Cinderella’s Royal Table v. Be Our Guest Restaurant
Magic Kingdom’s two most popular table service restaurants both offer the experience of dining inside a castle, which is the main draw of both Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant. This Walt Disney World dining comparison weighs the pros & cons of these highly-hyped spots to help you choose where to dine during your WDW vacation. (Updated March 12, 2023.)
It’s worth noting up front that you may not have a choice. If you’re already in Magic Kingdom and are trying to decide which to do, it might already be too late. Both are among the most popular dining reservations at Walt Disney World, and frequently book up almost 60 days in advance. To that point, we highly recommend consulting our Top 10 Tips for Booking Difficult Advance Dining Reservations, ideally before your trip–but there is some advice for last-minute ADRs.
Additionally, if you’re looking for food photos or specific thoughts on dishes we’ve tried, you should consult our Be Our Guest Restaurant Lunch & Dinner Review and Cinderella’s Royal Table Review. This ‘versus’ post takes a more holistic approach, comparing the overall comparative experience of each to see how these restaurants stack up to one another.
Moreover, we’re only comparing lunch and dinner inside Beast’s and Cinderella Castle. Currently, breakfast is only served at Cinderella’s Royal Table, but will likely return to Be Our Guest…at some point? Who knows. (We expected it to be back about a year ago, and we’re still waiting!) A lot of this post will apply equally to all meals, and we’ll also offer conclusions about other meals at the end, but the direct comparisons pertain to dinner, specifically.
Alright, let’s get ready to rumble: Be Our Guest Restaurant v. Cinderella’s Royal Table. NO HOLDS BARRED…
Theme: Both restaurants are set inside castles, and both make our lists of the Top 10 Themed Restaurants at Walt Disney World and Top 20 Themed Restaurants at Walt Disney World. Even though Be Our Guest Restaurant ranks higher on those lists, I think it’s a closer call than those rankings most bear out.
The thematic strength of Cinderella’s Royal Table is that it feels like you’re actually inside a gothic castle (probably because you actually are), which is really cool. The design is regal and feels lived in, albeit without the opulence that some kids may expect. Don’t underestimate the psychological effect of walking inside Cinderella Castle, going up its stairs, and looking out the windows.
I’d also go a step further and say the interior of Cinderella’s Royal Table is underrated. It’s historically accurate rather than movie-accurate, which definitely appeals more to people like me who are primarily Disney parks fans rather than Disney animation fans. Regardless of that, the whole package is awesome.
By contrast, our experience with Be Our Guest Restaurant is not that of dining inside a castle. The suspension of disbelief just doesn’t work, as it’s pretty hard to fathom that you’re entering the toy castle on the roof of the mountains when you enter the doors. (Maybe the effect works for kids?)
With that said, Be Our Guest Restaurant does feel like you’re entering the world of Beauty and the Beast, and this is particularly true in the more intimate dining rooms. They’re like being “on set” of the movie, which is itself really cool. But it’s not the same. Be Our Guest Restaurant very much has a simulated feeling, whereas Cinderella’s Royal Table is inside a castle.
Atmosphere: While there’s a certain romanticism about dining inside a castle, they’re not fine dining restaurants. There’s a regal quality to both, and these restaurants succeed at making kids feel like royalty. But they are family-friendly restaurants, and relatively cavernous and chaotic ones, at that. I won’t sugarcoat the fact that both of these restaurants are loud.
Part of this is the inherent design of restaurants designed to the interior of a castle. Another part of that is the natural consequence of restaurants that cater primarily towards families. If you’re a couple looking for a quiet and sophisticated date night restaurant, you should be looking elsewhere altogether.
I’m not a huge fan of the ballroom at Be Our Guest Restaurant. I’ve said before that it’s like a cafeteria or mess hall, and I think that’s the most apt way to put it. The tables are close together, the center of the room is massive, and there’s not enough to break up the space or dampen the noise. It’s a fancy-looking mess hall, sure, but it still feels like a mess hall.
By contrast, the main area at Cinderella’s Royal Table is large, but it at least feels more intimate. The space is broken up a bit by multiple tiers, pillars, and other design artifice that works to its advantage. While both have a lot of faux concrete that can make these dining rooms cacophonous, Cinderella’s Royal Table seems to have more fabrics that absorb the noise.
If we were going solely on the main dining rooms at each, Cinderella’s Royal Table would be the decisive winner. However, Be Our Guest Restaurant has the West Wing and Rose Gallery, each of which offer a significantly better vibe. The West Wing can be noisy (something about which I’m reminded I should tell families as it can scare small children), but it’s themed noise, not just screaming patrons. We highly recommend requesting a table in one of these rooms as they are on par with, or arguably better than, the atmosphere of Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Cuisine: The most divisive aspect of both restaurants is their food. We happen to really enjoy each, but you will find plenty of people who disagree. When it comes to Be Our Guest Restaurant, this can likely be attributed to inconsistency. The throughput is pretty staggering, and it’s likely the kitchen is in a perpetual state of chaos.
With Cinderella’s Royal Table, critique of the cuisine might come down to expectations based upon price. This meal is on par with other Signature Restaurants price-wise, and the food is definitely a rung or two below Citricos, Jiko, Flying Fish, or other top tier resort restaurants. You have to take into account that you’re paying for the Magic Kingdom in-castle location, as well as meeting princesses.
When you compare either of these to other character meals, there is no comparison. (In fairness, most character meals are buffets, so you’re trading quantity for quality here.) The quality of the ingredients, the melding of the flavors, and the care of the presentation impresses at both. We give high marks to the cuisine at both, and taking price out of the equation (something we’ll add back in below), we’d give the advantage to Cinderella’s Royal Table in terms of cuisine.
Characters: Be Our Guest Restaurant never was a character dining experience, but meeting Beast at the end of the meal always used to be a nice treat. That has been absent from the meal for a while, but should make a comeback at some point in the near future. For now, Beast (usually) makes periodic appearances in the dining room, roaming around briefly for photos and introductions.
On a positive note, the Disney princesses have officially returned to the dining room at Cinderella’s Royal Table as of March 2023. In this regard, it’s now once again similar to Breakfast à la Art at Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera and Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White, our two favorite character meals at Walt Disney World (not in substance–all three character meals are very different).
So in that sense, there’s no comparison between Be Our Guest Restaurant and Cinderella’s Royal Table, but there never really was. For those wanting to meet their favorite royal characters, Cinderella’s Royal Table is the hands-down winner. Even once Be Our Guest Restaurant is totally back to normal, it’s not a proper character dining experience. For many families, meeting and mingling with the princesses is a significant value-add.
Cost: This is an easy victory for Be Our Guest Restaurant, which costs $67 per adult and $39 per child as of March 2023. By contrast, the cost of breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table is $65 per adult and $39 per child. Lunch or dinner with the princesses inside Cinderella Castle now costs $79 per adult and $47 per kid.
Of course, value is not strictly about menu prices, but the intersection of cost and quality. We’d say that both restaurants are close to equal in terms of food quality. Both now serve prix fixe menus that are a rung below Signature quality, but above normal in-park or character dining. We give Cinderella’s Royal Table the edge, but it’s a slight edge. No matter how much better the food is, it’s not “better enough” to justify the massive chasm in price.
Others may contend that meeting the princesses in a pleasant environment with no waiting offers a significant value. For some, this is certainly going to be true. Are princesses worth $12-$18 times the number of people in your party? Value there is in the eye of the beholder.
From my perspective, the premium pricing for Cinderella’s Royal Table is worth the money for lunch and dinner. When you account for the slightly superior cuisine quality, better themed design and atmosphere, and the princesses, it’s a pretty easy win. But then again, not everyone cares about princesses and Beauty and the Beast fans might actually prefer that setting.
Hassle: Neither of these are the tough ADRs that they once were. That’s relative, as both used to be nearly impossible even at the 180 day mark. Now, that ADR window has been reduced to 60 days (technically 60+10 for on-site guests) and both are easier but still not easy. Still probably among the top 10 restaurants at Walt Disney World in terms of booking difficulty, but you can find tables inside of a month out from time to time.
Depending upon your dates, you might also be able to find same-day availability for either, with Be Our Guest Restaurant becoming increasingly common for morning-of and Walk-Up Waitlist availability. With that said, this is highly dependent upon party size. Those with 4 or fewer are going to have far more success in this regard.
Still, both Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant can be a hassle to book. The best practice is booking them 60+10 days out. The food is not that good (certainly not much better than Skipper Canteen, which regularly has same-day walk-up availability), so it really depends upon whether eating inside a castle and with royalty is important for you or your kids. For some families, it’ll be the absolute highlight of a trip to Walt Disney World. Others are simply booking one of the two based on hype, without having their own justification for doing one of the two.
I know this flies in the face of the internet hype machine that builds up these restaurants as must dos, but they definitely are not for everyone. And that’s as someone who actually finds the lunch and dinner menus at both to be very solid. I only mention this because we hear from a lot of readers who find either or both to be overrated, and there’s definitely a “that’s it?!” vibe with both that is usually a result of hearing too much hype. These restaurants absolutely live up to or exceed expectations for many Walt Disney World guests, but certainly not everyone.
Ultimately, there’s a reason both Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant are two of the most recognizable and popular restaurants at Walt Disney World. In their own ways, they each deliver in terms of theme, and can make for a very memorable experience for kids…and even adults like us. So long as you go in with appropriate expectations, we really don’t think either Be Our Guest Restaurant or Cinderella’s Royal Table will disappoint.
With that said, each restaurant has its own distinct selling points. Even though both are “in-castle” dining, the actual appeal of each should differ. If you want an authentic in-castle dining experience or a character meal, choose Cinderella’s Royal Table. If you want a meal that more or less captures the essence of Beauty and the Beast or you’re simply on a tighter budget, choose Be Our Guest Restaurant. If you have kids who are obsessed with princesses and the movie Beauty and the Beast, find a way to do both.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you agree or disagree with our comparison of Be Our Guest Restaurant and Cinderella’s Royal Table? Which restaurant would you give the edge in terms of theme and ambiance? In terms of cuisine? Are either or neither worth the hassle and cost? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We went to BOG on our last vacation to WDW, just over a year ago. We arrived early for our reservations but still waited over an hour from our reservation time to get into the “rose” room. We were seated on the far side of the room from the rose and windows. It was very disappointing. It was also extremely dark, and had no atmosphere at all on that side of the room.
The food was over priced, as expected, but was not very good. It was a major disappointment. Seeing the beast was the best part of the meal.
We enjoyed the food and atmosphere at the Skipper Canteen much better. We arrived an hour early for our reservations because we were nearby, and were thrilled to be seated immediately. It was also quiet, which we 2 adults appreciated.
I haven’t been to the Cinderella’s Castle since it was called King Stefan’s Banqueting Hall. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the food then, but there were no princesses. At that time it was a much more “adult” type of restaurant.
I was lucky enough to go to WDW twice in 10 months. Once in July 2016 with my whole family (8 people-5 adults, 1 teenage boy, and 2 little girls age 5&6). And again in April 2017 with my daughter (who had turned 7 right after the last trip). There are always certain restaurants we go to based on someone liking a certain character. My sister likes Pooh, hence Crystal Palace. I like Mickey, therefore Chef Mickey’s. On both trips, CRT (breakfast) was a MUST because of the girls and Cinderella being my daughter’s favorite. No better way to get multiple princess interactions. BOG (dinner) was a must on both trips since Belle, and the movies, are my favorite princess (2nd to Mickey, of course). For the money, BOG is a much better value of course, but I also think the quality of the food is better. The girls liked CRT’s food better. BOG was a little too “adventurous” for them, but was preferred hands-down by the adults. For the ambience, CRT wins with the girls, how could it not? BOG was the choice of the adults. I felt like I was walking straight into the movie, and the Beast…wow. Note to Disney…add Belle to the meet&greet. And not just for dinner! Sorry, I digress! My family, even the teenager, felt it was more of a grownup atmosphere than CRT. So, in my honest opinion, this is my advice. Go to both if you can, the experience of both is worth at least one visit. If you have to choose, take a good look at the people in your party-adults vs children, boys vs girls. And most importantly, look at the menus of each of the restaurants. In making all of our reservations, I looked at every single menu of every restaurant we thought about going to, to make sure everyone would have something they could choose. It took a lot of planning, but well worth it.
What are the 5 castles?
We did both on our recent visit (BOG for lunch and CRT for dinner) while on the free dining promotion. I had been to CRT as a child and still felt magical nostalgia about my experience there and it was my first time at BOG. My almost three year old daughter was ecstatic about the prospect of eating in the castles. I definitely give value to BOG – only using QS credits for sizable and pretty yummy lunches seemed worth it. The atmosphere was also worth the trip and my daughter particularly enjoyed the West Wing. That said, it felt like a cafeteria and the process for ordering our food seemed convuloted and resulted in a long wait despite our reservations. The value at CRT was obviously not great from a purely monetary perspective (we weren’t thrilled to use two TS credits each, especially since I’m a vegetarian) but we wanted to do something special for our last night at Disney World and it would have been difficult to use the credits elsewhere based on our dining selections. That said, the entire experience was top notch and a clear highlight of the trip for our daughter and for my husband and myself. The chef personally came out to discuss my diet and food allergies and prepared me a lovely meal. My daughter loved the opportunity to meet all of her favourite princesses and adored her princess wand. CRT also accommodated a smaller and more resonably priced meal for her which was appreciated. Months later she is still talking about her evening at Cinderella’s castle almost daily. I think we’ll try BOG for dinner next time to see how that compares to our CRT dinner experience. Based on this trip though, CRT was the clear winner in our family and something we will definitely plan to do again in future trips.
What are the five castles??
We went to Disney World for the first time with my then two-year-old last September. She is in love with princesses so we had to do CInerella’s Royal Table. Ironically, we experienced amazing Disney magic everywhere but CRT. The servers were bored and rushed us, the princesses were grumpy (Jasmine was especially over it, though Snow White and Aurora were lovely), and it was hard to get what we actually ordered.
My daughter had a great time, but had a really fun time at Be Our Guest looking at the magic rose. The food was better too!
Eating inside Conderella’s castle is really cool. I just wish the exoerience was better for the price.
We went to both for the first time 2 years ago and enjoyed both. We had a ADR for BOG at dinner time. For CRT we walked up around 11:00am and asked if there were any openings for a table of 4. We got a lunch reservation at 1:00pm
I thought the experience at CRT was more refined. We ate in the main hall at BOG so I do see the “mess hall” comparison.
I’m not a foodie, but I thought both offered great food. LIke most things Disney, you pay for the experience.
At the end of the day both venues produced smiles all around the table, so I definitely see us going back there whenever we find ourselves back at WDW.
It’s a topic we re-visit often in our family-and usually CRT wins. We had lunch at both.
In the end the authentic castle experience is what tipped the scales for all of us. ( at the time kids were 6, 12 and 13)
We are all impressed with the “real ness” of CRT-the materials, colors etc were beautiful. I loved the simple nod towards classic Cinderella animation in the stained glass window as you walk up the spiral stairs. Such a lovely touch!
We did score a table in the west wing, which was very cool and did look just like the movie. But still, somehow the stage sets still just couldn’t compare with a more authentic castle experience.
Also, my son was 6 when we went and the forced perspective of the Beasts Castle did not work for him. Whenhe looks back at photos he always says-i just don’t get how they think that people will believe they are in that castle!
I found BOG remarkably easy to book at the 180+10 mark. I was ready to go because I had heard so many horror stories but it was completely fine. I booked 1 breakfast, 1 lunch and 1 dinner (we have a free QS Dining Plan hence going twice on that plan, and I want to meet Beast hence the dinner) and got my ideal times down to the minute with no fuss. I guess it helps that, being from the UK, dining options opened at 10AM so I was ready to go at 9:55. Probably different for Americans getting up at 6AM or earlier.
I got all my reservations with ease too in fact. I even got the Chef’s Table at V & A on the exact day I wanted, though that definitely had an element of luck involved. I just don’t get the fuss I guess – I was ready at 180 days and it was a breeze.
We got lucky on our last trip and found a reservation for BoG at 11 pm the night before. The ambiance was great, and our food was delicious (though also one of the saltiest meals I’ve ever eaten in my life). We’ve still never been to CRT, but maybe next time!
CRT is on my list to do. My mom (76) and I (49) went on a last minute Disney trip last year. I scored a seat at BOG a week out due to someone canceling. I ordered the children’s meal of pork roast, sweet potatoes and green beans for lunch and it kept me full all day. I was very happy that my diabetic mom had a ‘real’ meal- not a fast food carb filled meal. We sat in the ballroom and thought it was a lovely room. Service was excellent. After that, I realized that paying for a calm, restful sit down meal with ‘real’ food would always be a good choice going forward when Mom was with me. Until that meal, I was a dumbo or die type tourist.
I just want to do CRT, also, as I collect Cinderella memorabilia and love the castle.
The only thing I didn’t like with BOG was that you have to stand outside until they wave you in to place your order. On a really cold or hot day, that would be a bummer.
Considering they are not equal, both are good choices and I’ve been to both on one trip. Cinderella Royal Table is more fun if you have young kids especially daughters under 12 who are dressed up a la Bib Bob Boutique. Yes, it’s difficult to get but not impossible. So get your restaurant reservations as soon as you verified your hotel stay. I also enjoyed Be My Guest with the grey stuff being the novelty; however, you can get it at Disneyland too in the quick service restaurant so the novelty is slightly less. I prefer the main ballroom. Sorry. More seems to happen there. The Rose Room is dark and dreary. I can’t eat in that dark place. I don’t know about this lack of consistency thing. Everything came out excellent for me.
I really like your analysis of the relative value of these two options. With no kids (any more) to worry about character meets, BOG is a clear winner for us. When the granddaughter is old enough to go, things might be different! I also have to agree with your comment about Skipper’s Canteen. It is a great no-hassle alternative with good food, and Jungle-Cruise-style patter from the staff. What could be better?
BOG wins with the grown-ups but CRT wins for the kids. My husband and I preferred the food and ambiance at BOG, but princesses and the wishing Star ceremony floored our kids. If only BOG had Belle in addition to the Beast at dinner it would win every time (seems like a missed opportunity not to have them do a waltz like Cinderella and her prince do at 1900 park fare)
We have eaten at both on our last 2 trips to the world, having BOG for dinner and CRT for breakfast. During our trip in Nov, I am planning on switching things up with CRT for dinner and BOG for breakfast. SInce we only visit the world every few years they are both must do for my family.
We were lucky to snag a table for eight (all adults) at BOG for our trip this past November. It was going to be our first time there.
They seated us at a round table in the center of the main ballroom, which I loved and felt was elegant. Even more so than the smaller dining rooms. We’re not a quiet family, so if there was noise, it didn’t bother us. We thought the food and service were both excellent. The experience was awesome and we enjoyed every minute.
I’ve dined at Cinderella’s Castle numerous times, although not recently. Only once did I think the food worthy of a signature restaurant. I would give it another try, but it seems far too extravagant (expensive) a thing to do just to see if the food is any better.
Most likely we won’t dine at either castle again, especially if BOG goes the route of Cinderella Castle and becomes a high-priced package experience. There are too many other restaurants that are either new or have better food. Unfortunately, none of them are in Magic Kingdom.
CRT is the TOP Princess meet @ greet at WDW, if you can get buy the price or two dining credits. Going upstairs in the Castle to dine, there is no comparison!
We’ve done both, Cinderella’s Royal Table for “dinner” (3:45 PM), and Be Our Guest for lunch and dinner (separate vacations).
The food was MUCH better at Be Our Guest. No contest whatsoever.
Atmosphere again to Be Our Guest. Dined in the ballroom at Be Our Guest for dinner, and amused myself watching the “snowfall.” Did lunch in the Rose Gallery (much nicer).
We did both on our past trip. We preferred the food at Be Our Guest but honestly, as you mention, Skipper Canteen was just as good and not nearly as hard to book. Next time we’ll be skipping CRT and BOG but we’ll likely do Skipper Canteen again.
Hi Tom,
I love this restaurant battle! Be Our Guest is just one of those restaurants that Disney Freaks cannot skip while on vacation, yet when prompted, we all tend to have the same belief..inconsistent at best. In addition, let’s be honest… for Disney Freaks, how can we possibly pass up that ADR at 6am knowing that the rest of the world has their fingers and toes crossed that they might be able to snag that ressie!