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If you are a fan of Pooh and friends, Crystal Palace is the place for you! It is a table-service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. As the Crystal Palace sign says, it is a buffet with character. For many families, it is a must-do when visiting Disney World. Here is my review of Crystal Palace.
Theme/Decor
The Friendship Day sign at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace is designed to be a Victorian-era conservatory. It features high ceilings and stained glass windows. It is bright and airy inside with hanging plants and topiaries throughout. The overall feel of the restaurant is one of happiness and fun. Hanging prominently in the front atrium area of the restaurant is a sign that says, “Welcome to our Friendship Day Celebrashun.” The sign really captures the theme and vibe of this restaurant.
Tigger topiary at Crystal Palace
Location
You can find Crystal Palace just off the castle end of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. It is located next door to Casey’s. Not only is this one of the most convenient places in all of Disney World for a restaurant, but it is also in a great spot for taking pictures while waiting for your table. The main reason why so many people love eating here for breakfast is the ability to get a reservation before the park opens, which allows you to take unspoiled pictures of the castle. You just can’t beat the location!
the view of the castle from Crystal Palace
Food
Crystal Palace serves an all-you-care-to-eat buffet at each meal. For breakfast, you can choose from eggs, omelettes, pancakes, waffles, pastries, fruit, cereals, and breakfast meat and potatoes. The options at lunch and dinner include carved meat, chicken, seasonal fish, peel-and-eat shrimp, pasta and vegetable dishes, soup, house-made sweets and soft serve ice cream. For children, you will find mac-and-cheese, chicken nuggets, and pasta and meatballs.
The food here is decent buffet food, but is nothing amazing. It is about the same as all the other buffets at Disney World. However, to be honest, you don’t really eat here because of the wonderful food. You eat here because of the location and the characters.
Entertainment
Boston and Tigger at Crystal Palace
The best part of dining at Crystal Palace is the entertainment. This is a character meal with Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet. This is the only place, outside of the holiday parties, where you can meet Piglet. The characters are great here. They go from table to table, so you can eat while waiting to meet them. You can expect some wonderful interaction with these characters. When we ate here, my son was about 2 or so. Piglet played peek-a-boo with him. It was so sweet! These characters are fun and playful. If you are dining here with children, your kids will be sure to be entertained. Even without kids, I feel sure that you will be pleased with this meal!
Playing peek-a-boo with Piglet
Disney Dining Plan/Cost
You will be able to use the Disney Dining Plan at Crystal Palace. It is one table service credit per person. If you are paying out of pocket, Crystal Palace will cost you $15-30 per adult for breakfast and $30-60 per adult for lunch or dinner. This is, in my opinion, on the expensive side if you just look at the food. However, when you factor in the character meets, and the fact that this is the only place to meet Piglet, the price is a bit bearable. Because all of the character meals are expensive, they are always a good choice for your dining credits. This is no exception.
Conclusion
Crystal Palace is a fun character meal restaurant located in the heart of the Magic Kingdom. The character interaction is wonderful here. It is the only place in all of Disney World that you can find Piglet. The restaurant itself is bright and cheery. The food is decent, but the real benefit of this eatery is the characters and the time you get with them. An added benefit, if you book a pre-opening breakfast, is the chance to get photos in front of the castle without other people in them. I hope you enjoy your meal with Pooh and the gang. I also hope that this review of Crystal Palace has been helpful for you. Happy travels and have a magical day!
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