The last thing you want during your vacation to Universal Studios Orlando is for you (or your spouse or kids) to be uncomfortable. Wearing shoes that hurt, socks that cause blister, or anything that’s inappropriate for the weather is no fun. And Florida weather can […]
My daughter Rebecca and I just came back from our first visit to Universal Studios in Orlando. As usual, I did some right and some things not-so-right, so I thought my first post about the trip should be about what to pack and what to […]
If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World in the not-too-distant future, and really have your heart set on a character dining experience with some princesses, I have some bad news for you.
At the time of this writing (November 2022), almost none of the princess dining experiences have returned since the Covid shut-down in 2020.
However, the news isn’t all bad.
Just a few days ago, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot re-opened. It will, of course, probably be one of the most difficult dining reservations to book for 2023, but it is an option, and the more flexible and persistent you are, the more likely it is that you’ll able to get something.
Another option, especially if someone in your family either a) is a huge Cinderella fan; and/or b) loves the idea of dining in a beautiful castle; you can eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table and have a meet-and-greet with Cinderella in the lobby.
Finally, you can meet Snow White (along with a couple dwarves and the Evil Queen) for dinner at Artist Point.
That’s about as good as it get right now. Sorry, everyone.
I’ll be popping in about every month or so and updating this post as needed. In the meantime, I’ve covered all the pre-Covid princess dining spots, their locations, current prices, and some of their menu items. (You can still eat at some of these restaurants; you just won’t meet anyone except your server.)
Toward the end of this post, there’s a handy-dandy infographic listing the what, where, and who of all the princess dining (even if they’ll not available at the moment. I’ll also briefly cover some other character dining options that currently are available.
Location: Magic kingdom
Breakfast: $35 to $59.99 per adult
Lunch/Dinner: Over $60 per adult
Breakfast Menu Items: Caramel Apple-Stuffed French Toast, Beef Tenderloin and Egg,scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, potatoes. orange juice, lemonade, tea, coffee
Lunch/Dinner Menu Items: Prix Fixe Menu with cured meats and cheeses, roasted chicken breast, beef tenderloin, spiced-crusted pork tenderloin, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese.
Dessert Menu Items:: Clock Strikes Twelve (dark chocolate mousse with a caramel and crunchy praline center, served with chocolate sauce and hazelnut gelato), Jaq & Gus (cheesecake with seasonal flavors)
Characters: Ariel, Aurora, Jasmine, Cinderella, Snow White (characters may vary; see note below)
As of this writing, character dining in currently unavailable at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Cinderella remains the only Disney Princess at Cinderella’s Royal Table at this time. However, as I mentioned above, you can still meet with Cinderella at photo-op spot in the lobby before you enter the dining room.
We’ve actually never eaten at Cinderella’s Royal Table (The cynical side of me was always a little put off by the fact that it was so expensive and that getting reservations — at least back when my girls were little — was more difficult than getting tickets to a Saturday Night Live taping.)
I’ve heard mixed reviews on the food there, but not surprisingly, most guests say that what makes this dining experience great is the fact that you’re eating in a castle. I mean, how often do you get to do that?
Back in the — sigh — pre-Covid days of the Disney Dining Plan, Cinderella’s Royal was a “Signature Restaurant” that counted as two table service credits.
(Speaking of the Dining Plan, as of November 2022, it’s been over a full year since Walt Disney World has confirmed that the Disney Dining Plan will be returning soon, but they’re “not quite ready” to make an announcement about it. O-kay…)
Location: Norway Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase
Dinner Price: $63 adult/$41 child
Dinner Menu Items: Field greens salad with lingonberry vinaigrette, traditional Norwegian meatballs, grilled salmon, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese
Dessert Menu: Rice Cream with strawberry sauce, Chocolate Roulade with lingonberry cream.
Characters: Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Pocahontas, Mulan, Cinderella, Ariel, Alice and Mary Poppins (characters may vary)
For years now, Akershus has been the “other princess dining option” in Disney World. If you couldn’t book CRT, or didn’t think it was worth two dining credits, this was the second choice.
This doesn’t mean that Akershus is bad. In fact, some people prefer Akershus to CRT.
And what’s not to like? Several princesses (and sometimes Mary Poppins, who doesn’t seem to realize — or care — that for some reason she’s crashing a Princess Party), plenty of good food, a medieval castle.
As I mentioned above, this is currently the only princess dining option available at the moment and will probably be the hardest dining reservations to get in 2023.
Location: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Breakfast Price:$35 a $59.99/adult
Dinner:$35 a $59.99/adult
Breakfast Menu Items: Hickory Smoked Ham, cheese blintzes, Strawberry Soup, yogurt, Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce, omelets made to order, pancakes, French Toast
Dinner Menu Items:Various salads, fried catfish, salmon, Mongolian Steak, pumpkin ravioli, peel and eat shrimp, chicken noodle soup
Dessert Menu Items: Strawberry Soup, various pastries
Breakfast Characters:Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Winnie the Pooh & friends
Dinner Characters: Cinderella, Prince Charming, Cinderella’s step-mother and step-sisters (Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella)
1900 Park Fare is temporarily closed.
The one time I ate at Park Fare for dinner, I was pretty impressed with the food. (Although I was not as in love with the Strawberry Soup as everybody else seems to be. I guess I just don’t like liquid-y desserts. Is the Strawberry Soup a dessert? I don’t know. It seemed like it to me.)
Also, the decor and atmosphere was perfectly fine, but we definitely weren’t eating in a castle.
That was my adults-only Disney trip, and I choose 1900 Park Fare was because I kept hearing that the step-sisters were absolutely hilarious and it was like paying to see a show.
Unfortunately, the step-sisters were sick that night (along with Prince Charming, who I really didn’t care about), and Suzy Mouse was in her place. But Lady Tremaine was pretty funny too, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Another nice thing about 1900 Park Fare is the location. You really have to stop in and see Grand Floridian (and go in Basin White, the “soap store”!) whether you’re staying there or not. Because it’s on the monorail, it’s fortunately pretty easy to do that.
Location: Disney’s Boardwalk
Breakfast Prices: $15 to $34.99 per adult
Breakfast Menu Items: Egg white omelet with smoked salmon, goat cheese, spinach, mushrooms and tomato; buttermilk pancakes with bacon or sausage; breakfast calzone with scrambled eggs, cured meat and a blend of cheeses stuffed in an oven-baked dough and served with Sunday gravy
Breakfast Characters: Ariel, Prince Eric, Rapunzel, Flynn RiVBder
The Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast is temporarily unavailable, but you can still eat breakfast here. (You can also eat dinner, which has never been a character meal.)
Location: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Dinner Prices:$65 per adult, $39 per child
Dinner Menu Items: Prix Fixe Menu with mushroom bisque, beef stroganoff, Prime Rib with mashed potatoes, poached sustainable fish
Dessert Menu Items:: “Poisoned Apple” (Dark chocolate and apple mousse and sour center), currant cake
Dinner Characters: Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy, the Evil Queen
Hurray, Storybook Dining at Artist Point is open for dinner!
The decor here is pretty cool. It’s made to feel like you’re inside the enchanted forest, with light-up trees carved out of the support beams in the restaurant. The leaves not only change color when certain characters arrive, but they also ‘dance’ when the Dwarfs do their little parade.
Even though you and your family may have your heart set on princesses right now, I know you’ll enjoy hearing about some additional Disney character meals:
Visit the Hundred Acre Wood and meet Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. I’m always been a big Winnie the Pooh, so Crystal Palace makes me Happy.
The buffet breakfast at Cape May Cafe, located in Disney’s Beach Resort is a great option for people who love Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck (as I do). You’ll also get to meet Donald Duck (who is always good for some fun character interaction) and Goofy.
Garden Grill is a favorite of mine for three reasons:
If you’re a regular reader, you know I like to make fun of Chef Mickey’s, but no matter how headache-inducing it may be for an adult, it’s definitely got what kids want: The Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck) and plenty of sweet and gooey toppings for your Mickey Mouse waffles.
We’ve only been to ‘Ohana for dinner and I’ve never seen the movie Lilo and Stitch, so I’m not much help with this.
In addition to Lilo and Stitch, you’ll also meet Mickey and Pluto. Like Chef Mickey’s, ‘Ohana is conveniently located on the monorail line, so it’s easy to zip into Magic Kingdom right after breakfast.
Now it’s your turn. Have you been to any of the restaurants in this post? What was your experience? Let us know below in the comments!
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Many years ago, when my kids were babies and toddlers and I was researching the idea of homeschooling, I read a book that said that during the entire month of December you should just shelve the regular schoolwork and just do Christmas DIY projects and activities.
I don’t know that we ever officially did that, but we certainly did follow the spirit of that idea.
Making one or more of these 28 edible crafts is a great way for your family to get into the holiday spirit and spend quality time together. Many of them are simple enough that younger children can do them as well.
And the best part is that your family will get to enjoy some super fun foods (preferably along with cups of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows!) during the Christmas season.
Making these easy edible Christmas crafts are a great way for the entire family to spend the holiday season together.
Kids of all ages will love making these Nutter Butter Santa, reindeer and snowmen are fun and easy to make. All they take are just a few simple ingredients to create a simple, festive treat.
Looking for an easy and fun Christmas tree themed sweet treat? Then check out these adorable Pretzel Christmas Trees. They're easy to make -- plus they're delicious!
Angel sandwiches are a fun way to build a healthy Christmas lunch. Send them with your children in their lunchboxes or make them together at home. You will also find other fun, crafty sandwich ideas like a gift, a reindeer, and a Christmas tree.
These Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Reindeer are a cute Christmas treat idea. They're easy to make and are a merry addition to any party or playdate. Kids love them.
These Polar Bear Marshmallows are an adorable Christmas craft treat that will become an annual family tradition this time of year. They’re so cute you almost won’t want to eat them…Almost.
Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats are so fun, both to make and eat. Skip the baking and get right to decorating with this fun food craft for kids.
Kids LOVE frosty the snowman! Whip up a batch of EASY melted snowman cookies for a fun kids Christmas cookie. Just a few ingredients from the pantry and you have a unique , crafted cookie the whole family can appreciate.
What better way to celebrate Christmas morning than decorating and eating Gingerbread Pancakes is our favorite Christmas tradition.
You can make them plain or flavor them like gingerbread, and there is no crazy construction required!
Caprese Salad Snowmen are as fun to make as they are delicious to eat! Serve them for a party or build them together as a family!
Looking for an easy craft idea for toddlers and kids? These ice cream cone Christmas trees are a fun holiday activity, and make a darling centerpiece for your table!
Pretty and festive, these candy canes cgn easily be made in less than an hour. They're great for stirring hot winter drinks, as gifts, to decorate holiday packages or for a snack.
These cookies are a work of art -- and a lot easier than you'd think, once you know the secret! Have kids help make, dye, and decorate these amazing 3D cookies for Christmas.
Avoid a Pinterest fail with these incredibly cute and easy to make Christmas chocolate dipped marshmallows recipe. So simple that even little hands can help.
Creating Christmas Pretzels is a fun activity for the whole family. No special tools are required to create these adorable chocolate treats that are ideal for holiday snacking and edible gifts.
These "Father Christmas cookies" are crisp, light and gently spiced, then decorated with sugar paste to create very fun, very tasty and very festive treats.
These traditional gingerbread men cookies are the perfect festive Christmas food. They are full of warming ginger flavor and make fantastic make ahead Christmas gifts.
Gingerbread houses are the ultimate Christmas food craft, of course! And this one is perfect -- sturdy enough to build with, yet soft enough to enjoy eating.
With just a few simple ingredients this cookie is simple for all ages to create. Great for a Christmas party treat or a fun dessert!
This Christmas craft for making tree ornaments using a cinnamon stick and colorful ribbon really can’t get much simpler.
The kids are going to love decorating these fun holiday treat with this Santa Hat Cupcake Recipe
This easy Christmas reindeer pudding cups recipe is the easiest holiday treat that you'll ever create.
Make Edible Snow Globes with the kids with this easy how to using store bought Ding Dongs! Just a few ingredients needed!
A sweet and salty treat that is festive and fun for the holidays, Christmas Pretzel hugs might just be the perfect snack.
These reindeer pretzels are fun and easy to make. They're great for a kids' Christmas party or as a treat to make at home.
Quick and easy homemade donuts that are dunked in green frosting with a heart sprinkle make these Grinch Donuts fun and easy to make. The perfect addition to a Christmas breakfast, Grinch party or just because they are fun!
Make these super easy 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies in Christmas shapes like trees. Simple enough for kids to make needing just a little help with the oven.
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As I mentioned in another post, I’ve always been an Alice in Wonderland fan. (Although I’m not particularly crazy about the Disney film. I don’t hate it or anything; it just doesn’t grab me.)
Interestingly, my oldest daughter went through a phase when she was five where she pretended to be Alice. She wore a blue dress, then tied a white long-sleeve t-shirt around her waist to give the appearance of an apron.
Then she’d go outside, ring the front doorbell, and say, “Hi! I’m Alice.”
If you know a young Alice fan, they might want to have an Alice in Wonderland themed party. It’s a great party theme, what with there being a tea party and all.
In this post you’ll discover several Alice party games and activities, plus some clever and delicious food and beverage ideas.
The Queen’s Guard Giant Playing Cards
The cool thing about a deck of cards is that there are so many different games you can play with them.
These jumbo-sized Alice in Wonderland themed playing cards come with an instruction booklet with 16 card games.
Because of their size and the illustrations on each card, they can also work great as decorations.
The White Rabbit’s Scavenger Hunt
This scavenger hunt game comes with metal keys that you can hide inside or outside of your house. (Or, if you prefer, you can hide treats or small toys instead.) Then kids get in teams and solve the riddles to find the hidden keys (or treats or toys).
This simple balancing game is designed for ages 5 and up. You can play with just 2 players or as many as 10. The game takes about 20 minutes to play.
There are 12 colorful teacups different sizes on an tilting tea party. Players take turns taking a card and following directions.
I don’t know about you, but I love getting together with a few friends and painting some ceramics. It’s both fun and peaceful — plus you have a pretty decoration when you’re done!
This ceramic tea set includes 13 pieces — a teapot, 4 cups and saucers, a sugar bowl and creamer. Brushes and paints are included as well.
This is a great outdoor game from Simple Practical Beautiful. I particularly like it because it’s not an elimination game, where kids get “out” and then have to spend the rest of the game just standing there and watching.
Spread a bunch of hula hoops on the ground (as many hoops as there are players) and then have everybody walk around in a circle while music plays. (It’d be fun to play The Caucus Race Song, although of course you could play any music that you like.)
When the music stops, everyone needs to stand inside of a hula hoop. Then take away one hoop and do it again. Instead of someone being “out,” there will be two people inside one hula hoop.
Keep eliminating hoops until everybody has to stand inside one hoop when the music stops!
Coloring is a simple activity, but a popular one. You can easily print off some or all of these 6 coloring pages and either use them as a party activity and/or put them in party favor bags for your guests to enjoy later.
This finger puppets can be printed out on card stock, then cut out and wrapped around your fingers to bring the characters from Wonderland to life.
There are 5 characters in total -- Alice, the White Rabbit, the Chesire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts -- and two scenery backgrounds.
I'm a big fan of strawberry & chocolate combos. These adorable "mushroom" brownies are decorated with candy rocks and mini marshmallows.
This cold, sweet party drink is inspired by the Cheshire Cat's colors and looks really cool.
Homemade sandwich cookies that look like a deck of cards -- how cool is that?
These creative chocolate cupcakes will make a great dessert for your party. You can even have the decorating be a party activity, if you think your guests would enjoy that.
What would an Alice in Wonderland party be without tea sandwiches?
This post tells you the best bread to use and also shares a variety of tasty fillings.
“We’re painting the roses red.” These sugar cookies are topped with delicious buttercream frosting rosettes. Follow the step-by-step tutorial for these “painted” cookies, perfect for an Alice in Wonderland party.
This queen of hearts mocktail is super fun and easy to make! Just a few ingredients in a few minutes and you’re there.
These delicious teacup cookies are the perfect way to have your own Alice in Wonderland tea party. Fun to decorate, guests can decorate their own as a project or you can present them beautifully finished.
NOTE: Featured image courtesy of Laurie at Pics from the World of Disney.
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