The Tangled themed chicken & pasta dish at Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom was one of the best dishes I ever had at Disney World

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If you’ve ever been to Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, then I’m sure you’ve noticed Cinderella’s Castle.  Even if you haven’t been to Magic Kingdom, then you probably have seen a picture of Cinderella’s Castle.

Cinderella's Castle is an iconic part of the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

The castle is one of the most iconic parts of the Magic Kingdom.  If you’ve been to Disney World before, you’ve passed by it and looked at it many times.

I love how impressive CInderella's Castle looks on the outside at Magic KIngdom

But have you ever been inside the castle?  Well, you can by getting a meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table!

Cinderella’s Royal Table has breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.  If you want to eat inside the castle with a cheaper option, you can try breakfast.

But today I am reviewing lunch and dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table.  Both lunch and dinner costs the same and has the same menu.

Now once upon a time, Cinderella’s Royal Table was a character meal.  But then 2020 happened.  And character dining has still not returned to Cinderella’s Royal Table.

This does not mean there are no character photo opportunities at Cinderella’s Royal Table.  You can actually meet Cinderella in the lobby before or after your meal and get a picture.

You could meet Cinderella downstairs after the Royal Table dinner but not before

But it is still not a full character meal where the characters visit your table.  So today I want to review the non-character option at Cinderella’s Royal Table.  You can see whether or not I think it is worth the price.

Meal Options & Price

Cinderella’s Royal Table is not one of those meals where you order something off the menu.  It has a pre-fixe menu, where you pay for a three-course meal.  You can then choose what you want for each course.  It costs $67 for an adult and $39 for a child.  So it will not be cheap.  But keep reading to see whether or not it is worth it.

Before You Sit Down

I got a reservation ahead of time.  When I was there it wasn’t too busy at Disney World.  So I was able to get a reservation the same day.

I booked a dinner reservation from my room at Bay Lake Tower that morning.  I love visiting Magic Kingdom when I stay at Bay Lake Tower.  Bay Lake Tower, by the way, is the building that is part of the Contemporary Resort that was added next to the Contemporary main building.  I love staying at Bay Lake Tower because it’s a short walk to Magic Kingdom – or a quick monorail ride.  It is also surprisingly affordable if you book a room there a certain way.  I go over how to do that as well as other tips for staying at Bay Lake Tower here.

But I digress.  At any rate, you can’t always find reservations for Cinderella’s Royal Table the same day.  So you might want to book your reservation a few weeks ahead of time if you really want to go.

When it was about twenty minutes before our scheduled time, we headed to the walkway through Cinderella’s Castle.  I checked in to the restaurant via the My Disney Experience app.  Then we could wait outside.  The area was nice and had a very upscale, regal feel.  It really helps set the mood for the restaurant.

A picture of outside Cinderella's Royal Table restaurant at Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando

We were told it would just be a 10-minute wait.  But then the wait was even quicker than that!  This is not something that always happens, so that was a very pleasant surprise.

Atmosphere & Decor

When your table is ready, you go to the beautiful lobby.  I am sure you will be ready to get to your table, but take a moment to look in the lobby either before or after your meal.  It is really beautiful and a great part of the experience.  And you might even notice Jaq and Gus up in the rafters!

I enjoy the beautiful decor of the lobby of Cinderella's Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World in Orlando, FL

A statue of armor is one of the great examples of decor inside Cinderella's Castle that you can see when eat at Cinderella's Royal Table at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

You can walk up the stairs but there thankfully is an elevator if anyone in your party can’t walk up the stairs.  You then are in the main dining room, which is absolutely gorgeous.  I had high expectations but I was kind of blown away anyway.  It is a really neat feeling, like you are actually in a castle.

A picture of Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

And in true Disney fashion, there is a lot of attention to detail.  I love the coat of arms hanging from the ceiling.

I love the coat of arms hanging from the ceiling at Cinderella's Royal Table dining hall at the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort

Fun fact: the family emblems up are actually the family emblems of various Disney executives and Imagineers.  I read that in The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World Resort, which is a really fun book for any Disney World fan.

So we did not have a table by the window, but we could still see a bit out of the window which is neat since you can see the Magic Kingdom from a great view.  There’s not really any other dining place at Magic Kingdom with those kinds of views.

I really liked the outfits the servers wore.

I love the outfits the servers wear at Cinderella's Royal Table at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

It helped the atmosphere of having a royal meal.

The servers were also extremely attentive, which added to the experience.

And there were other neat features like the gauntlets that you can drink from, even if you were like me and just ordered a Coca-Cola.

I love the gauntlets you can drink out of at Cinderella's Royal Table at Be Our Guest in Disney World in Orlando, Florida

Appetizers

The first course of the meal is the appetizers.  Right now you get a choice between the following options:

  • Steamed Mussels
    • Prince Edward Island Mussels, White Wine-Coconut Curry, Tomatoes and Cilantro
    • Served with Garlic toast
  • Castle Salad
    • Romaine, Brussels Sprouts, Citrus & Fennel
    • Served with a Passion Fruit Vinaigrette
  • Charcuterie
    • Selection of Cured Meats and Castle Pickles along with Accompaniments
  • Soup of the Day

The Castle Salad may have been great.  But no one in my family ordered it, so I can’t comment on it.

I can tell you which appetizer my family liked best, and that was the Steamed Mussels.

My family though the appetizer with Prince Edward Island Mussels at Cinderella's Royal Table pre-fixed menu dinner was delicious

If you like seafood then this is my recommendation for an appetizer.  Because unless perhaps you live in Prince Edward Island or certain places on the water, you aren’t going to get mussels every day.  So that helps make this dinner worth the price.

Plus, they were delicious!  I love seafood and had never had Mussels before, but I knew after I ate it that I’d want to eat it again!  They were hot and spicy which my family doesn’t always like but we liked it.  It also came with onions, which was not listed on the menu but it did not deter me from liking it even though I personally do not care for onions.  The only negative was the bread was very hard, so I just didn’t eat it.  Which is probably good because it gave me more room for everything else that was coming!

The second most liked appetizer at my table was the Soup of the Day.  It was a mushroom soup.

One of the appetizers for Cinderella's Royal Table dinner & lunch is soup of the day, and in our case it was the mushroom soup

Now, I can’t ensure you’ll get that since it is after all a soup of the day.  But if it is the option for soup when you go, know that we liked this, too.  It was delicious.

Third was probably the Charcuterie.

A picture of the Charcuterie appetizer at Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom at Disney World

This was also something we had never had before.  But we liked it!  The castled pickles and the prosciutto were good.

Overall, the appetizers were great and a great part of the meal.

Entrées Royale

But the main part of the meal, the Entrées Royale, is the most important part of the meal.  This can make or break a dining experience.  So how did it hold up?

I am happy to say incredibly well!

So you get five choices for adult meals, which I think is a good amount to find what you like.  Especially since there is a plant-based option and a good option for anyone with egg, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergies.

The meal options are as follows:

  • Tenderloin of Beef
    • Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Whipped Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, and Sauce Bordelaise
  • Sustainable Catch En Papillote
    • Marbled Potatoes, Chimichurri, and Seasonal Vegetables (For Egg, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies)
  • Chickpea Panisse
    • Crispy Chickpeas Panisse, Tomato Jam, Roasted Carrots, Chermoula-spiced Garbanzos, and Chive Powder (Plant-based)
  • Magic Carpet Ride
    • Spiced-crusted Pork Tenderloin and Pork Belly with Curry Couscous, Glazed Rainbow Carrots, and a Peppercorn Flying Carpet
  • When Will My Life Begin Chicken and Pasta
    • Tangled Pasta, Braised Chicken, Forest and Moss Flowers, and Pine Nut Pesto served in a Frying Pan

Now, first of all, let me say how much I loved that they included two different dishes that are themed to two of my favorite Disney movies, Aladdin and Tangled!  I thought that was so neat.

No one at my table though ordered the Magic Carpet Ride (no one ordered Chickpea Panisse or Sustainable Catch En Papillote either).  But I did order the When Will My Life Begin Chicken and Pasta.

Now the name of the dish on the menu and description did not appear exactly like on the website and I worried I would not get my meal in a frying pan, which I was rather looking forward to.  But luckily, I got my wish and it came in a frying pan.

The Tangled themed chicken & pasta dish at Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom was one of the best dishes I ever had at Disney World

I absolutely loved the presentation of the meal.  The frying pan was such a perfect touch since it plays such a part in the movie.  And I loved the flowers in the pasta.  It gave the look of flowers in Rapunzel’s hair like when those kids in the village put flowers in her hair in the movie.  So I give it an A+ for presentation.

I also thankfully give it an A+ for taste!  Seriously, it was so delicious.  One of the best (maybe the best) chicken dish I have ever had at a restaurant.  I ate every bite.  The way the pasta, chicken, and pesto blended was perfection.  I wish I had the recipe so I could make it all the time at home.

So I would say that was the best dish, but my family would probably disagree since they all loved the Tenderloin of Beef.

A picture of Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Whipped Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetable, and Sauce Bordelaise, an entree item at Disney World's Cinderella's Royal Table restaurant

They said it was so good it was as if it melted in your mouth.  The beef was cooked to perfection.  You could have probably cut it with a butter knife or no knife at all because it was that tender.  And the potatoes and the onions were great, too.  There were crispy and sweet onions.  If you had to rank everything in the dish it would be 1) Beef 2) Potatoes 3) Crispy onion and 4) Sweet onion.  But they were all great!

So we definitely recommend those entrees.  Two of the best entrees we have ever had at a restaurant at Walt Disney World Resort – or perhaps any restaurant, period.

Desserts

But the great dining doesn’t end there!  You then have your choice of desserts:

  • Jaq & Gus
    • Cheesecake with Seasonal Flavors & Garnishes
  • The Clock Strikes Twelve
    • Dark Chocolate Mousse with a Caramel and Crunchy Praline Center
    • Served with Chocolate Sauce & Hazelnut Gelato
  • Coffee Pots de Crème
    • Coffee-infused Coconut ‘Custard’, Passion Fruit Gelée, & Crumbled Chocolate-Espresso Beans (Plant-based)

Now, we did not order the Coffee Pots de Crème.  But the other two desserts were delicious!

I have always loved cheesecake.

A picture of cheesecake, one of the desserts you get as the third course of your meal at Cinderella's Royal Table in Disney World in Florida

And Jaq & Gus did not disappoint.

I also really liked The Clock Strikes Twelve.

A picture of the The Clock Strikes Twelve dessert at Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL

Even though I love cheesecake, this is what I would order if I eat here again (which I hope to, of course).  First of all, you get two desserts for essentially the price of one.  And both are great!  I love the gelato and the mousse.

But I also just really love the decor.  It fits the Cinderella theming perfectly!

Conclusion

All Disney World dining options are expensive, but Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of the most expensive.  It at this time is not a full-out character dining experience.  So is it worth the price?

Well, my family overwhelmingly thinks yes!  It is really neat to be able to sit inside Cinderella’s Castle, enjoy the great castle decor, and get great views of Magic Kingdom.

But the main reason we think it is worth it is the food.  The delicious food alone makes it worth the price.  If they didn’t have all the extra Disney touches, I would go there for that price for the food.

But when you add in all the extra features of this restaurant, we absolutely think you should visit there!  Just make sure to get a reservation ahead of time.

Oh, and you’ll need tickets to get into Magic Kingdom in order to visit.  Find out how to save money on Disney World tickets here.

Oh, and to find out how this experience compares to Be Our Guest, another sit-down dining experience at the Magic Kingdom, click here.