Cinderella's Royal Table @ WDW...has anyone eaten here?

[daflobber]

I've made reservations for dinner during our upcoming vacation. I wanted to make reservations for lunch but they were booked already. I'm going with my wife and our 2.5 year old daughter who is starting to really get into the whole "Princess" thing. It's unclear to me if the characters will be circulating here during dinner. I've been told they are around during breakfast and lunch but not dinner. I've heard that atmosphere is awesome and the food is really good but I'm afraid my daughter would only be interested in seeing the princesses and other characters. It's pretty pricy so I might want to cancel the reservations if the characters are not in attendence. If they aren't circulating are they at least in the room where the kids can meet them and get photos and autographs?

Can anyone give me their review of the experience they had here for dinner? Is there a secret way to get in for lunch if I don't have a reservation now? We'll be there February 17 and 18. Thanks!!!

[AwallaceUNC]

I really want to eat there one day, but the prices have kept me away. The characters won't be there during dinner, but they are there for breakfast and lunch. There are other restaurants that have character dining dinners, but Cinderella only shows up inside her castle. The characters won't be inside Cinderella's Royal Table during dinner.

The breakfast and lunch reservations tend to fill up pretty quickly for this one, and I think they start accepting them 120 days in advance (as opposed to 60 or 90 for most other places). You can try changing your dinner reservation to a breakfast or lunch one. The cast member at Disney Dining will work with you to see if there are any openings at anytime during your stay.

If you can't get reservations, try showing up anyways for a walk-in. If someone cancels their reservation at the last minute or if they just don't show, then you may get in. I have heard of people getting in as walk-ins quite often, especially during less busy times of the year.

If that doesn't work, Cinderella and the other princesses can still be met inside the park. Check the Times Guide inside the parks to see when characters are scheduled to appear... that's not very detailed, though, so you can ask a cast member inside the park to find out when and where a certain character will be. A good place to look for Cinderella and the other princesses is in ToonTown's Hall of Fame.

Like I said, I've never been there, but I do know that the lunch program, which just started this summer, is $23.99 per person of age 10 and over ($12.99 for ages 3-9), and of course you have to have Magic Kingdom admission for the day you are going to eat. You get a family style salad, a choice of entree (from adult or children's menu), a dessert, and a beverage (no alcohol).

The lunch reservations, if you are able to make them, require a $10 per guest deposit ($5 for guests 3-9). "Lunch" is considered to be noon-2pm each day of the week. "Breakfast" is 8am-11:15am daily. (If you have the first reservation spot, you will be able to enter the park before it opens to go directly to the castle for breakfast).

The breakfast prices are $21.99 ($11.99 for ages 3-9). I'm not sure if the breakfast reservations also require a depost; you'll have to ask Disney Dining.

To see the full menus, click here: http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm#mk

You can call Disney Dining at 407-WDW-DINE

-Aaron

[jwa1107]

If you can't get reservations, try showing up anyways for a walk-in. If someone cancels their reservation at the last minute or if they just don't show, then you may get in. I have heard of people getting in as walk-ins quite often, especially during less busy times of the year.

my wife is quite good at getting us walk-ins. it must be her bit o' magic.
we've gone to meals at Liberty Tree thrice and Crystal Palace all on walk-ins that she's just talked her way into.

[The Little Merman]

Aaron has probably told you most of what you want to hear about prices etc., but I've actually attended the dinner. The atmosphere was absolutley magical, and the food was, in my family's opinion, the best in Walt Disney World. It was phenomenal, and you need to check out the "Bibbidi Boppidi Brew", which comes in a great keepsake glass cup.

Being an incredibly "young" 14-year-old, I was upset that no characters were in attendence at the dinner, but, the breakfast does include characters, not that we actually went. However, as Aaron previously stated, Mickey's Toontown Hall of Fame is a great place for your daughter to meet all of the Princesses she wants!

Hope it helps..

*tlm

[MinnieMe]

We booked two days before for dinner last March. It was just my mom and I. I am surprised two people have said no characters go around because Cinderella definitely walked around to the different tables when we went. Maybe it was just a fluke.

The food was incredible and the ambiance great. We were there during the Wishes fireworks and could see all the lights on the big bag windows facing Fantasyland. Yes, it was very expensive ($85 for two) but it was worth the experience.

For a child though I'd try to get into an opening for breakfast or lunch if she's really into the characters. Sounds like it's not definite that characters are there during dinner and I might have just been lucky seeing Cinderella. Also be ready to shell out the $$, but the food is really great and the waitstaff are also fun- very "in character."

[daflobber]

Thanks for all the great advice. After doing more seaching and calling Disney reservations it seems that Cinderella is there to greet the guests when they arrive for dinner and to take a photo. There are no characters that circulate for dinner at the Royal Table. I haven't canceled my reservations yet but I did make new ones for Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner as well. They for sure have the characters circulating (only at dinner). I'll decide later which one to cancel.

FYI for anyone calling for reservation. I had to pay in advance using a credit card for the Royal Table at dinner. I think the total for 2 adults was $95! I have until 24hrs before to cancel and get my money back. The Liberty Tavern and the Crystal Buffet let me make reservations without using a credit card.

[AwallaceUNC]

"Bibbidi Boppidi Brew"

This has always sounded awesome to me, even though I don't even know what's in it.

MinnieMe- $85 for 2? Wow! If it cost that much, then maybe you were there for some sort of special event and that's why Cinderella was making her rounds? Or like you said, maybe it was just a random appearance.

FYI for anyone calling for reservation. I had to pay in advance using a credit card for the Royal Table at dinner. I think the total for 2 adults was $95! I have until 24hrs before to cancel and get my money back.

I wonder if this is a new policy. I knew about the deposits (which I only heard about for the first time recently), but I've never heard of this before.

-Aaron

[MinnieMe]

MinnieMe- $85 for 2? Wow! If it cost that much, then maybe you were there for some sort of special event and that's why Cinderella was making her rounds? Or like you said, maybe it was just a random appearance.

FYI for anyone calling for reservation. I had to pay in advance using a credit card for the Royal Table at dinner. I think the total for 2 adults was $95! I have until 24hrs before to cancel and get my money back.

I wonder if this is a new policy. I knew about the deposits (which I only heard about for the first time recently), but I've never heard of this before.

-Aaron

Well, we both got salads, an entree and a dessert, but yeah- it was quite expensive. Especially for a meal that doesn't include alcohol it was VERY pricey. And I don't know about Cinderella- we saw her come out downstairs while you wait for a second and then after we were upstairs eating she walked around to all the tables. Guess it was just out of the ordinary!!

And I do think that's a new policy (the deposit). We had to give our CC number but we didn't have to pay any money up front!!!

[daflobber]

I think "money up front" and "deposit" were ment to be mean the same thing here. I don't think they charged my card right now but if we don't show up we'll get charged.

[lord-of-sith]

I've been to the breakfast, and it was awesome! The food was great and the atmosphere was very magical, there are a good and varied selection of characters.

[musicradio77]

We been to the Cinderella's Royal Table at Disney World 12 years ago. My parents and my uncle were there. I met all of the characters like Snow White, Cinderella, Alice and the rest. We had a great time. I might as well go back again soon.

[Wonderlicious]

This may not still be here, but I once read in an unofficial guide book that at one point, Cinderella (or other princesses/characters) stands in the main foyer of the restaurant. A reader said that she just went into the foyer and got autographs and photos with Cinderella, which was a much cheaper option than paying huge prices. If someone can verify that they still do that and you don't want to pay huge prices, then I'd probably do that. Even if they don't do that, though, there's still hope. A lot of other restaurants have cheaper character meals featuring animated heroines of some sort (possibly try the hotels), many of the princesses can be found in odd places and the Hall of Fame thing that Aaron mentioned is probably a good place to find the princesses as well. That's my advice.

[Kram Nebuer]

[omitted by Kram] maybe you were there for some sort of special event and that's why Cinderella was making her rounds? Or like you said, maybe it was just a random appearance.

Well of course, Cinderella was either waiting to go on parade in Spectromagic or she was just returning it, having seen Wishes enough times to not stick around Main Street. Rather than watching ESPN with Prince Charming, she visits her dinner guests.

On a more serious note, daflobber, if you're looking for a Princess character meal that's probably less pricier, try the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (formerly the Restaurant Akershus) in the Norway Pavillion in Epcot. They have a somewhat new "Princess Storybook Dining" for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Cinderella isn't there as she only dines at her castle, but Jasmine, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Pocahontas, Mulan, and oddly enough, Mary Poppins have been in attendance. For more detailed information and prices: http://allearsnet.com/din/rev_princess.htm There are many reviews. I read the first dozen and the reactions are mixed, but mostly good.

[AwallaceUNC]

On a more serious note, daflobber, if you're looking for a Princess character meal that's probably less pricier, try the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (formerly the Restaurant Akershus) in the Norway Pavillion in Epcot

Plus, Norway is pretty much the coolest place in Epcot! I've never eaten in Akershus due to $, but I have been to its counter-service sister, Kringla Bakeri og Cafe, and it's great. Good suggestion, Kram!

-Aaron

[pinkrenata]

I ate there back when it was called King Stephan's Banquet Hall ( roughly 16 years ago or so). To my disappointment, Cinderella never made an appearance at the table, but she was sitting at the entrance on our way out. By that time I was so scared to meet her that I sat down next to her just long enough so that she could sign my autograph book. My mother was quite angry that she never got a decent picture of the two of us. In any case, it seems now the place has changed to allow more princesses and has more of a character dining sort of atmosphere. I particularily remember enjoying milk out of a silver goblet.