Please Vote: Castle dinner or not?? **UPDATE - Bottom of Page 1**

[SeaSpray]

A little background: We LOVE (or should I say, LOVED) the castle for dinner, before all the changes. It was our traditional "First night at Disney World" restaurant. We liked the food, service, and ambiance. Since we like to go to the Magic Kingdom first, it was always the perfect spot for that first dinner.

For this next trip, I did not even plan to have dinner there at all, for several reasons:

1. They've done away with my personal favorite, the filet mignon. (DH has had the prime rib there before and liked it, I like prime rib and chicken, so I know I'd be able to find something on the new menu that I liked).

2. Have no interest in having a formal picture taken with Cinderella (Sorry, Cinderella LOL). Also have no interest in the little "special celebrations" thing they do, which I've read is a very short presentation anyway. But has the ambiance/feeling of the restaurant changed at all because of this?? Are there a LOT more tiny kids at dinner now, than there used to be?? Little kids don't bother me, of course, but just trying to get a feel for the atmosphere at dinner now, with the changes.

3. We'll be dining with friends for all dinners, and was not sure they'd want to dine at the castle again, especially with all these changes.

HOWEVER...and this is a BIG "However":

I just found out today that Delta cancelled our late-night flight and instead booked us in the afternoon. When I told this to DH, he said he'd take the day off of work, so we could fly down in the morning. WOO HOO! Now we'll be arriving in early afternoon of our first day, instead of midnight!!! And now, I get to plan a dinner, for that first night. Which puts me back to "Where should we have dinner on our first night??" LOL

We'll be dining alone now on our first night, just the two of us, so reason #3 no longer applies. I think I can overlook reasons #1 and #2. lol I've narrowed it down to two parks for that first evening; Magic Kingdom or Epcot. So I want to choose a sit-down restaurant at either of those parks. And this is what lead me to reconsider having dinner at the castle, on that first night.

Is the new dinner at the castle really horrible? I mean, have they totally screwed it up now, or can two people who used to LOVE having dinner at the castle on their first night, still basically enjoy it??

Here is where YOU come in. LOL If you've had dinner at the castle since the changes, please vote and post, and give me your opinion! I'm really hoping to hear that dinner at the castle isn't as bad now as I'm imagining it to be. lol I'd love to go to the MK that first night, and have dinner there. But I don't want to be hugely disappointed, either.

P.S. The price increase really doesn't factor into our decision, so when you're going to vote, leave the new pricing out.

P.P.S. These are the other sit-down restaurants we'll be dining at on this trip: 'Ohana (breakfast and dinner), Boma (breakfast and dinner), 50's Prime Time, Restaurant Marrakesh, Brown Derby, Le Cellier, Liberty Tree Tavern.

 

[mom2alix]

For just the two of you consider Bistro de Paris. The food is so good. It is sooo romantic and if you can get a table next to the window to see Illuminations you will start a new tradition.

 

[abaldacci]

don't go to the castle

 

[lovinpoohbear]

I think you should go for it and see how you like it with the new changes It sounds like to me, eating at the castle has been very special for you!!! I have booked the lunch and I just can't wait until April for my special meal I think you should go, have fun and see how you like the new changes!!!

 

[georgina]

Well, I voted before i read your whole post. We haven't eaten there since the changes, but I would still go, looking at the new menu. I would NOT take my kids there, because I think it would be a waste of money, as they are all considered adults by Disney, but the younger 2 do not eat like adults and would not like the food choices.

 

[Keebles]

I've been having this same debate with myself that you are having SeaSpray...I can't imagine my first meal NOT being at CRT, but I am definitely NOT into the whole character meal thing. It's been a really difficult decision for me and I'm watching your thread closely to see what others say.

Let us know what you decision is!!

 

[vascubaguy]

We are giving it a shot on our upcoming trip because we liked it so much on our last trip. I was a bit skeptical due to the changes and I couldn't imagine going there each trip... I mean how many portraits with Cinderella do you really need?

After this next trip, we probably won't go back to CRT unless they change again. And if we weren't going to CRT this trip, I would probably head over to CA Grill, Cirtricos or Narcoossee's. Or, if you really wanna splurge... Victoria & Albert's.

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks for all the votes, but after giving this a lot of thought, and taking into consideration the fact that we'll be at the AKL for the first time and had not planned a dinner at Jiko into the trip, we've decided to have a late dinner at Jiko that first night, after AK park closes. I've already read a lot of great things about Jiko, so I don't know why this idea didn't occur to me sooner. LOL

Jiko, here we come!