Cinderella’s Royal Table
Cinderella’s Royal Table in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom is the single hardest reservation to get at Walt Disney World. It’s been suggested that getting a reservation for the character meals here is even harder than getting Hannah Montana concert tickets. Based on our experience with each, we think it’s a draw. Either way, it’s very hard.
Our suggestion for lining up reservations is to call for reservations at 7:00 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on the 180th day before the day you want to eat here. If that doesn’t work, don’t give up. Call each day at some point to check.
Reservations often change and there’s a good chance that if you are persistent you will find an open time.
You enter Cinderella’s Royal Table from the passageway in the middle of Cinderella Castle. The check-in desk faces Fantasyland at the back of the castle. Once you check in, you will have the chance to have a photographer take a photo of your group. You will be given a photo package to see when you are seated. The package includes four 4×6 pints, one 6×8 print, one 6×8 print of Cinderella Castle, and a Cinderella photo holder. There is one photo package for 1-4 people, two packages for 5-8 people, and one package for every four persons in a group from there. You will be able to see a photo menu and have the opportunity to buy additional photos.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is a Signature Dining Experience and requires the use of two Table Service Credits on the Magic You Way Dining Plan. After entering, you climb an ornate staircase to the second floor. That is where the restaurant is located. There is room for 130 guests at a time, making it the smallest character meal setting at Walt Disney World. The room definitely looks like the interior of an old castle. If you sit near the windows, the views of the Magic Kingdom are very nice. Prepared plates are delivered to each person. This is an all-you-care-to-eat meal at a fixed price. Additional servings are delivered to your table upon request. It is not a buffet.
A key part of this experience, other than eating inside Cinderella Castle, is the character meals.
Breakfast is definitely the best option for seeing characters. Usually at breakfast, you can expect to see up to four Disney princesses, including Cinderella.
The most common princesses to join her are Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother is usually there also. The princesses are on a schedule rotation and move through the room in a way to visit each table as you dine. At lunch, Cinderella, her Fairy Godmother, and one other princess will usually be there. At dinner, the Fairy Godmother hosts the meal, but it is unlikely you will see princesses. Please note that character schedules change and Disney does not guarantee certain characters on a certain day. Even so, for thousands of little girls (and some big ones), this is an absolute dream come true – perhaps more so than any other experience at Walt Disney World.
