A Royal Breakfast
Maggie Ballantyne2.2.19I cannot think of a better way to start a day in the Magic Kingdom than at Cinderella’s Royal Table. With an early breakfast reservation, I was able to enter the park about 15 minutes before guests.Photo Tip #1: This allowed for great shots of Main Street U.S.A. and pictures with the castle. It was virtually empty… a rare sight in Disney World!
After following the cast members around to the left of the castle, I checked in and waited 10 minutes before proceeding to the foyer of Cinderella’s Castle. As we waited in the beautifully decorated room, at the top of the steps Cinderella appeared in her gown to begin greeting guests for the day. She did not lose her slipper as she walked down the staircase, but it was a really fun experience to be able to see her before any other guests that day. She posed for pictures with each guest joining her for breakfast. A photopass photographer was present to take any and all photos.Photo Tip #2: While waiting in line, look up! You will see Jacques and Gus watching over everyone.
After my picture was taken, it was my turn to walk up the staircase and into Cinderella’s Dining Room. I was seated by the windows and had a great view of Fantasyland. Breakfast started with a tray of pastries and coffee (You can take them to go if you like, and use them as snacks throughout the day!). Depending on whether you are a prince or a princess, each guest will also receive a complimentary magic wand or a sword. After the pastries are brought out so is a menu with your options for the morning. I ordered the Beef Tenderloin and Egg… it was DELICIOUS. A couple of things to note, this is one of the very few locations in the Magic Kingdom where people 21+ years can order an alcoholic beverage such as mimosas, and this is a meal that guests must prepay for when making the dining reservation (or it takes 2 Dining Credits per person if on the Dining Plan).
The character meet and greets were an excellent, fun, and unique experience. Before each princess makes her entrance, she is announced and her story is read by the royal storyteller. This makes the character meet and greet not only a great experience, but also a performance with vast entertainment during the meal. I heard the stories of how Cinderella met Ariel, Aurora, Snow White, and Jasmine. Each princess took a few moments at my table to chat and pose for a photo.Photo Tip #3: I attended this character dining experience by myself and the cast members made sure that getting my pictures with the princesses was a stress free experience. If you go to a character dining meal by yourself (I have done several and they have all been great), just tell a cast member at the beginning of the meal and they always show up to take your photos with the characters. Other guests are usually happy to take photos as well, but I hate interrupting them during their meal and the cast members always do a great job.
After breakfast was over, I headed out into Fantasyland. Here is another great part about the early morning reservation: the crowds in the park are not what they would be if you entered at the normal opening time. I WALKED ON to Peter Pan’s Flight. Not even a five-minute wait! I then headed over to Goofy’s Barnstormer and walked on. Then I went over to Space Mountain and waited 10 minutes and after that headed over to Pirates of the Caribbean and waited 15 minutes at the most. I got on four of my favorite rides with virtually no wait and didn’t even have to use a Fastpass!Photo Tip #4: By the time breakfast was over and I made it on to some rides, it was just about 10:00 am. This is when most of the characters start meeting at the Magic Kingdom. If there is a character you really want to meet, now is a great time to jump in line because you will be one of the first and the wait time will be short. This is a perfect time to check off some characters on your meet and greet list!Starting my day at Cinderella’s Royal Table was “practically perfect in every way.” The cast members were friendly and the princesses really spent time at my table and were there for more than just a photo. The ambiance was beautiful, the energy in the dining room was positive, and the food was delicious. Character dining experiences, whether they are in a park or at a resort, are my favorite thing to do when I visit Disney World. I try to go to a new one each trip! However, I will definitely be repeating and I cannot wait to go back to Cinderella’s Royal Table in the near future!If you would like more recommendations on character dining experiences in the parks or at resorts, contact me at maggie@wishesfamilytravel.com or follow my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie