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.
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!
Our family snagged reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table at the end of May 2022. This was our kids first trip to Disney so I was very excited to have gotten this reservation. Cinderella was NOT in the lobby when we arrived. The entire meal I was expecting her to walk into the dining room and wave at some point. My girls saw her from afar when the elevator doors opened. We got so excited but she never stepped off the elevator. Finally at the end of our pretty good…not knock your socks off meal, I asked the server if we were going to see Cinderella. She asked if we had seen her on the way in. I told her we hadn’t. She said we could see her on the way out. We made our way down the winding staircase and guess what? She wasn’t there! We were told she would return in 10-15 minutes. By then, we were all ready to move on. So we left. It was a very expensive dinner. There were 6 of us. 2 of my 3 children are “adults” (ages 10 & 11) who obviously are not adults and still eat kid portions but were charged adult prices. It was cool being inside the castle but to have not even seen a single princess, I don’t think it was worth the price at all.
We loved our experience in CRT but weren’t going there this visit. After your article I decided to do it for the fireworks experience. Our reservation is for 6:55. Is that too early to be in there for the 9 pm display?
That’s probably pushing it–I’d try for 30 minutes later. (Then again, you might get “lucky” with your table not being ready at your ADR time.)
WDW is short on princesses well here’s a suggestion. Sarah needs to apply. There are a number of great photos in this article featuring beautiful women but not one of them is prettier than She (Yes capital S).
We are friends with enough “friends” of princesses to know exactly what comes with that job and–yikes–no way. (But thanks for the kind words!)
I’m disappointed with the decline and “reimagining” of Character Dining. While, I do not recall if CRT was ever officially a Character Dining Experience the past precedent firmly established it as a Princess Dining Experience. Now, today, Cinderella’s Royal Table is nothing more than a Royal Bore.
2019 Trip – We all remember the princesses walking table to table greeting and taking photos.
2021 Trip – Cinderella walked through the Dining floor and stood for photos with no children. I was perfectly understanding of this considering the world climate with Covid.
2022 May Trip – All Measures have been dropped. Princesses are hugging and taking photos. Cinderella has returned to the Entry Lobby for individual photos but no Photo Pass Person. Upstairs there are absolutely NO princesses and Cinderella does not even walkthrough.
So. You basically are paying a premium to eat in a cramped “themed” castle? I don’t care about the money. It’s the experience that is so disappointing. It could be so much better and yet Disney once again fails to make investments in entertainment and character labor.
Is it worth it? My vote – No. unfortunately the food for a table service restaurant is by far the best at MK and that is not saying much.
Save the money, eat a burger at Pinocchio’s and go to a better themed experience on property.
I have to disagree. We are passholders for many years and have been several times over the years. Last Fall, we took our 3 yr old Grandson for late lunch. Seating was against a pillar with limited view of the restaurant. I thought the Upholstery and carpet looked a bit worn and faded. The server was down right rude. We ended up not staying for our meal. We had avery disappointed little boy.
Any updates on if character interactions have changed recently? I’m looking at reservations for January 2022 and curious if princesses are back yet. As of 11/23/21, the Disney dining reservation site says “character dining is not currently available at this location”
Thanks so much for this, Tom. Based on your recommendation, we went to CRT last week (during the fireworks) and it was the highlight of our trip. Your review of the beef tenderloin was spot on — all six of us had it and loved it. Also, they played the soundtrack to the fireworks show in the background so that was a nice treat. And watching the show from inside the castle was nothing short of amazing. Plus, no crowds, comfortable chairs, and air conditioning!
A few tips for folks who want to enjoy the fireworks from CRT: not every table has a decent fireworks view. I’d try and book a table an hour out from the show and then tell the staff you’re willing to wait for a table in the center of the room. (There were tables of two against the windows and tables of six more toward the middle.) We did that and were seated well before the start of the show.
Also, we were very surprised at how early the cast members roped off the castle for the fireworks. On the day of our visit, the ropes were up at least an hour and a half before the fireworks start time and we had to walk all the way around to the back of the park to get inside. (Once you walk around, as you’re facing the back of the castle there was a lone cast member on the rope to the right of the carousel checking CRT guests in.) Disney really should have a cast member at the front to take folks with confirmed reservations inside — especially for older guests. It was not a pleasant way to begin the experience, but the rest of the dinner/show made up for it by far.
What is CRT?
CRT is Cinderella’s Royal Table
Please tell me what the best thing is to order…
My twins have celiac and only eat gluten free, any recommendations welcome
We had dinner at the castle a couple of years ago and my daughter’s thought it was the greatest thing in the world. The look on their faces was priceless. They still talk about the dining experience to this day. I am so glad we were able to get in. I don’t think we would do it again because they are older now and it was pricey, but it was for sure a one time experience that my girls will never forget. I highly recommend doing it at least one time if you have younger girls, for sure.
AMAZING!!!
I have visited the royal table for twenty five years theee children seven grandchildren .Mu family and I went to lunch on August third this year worst experience I’ve ever had.Our server J R was indifferent rude never acknowledged the three birthdays we were celebrating when I took him aside and asked why he was so rude no reply however when he returned with my entree he said here you go beautiful I spoke to Greg the manager no one seems to care greedy greedy staff he got his eighteen percent for being rude and ignoring us never asking how our meal was no conversation at all never ever waiting six months for the royal castle again
I am going to Magic Kingdom in just three days and scored reservations tonight! Considering myself quite lucky right now. There are mixed reviews online about this place so I hope my three young girls enjoy the experience enough to make the steep price worth it.
Did they like it?
Great review! When I was planning our trip last year, I truly believed we’d only go to WDW once and be done. (I want to go back every day now). I knew that it’d be important for our 4 year old to meet some of her favorite characters and had no desire to stand in long lines waiting to meet anyone either, so I opted for 2 character dinners the 2 nights we were in the parks. When I booked 180 days out, CRT was sold out, so I went with 1900. However, I kept checking and eventually came across a CRT reservation. I would say your food description is spot on. It’s a good meal, but not for the cost. The character interactions as well as the ambiance and the appeal of eating inside a castle is the real draw to this restaurant. We had a lot of fun and my daughter loved meeting Ariel, Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White and Cinderella. My wife and I loved seeing the way they interacted with her, it was so much fun, each one having a conversation directly with her, talking about things from their story.
Thank you for this review. I am a Disney fanatic (Disneyland that is) as we live in California. My husband and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in Florida and of course are spending a week at WDW. Our Adult son (23) will join us for the WDW part as he is a Cast member at Disneyland, and its only our second visit to WDW. So neither my husband nor son care to meet the princesses (not a big deal for me either), however I have always wanted to see inside of the Castle. I assume, like Be our Guest, you can only go up the stairs with a reservation. We went to BoG last year and ate breakfast (to avoid the character interaction) and have reservation for breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table – just to see the inside of the castle its a pretty expensive breakfast. My question is do you think its worth the wow (and bucket list check off) to eat at the Royal Table?
Thank you!
Is it possible to add a person on to a reservation?
You can call repeatedly and try and try. But your best bet is to ask at the reception desk when you check in for your reservation . They will have the power to help you much more that the people in the call center. Maybe try to make a res for one person and ask when you arrive to seat the parties together.
It worked Forbus is. I had a party of 8 and could only get 2 parties of 4 and hour apart. Called a million times and they couldn’t help. But in the end we all sat together!
How do we request a window table?
And How do we make sure it is during Fireworks time and we will get to stay and watch fireworks from in the castle? About to book 180 Days out for Christmas.
Thanks so much if you can answer either or these!
any tips on how to score a reservation? Its almost 6 months out( but inside the 180 day window) and its all sold out for my dates?
should I just keep checking the website? should I just check during the cancellation window?
thanks.
LOVE the blog
Keep checking. They were out for my trip time, but I scored one yesterday. People cancel all the time. Best of luck.
Hi Tom! Thank you for the review. I was wondering which lens you used in the castle? Also, did you use an external flash?
We’re going next month and wondered if you knew if my 10 year old could order off the children’s menu and if so, would they just bring larger portion size? She wouldn’t eat anything from the adult menu. We’re on the dining plan, so how does the tip work? Is it automatically calculated and we pay out of pocket for it?
Btw, love your blog, it’s been so helpful in my planning. And your photography is so inspiring!!!
I know this question is old but I wanted to share our experience in case anyone else is curious. We have been twice and they were very accommodating with letting my 12-year-old mix and match from both the adult and kid menu. She loves the turkey pot pie from the kid menu, but prefers the starter and dessert from the adult menu. I’m not sure if they gave a bigger portion size for the entree but it was plenty of food for her.
Thank you! I had the same question and this is really helpful to know.
Thank you! I had the same question and this is really helpful to know.