Is it worth doing Akershus & CRT?

[DLPDreams]

I am finalising ADR plan for next week booking - yikes! And I'm getting in a muddle!!

I hope to do dinner at CRT the day we do BBB with the girls. So that is a definite (subject to getting an ADR).

But, I also have Akershus 'booked' on the plan. If I'm honest, I think I would have preferred the latter but think my girls will prefer the Castle setting. Should we do them both?

If I don't do Akershus, I have one free credit which I am debating doing lunch at Hollywood & Vine for my youngest. She will be just 7 when we go and still wants to meet the likes of Sofia - is she still at there at lunchtime? My eldest will be way too cool for it at 10, but will have to come along for the ride.

Help - what should I do - scratch off Akershus and do H&V instead?

I am guessing that we'll meet very similar Princesses at CRT and Akershus? There are so many other nice places to eat at Epcot - we could use a CS credit there and still get a nice meal!

 

[chmurf]

I wouldn't do both CRT and Akershus, as they're a bit redundant.
CRT has the castle setting, and all the princessey stuff.
Akershus is less expensive (credits-wise)

it's a tough one, especially with girls who will want to meet as many princesses as they can

you can meet Sofia in the animation courtyard, but you'll have to wait in line, or you could book a H&V breakfast and pay OOP if you don't have a credit left. Breakfast buffets are the least expensive meals onsite (if you have ohana breakfast, or sci-fi dine in you could also pay one of those OOP and leave a credit.
Ohana is inexpensive ($26 par adult) and at restaurants like sci-fi you might want to go for a simple entrée without dessert, so better paid OOP than with a credit)

depending on your plans you can tweak the restaurants plan.

 

[bas71873]

For our first trip, 7 years ago, we did both and were glad we did. We did a late breakfast at the castle after an early BBB appointment and saw Cinderella, Snow White, Belle (blue dress), Sleeping Beauty and Mary Poppins. Then another day we did breakfast at Akershus (we didn't like the offerings for dinner, I knew no one would eat the food). There we got to see see Belle (in yellow dress), Jasmine, Mulan, Ariel (wedding dress) and Mary Poppins (she was the only repeat).

We also did H&V for dinner one evening when the Little Einsteins were still there. I would personally go for CRT and Akershus. More bang for your buck character wise IMO.

 

[Elise79]

According to Kenny The Pirate the current characters are as follows:
Akershus - Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan (occasional), Snow White or Mary Poppins (rare)
CRT - Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Jasmine, Snow White

Now we have never done Akershus - the menu for it just doesn't appeal however we have done breakfast at CRT 3 times and hoping for a 4th in August. DD loves the Castle setting and it is really special for her. She has never done (nor asked to do) BBB so we just go for early breakfast. One year she was made Princess of the Day and got to open the restaurant and was first to see all the Princesses The princesses listed above for CRT are the ones we have seen every time we have been. They don't seem to change much now.

 

[chmurf]

We also did H&V for dinner one evening when the Little Einsteins were still there.

just FYI, characters are no longer there for Dinner
Characters are there for breakfast and lunch. (Dinner is bookable as a Fantasmic! package)

 

[DLPDreams]

Thanks a lot for the advice.

I think I am going to skip Akershus (we would have been doing lunch and I'm not sure DD2 would eat it!), and do H&V instead another day. We have met nearly all the Princesses before at DLP - I think Mulan is the only one we haven't met so we'll search her out (if she's about) at Epcot or somewhere. Oh, and Tiana too - DD1 desperate to meet her - but she's not likely to be at either venue, so not an issue really. I think the girls will prefer eating in the Castle and as it sounds like you can't walk around it as much as you can at DLP (they love doing that!), I think it's a nice thing.

DD2 is still smaller, and while I probably shouldn't look at this way, but she will get the most out of H&V rather than AK I think as she hasn't met any Dis Junior characters before, rather than DD2 seeing Princesses again that she's met lots of times before iyswim!

We are doing Park Fayre (twice - breakfast & dinner) so really hoping to meet Mary Poppins then - one we haven't met and we'd love to! Can't wait to meet the Tremaines too

 

[catherine]

We've done both and have had fun at both, the interaction with the princesses is awesome at both places. We also love the photo packages from both venues. The only drawback with Akershus is that it feels really cramped as there isn't a lot of room between the tables, which probably wouldn't be as much of a problem if there wasn't a buffet! I agree with going to CRT and booking H&V that way you'll get to see a variety of characters You can see Mulan in Epcot at the China pavilion! We also always go to Park Fayre for b'fast and Mary Poppins is always there!

 

[USCAnna]

We've done both. My kids, husband, and I are pretty adventurous eaters, and will try most anything. That being said, we did not care very much for the food at Akershus at all. Our experience at CRT was much better. The dining area is much smaller and a more intimate experience, which to me is ultimately what you want in a character dining experience. The food was pretty good...certainly not five star quality, but a solid, tasty meal. We are going to try 1900 Park Fare this summer for dinner...mainly because we want to see the stepsisters and Lady Tremaine!

 

[DLPDreams]

We've done both and have had fun at both, the interaction with the princesses is awesome at both places. We also love the photo packages from both venues. The only drawback with Akershus is that it feels really cramped as there isn't a lot of room between the tables, which probably wouldn't be as much of a problem if there wasn't a buffet! I agree with going to CRT and booking H&V that way you'll get to see a variety of characters You can see Mulan in Epcot at the China pavilion! We also always go to Park Fayre for b'fast and Mary Poppins is always there!

We've done both. My kids, husband, and I are pretty adventurous eaters, and will try most anything. That being said, we did not care very much for the food at Akershus at all. Our experience at CRT was much better. The dining area is much smaller and a more intimate experience, which to me is ultimately what you want in a character dining experience. The food was pretty good...certainly not five star quality, but a solid, tasty meal. We are going to try 1900 Park Fare this summer for dinner...mainly because we want to see the stepsisters and Lady Tremaine!

Thank you both - it's decided for sure! Let's just keep fingers crossed I can get CRT on the day I hoped to as it needs to fit in with BBB and A&E FP - not an easy task!!

I think I've made the right choice for us .

 

[Newsies]

Thank you both - it's decided for sure! Let's just keep fingers crossed I can get CRT on the day I hoped to as it needs to fit in with BBB and A&E FP - not an easy task!!

I think I've made the right choice for us .

Glad to hear you've settled it out! Are you going to keep Akershus in the back of your mind if you can't get into CRT? I hope your trip is fantastic

 

[DLPDreams]

Glad to hear you've settled it out! Are you going to keep Akershus in the back of your mind if you can't get into CRT? I hope your trip is fantastic

Thank you so much!

I am keeping my fingers crossed - we are actually wanting to go for an early dinner (18.00) on day 4 of our first 180+10, so I am hoping that will work. I can be flexible - give or take up to an hour, if need be. I have already changed my plans once this week - well, in fact more, but I had CRT day 16 or something, and suddenly realised if I wanted to stand a better chance of booking, I needed to get it in my 180+10 days somewhere!

I will keep Akershus in mind, but because we are doing BBB and MK that day, to head across to Epcot would be a faff tbh.

Fingers crossed. I should be able to book BBB the same day as doing my ADRs so hopefully that will work out!

I am sooo overthinking this whole thing!

 

[wayneg]

We have done Akershus twice and would again without question, love the food there, smoked salmon, peel & eat shrimp plus loads more on the buffet plus good entrees. Great interaction with Princesses, especially the 2nd time when there were only about 10 families dining.

Unfortunately CRT was totally the opposite, we were last table, the Princesses could not get out of there quick enough, literally a few seconds at our table and off. Food was absolutely awful, most tasteless driest meal I have ever been served (see below)
Others love it but we won't return.

 

[DLPDreams]

We have done Akershus twice and would again without question, love the food there, smoked salmon, peel & eat shrimp plus loads more on the buffet plus good entrees. Great interaction with Princesses, especially the 2nd time when there were only about 10 families dining.

Unfortunately CRT was totally the opposite, we were last table, the Princesses could not get out of there quick enough, literally a few seconds at our table and off. Food was absolutely awful, most tasteless driest meal I have ever been served (see below)
Others love it but we won't return.

Yuck - that looks terrible! I certainly won't be happy if we get that kind of meal! I have read a few people saying they prefer Akershus for the meal/food etc but mainly adults I think. Children tend not to like the food - other than at breakfast which we wouldn't be doing anyway. But, I think dining in the castle will swing it for us - unfortunately though, a lot of people take that view and so for a 2 TS meal, they don't always up their game!

 

[chmurf]

We also love the photo packages from both venues

photo packages at both venues has been discontinued.

Guests will now only get the digital version of the pictures added to their MDX account.

 

[bex7583]

Thank you so much!

I am keeping my fingers crossed - we are actually wanting to go for an early dinner (18.00) on day 4 of our first 180+10, so I am hoping that will work. I can be flexible - give or take up to an hour, if need be. I have already changed my plans once this week - well, in fact more, but I had CRT day 16 or something, and suddenly realised if I wanted to stand a better chance of booking, I needed to get it in my 180+10 days somewhere!

I will keep Akershus in mind, but because we are doing BBB and MK that day, to head across to Epcot would be a faff tbh.

Fingers crossed. I should be able to book BBB the same day as doing my ADRs so hopefully that will work out!

I am sooo overthinking this whole thing!

we went to akershaus after our bbb and it really was no bother we just hopped on the monorail from magic kingdom to epcot
i admit it was the reservation i was least looking forward to based on the menu ( we booked it purely for princess day for dd)but it turned out to be one of my favourite meals we had onsite

 

[bex7583]

the kids menu at akershaus was similar to the kids menu at most other ts places so unless your children are on adult dining there should be something to suit them x

 

[joolz1910]

We ate at Akershus in 2012 and we loved the food. The interaction was good and the photo-package was a nice bonus. Considering CRT as a change for this year but not too sure yet.

 

[catherine]

photo packages at both venues has been discontinued.

Guests will now only get the digital version of the pictures added to their MDX account.

Yes, sorry I forgot to add that the packages are no longer available. I still think that it's lovely to have the photo opportunity!

 

[jothp]

I think we will be doing both. I figure by the time we get to go again (if ever) none of the girls might want to meet princesses so we might as well make the most of it this time.

 

[Newsies]

Thank you so much!

I am keeping my fingers crossed - we are actually wanting to go for an early dinner (18.00) on day 4 of our first 180+10, so I am hoping that will work. I can be flexible - give or take up to an hour, if need be. I have already changed my plans once this week - well, in fact more, but I had CRT day 16 or something, and suddenly realised if I wanted to stand a better chance of booking, I needed to get it in my 180+10 days somewhere!

I will keep Akershus in mind, but because we are doing BBB and MK that day, to head across to Epcot would be a faff tbh.

Fingers crossed. I should be able to book BBB the same day as doing my ADRs so hopefully that will work out!

I am sooo overthinking this whole thing!

Totally got your dilemma. If you can't get a CRT ADR, and Epcot is too far away from you, I totally second the notions to visit 1900PF! It's an incredibly short boat ride away, the food is great, and it's perfect for the "theme of the day". Not only do you meet Cindy, but Lady Tremaine and the sisters are hilarious and Prince Charming would be absolutely adorable interacting with your girls in their BBB wear. Best of luck on your ADR hunting!!! Sending pixie dust