When thinking of bucket list experiences at Walt Disney World one can top the list for most Fairytale loving fans: seeing iconic Cinderella Castle. Now imagine a chance to dine INSIDE the castle. Sounds like a dream right? Cinderella happens to be Julie’s favorite princess and we were lucky enough to dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table years ago for a special occasion. We decided to return once again to celebrate our anniversary last month. Read on for a review of the restaurant and see if this Signature Dining experience is as magical as it sounds…
A view of the iconic Cinderella’s Castle.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is located behind these tall windows.
About Cinderella’s Royal Table
This restaurant is tucked inside Cinderella’s castle on the second floor above the arched walkway. From the backside of the castle you can see the tall windows of the restaurant that offer some of the best views in the Magic Kingdom. Traditionally Cinderella’s Royal Table is a Character Dining experience, but that is currently on pause due to the pandemic. The meal is a set price and includes three courses. The current price to dine in the castle is $62 for adults and $37 for children. This cost does not include tax and gratuity. Some discounts are available such as Disney Vacation Club and Tables in Wonderland. Reservations can be extremely hard to obtain in normal times so we recommend trying to book as soon as possible.
An inside view of Cinderella’s Royal Table. (Photo: Disney)
The Ambiance
After climbing a spiral staircase to the second floor, guests enter a grand room with tall arched ceilings, stone walls, and stained glass windows. The restaurant feels regal with patterned fabrics and medieval decor. We like that Cinderella’s Royal Table is on the smaller side as it can feel more intimate than a typical large theme park eatery. While it is popular with princess loving kids it still attracts couples and can feel on the romantic side too. Dining in a castle truly can be considered date night goals.
The first floor of the castle before climbing the stairs.
Enjoying an anniversary meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
A beautiful mosaic inside the castle.
A view through the castle windows to Fantasyland below.
Our Three-Course Meal in the Castle
Currently Cinderella’s Royal Table is offering Lunch and Dinner. The prix fixe menu is the same for both meals with options for a starter, main, and dessert. Non-alcoholic drinks are included as well. We were a little surprised however there was no bread service with the meal.
Beverages of the Court
Assorted Fountain Drinks
Freshly Brewed Joffrey's Coffee™
Twinings of London® Hot Tea
Iced Tea
Hot Cocoa
Minute Maid® Lemonade, Apple Juice and Orange Juice
1% Milk and Chocolate Milk
We stuck with soda and ice tea for our meal. And then enjoyed some hot tea with dessert. It’s good to note there is a drink menu available for beer, wine, and champagne as well. (Click image below to enlarge.)
The Drink Menu at Cinderella’s Royal Table (Click to enlarge)
Twinnings tea served in a pot.
Appetizers of the Court
Castle Salad
Hearty Mixed Greens, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Riesling-marinated Golden Raisins, Pink Lady Apples, and Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette
Julie ordered this salad and it was right up her alley. She was happy to see beets and onions but could see where some people would not be happy they as they weren’t listed in the description. The tangy dressing and the pumpkin seeds finished off a great mix. It was delicious and a very good portion too.
Cinderella’s Royal Table Castle Salad.
Charcuterie
A Chef's selection of Cured Meats, Castle Pickles, and Accompaniments
Andrew went for the charcuterie platter. And well, we must say it was probably the saddest one we have ever seen. With 2 small hunks of meat, some pate/spread (honestly we have no idea what anything actually was since we received no description), and a couple pickles it wasn’t impressive at all. While Andrew liked the few bites of meat it was lacking and he found himself dreaming of a cheese platter.
Cinderella’s Royal Table Charcuterie.
Entrées Royale
Tenderloin of Beef
Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Celery Root Mash, Seasonal Vegetables, and Sauce Bordelaise
Andrew’s meal was much better. The steak was cooked exactly as he preferred although it was fairly chewy. He wasn’t sure about the celery root mash but he was able to substitute for some roasted potatoes which were good. The asparagus wasn't very flavorful but the sauce was delicious and made the meal.
The Tenderloin of Beef at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Braised Lamb Shank
Cannellini Bean Ragoût, Caramelized Pickled Shallots, and Herbed Panko Breadcrumbs
Julie’s meal was a hearty portion featuring a large lamb shank. The meat was tender and fell off the bone. She enjoyed the accompaniments below with the beans too. Very filling and delicious.
The Braised Lamb Shank at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Finales
The Clock Strikes Twelve
Dark Chocolate Mousse with a Dark Chocolate Ganache served with a Raspberry Coulis
We had seen this pretty signature dessert online and were excited to order it in person. Unfortunately it looked nothing like pictures we had seen. It usually features a beautiful clock design on top, while this presentation was just ok. The dessert was good, and very rich, and the raspberry was a great touch.
Coffee Pots de Crème
Coffee-infused Coconut 'Custard', Passion Fruit Gelée, and Crumbled Chocolate-Espresso Beans (Plant-based)
The second dessert we tried was actually plant based and it was delicious. We expected it to be more coconut flavored but it wasn’t really. It was mostly coffee flavored mousse with a touch of passion fruit. The nibs were tasty and we enjoyed this more than we would have expected.
The Clock Strikes Twelve Dessert.
The Coffee Pots de Creme Dessert.
Extra Magic
Simply being inside the castle is a pretty magical experience. But there are other little “extras” that typically add to the experience. We noticed some of these may currently be missing compared to our last visit and wanted to note them.
Characters
Before: The last time we dined in the castle it was a full character meal with four princesses visiting each table for pictures, autographs, and chit chat. There was also an appearance by the Fairy Godmother. Another cool thing that was included was upon arrival, before going up stairs guests would meet Cinderella in the main hall for a photo opportunity. On our last visit we left with an 8x10 of that moment as well as a picture of the castle too.
Now: Unfortunately with the pandemic much of this has been stripped away. There is no photo opp and there is no table visiting. In fact there is only one quick appearance by Cinderella from afar. She makes her way around the perimeter of the room waving and smiling to tables.
Cinderella welcoming guests to the castle.
She moved about the perimeter of the room twirling and smiling.
Souvenirs
Before: During our previous visit guests were given small plastic “wishing stars.” Kids were also given magic wands or swords. Even though we are adults we got these items too. It was fun and they were nice little memory items to take home. It’s also good to note the photos were provided together in a nice little folder as well.
Now: There were none of these items on our latest visit. Every table did receive a small card with Cinderella’s autograph to take home. We did also receive a celebratory cupcake in addition to our other desserts.
A celebratory cupcake and autograph card from Cinderella.
Service
We honestly don’t remember much about our service years ago, but unfortunately on this recent visit the service stood out as not being a magical experience. Checking-in for our meal was lackluster being told to scan the code and “go to the elevator.” Our server was kind of nice but very mediocre. When paying a higher price for a meal you would expect that highly skilled Cast Members would be assigned to this post to provide memories that stand out for guests. Our server did her job by asking our order and bringing our food but really nothing else, the entire meal could be summed up as “just ok.” Our meal even ended with her saying “your ticket said you were celebrating something, here is a cupcake.” She couldn’t even be bothered to ask what we were actually celebrating and we have never had a special occasion at Disney feel more hum drum. On the way out of the restaurant we were trying to take a quick picture of the banquet room and were somewhat rudely asked to get out of the way and practically shooed down the stairs. It was pretty disappointing. You would think the staff would know that this is a special experience for most dining here, but instead it felt a little more like a factory moving guests in and out. We would hope that such an iconic dining experience with a Signature price tag would have some of the best service on property and sadly that just doesn’t seem to be the case.
During our visit to the Magic Kingdom Cinderella’s pumpkin coach happened to be on display for a limited time too!
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately for us this visit to Cinderella’s Royal Table paled in comparison to our previous experience. We aren’t sure if most of that is due to post pandemic operating procedures, but it did feel like a let down. It’s good to note that prior to the pandemic a meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table was $75 for adults, so the price has been slashed by $13. But to be honest we would have happily paid an extra $13 if it meant we had top notch service and a little more magic. Even with a discount it was hard to swallow the cost knowing that so much was missing compared to before. Extras like photos and souvenirs are small but do factor in to the price. The service could have been a great opportunity to make guests still feel special with the lack of Princess interaction. The food was a mix of some being good and some being ok. Even something like the dessert not featuring the beautiful clock seemed like a missed opportunity.
Now while we can’t help but compare our past visit to the recent one, we truly feel that even if this was our first time we still would have questioned the price. There are plenty of options on Disney property that have high-end dining and stellar service that would be a great option for a special occasion. We do think that there is something to be said for dining in the castle, and we still feel like it is worth doing at least once to get that special look inside. But with the high price tag it may be worth waiting until things get back to a little more normal to ensure a more memorable time. Dining in the castle can be a bucket list item for so many people and we hope that Cinderella’s Royal Table gets the magic back soon for those once in a lifetime guests to experience.
