New menu at Cinderella's Royal Table? Not happy!

[cslafferty]

We ate dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table on Aug. 16th. It has always been a favorite of ours - especially the prime rib. We haven't been there since 2002, but I checked the menu on several websites, and saw the prime rib was still there. However, when we were there last week, they had a different menu - no prime rib. My daughter had roast beef that was luke warm. I had lamb chops - 3 small ones that were very fatty (about 2 small bites of meat on each. We also sat at a table in the center of the room and kept getting dripped on - probably condensation from the air conditioner since it was VERY hot outside. Our waiter was not very friendly. All in all we were very disappointed. Certainly not worth 2 of our dining points!! Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or if we just caught them on an off day.

 

[mouselvrmom]

We always go for breakfast, so I can't speak for the dinner menu. However, they have made changes to their breakfast menu as well. They have always had these potatoes that were kind of augratin-ish with some kind of sprinkling of something on them. They were my husband's absolute favorite and he looked forward to them each year. This time they were some kind of homestyle fry type potatoes, not at all like what they were. I thought they were ok, but he was very disappointed.

 

[JustInTime]

I went for dinner last year and it wasn't great. The soup was to die for but the rest was so bland. Our server was a lady with short grey hair and she was so rude it was uncomfortable. The Fairy Godmother show was really cool (gone now) and Cindy was awesome, as always...I just thought it was lacking. I did love the confetti shaped like the Carriage on the table and it was awesome being in the castle. Overall, I would not go back unless they added something really cool. I just booked a last minute trip for november and there was an opening for CRT and I had to turn it down. :shrug:

 

[MKCP 1985]

I love the Magic Kingdom - it's a GREAT (probably the BEST) park. But there is no fine dining there, regardless of what WDW claims. The MK has lovely sandwichs, cute burgers, attractive Hot Dogs. That's it.

If there is no prime rib at Cinderella's Royal Table, this is the truth.

 

[JustInTime]

If there is no prime rib at Cinderella's Royal Table, this is the truth.

The think is, there SHOULD be. MK needs it bad. You would think the castle of all places would have the best options. Not true. I have always though a high scale tropical sit down would be great for Adventureland. Perhaps a fusion of tropical foods. Hopefully, Be Our Guest will change that.

 

[rkelly42]

We ate there last dec.2009 and we had prime rib, so I am glad we got there before they took it off. That would have been disappointing. If it was not for our daughter CRT would have never even come into the conversation for any meal.

 

[JustInTime]

We ate there last dec.2009 and we had prime rib, so I am glad we got there before they took it off. That would have been disappointing. If it was not for our daughter CRT would have never even come into the conversation for any meal.

Yeah, they had the Prime Rib in AUG of 09'

 

[French Quarter]

It always sucks when you are really looking forward to something on a menu and when you get to the restaurant - *Surprise!* it's not there. I think it's good that restaurants change things up from time to time but it's still disappointing. I've heard a lot of complaints about the food at CRT. It's definitely not on the top of my list of places to try.

I'm wondering why the online menus haven't been updated to reflect this. WDW Magic and Allears are usually on top of things like that. I see that AllEars just posted a new menu dated August 2010 and the prime rib is listed as an option. It's still listed on the WDW website too. Hmmm... Could they maybe just have run out?

 

[Master Yoda]

For one reason or another menus can change at a moments notice. Reasons can range from everything to a problem with a supplier to a simple foul up on ordering. Regarding CRT the food quality has taken a significant dive in recent years. This is one case where you are paying for location and not for fine dining even though the hype would suggest otherwise. With CRT still selling out at 180-185 days out I would not count on seeing this change anytime soon.

 

[SleepingMonk]

One of the worst dining choices on property.

Just terrible in every single way from service to food quality.

"But my little pumpkin can see a Princess!!!"

That's super, just don't expect to be able to eat the slop they sling.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

i think crt is one of those things you have to do at least once... if for no other reason than to say you ate inside the castle. the first time we went my granddaughter was 5 and spent several weeks after telling people how she had dinner at cindy's place. i've had both lunch and dinner there once...thought the lunch was a little better. it's not a place i'd do every trip. for the character interaction i thought dinner at 1900 park fare was so much better. they were flippin' hysterical (we didn't love the food but have NEVER laughed so much). the step-sisters were soooooo funny, i could have died laughing.

 

[SleepingMonk]

..... Fine food, Service, AND a major character experience....

Please, no characters.

Magic Kingdom desperately needs a quality table service location that doesn't include characters, movie promos and food tailored to toddlers.

 

[Dwarful]

I think this decline is true for many of the sit down locations. After our lunch in July at Le Cellier we are in no hurry to go back...now I know why we had three seating choices 45 days prior to our arrival. We were also disappointed with the cleanliness of the buffet at Chef Mickey's and questioned the food temp on some items. Add on the seasonal pricing that should allow them to hire more employees to cover the summer rush...if they actually did that I'd understand the seasonal pricing. Until then we will have fewer sit downs or maybe even go off property.

 

[Clever Name]

It all goes back to power struggle in the Royal Family. Until 1997, it used to be called King Stefan’s Banquet Hall. However, since Cindy has always owned the castle in the MK, she decided to rename the eatery after herself, Cinderella’s Royal Table. It was at that same time that Cindy took Britney Spears under her wing and helped her refine her singing voice. The rest , of course, is history.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

Please, no characters.

Magic Kingdom desperately needs a quality table service location that doesn't include characters, movie promos and food tailored to toddlers.

AMEN!!! I don't mind a good theme to a disney restaurant but also feel like they need several table service places inside the magic kingdom. something that doesn't have a menu limited to hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken sandwiches and nuggets. not another buffet or one sponsored by a company specializing in frozen food...i.e., stouffers, bertolli etc. a few more places at least like the plaza would make me happy.

 

[paul436]

This is disappointing to hear. I've breakfast (never dinner) at CRT twice (Feb 2003 & Aug 2007) and enjoyed it immensely. We thought the food was very good. Surprisingly to me, we had the same waiter both times although it was ovr 4 years between seatings. He was very memorable after our first time and recognized him immediately our second time. He was great. He must be pretty popular at WDW with others as well since I saw him highlighted in the trip planning video I received last week.

 

[zurgandfriend]

AMEN!!! I don't mind a good theme to a disney restaurant but also feel like they need several table service places inside the magic kingdom. something that doesn't have a menu limited to hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken sandwiches and nuggets. not another buffet or one sponsored by a company specializing in frozen food...i.e., stouffers, bertolli etc. a few more places at least like the plaza would make me happy.

A second amen, I’m sitting here thinking of some places where a good table service restaurant would go. A few off the top of my head;

The Veranda in Adventure Land, although a Pirates themed restaurant, something for the boys as discussed in the past, would also go great there.
The Diamond Horseshoe in Frontier Land, they could turn it into a table service restaurant easily.
The Tomorrow Land Terrance Noodle Station could be relocated and that space used as a full service restaurant.
The alley way half way up the street on the right hand side of Main Street USA as you face the castle. I’m not sure what it’s called but we had our pictures taken there with Santa during MVMCP. As I was waiting and looking around I said to myself this would be a great place for a club 33 type of place. Hopefully open to the public and not private membership however.

 

[jakeman]

We ate dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table on Aug. 16th. It has always been a favorite of ours - especially the prime rib. We haven't been there since 2002, but I checked the menu on several websites, and saw the prime rib was still there. However, when we were there last week, they had a different menu - no prime rib. My daughter had roast beef that was luke warm. I had lamb chops - 3 small ones that were very fatty (about 2 small bites of meat on each. We also sat at a table in the center of the room and kept getting dripped on - probably condensation from the air conditioner since it was VERY hot outside. Our waiter was not very friendly. All in all we were very disappointed. Certainly not worth 2 of our dining points!! Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or if we just caught them on an off day.

This sounds like something that should definitely be communicated to Guest Service.

Seems like you had a poor experience all the way around.

It's a shame that Disney lets their most valuable restaurants become "magical food grinds". If the same attention was paid towards the food at these location as it is at places like Sanaa and Kona the World would be a much better place.

 

[Master Yoda]

This sounds like something that should definitely be communicated to Guest Service.

Seems like you had a poor experience all the way around.

It's a shame that Disney lets their most valuable restaurants become "magical food grinds". If the same attention was paid towards the food at these location as it is at places like Sanaa and Kona the World would be a much better place.

I think it all comes down to the lack of an incentive. CRT really has not reason to be better because it has no real completion. If you want to eat in the castle and see Cinderella you have no other choice.

 

[jakeman]

I think it all comes down to the lack of an incentive. CRT really has not reason to be better because it has no real completion. If you want to eat in the castle and see Cinderella you have no other choice.

I agree. It's unfortunate. Dining at WDW shouldn't be that way though.