Credit: DisneyOne Disney restaurant is receiving even more criticism – this time, for its overcrowding situation.
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’d describe Disney’s restaurants as inexpensive, but some definitely take a heavier toll on the wallet than others. Typically, it’s Disney’s table service meals that bear the most expensive price tags, with bills easily coming to hundreds of dollars for large groups or families.
Some of the most famously expensive restaurants on Disney property include Victoria & Albert’s (which is also Disney’s only Michelin-starred restaurant – and, in fact, the first Michelin-starred theme park restaurant in the U.S.), Le Cellier, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Teppan Edo.
While they may not necessarily always offer the best food, character dining experiences are among those charging the most money. The reality is that families are willing to pay a premium to skip the chaos and long lines that often come with character meet and greets, with character dining offering the opportunity to knock multiple items off the to-do list in one go.
In 2024, Disney debuted one of its most expensive character meet-and-greet experiences to date at Disneyland Paris. Royal Banquet is one of two character dining experiences at the freshly-renovated Disneyland Hotel (which itself is now Disney princess-themed), with the second being the even more expensive La Table de Lumière.
Initially only available to Disneyland Hotel guests, Royal Banquet is now available for all guests to book – if they’re willing to shell out €100 ($103 USD) for the privilege. While breakfast may be cheaper, lunch and dinner are not cheap at the Royal Banquet.
However, not everybody agrees that it’s worth the price. Visitors recently took to Reddit to share their complaints about the Royal Banquet, with the biggest issue being that people find the all-you-can-eat buffet far too crowded considering the premium you pay to dine at the restaurant.
“At the Royal Banquet, they put so many tables very close to each other, I felt like I had 0 privacy,” said one guest. “Some old people were sitting next to our table and they constantly looked around and at us and analyzed everything; people constantly walking around (but barely, like sardines). It really was not a fun experience and it didn’t seem worth all that money.”
Another user agreed, noting, “At least you didn’t have a live streamer or vlogger next to you broadcasting you constantly which happens sometimes in there and plaza! I do think the price is painful and the tables close together!”
Others have noted that the crowding extends to the lines for the buffet, too. “Massive single queue for starters and mains which makes getting food a bit of a pain and is frankly inexcusable for the price they’re charging,” another past visitor wrote.
This isn’t the first time guests have shared complaints about Royal Banquet. The restaurant—which only boasts a 3.7-star rating on Google—has been lambasted by some visitors for its focus on seafood, which isn’t always child-friendly. As one Reddit user wrote, “If that isn’t your thing it’s a touch limited, particularly for kids, compared to other buffets.”
On the plus side, the restaurant has been praised for the quality of its character interactions, with some combination of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck doing the rounds in their regal attire. “I was there a couple of weeks ago for dinner and I hardly paid attention to the food as I was having such a blast with the character interaction,” said one Reddit user.
What’s your favorite (or least favorite) Disney character dining experience?