Is Cinderella's Royal Table Worth It? An unbiased review. ♥ Fleece Fun

The big question – Is Cinderella’s Royal Table worth it? One of the fun things about visiting Disney World is the wonderful selection of restaurants. One of the most exclusive, expensive (hello 2 dining credits!) and intriguing has to be Cinderella’s Royal Table located inside Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom. But is it worth all the hype? Not to mention money. The short answer I believe is yes, for a once in a lifetime experience I think it’s fun to have a character meal inside the castle with the kids. However, the long answer is a little more complicated. I want you to have all the information up front so you can decide for yourself. I’m here to tell you about the pros and cons of dining at one of Disney World’s most popular restaurants.

By the way if you’re planning a Walt Disney World Vacation my Friends at Get Away Today Would love to help you make it a reality. They have some wonderful packages and plans available here.

Let’s start with the positive side of Is Cinderella’s Royal Table Worth It?

Pro 1 – You’re in THE Castle!

After checking in at the outside desk – by the way you want to be right on time there is hardly any wiggle room because the place is booked solid. Once your group is called you are ushered in to have your picture taken with Cinderella herself and have a moment with her. After your first meeting with Cindy you wait to have your group called to go upstairs to the main restaurant. The decor is beautiful with woodwork, stained glass and flags. There is also upholstered seating, cloth napkins and glass goblets. You do feel like you’re at a royal banquet.

Pro 2 – Holy Cow That’s a LOT of Princesses

One of my favorite things about character meals is the amount of meet and greets you get without having to stand in line FOREVER. In additions to Cinderella, on the day we went we met Snow White, Jasmine, Ariel, and Sleeping Beauty. If you’ve ever waited in line at the Fairy Tale Hall you only get to see two princesses and the line there is typically long. So needless to say it’s perfect if you have kiddos that love princesses. It’s nice that they each get to have a moment with them and talk with the Princesses. Just be sure to have your camera/phone ready to snap pictures.

Pro 3 – The Food is Yummy

The food offered on the menu was quite delicious. The selections were perfect for the kids and some nice grown up choices for Mom and Dad too. Disney World has definitely taken steps to bring the dining options up several notches in the past few years and it shows in the major improvements in the dining menus. My personal favorite was the Roasted Chicken and for dessert don’t miss the Clock Strikes Twelves. I love that while it’s fine dining there are kid friendly items on the menu. My middle children loved decorating their own cupcake for dessert. You can see the whole menu offered here.

Pro 4 – There are Fun Little Extras

The boys get swords and the girls get magic wands, and everyone gets a “wishing star” that they get to wish on at a special moment during the meal. They’re nice little mementos to take home after the meal.

Cons to Is Cinderella’s Royal Table Worth It?

Con 1 – Wow That’s a Lot of Money/Credits

Dining with royalty ain’t cheap. Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of the most expensive places to eat on Walt Disney World property. Also be aware that when you book your reservation without a dining plan you will need to pay for the entire meal upfront and if your party is 6 or more (like my tribe) that means paying for the gratuity too. Also know that you will need to be able to present the same card that was charged to be seated for your reservation. If you’re using the dining plan it’s 2 credit per a person – so plan accordingly.

Con 2 – It’s a Time Suck

From start to finish we were at Cinderella’s Royal Table for 2 hours. Remember that meet and greet with Cinderella I mentioned earlier? We were waiting for 35 minutes to be seated after that. My kids were not happy about the wait. Frankly for the money and hoops I had to jump through (more on that in a minute) neither was I. We did purposefully plan to have this be our last meal before we flew home later that day. So we already had our fill of the Magic Kingdom. But if your don’t want character dining eating into your park time, this isn’t the restaurant for you.

Con 3 – This Castle Is Packed

When I booked our reservation at 180 days out from the start of our trip in the morning I tried to shift is an hour forward later that same day – I couldn’t because it was already booked! So if you really want a certain time at Cinderella’s Royal Table, call the morning of the day you can make restaurant reservations and be certain of your time. I say call because it’s actually easier to get a reservation when you talk to a real person vs. using the website/ app for this particular restaurant. The place is constantly packed so understand that there is really no wiggle room in your reservation. Also there is usually a line at the tiny ladies restroom in the restaurant.

Con 4 – It Really is for Certain People/ Occasions

When we went my daughters were 11, and 9. They still enjoyed princesses and loved the idea of eating in a castle. My little boy was 6 and just loves pretty princesses. I hit the sweet spot of their ages to really think that it was fun/ exciting. A little older and I don’t think they would have enjoyed it as much. Be aware that it’s just princesses that are in the castle and that there will of course be a lot of kids around because it is character dining. Cinderella’s Royal Table does offer special proposal packages and extras for couples who want to make it extra special.

Tips For Cinderella’s Royal Table:

Make your reservation 180 days in advance – first thing

I mean it – call (407) 939-3463 at 7 am EST. (For me that meant setting an alarm and waking up at 5 am!) I do know a little trick – if you’re staying on property and have your park tickets you can plan your meals for the entire vacation – meaning more than 180 days out. The rule is if you’re staying on Walt Disney World property 180 days from the start of your vacation. So you can plan all your dining reservations on the phone for your entire trip. So I was able to technically reserve our table 185 days out – so it’s worth taking the time to call and get your tickets/ hotel set up way in advance.

Which is better Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest?

Hands down if I had to choose between the two I would pick Cinderella’s Royal Table over Be Our Guest every time. You can’t beat the nostalgia of the castle location, there are a bunch of characters and frankly I feel that Be Our Guest is overrated. It’s large and built for crowds. I have eaten there for quick service and for dinner service and was unimpressed. I would choose Cinderella’s Royal Table every time.

What’s Included at Cinderella’s Royal Table?

When we went we received a professional photo with Cinderella taken by a PhotoPass Photographer. The girls received plastic wands and the boys plastic swords. Everyone received a “wishing star” (a sparkly plastic star). Fine dining (and appetizer, main entree and dessert is included in the price of the meal), and Princesses who come and greet you table side.

I hope this helps you in deciding on if this restaurant is for you. Time at Disney is precious and I want you to have the most magical stay possible! Be sure to check with my friends at Get Away Today to see any special offers they might have so you can save on your trip! And use the code FleeceFun to save $10 when you book certain packages – every little bit helps!

Is Cinderella’s Royal Table Worth It? An unbiased review.