CRT questions...

[Soupermom]

When we go to WDW next March (our 3rd family trip), DD 14 asked if we could "eat in the castle". We've never done this before and she doesn't usually make requests so I'd like to make her request a reality.

Has anyone been recently? My daughter just thinks it would be "really cool" to eat there. Will she be disappointed?

WHEN should we go? Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? We'll be staying at POP and are early risers so a morning ressie would be okay. I think we'll be in the park EARLY another day for the train tour though, so seeing the park empty (my dream) will have been met during the trip.

Do you still get to interact with characters? If so, which ones? Again, not a big deal as DS is 11 and DD will be 14, but would still be fun...

Thanks for any help you can give!

Also, I know the ressie system has changed recently, at least I think it has! When can I make my ressies? 180 days from the meal, or 180 days from the start of our stay at POP, or something else?

Thanks again!

 

[Tam1067]

At all three meals, you meet Cinderella in the lobby and get a photo of your party and her; that's included with the meal.

At breakfast and lunch only, a collection of four princesses or other similar characters (such as the Fairy Godmother or Alice or Mary Poppins) visit your table for the standard character meal thing. At dinner, the characters do not visit your table.

I like breakfast at the first seating because you finish right as the park opens at 9:00, and you can then be ready to jump on whatever ride in the Fantasyland area you want to go on.

 

[Soupermom]

Thanks for the great info...just what I needed! I was thinking the first seating in the morning would be a good one.

Looks like you are a teacher? I teach special needs students in our H.S. and DH is principal at the jr. hi. I also saw you're from the Chicagoland area--I grew up in McHenry--are you familiar with that area?

Thanks again!

 

[mrstomrice]

The castle is one of the hardest ADR's to get, so at your 180 day mark, you need to call to get the time you want. Crazy, I know If you have the dining plan, it will be 2 TS credits for your meal. I haven't been since I was a teenager myself, so I am looking forward to being there soon!
Have a magical trip, from another teacher

 

[MommyIncredible]

We leave in less than two weeks and will be having dinner in the castle on our first day. We have not dined there before, but my kids are so excited for this...I think it had to be magical just to eat there no matter what meal. Have fun everyone - from a former teacher (now staying home to raise my kids

 

[Tam1067]

Thanks for the great info...just what I needed! I was thinking the first seating in the morning would be a good one.

Looks like you are a teacher? I teach special needs students in our H.S. and DH is principal at the jr. hi. I also saw you're from the Chicagoland area--I grew up in McHenry--are you familiar with that area?

Thanks again!

You're welcome.

I teach college. I know where McHenry is, but I live far away from there, in the south suburbs (very close to I-80).

 

[Soupermom]

Can I call from the 180 day point of my arrival at Disney (staying on site), or do I have to wait until the 180 day point of the day I want to dine at CRT (5 days later)?

Thanks!

 

[PrincessGT]

If you want the early b'fast seating at CRT, you will need to call at 7am Eastern time -- 180 days from the start of your Disney stay.

 

[DebbieB]

I had dinner there on June 30, it was my friend's 50th birthday. We really enjoyed it. The fairy godmother does a little show, the 2 mice come around to the tables. I liked the picture package. It worked out well, they give you an 8 x 10 in a folder and 4 4 x 6. There were 4 of us, so we each got a 4 x 6 and the birthday girl got the 8 x 10 in the folder.

 

[Praise2Him]

My DD and I have been there every year since she was 10 and she's now 17. We've done both breakfast and lunch - they are both good, but we prefer lunch. I don't think your DD will be disappointed with whichever you choose

 

[dburg30]

If your DD is 'into' princesses, then do it! I liked breakfast for the reason listed above, you are ready to enter the park THEN. Do NOT get excited about having some awesome, unforgettable breakfast though!! You will be disappointed, it's not horrible, just remember, you are doing it more for the experience, then the food and you will be fine!!!

 

[ROEDISNEY]

When we go to WDW next March (our 3rd family trip), DD 14 asked if we could "eat in the castle". We've never done this before and she doesn't usually make requests so I'd like to make her request a reality.

Has anyone been recently? My daughter just thinks it would be "really cool" to eat there. Will she be disappointed?

WHEN should we go? Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? We'll be staying at POP and are early risers so a morning ressie would be okay. I think we'll be in the park EARLY another day for the train tour though, so seeing the park empty (my dream) will have been met during the trip.

Do you still get to interact with characters? If so, which ones? Again, not a big deal as DS is 11 and DD will be 14, but would still be fun...

Thanks for any help you can give!

Also, I know the ressie system has changed recently, at least I think it has! When can I make my ressies? 180 days from the meal, or 180 days from the start of our stay at POP, or something else?

Thanks again!

Your dd is right it is a cool place to go. In my opinion go for dinner.

 

[Soupermom]

My DD isn't really into the princesses, but she is into cool buildings and architecture!

Thanks everyone for your info. It's been very helpful!

 

[Vijoge]

I live far away from there, in the south suburbs (very close to I-80).

We're in Joliet!

 

[JoePa4Ever]

We think it is really cool to eat inside the castle - we've been there for breakfast on two previous occasions & have really enjoyed it. It's fun to eat in the castle & we've had great character interaction with the princesses. The breakfast menu is rather limited, but they have stuffed french toast! We're eating there this year & we're really looking forward to it. FYI: the CRT breakfast adr can be extremely difficult to get - you have to call exactly 180 days ahead of your arrival date @ 7:00 am to get this.

 

[KristinAnne]

I think it's cool to eat in the castle...just because you know you're eating inside the castle. We just celebrated our 1st anniversary there, and it was really nice. We had dinner, so the character interaction was minimal, but just enough to be really cute and fun, but it didn't take over anything and we could just enjoy being together. If your family really likes the characters, go for breakfast.

 

[PEANUT1]

If you want to do something special for the kids, they have a special dessert you can order ahead of time. My hubby did this for me. It is a Cinderella slipper made entirely of chocolate with fruit around it. It was quite impressive. Have fun.

We have only done breakfast and it is quite good. I really love breakfast, but ,hubby kind of thinks it is a waste of money to pay so much for breakfsast.

 

[SGMCO]

My DS is almost 13 and wanted to get to eat inside the Castle
but didn't want to see the Princesses so we are going for Dinner.
There will not be as many little girls dressed as princesses for dinner,
I think Breakfast and lunch is where most of the kids like to eat
because the princesses make their appreance--it also seems
like it would be hectic and very noisey.

 

[WDWDecember]

We have an ADR for dinner at the CRT. I don't see a separate child's menu for this prix fixe dinner- is this right?

 

[Soupermom]

I think breakfast will work well for us, just because we are earlier risers and it would be nice to be in the park early. The dinner choices didn't look all that appealing to me. Guess I'll ask DD when she comes home though--we're flexible.

I'll call on the 180 point and see what I can do. Luckily we have a couple days to choose as options so hopefully I'll be successful. There used to be a "secret" method to getting through the phone lines quickly...can anyone share that? Any special phone number we should use?

Just how loud is it early in the morning?

Thanks again to everyone!

P.S. That slipper looks AMAZING! You were able to get that with your breakfast? Would you mind sharing the cost? That would be a great surprise for DD!