars on breakfast! LOL But.... For years I have passed the castle and said next time I come to Disney I'm going to eat at the castle. I have even had the free dining and could not bring myself to make a CRT reservation. Just didn't seem the logically thing to do! But... we have eaten at Akershus, Chef Mickeys, Crystal Palace, Coral Reef, Tonys, Be Our Guest, Hollywood and Vine, etc. My husband even went on one of Disney's fishing trips. That wasn't cheap! But no Castle! I always wanted to take my daughter when she was little and never did. I missed that chance. But... now she has a 6 year old son and a 3 yr old daughter! Well, this year WE are going to eat at the castle and I am going to enjoy every minute of it! LOL!

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

If finances allow I say do it. My sister, mom and I took my niece when she was 6 and it is one of the few times in life I've actually seen my sister tear up. The way I look at is your daughter is 10, right at the brink of becoming a teenager. This may be the last time you'll be able to share this kind of Disney magic with her before she's rolling her eyes at meeting princesses.

Another option to keep the cost down is to split up that morning. Send the guys over to CP for breakfast while you and your daughter share this experience together. This is what we did with my dad and my then 5 y.o. nephew who had zero interest in princesses.

 

[lmcarr49]

I am! I have an 8 am ADR in May. I'm paying $152. I think it's high, but I want to experience it anyway.

 

[AliciaS]

I agree about splitting up. My daughter and I had an early breakfast here on our last trip, while the boys and daddy finished getting dressed, had breakfast, and went to Tom Sawyer's Island at Rope Drop. I was able to get pics of my daughter in front of the castle without anyone else there and we had fun with the princesses without boys - a little mama-daughter date!

 

[cjhinch]

I would maybe ask your daughter for her input. She is 10, and like others have said, on the verge of being "too old" for the princesses for a while. If she seems super excited about the idea of eating in the castle and meeting the princesses, I say go for it! If she is lukewarm, then it won't be worth it. You truly are paying for the experience, definitely not the food for the breakfast time slot!!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

We have done the 8:00am breakfast a couple of times and it was a nice relaxing way to start the morning IMO. My kids were younger (under 2 & 4) and then (4 & 6), and totally into princesses.

We took empty park pictures in front of the castle and then went in for breakfast. The food & characters both come to your tables (so no running to the buffet between characters) ... so that adds to the relaxation. Both times, we were done with breakfast, had used the restrooms and were able to get to the internal rope drop in front of the castle before 9:00am.

Of course, this was a few years ago, so maybe the experience has changed? But I really enjoyed it and thought it was "worth it". Neither of my kids were considered Disney Adults at the time (and the first time one child was free ...) so maybe that colors my experience?

Crystal Palace at 8:00am is nice, but in my experience, you really can't count on getting out of there in time for rope drop if you plan to see all the characters.

 

[RAPstar]

What time would one recommend getting to MK for an 8am ADR at the castle? My friend will have a car, so I figured we'd drive. Thanks!

 

[Magic Band Defender]

Does MK have EMH that morning? If yes, I don't think it's worth it.

 

[limpy]

Does MK have EMH that morning? If yes, I don't think it's worth it.

Do you think this because it eats into park/riding time? Or are there other reasons, if that is not necessarily a concern? (I am trying to make a similar decision)

 

[marchingstar]

Do you think this because it eats into park/riding time? Or are there other reasons, if that is not necessarily a concern? (I am trying to make a similar decision)

my gut reaction is not only that it eats into park time (really, some of the best park time to get in headliner attractions), but also that if EMH start at 8 (or earlier), you won't get the chance to walk through a nearly empty park. we have a pre-opening breakfast at the castle planned for our next trip, and a big part of the appeal is walking down an empty Main Street, and a photo in front of the castle without a mass of other people. you won't get that if crowds are let in at/before your ressie time.

 

[limpy]

So if you have a res at 8 on a EMH day, or 9 on a regular day, they won't let you in the park prior to the official opening at 8 (or 9)? Losing an hour wouldn't concern me as much having to wait in the crowd anyway and then trying to rush to the restaurant.

 

[KJWA]

I feel the same about the cost. It seems ridiculous! Some people have told me it's worth it and others have said just go to Akershus instead. We considered Akershus but ended up booking lunch at CRT. We decided this because we didn't think out kids would enjoy Epcot as much and since we aren't planning to get park hoppers we figured it made more sense to skip that park this trip.

The other deciding factor was that when I compared the costs it was only $40 more for us to do CRT...the CRT price includes tax and gratuity so when you consider the price difference isn't as much as you might think.

Bottom line all the character meals are expensive. We decided that CRT would be worth it and we would just skip the other character meals we were considering. Princesses are top priority this time because our girls will be 4 and 5. By the time we go again they won't care as much and we will probably skip CRT and try something else.

Hoping we made the right choice!

 

[mrsltg]

We have three daughters and we go to CRT for breakfast every trip. Yes, it costs $250, and no, I don't care. It's one of those things I just accept as part of my Disney vacation ; to each their own. That said, I always get an 8:05 reservation on a regular opening day (9). This has us at the rope for Fantasyland by 8:55- well ahead of the folks at the gate.

 

[rdw]

We currently have an 8:15 reservation on a day with an 8 am EMH. Is it even worth it in this case? We are definitely doing Askerhus - so I'm thinking of skipping CRT. I just don't know that I want to pay that much or to use 2 TS credit (if we do dining plan, we will do the regular).

Thoughts on CRT (or Crystal Plaza) at 8:15 on an 8 AM EMH day?