by Pixie Dusted Diva
One of my favorite alternatives to Cindrella’s Royal Table is Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in EPCOT. Located in the Norway Pavilion, Akershus is the perfect opportunity to have breakfast, lunch or dinner with royalty! My family calls this “The Princess Meal”, as it’s all about you and the princesses here!
Upon entering the restaurant a photo opportunity is available with B
elle. Like other restaurants, Disney did away with the actual photo prints in late 2014 so all photos are put on your photopass card or magic band and are available for download with your Memory Maker purchase or individual purchase. Belle does not visit each table, so the photo opportunity at the entrance is your only chance for pictures and autographs with her.
Breakfast is served family style at your table. Included in the bowl served at your table is scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potato casserole and biscuits. However, an assortment of Norwegian items including smoke salmon, herring, cheeses, fruits, yogurt, along with baked goods such as cinnamon rolls, muffins, donuts and danishes are available at a self-serve buffet. One key breakfast item is missing from this meal- Mickey waffles!!! I personally do not eat eggs and was able to ask for waffles. However, you are only going to get those Mickey waffles upon request here.
Dinner is a sit down meal, however a cold self-service buffet with Norwegian items is available. The buffet has salad, fruits, Scandinavian seafood, cheeses, and sliced meats. Dinner choices include braised beef short ribs, grilled pork chop, mushroom-stuffed pasta, oven roasted chicken breast, pan seared salmon, roasted rack of lamb, traditional kjottkake (meatball) and strip steak. A children’s menu is available with meatballs, grilled chicken, pizza, macaroni and pasta. You can find the full menu here.
You’ll want to make sure you save room for dessert as each table is give
n a sampling of desserts also served family style which includes an apple cake with whipped cream, chocolate mousse and rice pudding with strawberry sauce.
Princesses who may appear at your table for pictures and autographs include Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Only on one occasion have we seen Alice here. On rare occasion Jasmine or Mary Poppins have made appearances as well. At some point during your visit, the Princess Parade will take place. All the children will be invited to line up behind the nearest princess to parade around the restaurant. The parade will only last a few minutes and pass by the table in the general area.
If yo
u are on the Disney Dining Plan, Akershus is only one dining credit, unlike Cinderella’s Royal Table, which is two dining credits. If you are paying out-of-pocket, Akershus can save you some dollars as you essentially are meeting the same princesses and dining reservations are easier to obtain.
However, if you are eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table eating at Akershus too will not be overdoing it! We’ve done both meals in one trip and my girls were in heaven. You can never meet too many Disney princesses in Disney! My daughter had her Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique appointment the day before in Magic Kingdom and I planned it perfectly to eat at Epcot the next day with the Princesses!
Now if Disney was to ever add Anna & Elsa from Frozen to a meal, this would be the perfect location. However, there is not any confirmation this will ever be done, just simply my suggestion that this would be the perfect character meal location for them.
Overall, the food is good, but I think the character interaction and experience is why most people dine at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot’s Norway Pavillion. It’s a family favorite for my us! 
