Princess Character Dining has finally returned to Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom. The restaurant reopened in September 2020 for dinner service with no characters, and in August 2021 for breakfast. Cinderella made brief, distanced appearances in the room, but traditional character dining was unavailable.
Starting today, characters have returned for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We visited during dinner service. You can watch our video below, and scroll down for detailed photos and reviews.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Guests check in at the back of Cinderella Castle and are led inside.
The lobby has a queue to meet Cinderella, and benches for waiting for your table to be called for seating.
It’s decorated with era-appropriate castle architecture and artwork.
The dining room is upstairs. Cast Members will lead your party up, and there’s an elevator for accessibility.
Cinderella Meet and Greet
Before you head to the dining room, guests have a chance to meet Cinderella. PhotoPass photographers are present. A PhotoPass picture is included in the package.
Princesses
The other princesses visit while you eat. They go to each guest’s table. The princesses during our visit were Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White, and Ariel.
The kids are offered a sword or magic wand toy to play with.
You also receive an autograph card. Art of Cinderella’s transformation is on the front.
On the back are signatures from all the princesses.
includes one appetizer, one entrée, and one finale.
Appetizers of the Court
Soup of the Day: Butternut Squash
The soup of the day was butternut squash. It was thick and too heavy on the cinnamon, which gives it more of a pumpkin pie flavor than we would expect.
We would not get this again.
Chilled Jumbo Shrimp
Avocado Mousse, Crispy Peppers, Corn Purée, and Micro Cilantro
The avocado mousse reminds us of other dishes around Walt Disney World but goes really well with the shrimp.
This isn’t the best shrimp co*cktail you’ll ever have, but it’s fresh and not fishy. It’s a solid option, and we’d get it again.
Can you spot the hidden Mickey?
Braised Beef
Carrot and Coriander Purée, Shallot Jam, and Horseradish Gremolada
This is a good portion for an appetizer, leaving you just satisfied enough while you wait for the entrée. The presentation is nice. It sits on a sweet potato purée base, and the beef itself falls apart. There are definitely some fatty layers in here, but it’s so tender and moist. You could cut this thing with a spoon. The beef is on the saltier side which is what makes the sweet potato purée the perfect pairing. The whole dish is delicious.
Entrées Royale
Parisian Gnocchi
Seasonal Vegetables, Celery Root Purée, and Vegetable Demi-glace
It only had about 10 pieces of gnocchi, but each was excellent.Everything in this dish works perfectly.The pickled radish is balanced well by the potato gnocchi and the glaze.
The gnocchi has a great texture, hitting the right place between crunchy and doughy.The other vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, and string peas) were pan fried.
We would get this again.
Grilled Tenderloin of Beef
Potato Pavé, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables, and House-made Steak Sauce
We requested the beef medium, and it was cooked a little closer to medium-well. The meat is underseasoned and a little dry.
It’s served with steak sauce, and you need it to counter the dryness.
The potato pavé is buttery and soft. The asparagus was perfectly prepared.
The beef is fine. The vegetables are great. Picky eaters will probably enjoy this.
Sustainable Catch En Papillote: Grouper
Marble Potatoes, Bok Choy, and Chimichurri
The fish of the day was grouper, served in a paper wrap (“en papillote”) with a variety of vegetables. The grouper was well cooked and very flaky; it fell apart easily. By itself, it had a sweet flavor, but the majority of the meat was heavily covered in black pepper and chimichurri sauce.
The vegetables are a nice touch. There are slivered potatoes at the base that sit in the marinade and chimichurri, making them a great complement to the fish. The bok choy, however, looked unappetizing and we skipped it.
The pepper and chimichurri are strong and complement the grouper well.
Overall, this was a light dish that packs a ton of flavor without leaving you overstuffed when you head into the park after. We recommend it, but your mileage may vary as the fish changes.
Finales
The Clock Strikes Twelve
Dark Chocolate Mousse with a Caramel and Crunchy Praline Center, served with Chocolate Sauce and Hazelnut Gelato
This has a cute presentation with the clock medallion on top of the mousse.
The mousse is extremely chocolatey. It’s overwhelming. Chocolate mousse on a chocolate cake covered in chocolate ganache. It’s too much.
The hazelnut ice cream is a refreshing break from the chocolate. When paired together, the ice cream helps to mask some of the chocolate and makes this dessert more enjoyable.
We don’t recommend this unless you really love chocolate.
Jaq & Gus
Cheesecake with Seasonal Flavors and Garnishes
The current seasonal fruits are strawberries and blueberries. The cheesecake itself is plain with no sauce on top.
It’s more like a deconstructed dish, with the strawberry purée, meringue stars, and crumbs on the side.
The tangy cheesecake is overwhelming. The berries are tart and do nothing to help with the strong cream cheese flavor.
The meringue is a cute garnish, but the texture is all wrong with the cheesecake. This dessert does not work, and we do not recommend it.
Coffee Pot de Crème
Coffee-infused Coconut ‘Custard,’ Passion Fruit Gelée, and Crumbled Chocolate-Espresso Beans (Plant-based)
The server warned us this was very coffee-forward. It’s very dense. It’s like eating raw coffee grounds with a similarly grainy texture. The coffee lovers among us didn’t hate it, but it’s not something we’d choose for a dessert.
Those who don’t like a strong coffee thought it was disgusting.
We cannot recommend this. Unfortunately, it’s the only plant-based option.
Cinderella’s Royal Table Kids Menu – $47
includes one appetizer, one entrée, two sides, and one dessert
French Fries
These are not on the menu, but the servers were happy to obtain french fries on request. The child in our party was not interested in the offered appetizers.
These are standard Walt Disney World french fries.
Chicken Strips
Served with choice of two (2) Selections and choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small Minute Maid Apple Juice
The kid in our party picked chicken strips with mashed potatoes and green beans.
These are good. They aren’t much more than the standard kids’ meals around the parks, but at least you know the kids will be happy with their meal.
The Sword in the Sweet
Cookies ‘n Cream Cheesecake Mousse with Chocolate Cookie Crumble topped with Crispy Pearls and a Cookie Sword
Our youngest reporter gave a succinct review: “it’s good.”
It’s also very cute.
Overall
The ambiance at Cinderella’s Royal Table is unbeatable. You’re in the castle. It’s worth doing at least once just to get to eat in the castle. The food has improved, almost everything was better, and it’s clear that they’ve tried. This is a rite of passage thing, even if you don’t have kids or don’t like to meet characters. It’s not cheap, but the price is worth crossing this off your bucket list.
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Shannen Michaelsen
