Not every Disney World character meal is worth the splurge. My visit to Akershus proves that even dining with princesses can be underwhelming.
Nothing brings the champions of a Disney World attraction or restaurant out of the woodwork like suggesting you wouldn’t do it again (and again and again and again). And there’s one particularly popular EPCOT destination that, after experiencing it firsthand, I wouldn’t recommend to my fellow parents. And yes, it’s a character meal.
Now, before you break out the tar and feathers and lead me to the pillory in Liberty Square, I haven’t sworn off every character dining experience. My family and I have a lot of happy memories swearing allegiance with swords and magic wands at Cinderella’s Royal Table, having breakfast with Stitch at ‘Ohana and feasting at Chef Mickey’s. When we were planning our early trips, a character meal seemed like a good way to meet a lot of Disney pals in one go and make the experience a little easier for my kids, who could be quite shy but still wanted the full magic. They were great experiences, if a little pricey, and under the right circumstances I could see going back for a re-run. Except…
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is the sole Disney World character meal I’ll never book again.
Photo by Judd Helms
What is Akershus?
Akershus (or Akershus Royal Banquet Hall as it’s formally known) is located in EPCOT, in the Norway Pavilion of the World Showcase. It’s a nice option for families looking to meet a lot of Disney Princesses in one go, without quite as much drama (and forward planning) as a visit to Cinderella’s Royal Table.
If your family’s wish list includes meeting princesses in a fairly low-key environment, Akershus is the perfect spot. The availability of specific characters can vary, but our meal started with a PhotoPass session with Belle to welcome us, with other princesses mingling from table to table during the proceedings. We met Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel and Snow White; your mileage may differ.
Like every Disney World character dining experience, the magic here is first-rate. During my family’s meal, the first encounters happened in almost total silence, coaxing reactions from wide-eyed little ones, who gradually warmed up to the proceedings and even took part in the parade of children around the banquet hall. My kids may not have spoken much during the character meetings, but they talked excitedly about it for days afterwards. It was exactly what I was hoping for.
“But Gregg,” I hear you cry, “it sounds like you liked Akershus Royal Banquet Hall quite a bit.” Yes, I did. My family enjoyed the experience very much, and if your littles are still, well, little, I bet you would enjoy it too. So why no repeat visit? Well…
Akershus Is Expensive
In all fairness, all character dining experiences are on the pricey side. However, you really feel the added cost at Akershus, in part because of a general lack of pizazz (more on that in a minute).
You can expect to pay $69 per adult (ages 10 and up), or $46 per child (ages 3 to 9), plus tax and gratuity. If you’re using the Disney Dining Plan, you should be prepared to spend 2 credits per person for lunch or dinner.
Now, that isn’t that out of line with pricing for a character dining experience… but…
Norwegian Food Isn’t For Everyone
At Akershus, the food is served family style, and if you’re a grown-up who will eat pretty much anything, your reward shall be a tasty supper. However, given that this is an experience geared toward patrons on the young side, even by Disney World standards, they may be leaning into the “Norwegian-inspired fare” a little hard.
Dad can look forward to finishing up what the picky eaters won’t touch, including Kjøttkaker, which I believe translates roughly to “I could have eaten these meatballs at IKEA”, Gulrøtter og Grønne Bønner, which means “I wasn’t going to eat them when you called them carrots and green beans, and I’m certainly not going to eat them now”, and Kylling, which I’m pretty sure means “please at least eat the chicken”.
Do you know how much macaroni and cheese is $46 worth? It’s a lot.
And finally…
Photo by Laurie Sapp
The Atmosphere Isn’t the Best
The princesses are clearly the main draw of Akershus, and that’s evident in the restaurant’s atmosphere. Akershus is a banquet hall cleverly disguised as… a banquet hall. As a result, the vibe is little bit low-key and understated. And it would be decidedly underwhelming if we were to book it today for a nostalgia tour, even if I did make my kids march in the royal parade again. (And now I am considering it.)
On a later visit, we upgraded to Cinderella’s Royal Table, and when our name was called to enter, my daughter squeezed my hand and whispered “I’m so nervous!” When you compare the two princess character dining experiences, they really are dramatically different. I mean, your meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table takes place in an honest-to-goodness castle for Pete’s sake.
That being said, for kids who are hesitant about their first character dining experience or perhaps a bit shy around characters, the low-key approach and more casual atmosphere of Akershus may make the perfect choice. For us, Akershus delivered the right magic at the right time. We had a lovely experience, but not one I am prepared to shell out to repeat again. If you’re in the market for Princesses and plenty of ‘em, maybe Akershus Royal Banquet is for you!
