Cinderella’s Royal Table Restaurant Review
Cinderella’s Royal Table is a table service princess character meal inside Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom. This Walt Disney World dining review features food photos, our thoughts on lunch & dinner at the restaurant, and whether the experience is worth the money. (Updated February 28, 2023.)
The menu consists of American cuisine that is almost fine-dining caliber. Between the menu and the dining inside the castle, Cinderella’s Royal Table is arguably the flagship restaurant in the Magic Kingdom (only Be Our Guest Restaurant surpasses it in popularity), and one of the most unique restaurants in all of Walt Disney World. Aside from spending a night in the Cinderella Castle Royal Suite, it’s your best chance at entering the park’s icon.
As Walt Disney World’s prolonged phased reopening continues, things continue getting back to normal. Traditional meet & greets have returned with autographs, hugs, and high fives. After a very lengthy delay, this is also finally true at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Let’s start with an update on the latest good and bad changes at this restaurant as of 2023…
February 28, 2023 Update: First, the good news. The Disney princesses have officially returned to the dining room at Cinderella’s Royal Table for the first time since pre-closure. Unlike 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 right now), Cinderella’s Royal Table had not returned to normal…until today! Per Walt Disney World, the princesses had been “taking a break from their royal duties greeting guests.”
As of today, princesses are now back at Cinderella’s Royal Table. For those who are unfamiliar with how this character dining experience operates, Cinderella greets guests downstairs and a few other visiting princesses roam the main dining room, making the rounds for photos. Cinderella had previously returned downstairs (unofficially and not guaranteed), but now all of the other princess performers are back, too.
The bad news is that, with the character component at Cinderella’s Royal Table restored, the price has increased. As of yesterday, the cost was $67 per adult and $39 per child at lunch or dinner, and $45 per adult and $29 per child for breakfast. These breakfast and lunch/dinner prices were after multiple price increases during the phased reopening.
As of today, the cost of breakfast is up by $20, and lunch/dinner have both increased by $12. Breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table now costs $65 per adults and $39 per child. Dining with the princesses inside Cinderella Castle now costs $79 per adult and $47 per kid.
That’s hefty fee for dining with royalty! Or is it?!
Throughout our reporting on Cinderella’s Royal Table, we’ve pointed out that the price actually decreased when the restaurant reopened without princesses, while also warning that the cost would shoot up when characters returned to the dining room. Although the $12 or $20 price increase sounds extreme, when compared with March 2020, these prices are only up $2 to $4 per person.
Cinderella’s Royal Table has always been expensive, and we certainly wouldn’t argue otherwise with anyone. However, Disney has had no trouble filling restaurants at absurd price points. Not only that, but a $2 to $4 price increase over the course of 3 years–especially in light of food inflation since then–hardly sounds extreme.
Whether it’s overpriced is subjective; for many young kids, eating inside a castle with royalty is a priceless experience. But it’s probably fair to say that if you it’s overpriced now, it also was before–and vice versa. If anything, the increase here is less steep than what other character meals around Walt Disney World have seen in the last 3 years. (Which is precisely why we predicted even higher prices at Cinderella’s Royal Table upon princesses returning!)
One thing that has not changed is that Cinderella’s Royal Table requires prepayment in full for secure an Advance Dining Reservation.
It’s a bit surprising that this policy is still in effect, which previously discouraged ADR-hoarding, as the popularity of Cinderella’s Royal Table is not what it once was with Be Our Guest Restaurant now being the top draw in Magic Kingdom.
The big question right now is whether Cinderella’s Royal Table is worth the reduced cost given the atmosphere and food alone for those who are not interested in character dining.
We’ll try to answer those questions first, and then turn to the normal “Fairytale Dining Experience” for families considering Walt Disney World trips in 2023, now that the princesses have returned and Cinderella’s Royal Table is back to normal…
I can still remember looking in the Walt Disney World book I had as a kid and seeing the star-filter enhanced photo of King Stefan’s Banquet Hall, and thinking how awesome it would be to eat inside Cinderella Castle. On that basis alone, we convinced ourselves to give it a try anyway.
Suffice to say, we were downright shocked by Cinderella’s Royal Table…
In terms of ambiance, Cinderella’s Royal Table is spectacular. It looked like it had been fairly unchanged since it was King Stefan’s Banquet Hall, and I honestly think that is probably for the best. The restaurant is still in great condition, from the carpet to the intricate details to the flags overhead.
I hope Disney’s Imagineers never change the look or feel of the restaurant, because it feels very regal, beautifully designed, and most of all, like an authentic European castle. I trust in the Imagineers, but I really hope they don’t opt for a “modern” refresh, as that’s totally unnecessary here.
The guest ambiance was also surprisingly good. Now, this definitely is a ‘your mileage may vary situation’, but there were no crying children, and the restaurant overall was not loud like we expected. We’ve been to some chaotic character meals, and this didn’t have that feeling at all.
It wasn’t peaceful or subdued like a fine dining experience late at night can be, but it was shockingly relaxed. Perhaps Disney has utilized fabrics and other sound-dampening techniques, or maybe we just got lucky. Regardless of why, we were stunned and impressed.
On to the food. Note that Cinderella’s Royal Table is not all you can eat. You order off of a prix fixe menu, with a variety of appetizer, entree, and dessert options. (Note that the menu has changed somewhat since our last meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table.)
Dinner started out with bread service. This was rather pedestrian.
I started with the Crawfish and Shrimp with Grits. This consists of crawfish and shrimp in a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce with goat cheese grits.
I loved this appetizer, which had a really unique flavor (different than standard shrimp and grits). The seafood in it was good, and wasn’t rubbery as is often the case when it’s mixed in a concoction like this.
Sarah had the Strawberry Salad for her appetizer. This consists of strawberries, feta cheese, arugula, almonds, balsamic glaze, and olive oil.
She found the quality of the salad to be very high with a great mix of complimentary ingredients, and a refreshing taste.
We ‘fought’ over who got to order the Beef Tenderloin. Since we always order different foods for the sake of reviews, we couldn’t both order it.
I “won” this time, but don’t feel sorry for Sarah…she usually wins.
Wow is all I can say about this.
Cooked medium-rare to perfection, the meat was almost tender enough to cut with a fork, the cut of meat was excellent, and the glaze gave it a rich flavor. The potatoes were similarly out of this world.
Sarah instead opted for the Slow-roasted Bone-In Pork, which is served on a couscous medley. She was surprised at how flavorful, tender, and juicy the cut of meat was.
I tried it, and I was similarly surprised–especially about the juciness. I think Sarah could have gone for a slightly leaner cut, but I thought it was the perfect amount of lean meat versus fat.
For dessert, Sarah ordered the ‘Clock Strikes Twelve.’ Awesome presentation, but I can’t say it really wowed either of us. Really rich, and that was really the dominating “flavor.”
It wasn’t bad–and maybe it just wasn’t for us.
I had the Chef’s Dessert Trio.
Same deal–awesome presentation, sort of ‘meh’ desserts. I really did like the pistachio dessert in the middle. The others were sort of lackluster.
Finally, let’s wrap this up with a quick look at the princesses for those planning a Walt Disney World vacation and debating a meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Cinderella greets guests downstairs with a dedicated photo backdrop while Aurora, Snow White, Ariel, and Rapunzel meet guests upstairs in the dining room.
I’m not a big fan of meeting face characters. It also feels like an awkward experience, and while I’m comfortable cheesing it up with fur characters, I don’t have that comfort level meeting real people.
But, that’s my problem. These characters were great, and Sarah had a lot of fun with them.
She especially liked Snow White, who had a bit of sharp wit about her, without breaking character.
In fact, I enjoyed watching her character interactions with each of the princesses. Most did a really good job, and were pretty good representations of the characters depicted.
The real “dessert” or happy ending to our meal was the fireworks (another thing you won’t experience during the phased reopening). In our Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Guide, I wrote that I don’t care for locations outside of Main Street for viewing the fireworks.
While I still prefer those locations, and would absolutely recommend those spots for a first time visitor or someone who will only see the fireworks once during their trip, for us, seeing them from inside Cinderella Castle was pretty special.
The problem for viewing the fireworks from inside Cinderella Castle for a first timer is that you’re not even getting close to the full experience of Disney Enchantment nighttime spectacular. You’re missing the projections, soundtrack, the near bursts, and more.
However, it’s a pretty cool experience if you’ve already seen Magic Kingdom’s fireworks a couple–or a couple dozen–times. The way the different pyro bursts illuminate the inside of the restaurant, basking everyone in different colors throughout the meal is something special. The beautiful gothic architecture of the interior plus the glow of the fireworks was pure Disney magic. Putting aside the characters and even the better than expected food, this alone made the high price “worth it” for us.
In normal times, Walt Disney World considers Cinderella’s Royal Table a “Fairytale Dining Experience.” which I think just refers to the fact that you can meet Cinderella and other visiting princesses here. The meal also includes a photo of your party and Cinderella taken by PhotoPass photographers.
Also normally, Cinderella’s Royal Table participates in the Disney Dining Plan as a 2-credit Signature meal. Due to it requiring two credits, it is not a good choice if you’re trying to maximize your value on the Disney Dining Plan. However, the Disney Dining Plan is still temporarily suspended, and it’s entirely unclear whether it’ll return in 2023…or at all.Â
Ultimately, I’m of two minds about Cinderella’s Royal Table. While the food is surprisingly good, it’s overpriced even by Walt Disney World standards. However, you’re obviously not paying for just the food when you dine here. Just as much a part of the meal as the food is the fact that you’re dining inside Cinderella Castle and potentially meeting princesses.
If neither of these things matter to you, there is simply no reason for you to dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Even given our praise for the food in this review, you can get better food for less money elsewhere. However, if princess dining and/or a meal in Cinderella Castle is appealing, it might be easier for you to justify this restaurant as a splurge. In the end, it really comes down to whether you’re comfortable spending this much on a meal that I’d peg at just a rung below fine dining.
If you are a family looking for a “fine family dining experience” and are willing to pay accordingly, Cinderella’s Royal Table is the Walt Disney World restaurant for you. If you’re a couple looking for a romantic restaurant were cuisine is paramount, you might want to look for one of the Signature Restaurants in the Magic Kingdom resorts.
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
Have you done Cinderella’s Royal Table at Walt Disney World? What did you think? Worthwhile for the characters, ambiance, food, or all of the above? Is this meal something you’d like to try? Any specific recommendations? If you have any questions or thoughts to share, please post them in the comments. We love hearing from readers!
CRT is the only restaurant that I have ever sent a course back to the kitchen in. We have eaten there maybe 10 times, but on our last visit the main course and the appetiser arrived within seconds of each other – so quickly, in fact, that I burst out laughing as the waiter arrived…
The main courses were then put back under the heat lamp on the kitchen, so when we were ready for them, the tenderloin glaze had a skin on it. This was promptly sent back, and in fairness to the kitchen staff, one of the chefs came out, apologised for the problem (and he did seem genuinely contrite) and then (semi in earshot) carpeted the waiter for bringing the same dish out twice and not getting it remade.
We are going back in October, so it hasn’t put us off.
I do hope that they overhaul the lades restroom. I was shocked at the condition of it and that was 5 years ago, it was very “uncastle-like” and desperately needs updating. I took my girls to Cinderella’s Royal table 5 years ago for a birthday breakfast and they loved the meal and meeting all the princesses. We especially loved the fact that we were seated with a view facing FantasyLand, our favorite!
Hi Tom. Thanks for the review. My family has been to WDW three times with our children and have not yet experienced CRT. It seems we are usually limited on time &/ or money. We are going again in June ’15 & I am determined to dine there with my family. I always thought I would want to have breakfast for the empty park experience but after reading your review, I am now considering dinner. Early/ empty park vs better food quality. Slightly disappointed Disney is taking away the picture included with the meal. Does anyone know why? I wonder if we will still be allowed to take a picture with Cinderella our own camera or photo pass as we enter with the back drop scene (not table side).
Amazing pictures as usual. I visit your site often to get my Disney fix. Thank you.
Our 2013 lunch at CRT was a little late in the day and when our son virtually inhaled his lunch, the very friendly waiter offered him a second kid-sized pizza with no extra charge. What 9-year-old ever gets to eat two whole pizzas at one meal! Needless to say, that was much more of an impact on his enjoyment of the meal than the wonderful princesses were.
I went once for lunch as a young child, and while I don’t remember many specifics about the trip, I do remember the character interactions here, especially with Cinderella downstairs, being fabulous! We are going as our first ADR in October as four adults, and I cannot wait! I would love to be able to do a breakfast next time I go for empty park pictures though!
Great review – I agree 100% with your assessment of the ambiance. We were there last year for the first time with our 7 year old daughter and 10 year old son, so held our breath and booked the 2-dining plan voucher breakfast at CRT.
Being able to get into the park so early for the first seating, then walk down Main Street with NO ONE ahead of us and the sun low in the sky was excellent. (I think I even was skipping. a little.)
The photo they took of my daughter with Cinderella was terrific. My grumpy son even loved it – and was psyched for his sister to meet Cinderella.
The princesses were all very nice and drew my shy daughter out, as well as had some great remarks with us adults.
I agree with another commenter – while the breakfast food was cooked very nicely, it was normal fare and hardly “Signature”, but I suppose that is hard to do with breakfast.
That didn’t really bother me as a guest using 2 vouchers – but I did find that the portion size for my eggs etc was more on the order of a dwarf meal, than a full-size male-human meal.
But, I was running around getting photos anyway, and made up for it there. 😉
When we arrived, I don’t think my daughter really comprehended what was going to happen at breakfast… as evidenced by this priceless shot of her reaction as she heard the announcement and realized she was about to meet Snow White.
SO WORTH TWO VOUCHERS.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnjt/9313298511/
That picture is priceless. I have son who’s 7 now and a daughter who’s 7 months. Yeah, we spread them out a little 😉
But I can’t wait to take my daughter here when she’s old enough to remember it. By then my son will probably be bored but he’ll do it for his little sis.
My husband and I had lunch at CRT on the first day of our honeymoon in 2013. Like you, we were eagerly anticipating the atmosphere but had low expectations for the food. We, too, were very pleasantly surprised!
I had a short rib dish that was excellent. It was falling-off-the-bone tender. My husband initially ordered fish that was well-presented and seasoned nicely but ultimately came out quite overcooked. When he (very nicely) mentioned this to our server, she offered to bring him a new plate of fish or anything else from the menu, no questions asked. Since my food was so yummy, he switched to the short rib. To me, this was above the call of duty (though maybe not, given the prices and “fine dining” claims) and was so appreciated.
Beyond the food, the princesses were 100% on their game and a lot of fun to interact with.
…I think the toy sword they gave my husband at the end of the meal was one of his favorite souvenirs from the whole trip. 🙂
Love your photos!!!! I am not very skilled with photography and have never been able to get any photos that do justice to the architecture and beautiful windows at CRT. Your photos are absolutely lovely and really capture the grandeur of the venue.
My last meal at CRT they did not allow us to wait for an open window table. The CM at check in was very nice about it but said the computer assigns tables and it is “luck of the draw” with no requests possible. I would guess they just have so much time pressure to move the maxium number of people through a small venue that it’s harder to accommodate special requests that might disrupt the flow.
Thanks for the clarification on the all you care to eat point. I was the one who asked about that in your trip report. I have a feeling if we had explained the situation, that my friend’s meal quality wasn’t great, they probably would have accommodated us. But she felt uncomfortable saying anything and I had thought it was all you care to eat and it wouldn’t be a big deal to get a second meal without saying something negative. The staff seemed really stressed that night. I overheard some of the servers bickering on 2 occasions during the meal (which I’ve never noticed before at a Disney restaurant) so part of me wondered if this was truely the policy or if it was specific to that night because they were behind and trying to move people through.
Interestingly I just made an ADR for Akershus and read the terms and conditions (for the first time) and there is a statement that the meal is not all you care to eat. No idea if it has always said that or if it is a new policy. I had thought that was all you care to eat as well. There was also a statement(in bold no less which is what caught my eye and caused me to actually read through the terms and conditions) that the photo package is no longer included after January 2015. It wasn’t clear to me if that was just the prints or if the photos at the entrance are being elimiated all together. Does anyone know?
We’ve been twice, the first time for breakfast and second time for dinner. I wasn’t impressed with breakfast–scrambled eggs, potatoes, fruit, pastries and another coffee cake-esque offering that the waitress described as basically dessert for breakfast. I know you tend to go to character meals for the interaction more than the food, but it’s nice when the food is good too. It wasn’t that it was bad, just basic breakfast food you can get anywhere. Dinner, on the other hand was very good. Everyone ordered something different (we had four adults and one child in our party) and we all enjoyed the food.
Both times we had excellent waiters and both said they had been working for Disney for 20+ years. When we were there for breakfast, we had a later reservation and towards the end of our meal you could tell they were turning the dining room over for lunch but our waitress didn’t rush us out at all and was friendly about us sticking around to take pictures. (I’m learning from reading your blog that this probably isn’t unusual, but it seemed like it at the time, especially since we were holding her up from getting the table cleared.)
Going to WDW in another week and my neice has made a luncheon reservation for five (two 12 and 6). Went there in 2010 with two other adult friends and we utilized two points of our Disney Dining Plan. As stated it is costly either way, but we three so enjoyed the meal, the ambience, the characters it was worth it. As you and Sarah, we were pleasantly surprised compared to the other character dining. I am so looking forward to sharing this with my great neices through their eyes. This will be my eigth trip to WDW and yet I am surprised by so many new things each trip. I am 66 and will never get tired of going their.
Tom, you referenced a 2015 CRT refurbishment. Do you have more information on this?
I was there for breakfast in 2012 and really loved it. I was blown away from the moment I stepped inside and it only got better afterwards.
I agree with being awkward around face characters – I’m a bit like that too. I was happy to have a photo and enjoyed it, but I was trying not to cringe every time I was called ‘Princess’ .
I enjoyed the food, but it certainly was not worth the price – of course it’s the surroundings you’re paying for.
My only negative was the waiter. He seemed to not enjoy his job at all and wasn’t the most welcoming of people. He could have been having a bad morning, but it’s not what you expect from Disney.
Getting a seat by the window was the best. It was a brilliant start to the day. We were going to dine here again when we visit next month, but have opted for dinner at Be Our Guest instead.
My family went to CRT on 8/2 with a 4:05 reservation. Since it was one of the first dinner services of the night, to say it was rushed was a bit of an understatement. We barely had time to start our appetizers when the main course came out. Most of them were at the table for enough time to take a picture, sign an autograph book, and then were on to the next table.
When all was said and done, the entire experience lasted less than an hour.
On a previous trip, we experienced CRT later in the evening and the environment is much more relaxed. I would highly discourage anyone from booking so early in the day.
My family dined there on our one and (so far) only trip to Walt DisneyWorld last fall. We loved the whole experience! I use my star wand they gave me as a pointer in my classroom, and it reminds me of my great trip!
At first, I envisioned the Star Wand as having a laser pointer in the end of it. After giving it some more thought, I’m betting that’s not what you meant, although that *would* be awesome! 🙂
I wish!!!
We have been twice for breakfast. It was really fun to be virtually the first guests in the park. We had 3 young girls who LOVED the princess interaction. One young boy (maybe 4 at the time) who spent the entire day with Jasmine “kiss” on his cheek. Such good memories.
That’s cute about the Jasmine kiss. Sounds like you had a great experience with the characters, too!
Ive eaten there twice and love it! My husband and I went for breakfast our first time – it was amazing- we were one of the firsts into the park(so many pictures of the castle without people around it). The food was amazing and the show they put on with making a wish on a wishing star just before the princesses came out was fun, even for two (at the time) 21 year olds.
We went again a few years later for lunch. We still enjoyed ourselves, the food was still really good. although it was crowded with kids and the princesses were already out and we really couldn’t hear the “show”. But we still enjoyed ourselves and liked to meet the princesses and took fun pictures. Again as 25 year olds we had a lot of fun.
I can’t wait to take our daughter!
I’m sure that show would have been cool to see. One really big draw about breakfast for us–that might make us return for it sooner rather than later–is those early morning, empty park photos.
absolutely do the breakfast sometime. The food was fit for a princess and the princesses were awesome! We went last year ( in JULY ) and we were out ( in the middle of the park ) before any of the crowds. We took awesome pix of the near empty park, and we arrived at BET in time to be in the first group. Just make sure it’s not a Magic Early hour day 😉
We’ve dine here once. The food was surprisingly good, the price was shocking. We got a great table by the windows and enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. Glad we did it once but would probably not go back again too soon.
My family’s first meal on our children’s first trip to Disney was at CRT for breakfast in 2012. It was perfect and really set the tone for our two days in the Magic Kingdom. It was my husband’s favorite meal that trip and my daughter still has the picture of her and Cinderella on her dresser. We would do it again-and for breakfast- in a heartbeat!
We’ve heard a lot of good things about breakfast there, but I don’t see us doing that for a while. Not because we didn’t like the meal, but because it was so expensive, and is probably best experienced when we have kids.
We did CRT for the first meal on our first visit as a family. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I think my husband kind of hated me when I booked the ADR. Eye rolls and all he reluctantly headed there with me and our two girls. He LOVED it. We have eaten at every signature dining restaurant and most table service thought the parks and resorts, but this still remains one of his favorites. They really do put some of their best princesses there. My daughter was not even two at the time. Belle and Ariel spent so much time talking to her and getting her to actually interact with them. They were the only characters that she even looked at the entire trip. My girls got a wishing star and princess wand toys too. We also ordered the Cinderella’s Royal Slipper dessert for about $20 for my daughter. It was a nice treat and she felt really special. The menu was different when we went, but food was really good. You totally nailed it, there is nothing like eating I the Castle!
From what I understand, the menu has been changing pretty regularly in the last couple of years as they test out new things (for example, some of the sides aren’t the same now as when we went).
It always amazes me when the character restaurants with the best interactions are also somehow the most efficient. They spent a decent amount of time with us (well, Sarah), too, and it seemed they also got around to all of the tables without issue. Maybe the meals with poor interactions also have characters who take a lot of breaks, leading to less efficiency and lower quality?
The food truly makes this one stand out for us. I have to say that we have eaten at basically all of the character meals (never eaten at the backyard BBQ) and all of the interactions have been great, but some are more convent than others. We do have two kiddos, and that might make a difference, but the characters also do a lot of interacting with me and my husband as well. The issue that I find with Akershus is the princess parade can cut an interaction short and all of the buffets at most of the other character meals make it really hard as a parent to just enjoy. CRT is so laid back since it is one of the few that doesn’t have a buffet component to it. Really excited to return and try some new food!
Great review as always. Im a 28 year old guy who has Disney running through my childhood. Now as an adult character interactions aren’t always the smoothest and I completely agreed with your assessment on face characters. My girlfriend and I were there in January of this year. The princesses were amazing with the kids around us and they made the best of our interaction as well.
100% agree on price as well. The food was really really good but you certainly could have found it for cheaper. Then again, for in the park dining, it is at or at least near the top.
2 things we noticed:
1) Be aware of your ADR and the fireworks show. They will not tip you off on the phone (not that they should have to). Access to the restaurant is blocked off prior to, during and a little after the fireworks. Im sure we could have thrown a fuss and gotten right through but our milder approach had us given different directions by different people. The back side wanted us to go to the front, the front said the side and the side said to wait.
2) The wait staff in the restaurant has been there for ages. Our waiter told us that the most recent recruit was there for over 4 years. He himself, I think, had 20+ years. He was amazing. The whole staff really was.
Awesome review! Thanks!
Not impressed with my grammar. Sorry.
Good point about the fireworks fallout area. We approached just as they had finished roping the area off, and a Cast Member escorted us under attraction-entrance awnings to the restaurant.
Crazy to hear about the tenure of the staff–it must be a good place to work!