When it comes to the perfect Walt Disney World vacation, we’re huge proponents of having at least one character-dining experience. And dining at The Crystal Palace inside the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is one of those experiences.
About The Crystal Palace
Inspired by Victorian Greenhouses from the late 1800’s, The Crystal Palace is located right off of Main St. USA, to the left of Cinderella’s Castle and nestled between Casey’s Corner and the entrance to Adventure Land. It’s a buffet-style restaurant with tons of windows, offering character interactions with Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger!
It’s one of the more popular character-dining options, for two reasons. First, it has a prime location inside the Magic Kingdom overlooking Cinderella’s castle (depending upon where you’re seated) and two, it’s the only character-dining experience with Eeyore and Piglet.
We’s also add that the windows in particular make for an enjoyable atmosphere. There’s nothing better than sunlight during the day; and at night, if you’re seated with a view of Cinderella’s castle, it’s breathtaking.
Cost Of Dining At The Crystal Palace
If you’re paying with the Disney dining plan, it requires one table-service dining entitlement; but if you’re paying out of pocket, the current 2020 prices are:
- Breakfast — Adults $42, Children $27
- Lunch/Dinner — Adults $55, Children $36
This is in line with other character dining experiences, and worth the price when you consider the benefits.
- You’re not waiting to meet the characters in the hot Florida sun, but are inside with air conditioning.
- You get to see multiple characters at once.
- They come to you, versus you going to them
- You don’t feel rushed, and they spend more time with you.
- And you get to eat!
Please note that neither the dining plan nor the prices above include gratuity. The Crystal Palace also accepts Tables in Wonderland, which we highly recommend for Florida residents.
The Crystal Palace Menu
The Crystal Palace, like many character-dining experiences is a buffet. We’ve eaten here several times and always enjoy the food. Disney’s buffets tend to be much higher quality that the ones you might experience back home.
For breakfast, you can expect to find the following:
Scrambled Egg and Omelette Station Breakfast Meats and Potatoes Pancakes and Waffles Seasonal Fresh Fruit Freshly Baked Pastries Assorted Kellogg’s® Breakfast Cereals
For lunch and dinner, you can expect these menu items:
Creative Array of Garden-fresh Salads Freshly Made Soup Roasted Carved Meats Freshly Baked Breads Seasonal Fish Peel-n-Eat Shrimp Chicken Vegetable Creations Assorted Desserts
Like many of the buffet-style restaurants at Walt Disney World, there is something for everyone — including the picky eaters. To see the specific menu items (and desserts) when we dined, simply watch the video above.
The Crystal Palace Character Interactions
As we mentioned before, when you dine at The Crystal Palace, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger, will take turns, stopping by your table to interact with you, take photos, and to sign autographs. For us, this is the highlight of dining at The Crystal Palace and makes it well worth the price.
Like any character interactions, the more you know about the characters and their particular stories, the more fun you can have. We have an entire article about How to Interact with Disney Characters if you’re not familiar with these strategies.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a character-dining experience that’s in a prime location and you love characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, then you will sure to be delighted with this experience. If however, you’re not a big fan of these characters, there are plenty of other character-dining experiences to consider for your Walt Disney World vacation.
