The most sought after reservation at Walt Disney World, for as long as I can remember has been Cinderella’s Royal Table. The reason it’s so difficult to get a reservation is that the dining room only seats about 120 people. The other difficult to get reservation is Le Cellier, their dining room only seats 100 people. Just for comparison sake, across the pond the dining room at La Hacienda seats 250. The good news is that Disney got with the program and made lunch and dinner Princess character meals as well. That has made the reservation situation a little bit better. The 8am breakfast slot at Cinderella’s Royal Table (CRT from here on out) is still a toughy, because you get to experience the Magic Kingdom before the park is open and walking down Main Street USA when it is almost completely empty is sublime.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

Meals at CRT must be prepaid, or you can indicate that you are using the Disney Dining Plan, but the reservation system will still require a credit card guarantee. What is the best way to get that reservation? It used to be that there was a system for getting though to Disney Dining on the phone exactly when they opened. This is a thing of the past! The best way to get a reservation at CRT is now using the Disney World website dining reservations form. Some people have said they have been able to make reservations as early as 2:00am on their 180 day reservation mark. Personal experience leads me to believe that 4:00am CST or 5:00am EST is much more common–the Disney website is a little glitchy. Set your alarm and get up and hit the web–it’s much easier than trying to get through to Disney Dining on the phone. You don’t have to account for the amount of time it takes to get through the automated system, which has gotten far more extensive in recent months. I just got off the phone with Disney Reservations, and I have to say the automated system is nothing but annoying!

The real question is, is it worth it? Cinderella’s Royal Table is an awfully pricey meal. Breakfast for adult will run you $44.80 and lunch and dinner are even more expensive. Disney has also added in a holiday surcharge that applies to Christmas, Easter and almost all summer. The surcharge will add an extra $5.00 to your meal. I have to say that I think it is worth it to do once, it’s not something I have to do on every single trip. If you have little girls there is nothing as priceless as getting a magic wand, photos and chatting with 3 or 4 princesses during the course of the meal. The character interaction is fabulous. I remember a conversation I had with Snow White, who found out I was from New Orleans. She leaned over and whispered that she wasn’t really from Germany, but actually from Baton Rouge. I’ll never forget it! The princesses are in a rotation at CRT and I’ve seen Belle, Aurora, Snow White and the Fairy Godmother on my trips, but Ariel and Mary Poppins show up as well. Recent travelers have also reported seeing the Step Sisters at lunch and dinner, as well as Suzy and Perla.

I’ve been to CRT twice for breakfast and really enjoyed both meals. I don’t have children and it was just me and my roommate, Brandon. We were treated like super stars and the hostess was kind enough to give us the “gifts” that are usually given to the children in the party. Little girls get a magic wand and little boys get a pirate sword. All children get a wishing star for a little ceremony that takes place about every half hour. I still have mine!

All in all I’ve found the service at Cinderella’s Royal Table to be absolutely superb. The waitstaff has been more than willing to do anything and everything to make the meal a success. If you are celebrating something special Disney just added a new option for birthdays. A mere $112 will buy you a ballon, tiara, and 6in cake for your birthday princess! You can call Disney Dining to have this option added to your meal or email wdw.crt.special.events@disney.com. You can also order a number of special desserts, including the chocolate slipper from Disney Dining. If you are thinking about popping the question–I can’t imagine a better place to do it and the email address listed above will be able to help you with that as well.

The children’s menu at CRT has gotten an update this week as well. Disney is working towards healthier kid’s menus and the new lunch/dinner kid’s menu includes chicken pot pie, chicken drumsticks and rice, and beef skewers. I still think breakfast is the way to go if you are going to CRT. However, if you can’t get that breakfast reservation, lunch is much more affordable than dinner.

Have a great time! Good luck getting your Cinderella’s Royal Table reservation. I just checked WDW Dining and there are reservations available for my April trip! I might try CRT solo in April!