Wife and I are planning an upcoming trip to WDW and want to do things we’ve never done before. Going to Cinderellas RT restaurant is one of our ideas. So I go into MDE to make an ADR and discover that the actual price I’ll be charged is different (as in much higher) than the listed price. If I click on the “view menu” link for the restaurant, it shows that both lunch or dinner cost is $84 per adult. But once I find an available time slot and select it, a new “Order Summary” screen opens up to the right of the party mix screen I have to complete to finish the reservation. And the $84 dinner cost has changed to $102.79 per person (plus tax and gratuity) before I even make any other entries. So instead of paying about $168 for two adults I’m paying about $206. Is this right, or am I doing something wrong? I’ve tried this repeatedly yesterday and again this morning, and get the same result … but only at Cinderellas RT. No other restaurant changed the price as I worked thru the ADR process in MDE.
If I had to guess, they are adding the tax and gratuity to the price when you go to pay, which WOULD in fact make it around $103/pp.
ETA: Most ADRs you don’t pay for ahead of time, so they just list the expected price not including tax & gratuity. But anything you have to pay for ahead of time (such as HDDR), they will add the tax and gratuity to the price when you go to pay.
Your cost is $84 per person before tax and mandatory gratuity. The servers don’t make full wages. They make “watiers/servers” wages. Because this is a prepaid meal they include a gratuity. Too many people were leaving thinking everything was “all inclusive” including the tip.
Subtotal = $168.00 for 2 guests / $84 per person
Thanks guys. I didn’t realize this was a reservation that you had to pay for ahead of time like HDDR. Now it makes sense. I didn’t complete the reservation when I saw the new price, so hopefully the $103 price it lists without tax and gratuity will show up as $103 with T&G once I actually do make & pay of the reservation.
For what my opinion is worth, if it were only DW and me (without young kids), I’d choose California Grill or Jiko over paying that price for CRT. My daughter loved CRT when she was ages 3-6 and I thought the price was worth it given how happy it made her, but for similar pricing, the food is much better elsewhere.
Agree that you can’t beat an adult meal at California Grill at firework time! It’s so special we’ve done it three times!
Or go for breakfast, which is slightly cheaper. Eating inside the castle is a not to be missed experience, IMO.
lol I just looked at it and breakfast is 69 while dinner is 84 plus tax and gratuity. That is not a big difference when it comes down to it. I know you are paying for the location and experience but I can’t pay almost $100 for eggs and pastries. I guess this is why I’ve never dined in the castle. Has CRT returned to the full experience?
Maybe if I got unlimited mimosas with it we’d be talkin.
Yes! So you are getting to meet all the princesses at once for that amount + food. That’s well worth the cost to not have to go to multiple character M&G with your kid! It’s saves so much time & they come to you!!
There’s so much more. CRT is a “go-to” breakfast stop for me. I’ve had some of my best meals here in the morning… The shrimp & grits are devine! They used to have a seafoood crepe I loved. The caramel french toast is sooo good!
Plus, here’s a tip they don’t tell ya…… You gotta ask as it’s no longer promoted / advertised…
The meal is unlimited! You can ask for multiple entrees & even switch! I’ve sat there and eaten 2 - 3 full entrees a few times getting 2 - 3 different items… (They will insist you finish one before ordering another!)
I leave the breakfast breads / pastries alone, eat a limited amount of bacon / potatoes and go all-in on entrees!! 
That’s a great tip. The shrimp and grits did sound good. Maybe it’s worth doing at least once. You may have convinced me haha.
Yes! You get a great portrait / M&G with Cinderella before breakfast. Then going up the castle stairs and seeing out the windows over MK is so cool!
I can’t eat a lot at breakfast because my stomach is unsettled. So even a “cheap” character breakfast isn’t really worth it to me. I would have to do lunch or dinner to feel I got my money’s worth at CRT.