Two of the best Disney World restaurants are in the Magic Kingdom. Find out how to choose between Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table here!
A major part of the Walt Disney World experience is food. Visiting the parks is an all-day experience so it is inevitable that you’ll eat theme park food eventually.
Disney World offers different types of dining, ranging from fast snacks to formal sit-down. After my first time at Disney World, I discovered that I like to have one sit-down reservation per day and graze the rest of the day. The sit-down restaurants may be more expensive, but the portions are huge and the food is unmatched.
There are 4 main theme parks at Disney World but the most famous park is Magic Kingdom. This is the quintessential Disney theme park with Cinderella’s castle glistening in the center. If you’re visiting Walt Disney World, it’s inevitable that you’ll visit the Magic Kingdom. You’ll have the opportunity to choose between two of the best sit-down restaurant experiences in all of Disney World when you visit the Magic Kingdom.
If you’re wondering whether you should dine at Be Our Guest or CInderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom, read on to find the pros and cons of each – as well as which was my favorite between the two!
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Cinderella’s Royal Table
Located in Cinderella’s castle in the center of Magic Kingdom, Cinderella’s Royal Table presents the only opportunity for Disney World guests to view the inside of the castle. When it’s your reservation time, you’ll enter the Grand Hall until your name is called. After ascending a gorgeous spiral staircase, you’ll land in the main dining area with stained glass views of the rest of the Magic Kingdom.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Because this is fine dining, dinner will run you $62 – so this certainly isn’t a cheap experience. Meals may vary from when you visit, but I enjoyed an heirloom salad, a beautiful steak with mashed potatoes and roasted brussels, and a cute Cinderella-themed chocolate hazlenut desert that was to die for. The food was comparable to a nice sit-down restaurant in Houston (which is a foodie city!) so I was more than happy.
Even better, the Champagne prices at Cinderella’s Royal Table were quite reasonable! Flights start at around $14. Because I visited during the 50th Anniversary celebration, I enjoyed the Royal 50th Anniversary Celebration Champagne Flight. It was 3 full glasses of champage for just over $20 – all with different presentations. It was delish and gave me a nice little buzz.
(It’s worth it to note that the ONLY two places to get alcohol in the Magic Kingdom are at Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest – another reason to visit!)
I visited during COVID so Cinderella only made an appearance. I’m not sure if she normally walks around and greets diners, but seeing her was still a magic touch to a great dining experience.
My only complaint was that the dining area was a bit small so it sometimes felt cramped and loud. However, I would dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table again if given the opportunity!
Be Our Guest
Be Our Guest is located in Fantasyland behind Cinderella’s Castle. As you walk up, you’ll see Beast’s Castle sitting ominously up a hill. The entire entrance is thematic and so cute – from gargoyles to castmembers dressed in traditional era-appropriate French attire.
Be Our Guest is huge, especially compared to Cinderella’s Royal Table, and has 3 distinct dining areas: the Grand Ballroom, the West Wing, and the Castle Library. If you have any say in where you sit, request the Grand Ballroom first and the West Wing second. The Grand Ballroom is decorated just like the ballroom where Beast & Belle have their first dance in the movies and it is so romantic and beautiful. In the West Wing, you’ll find Beast’s enchanted rose. The Castle Library is cute enough but it is not as reminiscent of the movies and just has a statue of Beast & Belle dancing.
I was lucky enough to be seated in the Grand Ballroom which provided the perfect view of Beast when he made his appearances. It was so magical!
Be Our Guest is a fine-dining exerience just like Cinderella’s Royal Table. This means it’ll run you $60+ for lunch or dinner service. However, breakfast is not available here, unlike Cinderella’s Royal Table. I enjoyed the French onion soup, steak with haricots verts & mashed potatoes, and the desert trio:
Everything was delicious but I especially enjoyed the dessert trio. In the center you’ll see the chocolate tart with grey stuff and a white chocolate “Chip” – how cute is that?
I mentioned above that Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table are the only two places to drink alcohol in the Magic Kingdom, so you know that I got a glass of bubbly! Is there anything better than enjoying a glass of wine in a grand ballroom?
Be Our Guest was where I felt the most “Disney Magic” during my 5 days at the parks. I was giddy throughout the entire meal service and felt like a kid again. It was the feeling I was looking for when I booked my trip to Disney World and I would absolutely go back again.
How to Get Reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest
As I’m sure you can guess, it’s really hard to get reservations at Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table. Both restaurants book up literally months in advance, but don’t despair! I was able to snag reservations at both restaurants and I only booked my Disney trip a few weeks before going.
The secret is Mousedining. Sign up for Mousedining (they do have free options!) and put in alerts for both Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest. Select lunch and dinner service for each to give yourself the best chance of snagging a seat. I marked Mousedining emails as “VIP” in my inbox so that I got push notifications whenever an email alert was sent. Eventually, voila! Seats at two of the most popular WDW restaurants became available for me.
Don’t forget to check out other Walt Disney World tips for first-timers! And, of course, this packing list is a must-read before visiting Disney!
Which is better, Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table?
Honestly, both restaurants are spectacular. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at both so you cannot go wrong with either. If you’re lucky enough to have your pick of the two, however, I would recommend Be Our Guest. Be Our Guest felt the most magical to me – from the decor to the food to the service, everything was spotless. I felt like a kid again at Be Our Guest and would pick it over Cinderella’s Royal Table if time was limited.
What are your thoughts? Have you been to both restaurants Add your thoughts to the comments below!
