cinderella's castle meal?

[like2workout]

i'm going on my 10th trip to dw in october, and i can't get in to eat at the meal at cinderella's castle again. i've tried each trip, and never can get a reservation. any tips on how to get in? thanks!

[Mickey'sGirl]

We always say we don't need to go back, and then about 2 months or less before we get there, we decide we want to eat at Cindy's place. I have never had a problem securing a reservation, but I am extremely flexible. We like to eat lunch or dinner, and I am very flexible with the times. We will be eating at Cindy's on October 7 at 4:20. It sounds early -- but after the pictures are taken and we get seated and the food starts arriving -- it will be close to 5. We're ok with that. When I called I told the CM that I wanted lunch or dinner on any of a number of dates that I gave him. He was able to make a reservation for us. Flexibility is key.

[Figment!]

Persistence and a little bit of luck.

The best way to get those hard to get reservations is to simply keep calling back even while at Walt Disney World.

A nice alternative to the Royal Table meals is Cinderella's Gala Feast at 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian.

From Character Meals

Meal:Cinderella’s Gala Feast Dinner
Hours: Dinner - 5pm - 9pm
Buffet Style - Dinner choices include prime rib, strawberry soup, carved ham, a bounty of pasta dishes, vegetables & desserts.

Prices: Dinner - $28.99 Adults, $12.99 Children
Dinner Characters: Cinderella, Prince Charming, Suzy & Perla and the Fairy Godmother.

Being only a short ride away on the monorail, it is also easy to get to after a day at the Magic Kingdom.

[mickey&missy]

Take advantage of being able to book 180 days out if you can! I know in a lot of cases you don't even know your going that far out. But if you do call on day 180!

Good luck!

[2girlsmom]

I agree with the 180 days comment. I'm a planner and usually know well in advance of 180 days. I get up on my "day" and call as soon as they open. I've not had a problem. I've also heard that you can call once you arrive & sometimes have luck at getting a spot from a cancellation. Good Luck!!!

[like2workout]

thanks for the replies! i've never called once i've gotten there. i always thought if i couldn't get in ahead of time, i just couldn't get in, but haven't taken into account possible cancellations by others. i appreciate everybody's help - i'm gonna try it!

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Calling each day while you are there is a good idea.
2) Also, try stopping by the podium.
3) There are last minute cancellations.

4) DD/SIL actually got in for Thanksgiving lunch by stopping at the podium!

[vamaggie]

I've also heard to try to call at the 45 day mark. People may need to cancel their trips (45 days is when balances on packages are due) and therefore their ADRs. Good Luck!!

[LoriMistress]

You have to call at exactly 180 days in advance if you want to make sure you get into the restaurant at the time you want without issue. I would suggest calling 407-WDW-DINE now to try to make an ADR. I'm not sure if you're able to get in now, if you're calling around 60 days or less before your arrival.

[pixiegoose]

Wow, we must have just had plain dumb luck when we got an ADR for our last trip. We didn't even decide to go to the World for our honeymoon until the end of May and our trip was in July! We managed to get in for dinner at about 5:00 with no problem. I'll echo previous posters and say just keep calling, even once you get there. There has to be an opening sometime. Good luck!


6 days to go!