Cinderella’s Royal Table: A Lunch Time Birthday Review
By: Caralee WirgesWhat is one of the most iconic landmarks in the world? Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort! What is in this castle? Cinderella’s Royal Table (CRT)! This restaurant inside the castle is still one of the most popular, and hard to get, dining reservations. I found out why during my most recent visit to Walt Disney World, and my third time dining at CRT.Our family usually reserves the Cinderella’s Royal Table dining experience for special occasions and this time was no different. This trip aligned perfectly with my youngest daughter’s fifth birthday and the “only” thing she wanted to do was eat in the castle. She has no memories of her first time. Because the men in the family had already participated in this magical experience twice, they wanted to try something new, so we decided to make it a girls-day birthday celebration. After a morning at the Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique, we walked across the castle hallway to check in for our enchanted lunch in the castle!
We were greeted by a friendly hostess dressed in a Renaissance-inspired frock and we were addressed as “My ladies”. This theme carried through to the very end. After a brief wait we were asked to step inside the castle and into the lobby where we saw Cinderella herself! Every reservation comes with a photo package, and it is here, in the grand lobby, where you get to pose with the Princess. After the photo session, we were escorted up the spiraling staircase to the Royal Dining Hall. It is a high-ceilinged, majestic room, adorned with stained glass windows. The décor is lush and done in royal blues and purples and the chairs are high-backed, comfy, and draped in tapestry.
We were greeted by a friendly hostess dressed in a Renaissance-inspired frock and we were addressed as “My ladies”. This theme carried through to the very end. After a brief wait we were asked to step inside the castle and into the lobby where we saw Cinderella herself! Every reservation comes with a photo package, and it is here, in the grand lobby, where you get to pose with the Princess. After the photo session, we were escorted up the spiraling staircase to the Royal Dining Hall. It is a high-ceilinged, majestic room, adorned with stained glass windows. The décor is lush and done in royal blues and purples and the chairs are high-backed, comfy, and draped in tapestry.
The main reason anyone visits Cinderella’s Royal Table is for the Fairytale Princess experience, and this was everything I had hoped for and more! It was like having a personal, one-on-one experience with each Princess. Our Princesses for the day were Aurora, Ariel, Snow White and Jasmine. Each one stopped at our table and briefly chatted with the girls as she signed their autograph book. They each then asked the girls to step away from the table in order to get the most flattering pictures. We never felt rushed as the princesses encouraged me to take several photos in order to get the perfect shot. The princess experience does not stop with the princess encounters. There is also a Wishing Ceremony. Each child is presented with a Wishing Star and a Magic Wand for girls and a sword for boys, and on the count of three, everyone wishes upon a star! It was a perfectly princess birthday!
Cinderella’s Royal Table is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and counts as two credits on the Disney Dining Plan. The price includes tax, gratuity and the photo package. A 180-day advance booking is recommended and full payment is required at time of booking, if not on the dining plan. Please contact your Wishes Family Travel agent for advanced dining reservations.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and counts as two credits on the Disney Dining Plan. The price includes tax, gratuity and the photo package. A 180-day advance booking is recommended and full payment is required at time of booking, if not on the dining plan. Please contact your Wishes Family Travel agent for advanced dining reservations.