Credit: DisneyDisney World is renowned for magical dining experiences – but one Guest recently experienced a not-so-magical meal at one of its most exclusive restaurants.
With over 200 eateries across the Resort, Walt Disney World quite literally offers something for everyone. However, nothing screams “Disney vacation” quite as much as a character dining experience – especially one in the heart of Magic Kingdom’s icon, Cinderella Castle.
Since opening its doors in 1972, Cinderella’s Royal Table has reigned as the pinnacle of dining in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and offers Guests the opportunity to dine with beloved Disney princesses such as Ariel, Princess Aurora, Snow White, Jasmine, and Rapunzel.
Reservations are notoriously hard to find, but if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a time slot, adults can expect to pay $65 each for breakfast, or $79 for lunch and dinner. The price for royal magic is hefty – which is why one Guest was recently so disgruntled by their less-than-magical experience.
Reddit user Clean-Stick469 visited the restaurant with their child, only to see more “table” than “Cinderella” or any other “royal.”
“We had a pretty poor experience at CRT this trip,” they wrote. “We know when you book experiences like CRT, you are paying a premium for the experience – not the food.”
They explained that after arriving at the restaurant, they had a pretty standard dining experience. In the space of two hours, their party ordered drinks, appetizers, meals, and desserts, and received the check for their two drinks – but didn’t see a single Princess.
“I snuck away to ask a worker if the princesses were planning to come by at some point because we had finished dinner and were given a check, and nobody had come by or asked if we’d seen the princesses,” they wrote. In response, the character director came over and was “quite rude” to the Guest, mentioning that they “can’t break the rules” – an explanation that the user found “unreasonable” considering that each party pays the same premium for their dining experience.
Eventually, the princesses visited the diner’s table. However, their visit lasted a matter of minutes and was less than satisfactory. “The princesses literally lined up one by one in direct eyesight of our kid and quickly made their rounds before scurrying away,” they wrote. “It just felt really… unmagical.”
To rectify the situation, they reached out to Guest Relations, who offered complimentary Lightning Lanes for the Princess meet-and-greets on their next visit. However, their child was still left understandably disappointed by the lackluster experience on the last night of their trip.
Cinderella’s Royal Table promises a “fairytale” dining experience for its diners, complete with all the luxuries you’d expect from a royal banquet.
Cinderella makes your acquaintance in the majestic Grand Hall, before you ascend a spiral staircase to the banquet room above (A gilded elevator is also available to transport you to the festivities).
Then, dine in a storybook setting surrounded by soaring stone archways, majestic medieval flags and spectacular stained-glass windows overlooking Fantasyland. During your time inside the castle, visit with the Disney Princesses.
Tiaras and glittering gowns are optional, although young Guests are encouraged to dress up for the occasion.
The restaurant only recently reintroduced character dining earlier this year. Cinderella and co. made their meet-and-greet return in March 2023, three years after the Park closed for the COVID-19 pandemic. The return also came with a price increase for the restaurant, with dining prices surging by $20 per person.