Disappointed at the Castle

[kb111570]

Anyone else disappointed in a recent experience at Cinderella's Castle? We ate there for dinner on 2-09. It cost two credits from our dining plan. The food was so-so, banquet style. The "show" was laughable. Even our waiter said he was reaching his boiling point with the changes that were made. He said that the new customers look like zombies and that return customers are angry with the changes. I actually mentioned our frustration to a manager and he said its not the first time he has heard it and won't be the last.

 

[TooBoyz4us]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

It has always been our tradition to have lunch at the castle on the day we leave WDW.
This time we have decided we will not be doing that because of the change to 2 TS credits.

Maybe,just maybe if they get enough complaints, they will change things back again.
Don't mess with a good thing Disney!!

 

[dtaylor98]

Maybe they will get the message and make some changes. We were planning to do dinner at the castle. My 18-year-old daughter said she had always wanted to go in the castle but we had never done it. We thought that this time we'd try it because we would be on the dining plan. But when they changed it to 2 TS we decided that it wasn't worth it.

 

[MareQ]

We were there 2/5 - not on a dining plan. We had eaten lunch and dinner there many times before - this was the first time obviously after they made the changes on 2/1. We were not impressed and see no reason to go back unless they change it back....

 

[bicker]

It all depends on how it affects bookings. Clearly, before, they were charging way too little, because it was impossible to get reservations even just a few hours after they started taking reservations. It did seem to me that the increase was a bit too much, though, and that the correct price-point would be somewhere in-between what it was and what it is now, though only time will tell.

 

[BCV23]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

It has always been our tradition to have lunch at the castle on the day we leave WDW.
This time we have decided we will not be doing that because of the change to 2 TS credits.

Maybe,just maybe if they get enough complaints, they will change things back again.
Don't mess with a good thing Disney!!

It had been our tradition to have lunch there on our first full day. We've tried the new lunch menu twice now and are not impressed at all with the food. I miss the coachman's and the salad that came with it. Now the bread is different, the sandwich is smaller and is accompanied by sweet potato chips which I personally hate.

I think the princesses did a fine job and David is amazing at introducing them. So funny.

I do wish that lunch would go back to no characters and a la carte. But only time will tell if the market will bear those prices!!!

 

[maggiew]

We've done CRT breakfast twice in the past. But their new pricing scheme has made us look elsewhere. Not to mention that my two kids are considered adults in Disney's eyes. So, I can't see spending $31.99 per person for 4 people for BREAKFAST!!!!!

We also went to CRT for lunch, pre characters and had a great time. I wish they would bring back at least one non-character meal, non-prefixed price meal at the castle.

Maggie

 

[SeaSpray]

You know, dinner at the castle was the one meal that a family could feel good about taking their girls AND boys to, that wasn't loaded with princesses. (Not to mention the fact that they did away with the Villain's Dinner a few years ago). The castle itself is actually somewhat masculine looking, when it's not overrun with princesses. We loved Disney's attempt at an authentic-looking castle, and we even went to dinner at the castle on every trip, usually on our first night at WDW, whether DSs were with us or not. It was just a cool place to have dinner, and I loved the filet mignon there. Our next trip will be our very first trip to NOT include dinner at the castle.

Now the castle has turned into a side-show for princesses at EVERY meal, AND they've done away with the filet mignon. Good grief.

P.S. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the princesses, in fact our entire family did the Princess Breakfast at the castle back in 2001 and really enjoyed it. However, we enjoyed our dinners at the castle even more. I don't even mind the price increase, but it's the EXPERIENCE itself that they've now screwed up by making all three meals a princess experience, and by limiting the menus. ARG. I could go on and on about this subject, but I won't.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I do wish that lunch would go back to no characters and a la carte. But only time will tell if the market will bear those prices!!!

Totally agree with this! Helloooo-TPTB--are you listening?

Would someone kindly tell me what the new show involves? Thanks!

 

[kb111570]

The show consists of the Fairy Godmother and the mice coming out for approx. 10 mins (if that). Asking people to raise their hands if they are celebrating certain occasions. A song is sung. Thats it, terriblly boring. Everyone looks around at each other and you can tell they are thinking "is that it?". Honestly, dont waste your money or time. Hopefully, they will change it back. Again, even the employees are not happy with the changes and they hear alot of complaints. The kids mini hot dogs were 2 tiny little franks on the same bread they served at the beginning of the meal.

 

[Doting Grandma]

We (5 adults, lone 4yo girl) had dinner at the Castle on 2/4/06. I totally agree with the previous posts -- BUT -- my 4yo DGD loved it!! We adults all got different eppetizers, entrees and desserts and none of us were all that impressed, although it was certainly edible. The "show" consists of the fairy godmother, Suzy and Perla flitting about the room while the fairy godmother sings/talks from a scripted performance. Not much interaction with the guests. I'm glad we went since my DGD was so excited about it, but probably would not return unless she insisted.

The photos taken in the lobby are really very nice and we're glad to have them.

 

[Micca]

Although we'll never tire of the the castle from the outside, our infatuation with dining inside ended in the 80s. We were never that impressed with the food or the entertainment.

 

[BCV23]

Although we'll never tire of the the castle from the outside, our infatuation with dining inside ended in the 80s. We were never that impressed with the food or the entertainment.

But the food got much better in the 90's.

What entertainment do you remember? I've seen someting about King Stphan actually being there but we never saw that.

 

[jonimce]

We also have tried the princess breakfast in the past, but never got a chance to have lunch or dinner there. I guess now we won't, unless they change back.

 

[Thinktinknpixiedust]

We ate at the castle for the first time last summer when it was only 1 credit on the plan. I am happy we did that, but all of us agreed that we did not need to do it again, especially now that it is 2 credits. The ambiance made it worth our while last time!

 

[bicker]

I think we can be sure that they won't change it back. If anything, they'll change it to something else. What it used to be was a mistake -- a badly wasted opportunity. It sounds like its still not what it needs to be. Sammie was just mentioning the process that is typically used for new offerings. Perhaps they're testing how far they can really go, in an effort to establish the boundaries, since everything they've tried in the past to make it right have failed miserably.

 

[SeaSpray]

I think we can be sure that they won't change it back. If anything, they'll change it to something else. What it used to be was a mistake -- a badly wasted opportunity. It sounds like its still not what it needs to be. Sammie was just mentioning the process that is typically used for new offerings. Perhaps they're testing how far they can really go, in an effort to establish the boundaries, since everything they've tried in the past to make it right have failed miserably.

What it used to be was a mistake? I'm not sure I understand what you mean. It USED to have a normal lunch menu/experience and a normal dinner menu/experience. From what I've read on these boards and from what I've experienced myself, lunch and dinner were fairly popular and well-liked. The food was of a decent quality, the service was excellent every time we were there, and the ambiance was very, very nice.

I don't think that not using the restaurant inside the castle as a character meal was a badly wasted opportunity. Quite the opposite. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience a meal inside the castle without having the stresses included with booking the princess breakfast. The "performances" by the servers were quite adequate; it was fun to dine in a castle and be called "the Queen", and have your husband and sons referred to as "the King" and "princes". Our servers never broke character. It was just enough fun to remind you that you were dining inside a castle, without all the hoopla of a character meal.

 

[DisneyMim]

I am another one who enjoyed it as a non-character meal. Don't get me wrong, I understand that Disney's greatest experiences are their character meals, but enough is enough. My family loved the castle BECAUSE there was NO characters at night. We also liked the menu. We just made ressies for our next trip and we booked the castle for dinner one night. My family of four (all adults) will be using the DDE card, we are not on the Dining Plan. My kids are already concerned that it won't be the same. I am hoping we enjoy it. We've been going to Disney forever and for us part of the charm is eating in our favorite restaurants. It's not like we go every week, just once or twice a year. I'm upset that Disney keeps changing restaurants, menus, etc. Again, I'm all for character meals, but do they have to make more and more places into them? As an example, we used to loveThe Land Grill Room when it was non-character. Every time we go by there the restaurant looks empty. We tried it with the characters and it was just so-so. Oh well, sorry for the vent. I'm keeping my fingeres crossed about this new castle dinner.

 

[bicker]

What it used to be was a mistake? I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

The breakfast price didn't match the supply and demand; that was the mistake I was referring to.

It USED to have a normal lunch menu/experience and a normal dinner menu/experience.

Their experience with breakfast makes it very clear that Disney can come up with a character experience for lunch and dinner that, if priced better perhaps, would be far more profitable than the old normal lunch menu/experience and normal dinner menu/experience they used to provide.

I don't think that not using the restaurant inside the castle as a character meal was a badly wasted opportunity.

Really? I'll defer to Disney's experts, who have the market research data on that, rather than go on my gut-feel.

I will grant you, though, that it was a nice place to eat. I liked it. I just wouldn't pay as much for it as it seems others would pay for a character experience there.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

I agree with the previous posters. We used to love going to the Castle for lunch. We were planning on trying for the Princess breakfast when our grandchildren were old enough as a once in a lifetime thing, but a non-character meal there was a must-do for us on every visit.

Now we may book the Princess breakfast once (or maybe not, since I've heard from so many that the food is just ok at best), but the Castle is pretty much crossed off our list from now on. Too bad -- I'm going to miss it, but not enough to put up with mediocre-to-poor food, rushed character interaction, and ridiculous prices. If you're listening, Disney, I'm telling all my friends, and like so many others on the DIS, I'm the go-to Disney planner in my circle!!!