Your honest opinion

[Disneymom201]

I am planning our dining reservations for our upcoming October vacation. This will be our 6th vacation to The World, and we (I) have yet to eat in the Castle. We are on the Dining Plan, but I would pay out-of-pocket for this meal. My question is I have 2 sons: 11 & 7. Do you think breakfast here would be enjoyable for them, or would it be "torture" in their eyes?
I appreciate any feedback, I will be making my dining reservations on April 9th!

[kathiep]

IMO, it will really depend on your sons. My DS (6) grudginly sat through breakfast here last year for the sake of his little sister. I don't know that he would have tolerated the experience if not for her. He had eaten in the castle once before so I think this added to his frustration. I think he would have been better off if we hadn't eaten there before. Being in the castle is a nice experience if you've never done it before.

[forever a child]

I agree, it depends upon your boys. I have heard of some that would love to meet and receive attention from the Princesses. Others I think would rather hide under the table than to have to endure. If they seem interested in being in the castle at least once then you could probably do it. You could ask them what they think, I am sure they would give you their honest opinion. :mickey:

[Daisy712]

My son loved it. We last ate there when he was 9. He loved all of the attention from the princesses, but he also likes being the center of attention.

[DizneyRox]

Dinner would probably be better. The OOP cost for that breakfast is just crazy. Really, the food is nothing to speak of, you'd be better off with a grab and go breakfast at your resort.

If you're going for the eating in the castle experience, the dinner menu is more paletable IMHO. That way, if you enjoy the meal, the cost doesn't sting that bad.

It's much easier to get dinner as well, breakfast is usually booked solid very well in advance.

[mom2Z&A]

Back in 2006, my DS9 (at that time) "tolerated" lunch w/princesses for the sake of his sister, 3 (at that time). DS is 13 now and DD is 7 now.

Definitely check with your sons, and perhaps work out a "deal" with them. They go w/you to the castle and you do something "extra" with/for/with them that they've been wanting to do but haven't yet?

We employ a similar method when we do family shopping trips, (ie clothes/school shopping). We do the "boring" shopping then allowing them (only if they behaved) some time to browse the video game/toy stores they want to look through. We never buy the games or toys but they are happy to have their turn looking and doing things they want to do.

You've got till October so you'll have time work something out...

Hope it all works out! :mickey:

[jonahbear2006]

I have gotten to where the only way ill pay for a big breakfast in disney is if i get into MK before the park opens and bank on priceless shots in front of the castle. To me, that is worth the cost! Especially if you have a great camera. We have two girls and two boys and suprised the kids with dinner in the castle and were disgusted with the food and the fact that none of our children appreciated it. As a matter of fact they couldn't wait to leave. It was a long process of waiting, getting photos, sitting and waiting for princesses, then the fairy godmother, then dinner, by the time we were waiting on dessert they were begging to leave. Honestly, I would go with Akershus for breakfast. They have the princesses, its speedier, and its soo good! The food is fab! If you get a late breakfast or really early lunch you can catch both buffets, breakfast and lunch. Also, they now also have complimentary photos whereas they used to charge for them.

[DVC2004]

I don't know- it really depends on the boys. Your older one would probably would be embarrassed. I know mine would and he's 11. We did the princess breakfast in the castle in 2005 for my niece- the only girl. My boys were 7 and 6 then. They were OK and got alot of attention from the princesses. My guys asked them silly things like where's the beast to Belle and to Snow White why did you eat the apple from a stranger. The princesses went right along with them and answered thier questions. My niece on the other hand was silent as a mouse and very shy. I think at the ages mine are now though 11 and 13 it would definitely not be cool for boys. So- I would ask them to see what they think before spending all that money.

Mine like Spirit of Aloha dinner show at the Poly - but also you may want to consider Hoop De Doo and Mickey's Backyard Barbecue as other possible things that might be enjoyable. The castle is just really heavy on the princess theme...

[ElenitaB]

The last time my DS "tolerated" the princesses for me was when he was 7 or 8. I really wouldn't want to drag him back to an experience he really didn't like or appreciate (particularly at the price one pays for dining in the Castle). Hard call though if your heart is set on dining there.

[mom2morgan]

Here's the big question - is this an experience YOU want to do? I have daughters - one is 16 and the other is a total tom-boy 11 year old. Therefore, neither were the least bit interested in a princess character meal BUT I've always wanted to eat in the castle, so they went along cheerfully enough. (and for the record, 2 years ago my 16 year old foster son LOVED Akershus and had his picture taken with Jasmine, LOL). We had a good meal and enjoyed the experience - but I've always said it was something to do ONCE. It is expensive, but it is every little girl's dream to eat in the castle - it was mine for 30 years, LOL

[jonahbear2006]

if you do it, id go for breakfast. the dinner was just outrageously disgusting. I remember talking about how we wouldve rather ate at mcdonalds.

[thejens]

My 5 year old son and 11 year old son went last year for lunch I think because my 7 year old niece wanted to go. We all enjoyed it. My 5 year old really liked the pretty princesses and wasn't afraid to admit it. My 11 year old made a big show of looking bored and rolling his eyes, but I think that is just what he needs to do to assert his manhood. It was a nice and memorable experience and if I wanted to go again I'd let my boys know I expected them to be good sports. Or you could wait a few years and they might appreciate the princesses in a whole new way...Ariel seemed to get a lot of second glances from the older gentlemen...

[mom2morgan]

if you do it, id go for breakfast. the dinner was just outrageously disgusting. I remember talking about how we wouldve rather ate at mcdonalds.

Sorry you had a bad experience. We went for lunch (same menu as dinner) and all of us had good meals and enjoyed it very much.

[Mickey'sGirl]

We often go for lunch as well.... and have always enjoyed the food, and the service. I have two sons (aged 11 and 6), and we go about every other trip because Mom (yours truly) is not always one of the guys....and the Castle is lovely. We've never been for breakfast.

The boys do enjoy the experience well enough, but do not enjoy the photo op with Cindy prior to being seated (aversion to blue silk or something).

[#1donaldfan]

....you wanted honest.....well, the atmospehre was wonderful....that's the best I can say for it !! It was our worst breakfast of any Disney breakfast in the history of eating breakfast at Disney....We had wanted to eat there for years n years n years, and finally, last June we did it...it was mid trip, early morning entrance into a virtually empty park, boy was I thinking how great it is.....ok, sorry to bore you.... the food was not good at all, but like I said the atmospehre was great.....:cool: