Well, don't really understand that. We have a picture of a lunch there in the 80's with Cinderella in it with my son. He was born in '84 so know it was about in '88. It could have just been her there. I know there were no more princesses. Maybe it was just not considered a character meal with just her there and I think the Prince.
I remember meeting Cinderella in the castle in the 90s. However, we weren't eating in the castle when we met her - she was just doing greetings in the lobby. Until June 2005, breakfast was the only real character meal at CRT. Here's an excerpt from a March 2005 allears update:
"Cinderella's Royal Table Character Dine -- Beginning June 10, a new Character Lunch will debut at the Magic Kingdom! All your favorite princesses from breakfast will now be at the midday meal! The character lunch will feature family-style salad and dessert and the choice of five adult entrees or children's meals along with a nonalcoholic, non-specialty beverage. Lunch will be $23.99 for adults (12 and older) and $12.99 for children 3-11. A deposit of $10 per adult and $5 per child will be required (as is currently the case with breakfast)."
And thus, lunch (and eventually dinner) received new menus based on pre-plated food that could be efficiently prepared and served (at the expense of quality). Still, at $23.99 per person in 2005, that seems like a serious bargain compared to today's CRT (although it didn't include the photo package yet - that would be added later, when CRT changed from 1 to 2 credits on the
DDP. I guess one of the credits is for the photo package
).
We really enjoyed our character-free meals there (lunches and dinner), and the food was actually reasonably priced. Now we don't want to return because the food is mediocre in spite of the ridiculous cost. For $50+ per person, we'd rather eat at a good restaurant (but clearly there are more than enough people who will pay the prices just to "have the experience", when that same experience previously didn't cost an arm and a leg). From what I can see, Disney is extremely happy that several people don't remember the CRT of the past. It makes it easier for them to get away with the current prices. After all, the number of customers that CRT has lost (such as me) is far outweighed by the hordes of families who want that photo package with Cinderella (another smart realization Disney made - why allow people to meet Cindy in her castle for free, when people will pay for it?).
Maybe the discrepancy between your memory and mine has to do with the transition from King Stefan's Banquet Hall to CRT. I don't know when this happened, but CRT originally did not include characters for lunch and dinner. It sounds like King Stefan's Banquet Hall (the original castle restaurant) included Cinderella, but otherwise wasn't a "character meal" as we know them today.
He really was enamored with her - was 4yrs at that time
Yes, this is what I remember - I knew Cinderella was there, but not the other princesses. Thanks too, DonaldDoleWhip, for what you remember, and have tried to clear up for me. I would have doubted my memory, except I have ds's pic with Cindy
.
