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Review: Dinner with Cinderella at 1900 Park Fare
CINDERELLA AND HER FAMILY AT 1900 PARK FARE
Dinner at 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is one of three princess meals at Walt Disney World, and if it had a better setting it might be the best.
The other two are Storybook Dining in Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway at Epcot and Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom (closed until March 2015 for refurb.)
Each of these two presents a boatload of princesses and a fun setting–Akershus in the banquet hall of a medieval fort, and Cinderella’s Royal Table inside her castle at the Magic Kingdom.
Cinderella’s Royal Table, however, is wildly expensive and reservations are hard to get.
Akershus is more reasonably priced, but requires a visit to Epcot, which otherwise at the moment has not much of interest to the younger kids who most avidly want to meet the princesses.
Dinner at 1900 Park Fare is about the same price as Akershus, has much better food than either, and, since it’s in a hotel, does not require using a park ticket.
1900 Park Fare is on the first floor of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, entered through its spectacular lobby. The Grand Floridian is on the resort monorail loop, just outside the Magic Kingdom. To get there from the Magic Kingdom, take either the boat at the right (as you are facing away from the park) or if it has long lines (it’s a small boat, built on the classic Morgan 40 hull), the resort monorail. Take the monorail back.
In the undistinguished and windowless space–the ambiance is the only negative of 1900 Park Fare–two character meals are served, one with Pooh and British friends (including from UKIP) at breakfast, and Cinderella and her family at dinner.
Here’s the scoop on both from our book:
Dinner begins with a photo session outside–that’s older son Ted and his girlfriend, Danielle. I ducked this photo–but no others…
No character joins this initial photo session, unlike at Cinderella’s Royal Table, where Cinderella appears, or Akershus, where your greeting photo is with Belle.
At dinner, you will be visited by, and can get autographs from and photos with…
Cinderella’s stepmother…
…her stepsisters…
…Prince Charming. That’s Danielle to the right. My job is to introduce girlfriends to Disney World. When I told Danielle she’d be meeting Cinderella at dinner, she said “Dave, you know how to make a girl’s dreams come true.”
This is now the unofficial motto of the site.
Cinderella.
Cinderella also dances with Prince Charming, and plays with all those who show in princess garb–see the image at the top of the page!
There will be a lot of little girls in princess garb at this meal, but it may be the most everybody-friendly princess meal at Disney World, because the step-family are a bunch of comically hostile smart-alecks, making interaction with them fun for all who aren’t already swooning at Prince Charming.
And the food? This is the best buffet at Disney World. See the details in the capsule review above. There’s several hot stations…
…a carving station, several cold stations, a kids buffet, and a dessert table.
My plate shots turned out even worse than usual, but here’s the result of one of several trips to the buffet line…
…and here’s another.
The food is better than at either Akershus or Cinderella’s Royal Table. While there’s not the parade of princesses you’ll find at those, for many families the comic step-Tremaines more than make up for that. The setting is not as nice as either, but the Grand Floridian overall is a lovely place to visit–and does not require a ticket day to be spent. And the price is similar to Akershus, and much less than Cinderella’s Royal Table.
For first-timers it remains my third-recommended princess meal. But for returning visitors–or families with only older boy children–it is decidedly worth a visit!
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November 4, 2014 5 Comments
Caribbean Beach Renovations Begin in Martinique
Crack friend of the site Shannon let me know this morning that the windows in Building 21 in Martinique are now marked up for refurb.
(This means a floor plan has been stuck on the window to show the trades what to do in each room–see the image, of an accessible five person room.)
She also notes that work continues in Barbados 14, 15 and 16, and is done in Barbados 11, 12, and 13.
Shannon’s news answers one question–would the refurb begin in the preferred-price areas at CB before the holiday season, or be deferred until the lower-demand period after the new year?
But we still don’t know when 5 person rooms will be bookable. I’ve speculated that such will happen only after preferred five person rooms are available–as otherwise Disney is leaving money on the table–so this may be soon.
So here’s the current status
- Jamaica and Aruba are complete
- Barbados is more than half done, and likely will be complete this month
- Some refurbed rooms in Martinique will be assigned beginning later this month, and–if construction continues through the holiday season–Martinique will likely be done sometime in December.
Meanwhile, Josh has a great review the resort and one of the re-furbed rooms here, with lots of great photos!!
My complete review of Caribbean Beach begins here. More to come after my re-visit to a Pirate Room next week…
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November 1, 2014 4 Comments
Coming Soon
October 31, 2014 2 Comments
Next Week (November 1 Through November 9, 2014) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: NOVEMBER 1 TO NOVEMBER 9, 2014
The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on October 2014 at Walt Disney World, click here.
Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.
OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 11/1-11/9/2014
The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-12Mn 11/1, 9a-10p 11/2 through 11/6, 9a-7p 11/7, and 9a-11p 11/8 and 11/9
Epcot will be open from 9a-10p 11/1, 9a-9p 11/2 through 11/6, 9a-10p 10/31, 9a-9p 11/8, and 9a-10pp 11/9
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-8.30p 11/1, 9a-7.30p 11/2 through 11/4, 9a-7p 11/5 and 11/6, and 9a-8p 11/7 through 11/9
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-6p 11/1, 9a-8p 11/2, 9a-6p 11/3 through 11/5, 9a-7p 11/6, and 9a-8p 11/7 through 11/9
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 11/1-11/9/2014
Saturday 11/1 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom
Sunday 11/2 Morning: none Evening: Hollywood Studios
Monday 11/3 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Tuesday 11/4 Morning: Epcot Evening: none
Wednesday 11/5 Morning: none Evening: Epcot
Thursday 11/6 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening: none
Friday 11/7 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Saturday 11/8 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom
Sunday 11/9 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 11/1-11/9/2014
The Magic Kingdom:
- Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
- Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 11/1; 8 and 10p 11/2 and 11/3; 8 and 10p 11/6; 9a and 11p 11/8 and 11/9
FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 11/1-11/9/2014
Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 11/1; 9p 11/2 through 11/6; 10p 11/8 and 11/9
Illuminations at Epcot: 10p 11/1; 9p 11/2 through 11/6; 10p 11/7; 9p 11/8; 10p 11/9
Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 7.30 and 9p 11/1; 6.30 and 8p 11/2; 6.30p 11/3 through 11/6; 6.30 and 8p 11/7 through 11/9
SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 11/1-11/9/2014
See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 11/1-11/9/2014
See this for forecasts.
DISCLAIMER
Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:
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October 31, 2014 No Comments
Large Family Deluxe Options at Walt Disney World
OVERVIEW: LARGE FAMILIES LOOKING FOR DELUXE ROOMS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
This page recommends Walt Disney World accommodations for large families seeking deluxe accommodations, sorted by family size.
(Click here for an introduction to Large Families at Walt Disney World.)
Click the image to see the recommendations below in chart form.
As always, when more than one similar option is available, recommendations are made based on appeal to kids and transportation convenience.
All prices are for the 2015 Fall price season. See this for when to go to Walt Disney World.
Prices will be higher during most other parts of the year, but in similar proportions. See this for price seasons at Walt Disney World.
DISNEY WORLD DELUXE ROOM OPTIONS FOR LARGE FAMILIES
Basic Recommendation for families of up to 5 people: Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Cost/ Person/ Night: $107, for families of 5.
6 people: Your best bet is a Deluxe Room at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
These concierge service rooms hold 6 in a mini-suite, with two queens in the bedroom and a queen sized sleeper sofa in a sitting room. Cost is $171/ person/ night. For a review of these rooms, click here.
Another great option, a little easier to reserve (as there are a few more such to choose from) is a Two Bedroom Villa at the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
If you reserve through the WDW website, this will cost $173/ person/ night (but see below for renting points).
The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are not as convenient as the Polynesian, but are even more kid appealing. A Two Bedroom Villa provides one bedroom with a king bed that sleeps two, and one with two queens that sleeps 4. In addition, you get a kitchen/dining/living room combination with a sleeper sofa that sleeps two more.
The least expensive way to get a 2 Bedroom Villa at the Wilderness Lodge is to rent points from a DVC member. If you are successful at this, you will pay $87-101/person/ night. See this for details on how to do so.
7 people: The Two Bedroom villas at the Wilderness Lodge don’t hold 7 (or 8) well.
A better choice for parties of these sizes is a Two Bedroom Villa at Kidani Village.
Cost of Two Bedroom Villa at Kidani Village: via Disney Website, $157/person/night; via renting points, $80-92/person/night.
8 people: Same approach as “7 people” above. Two Bedroom Villa at Kidani Village: via Disney Website, $137/person/night; via renting points, $70-81/person/night.
9 people: Same approach as “7 people” above. Two Bedroom Villa at Kidani Village: via Disney Website, $122/person/night; via renting points, $62-72/person/night.
10 People: If the group must all be in the same space only a Grand Villa will work. Grand Villas at Jambo House are the best choice for first time family visitors.
A Grand Villa has three distinct bedrooms—two sleeping 4 each in two queens, and one sleeping two in a king. Two more sleeping spaces are available in sofa-beds in the common rooms.
A Grand Villa at Jambo House will cost about $236/person/night for 10 people if your reserve though the WDW website; if you can manage to rent points, the cost drops to $108-124/person/night.
Another less expensive option for a group this size is to have most of the group together but up to 4 or 5 in a nearby but not in connected space.
There are some families or parties for which this might actually be a benefit. For example, they may want to group the littlest children and their parents into an 8 person space, and reserve a 4-5 person space for childless couples, grandparents, and/or teenagers, all of which may either benefit from the privacy and/or contribute to the peace of mind of the party of up to 8 by being in a separate space.
If this describes your group, then your best bet is both a 2 Bedroom Villa and a separate Studio at the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
This gives 4 bays, not 6 as in a Grand Villa, and of course one of the bays will not be connected to the rest. But the price will be much lower than a Grand Villa.
This same option works for families that don’t necessarily want this separation of part of their party, but are willing to accept it because it is cheaper than a grand villa.
In cash, renting both a Two Bedroom and a Studio at the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge will be in total $149/person per night for 10 people; if you can rent points, the cost drops to $72-83/person/night.
11 People: Your basic options are a Grand Villa at Jambo House or a Studio and a Two Bedroom Villa at Kidani Village.
A Grand Villa will cost $214/person per night if you reserve through the website, and $98-113/person/night if you rent points.
A Studio and a Two Bedroom at the Villas at Kidani Village will cost (in total) $149/person/night if you reserve over the website, and $71-81/person/night if you rent DVC points.
12 People: Your basic options are a Grand Villa at Jambo House or a Studio and a Two Bedroom Villa at Kidani Village.
A Grand Villa will cost $197/person per night if you reserve through the website, and $90-103/person/night if you rent points.
A Studio and a Two Bedroom at the Villas at Kidani will cost (in total) $137/person/night if you reserve over the website, and $65-75/person/night if you rent DVC points.
MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- For where to stay, see this
- For your next best choices, in order, see this
- For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
- For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
- For where not to stay, see this
- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For resort reviews, see this
- For the value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For the deluxe resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
- Military/DOD families should look at this
- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this
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October 28, 2014 6 Comments
Large Family Lower-Priced Options at Walt Disney World
OVERVIEW: LARGE FAMILIES LOOKING FOR DISNEY WORLD VALUE PRICING
This page recommends Walt Disney World accommodations for large families seeking lower prices, sorted by family size.
See this page for an introduction to Large Families at Walt Disney World.
(For staying off-site, see this.)
The chart also includes additional information—for example, number of bathrooms, nature of any kitchen facilities, and total square feet.
As always, with one exception, when more than one similar option is available, recommendations are made based on appeal to kids and transportation convenience. The exception is advice regarding Old Key West–which is not the most kid appealing of the DVC resorts, but is the least expensive!
All prices are for the 2015 Fall price season. See this for when to go to Walt Disney World. Prices will be higher during most other parts of the year, but in similar proportions. See this for price seasons at Walt Disney World.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LARGE FAMILIES SEEKING VALUE PRICING
Basic Recommendation: Families with 4 people or fewer: Standard (Little Mermaid) room at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. For 4 people, you will pay $38 per person per night.
5 people: Best choice= Art of Animation Family Suite, $68/person/night.
You get two baths, a private bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a microwave and mini-fridge, and a couple of living areas with couches and tables that convert into sleeping space for 4 more people.
The next best choice is one of the new five person rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, which hold four in two queen beds plus a fifth person in a small (~64 inch by ~30 inch) fold-down bed, for $42/person/night. This option is not recommended for first-time visitors, as while Caribbean Beach has the highest kid appeal among the moderates, it is not as kid-appealing as Art of Animation, and is inconvenient.
The next best choice is the Alligator Bayou section of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, which hold four in two queen beds plus a fifth person in a small (~66 inch by ~31 inch) fold-down bed, for $42/person/night. This option is not recommended for first-time visitors, as the resort not nearly as kid-appealing as Art of Animation. The resort is less kid-appealing than Caribbean Beach, and Caribbean Beach rooms have a better arrangement of drawer space.
The final option is a 6-person Cabin at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort. This option is not recommended for first-time visitors, as it is very inconvenient, and not nearly as kid-appealing as Art of Animation. The cost is $76/person/night. You get a full kitchen and two sleeping spaces. One sleeps 4 in a full bed and bunk beds–the bunk beds are 70″ long. The second sleeping space is in the combined living room/dining room/kitchen, where a full bed folds down from the wall.
6 people: Best Choice: Art of Animation Family Suite $57/person/night. See above for details.
Next best choice–a cabin at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, for $63/person/per night. See above–not recommended for first time visitors.
7 people: there are no good options for value pricing at this family or party size—or for 8 people either. You can try for connecting Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation, with no guarantees. Your cost for these will be $43/person/night.
Your best choice to guarantee you will all be in the same space is harder to pull off.
It requires renting enough points (NOT reserving this villa from the WDW website—this will cost MUCH more) from a current Disney Vacation Club owner to get a Two Bedroom Villa at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. You can rent points from Disney Vacation Club members on websites like SellMyTimeshareNOW.com, a sponsor of this site. See this page for how to do so.
Success will get you a great space for $62-72/person/night. Disney’s Old Key West Resort is neither kid appealing nor convenient, but is the cheapest of the DVC resorts, and thus, when paid for using rented points, the only one that comes even close to the Value pricing range.
For your money you will get two bedrooms, one with a king that sleeps two, and one with two queens that sleeps 4. In addition, you get a huge (compared to other DVC resorts) kitchen/dining/living room combination with a sleeper sofa that sleeps two more and a fold-out chair that sleeps a ninth person.
8 people: See “7 people.” Two (perhaps) connecting Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation: $38/person/per night. Rented points for a Two Bedroom Villa at Old Key West: $54-63/person/night
9 people: Rented points for a Two Bedroom Villa at Old Key West: $48-56/person/night.
Otherwise, your only choices are rooms that don’t connect. One option is to rent two Family Suites at Art of Animation. These may be a hike apart–even if they are in the same section. Two suites will cost $75/person/night for a party of 9.
Less expensive, but possibly leading to some family jealousy, is renting both a Family Suite and a regular Little Mermaid room at Art of Animation. (The Lion King suites are closest to the Little Mermaid section.) Both together will cost $54 per person per night.
10 people: No value-priced options guarantee you will all be in the same space. Two Family Suites at Art of Animation will cost $68/person/night. A Family Suite and a regular Little Mermaid room at Art of Animation will cost $49/person/night.
11 people: No good options that put your party all in one room at value pricing. Your best bet is to rent two Family Suites at Art of Animation. Cost $62/person/night
12 People: As in 11 people, rent two Family Suites at Art of Animation. $57/person/night.
MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- For where to stay, see this
- For your next best choices, in order, see this
- For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
- For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
- For where not to stay, see this
- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For resort reviews, see this
- For the value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For the deluxe resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
- Military/DOD families should look at this
- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this
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October 27, 2014 10 Comments
