We were taking our daughter to Disney World for her 5th birthday and all she wanted was reservations to Cinderella’s Royal Table.
There was no way I was going to tell her no. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I knew there had to be a way to ensure that we would be sitting in Cinderella’s castle having dinner on her birthday.
So I picked up the phone and called travel agents and spent hours online researching and I just couldn’t find a definitive answer on this. So I’ve decided to write about my experience and what I have learned in the hopes that it will help you as well.
The trick to getting reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table is that you have to count back 180 days from the day that you want your reservation and call 407-939-3463 at exactly 7 AM EST.
Actually, you may even want to pick up the phone and start dialing before the clock hits 6:50 AM EST, just to make sure you are first in line.
When you call you will hear “Thank you for calling the Disney Reservation Center”. If you don’t hear that, and instead you hear “our office is closed”, then you need to hang up and try again immediately.
When you hear a pause, don’t hang up because you will lose your place in line, a live person should pick up shortly.
When you get a live cast member on the line make sure you tell them that you are looking for a “reservation for Cindy’s” and the date that you are requesting. You can try to request a specific time, but honestly, you’ll be lucky to get a reservation in the first place so just be cool about it.
Remember, you can make reservations for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So you may need to be flexible if you really want this reservation.
Another thing to note is that you will need to pre-pay for your meal at the time you book your reservation. If you are using the Disney Dining Plan this reservation will use 2 table service credits. Just something to keep in mind when making the reservation.
You could also always try making reservations via the Disney World dining reservation page at 6 AM Eastern Standard Time if you are an early bird trying to get the worm.
But I find that usually, the website is too slow (especially at that time of the morning) and you may have the off chance that the app is being buggy. (sometimes due to overload first thing in the morning)
Not only that, but the customer service you’ll receive by calling the number instead of trying to reserve Cinderella’s Royal Table online is incredible. I was able to book 4 major character meals all within 15 minutes. Done and done.
What is Cinderella’s Royal Table Like?
Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of the most sought-after table service or character dining reservations in all of Disney World. Probably THE most sought after. Which is what makes getting reservations even harder in the first place.
The Atmosphere
When you first enter Cinderellas Royal Table you will notice that you are first seated in the waiting area. Eventually, your family name will be called and you will enter the line to meet Cinderella. Which is wonderful as always.
Then you will be seated for a wait again, in the same room with Cinderella. Until your name is called yet again and then you will be taken up a winding staircase to the dining room to be seated.
The Food
To say that this is a fine dining experience is putting it lightly. The food that you get at Cinderella’s Royal Table is nothing short of a feast and is simply not to be outdone.
They have everything from Beef Tenderloin to Chicken Nuggets as well as healthier choices for the kiddos if you so desire.
You will probably be so overtaken by the experience the first time that you go that you will barely be able to remember what it was that you had to eat in all honesty.
You can see the full menu here on Disney World’s website.
But the deserts… WOW!
The Characters
You’ll get to meet many other princesses while dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Typically there is a rotating cast of princesses on hand. Of course, you’ll always find Cinderella as you are entering the castle from its rear entrance, but you can also see, Aurora, Snow White, and Ariel while dining. Jasmine has also been known to make an appearance and occasionally Belle. It’s kind of a one stop shop for princesses.
Conclusion
If all else fails and you haven’t been able to get a reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table, then there is the off chance that you might be able to walk up to the back of the castle and they would have an opening due to a cancellation. (I wouldn’t bet on it though)
If you can only afford to pull off one of the more lavish dining experiences at Disney World for your children then this is the one that you’ll want to aim for. Especially if you have little girls in the Magic Kingdom it will absolutely their day. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my daughter smile so much and that by itself is worth it.
Click here for more information about dining options at Disney World
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