CRT, not very popular any more?

[imthatgirl]

I can remember the days when getting into CRT meant practicing the phone call and knowing the prompts. calling exactly 180 days out, or don't bother. It basically took all the stars to align properly to get in there.

This doesn't seem to be true anymore. For kicks(I actually have no interest in eating there) I went on line to see if I could get a table for any meal 2 months from now. No problem, in fact I had many choices in times. So I said , what about 1 month from now. This time there were fewer choices but I had no problem getting a table.

So what happened? Do you think all the EP restaurants stole it's place? I wonder if they will change anything to make it a desirable place to dine again. Like possibly the menu?

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I think it's because there are princesses at all three meals now. It used to be that there were no princesses at dinner.

 

[laurainsem]

What? Princesses at dinner? Wow, I must have missed something.

I'm surprised too that there are ressies available two months from now. Maybe the construction in fantasyland is effecting it?

 

[imthatgirl]

Hmmm, so you think people are less likely to go there if it's a character meal?

 

[kamikazecat]

I think that they are implying that with the princesses at all 3 meals now, the crowds are spread out over the 3 meals rather than everyone gunning for breakfast and lunch.

 

[imthatgirl]

I think that they are implying that with the princesses at all 3 meals now, the crowds are spread out over the 3 meals rather than everyone gunning for breakfast and lunch.

Yes, but even dinner was impossible.

I just checked(yes I'm quite bored tonight) there is a 4:05 available for this Thursday if anyone is interested.

I have to wonder if people are no longer looking for these catchy meal experiences but rather looking for better food. Better food choices cooked to a higher standard.

It would be nice if the castle, the biggest icon next to the mouse himself, served a higher quality meal.

 

[captaindavidhook]

I think it has to do w/ the food and service to be honest. We went there in 2008 and had amazing food and service. This time around, we all couldn't wait to eat there. Well, the food for me imo sucked. They gave me a butter knife to cut lamb chops. When we tried to get our waiter, he was gone for like 15 mins. I was angry. On top of that, we had this annoying leak hits us every few mins in the head or neck. Server was a moron and I got up and left. With that said, I would still give CRT another chance. I just have to admit this but I hate the ideal of the princesess being there. They should of left it the way it was. The fairy godmother coming out w/ the to mice was fine.

 

[JJsmama]

I checked for mid-late June, after school is out and crowds are big. I could have gotten CRT any day I wanted it. In the end, I cancelled it completely because the reviews are so bad and Princesses are not cool in my house. Just me, the Queen.

 

[BriarRosie]

10 years ago, that was the norm, since it was only a Princess breakfast with regular service for lunch and dinner. It was such a frenzy to get the breakfast ADR.

I think because CRT opened up character meals for lunch and dinner, and Akershus has princess meals, the frenzy had lessened into something more flexible.

 

[MomtoAlexnWilliam]

I think the PP who suggested it was because the princesses are there for all 3 meals hit the nail on the head!

We've gone the past 3 Decembers for lunch and had a GREAT experience. The service was some of the best we had at DW. Also, the food was really yummy -- kids meal was just normal kids meal. The desserts are great. And I love that we could order chocolate slippers for my kids ahead of time for their birthdays.

My kids also really love the wishing ceremony!!!

I think everyone should try it once!

 

[mommy2mrb]

we are going back for the third time....did lunch & breakfast so now doing dinner its my DD bday and that's what we wanted....we love the castle!

 

[mommyoftwinz]

We did it last year and loved it! But it's tough because if you're on the dining plan it is 2 TS credits. That could be an issue for some. Plus, if they are not offering the free dining I think the restaurants tend to have less reservations.

 

[TDC Nala]

No, I don't think it's lost popularity to Epcot.

There are now princesses at all three meals, so the crowd looking for the princesses has been spread out. There's also a princess meal at Akershus and a Cinderella dinner at 1900 Park Fare.

I have a feeling princesses are not the extreme draw they were a few years ago (or possibly they're not as heavy a draw as Disney thought they were), mostly based on the idea to completely re-do the Fantasyland expansion to de-emphasize the princess presence. The only princess to retain her fancy new meet and greet area appears to be Belle.

Also, I think CRT is now priced so high that a lot of guests have lost interest, and guests on the DDP often don't want to spend two credits for this meal. Disney's also offering a lot of discounts to get people into their resorts and the parks, so attendance may be down.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I think that they are implying that with the princesses at all 3 meals now, the crowds are spread out over the 3 meals rather than everyone gunning for breakfast and lunch.

Yes, this is what I meant. When we went before dinner was made a Princess meal, we could get dinner ADRs in the low season, but breakfast and lunch were very difficult. I think making Akershus a princess meal has helped too, but as a family with little girls, there comes a point where you *have* to dine in the Castle. However, cost IS high and it discouraged me from trying it previously.

EDIT: I disagree that Princesses aren't a huge draw. I have 3 little girls and every single girl I come across goes through a Princess phase. I think the reason for the de-emphasis on Princess was the fact that the expansion was seen as too "girl centric." Disney doesn't want to be seen as a place primarily for girls.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I personallly believe it's the food. Although the experience was nice for the girls, I can's justify paying that much for that food. They can see the same princesses around the world in other restaurants for the same price. Hmmm I just had a thought, maybe thep roblem is just that... Cinderella can be seen else where therefor less people go there to see her.

 

[TDC Nala]

I never had a princess phase, so there are exceptions. I've been to CRT (as an adult - they didn't have princess meals when I was a kid) and don't really have any desire to go back. I don't think princess meals are absolutely required for all girl children.

That said I think the major thing holding people back from booking there is the price. That and the fact that, combined with the price, the food isn't all that great. Disney knows that people who book CRT are not going because of the food. Akershus has three princess meals a day, it also costs less and apparently has better food. The major draw at CRT now is not the princesses, but the castle. And guests have to determine if going into the castle is worth the constantly escalating price.

 

[Peepster]

The food at the Castle used to be great and then the dumb dining plan came along and the stupid (excuse me) ROYAL princesses rolled in and the prices rose and rose and rose and rose to the turrets and the food became dumbed down so EVERYONE could fill the restaurants on the DDP to see the Royals...and now.............perhaps our pockets are empty, Mickey.

So now they will build a Pirate Ship restaurant for the little pirate boys and it will start out with pretty good food until we begin to like the food and like the restaurant and we will fill the restaurant until the the prices rise and rise and rise to the top of the mast and the food will become dumbed down until everyone's pockets are............empty........sigh...........

(okay, maybe I'm making this up, but it feels good because I just forked out money for seven dinners with her royal highney)

 

[littlemermaidariel]

I think it has to do with the menu and the actual taste of the food. First time we went we went for lunch and were in amazement at how beautiful everything was. The food in our opinion is ok, but not great. It Defitely is not what you would expect eating at the castle. We thought the food was going to be out of this world. It has been 10 years since we last ate there and are going back next month for our anniversary dinner. Even though the food might not be fantastic the service was incredible and we hope to have a magical evening. I also agree that taking away 2 credits from the dining plan is a bit overboard. If people had the best of both worlds (characters and great food) they might be more willing to use up their credits with no problem. I booked CRT just a week ago and was very surprised that they still had dinner available for next month.

 

[ZZUB]

We ate there when it was King Stefan's banquet hall and there wasn't a character in sight. The food wasn't very good at all.

We ate there in 2005, back when it was only 1 dining credit. The food was very good and the atmosphere really nice. But we haven't been back since. I keep reading reviews that the food has decreased in quality and it's now a 2 credit meal. It's hard to waste two credits on a mediocre meal. I don't know if other people share our view, but that's why we haven't been back.

That said, our youngest one is pretty enamored of the castle, so we might be end up eating there this year. I hope the food isn't as bad as some of the reviews I'm reading.

 

[ElizabethB]

We used to enjoy lunch there. Not anymore. As far as we're concerned, it's now just another amusement ride:

line 'em up, take a picture with Cinderella, herd 'em upstairs, throw food on the table, run the princesses around the room, wave the wand, clear the room and repeat.

Wild horses couldn't drag us back.