Last year during our trip to Disney World, we enjoyed several character meals throughout the week. I have to say, I LOVE character meals at Disney. I probably enjoy them as much as Lily Bean – but for completely different reasons. My favorite features of these meals includes the fact that we get to enjoy a nice family meal together while Disney characters swirl around the room and come to US. That sure beats waiting in line for an hour or more outside in the parks to meet them… do I need to remind you of the time Lily came within feet of throwing up on Rapunzel? So as I was saying – character meals – big thumbs up!
We happened to be in Disney World for our 6th wedding anniversary that week, so we wanted to make it a special celebration.
You can make reservations at certain Disney World restaurants (including character meals) up to 180 days prior to your visit. The most popular restaurants and mealtimes book up quickly – especially during peak seasons.
This was our first time dining at Cinderella’s Castle – we were SO excited! Since we were already booked for the Princess Breakfast at Akershus later in the week, we chose to head to the castle for dinner.
After a lazy morning spent floating in our resort pool, we made our way to the park. We surprised Lily with a princess makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. We brought along the Cinderella dress and the Fairy Godmothers at the Boutique performed magic on her hair and makeup. She was only too excited to prance her pixie-dusted-self around the park after that!
We had dinner reservations at 5 pm, so after the parade and a little souvenir browsing, we started to make our way back to the castle.
Dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table
Note: Admission to this restaurant requires an admission ticket to Magic Kingdom
Location: Magic Kingdom inside Cinderella’s Castle
Meals served: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Reservations are highly recommended and it is not uncommon for the restaurant to be fully booked – so reserve your spot early. Payment in advance is required for this restaurant. At the time of booking, your credit card will be charged for your meal plus tax and an 18% gratuity. We booked our meal around 3 months before our trip.
Price: Kids under 3 are FREE. Kids 3-9: breakfast $28, lunch $29, dinner $33 & Adults: breakfast $43, lunch $46, dinner $54. Soft drinks are included (kids can also choose from water, juice or milk). Alcohol is available for an additional charge. An 18% gratuity will be added to your bill. Please note – these prices are subject to change.
Characters: Disney Princesses – appearance schedule can vary (we saw: Belle, Snow White, Aurora, Ariel and Cinderella)
Princess Meet and Greet: When you first enter the castle, you are greeted by Cinderella. We arrived before Cinderella did and she made a grand entrance as we stood there.
Included in this meal is also a picture package – what a nice souvenir! We received (1) 6″ x 8″ and (4) 4″ x 6″ prints in a Cinderella-themed photo holder.
Meal Style: Dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table is served by waiter. Our waiter greeted us as soon as we arrived and took our orders. The dinner menu features three courses: an appetizer, entree and dessert. A kids’ menu is also available for the younger crowd.
Princesses During Mealtime: As we were settling into our meals, the princesses made a grand entrance into the dining room. Throughout our meal, we had several princesses stop by our table to say hello. Every princess stops at every table – they will engage your child(ren) in a short conversation, pose for pictures and sign autograph books. Lily loved watching the princesses as they made their way from table to table. She waited on pins and needles for each princess to arrive and hopped out of her chair for autograph signing and picture taking! Princesses are subject to change without warning.
Each child at the meal received a souvenir wand and a wishing star. At one point there was a “wishing ceremony” which Lily got a big kick out of.
Our meal ended with a super fun dessert – an ice cream sundae mini bar for Lily and a beyond cute “happy anniversary” cupcake for Bob and I. Awwwwww!
Conclusion: We loved this meal! The food was good and it was nice to be waited on versus fight a buffet line. As always, the character experience was second to none. We didn’t have to worry about standing in a long line or fighting through a crowd to meet a beloved princess. The fact that each princess makes her way to your table for a one-on-one conversation is invaluable.
Our meal (including tip) came to just under $150 for the 3 of us. This was by far our most expensive character meal and the biggest splurge on our trip. We agreed that it was a perfect way to spend our anniversary. We would have easily spent $50 – $100 had we been at home and gone out for a nice grownup meal. Instead we got to spend the night with our most favorite little beast, watching her eyes literally sparkle with wonder. We would do it again in a heartbeat!
