Is Akershus the Best Character Breakfast in Disney World?

Have you had a chance to enjoy Akershus Royal Banquet Hall for Storybook Dining with the Disney Princesses? Here is a review of what is in store for you and your travel party when you book breakfast in this gorgeous medieval setting in EPCOT.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall recently reopened in late 2022. And, it should not be overlooked when you are considering Disney dining options, especially if you and your travel party want to enjoy dining with the Disney Princesses!

The restaurant is themed to a Norwegian castle.  It somehow manages to feel cozy, yet regal at the same time! You certainly will NOT feel as if you are in Central Florida when you dine here.

Even better, it offers versatile bookings. You can enjoy character meals at this gorgeous venue for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Akershus is tucked away in the World Showcase in EPCOT. You will find it in Norway, near Frozen Ever After. Many people might pass it right by if they don’t know where to look for it.

Ideally, you will want to plan your day so that you are ready to enjoy that part of World Showcase before or after your meal. This will save you a lot of backtracking.

The Princesses

What would a princess meal be without princesses? The princesses at Akershus have been beyond lovely to interact with each time my family and I (Katie) have dined there. We especially enjoy hearing Tiana tell her stories.

At Akershus, the princess line-up does tend to rotate! You never know which particular combination of princesses will make an appearance.

We do know that Snow White, Jasmine, Belle (Gold Dress), Tiana, Aurora, Ariel (Blue Gown), and Mulan have all been known to stop by! All seven names are on the autograph card the restaurant gives out at the end of the meal as well.

Regardless, you can expect five princesses to visit your table during your meal. All of them will gladly pose for photographs and sign autograph books and converse with your travel party, particularly those who love princesses.

Keep in mind that nothing is guaranteed in terms of which princess will appear. If the presence of a particular princess is very important to your child, it will be best if you do not make any promises just in case one has other duties to attend to during your reserved time. So instead of saying, “We are going to see Ariel,” keep the hype to a simple, “We are going to see the princesses!”

EPCOT is a great place to find many Disney Princesses should you miss the one you were hoping to see. Be sure to check Character Locator for all the locations and times for meeting them.

Pirate Tip: It is best to promise your travel party that you will see princesses rather than promising you will see a specific princess (just in case).

Breakfast Experience

You will find all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style dining at Akershus. Pricing is fixed here, and you pay regardless of how much or little you eat.

The fact that this is a family-style meal is very important. I can not stress to you enough how nice it is to be able to stay at your table rather than having to get up to fill your plates at a buffet. This is especially true if you are traveling with small children, especially toddlers, or babies.

Plus, there is no need to time visits to the buffet with visits from princesses. It is infinitely less chaotic and easier to enjoy on so many levels.

Breakfast Food

The meal begins with pastries and accompaniments. My little ones adore the pastries. They especially love the chocolate croissants, which are strikingly similar to Cheshire Cat Tails over in Magic Kingdom.

And, I must say the accompaniments are lovely and really elevate the idea of a typical platter of pastries. There are some interesting Norwegian cheeses, spreads, and meats to try.

Next, everyone enjoys a hearty breakfast platter to share at the table. You can select Princess Storybook Dining which comes with Mixed Fruit, Potato Casserole, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, and Norwegian Waffles.

Alternatively, you can order plant-based options such as Mixed Fruit, Nordic Berry Compote, Plant-based Applecake, Plant-based Waffles, Plant-based Egg Scramble, Home Fry Potatoes, and Plant-based Sausage.

My party tried the traditional Princess Storybook Dining option. The potato casserole certainly is something everyone at the table enjoyed. It is cheesy and yummy. The fruit was fresh and nicely ripened. We appreciated the variety, which included berries, pineapple, and melon.

The bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs are the same offerings that you will find at just about every other Walt Disney World character meal. They were good, but not remarkable.

The Norwegian Waffles were what we were most excited to try. Disney typically does waffles very well. Alas, the Norwegian Waffles were not as good as we wanted them to be.

Don’t get me wrong, they were fine, good even. However, competition like the waffles at Topolinos Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort or Sleepy Hollow in the Magic Kingdom, or even basic Mickey Waffles, is hard beat! Will you like them? Probably! Should you book the restaurant specifically for the waffles? No.

Price Point

Breakfast pricing begins at $55 for an adult and $35 for a child (2-9) and fluctuates seasonally. Children 2 and under can eat off an accompanying adult’s plate at no additional charge.

This is average pricing for character breakfast meals. And, it is a significantly lower cost than lunch/dinner. It is also less than breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table, which is currently the only other Disney Princess breakfast in Walt Disney World. So, if you do want a princess meal, and you want to save some money, Akershus is your least expensive option.

Breakfast vs. Dinner

If you would like great food options and want a filling meal, you might consider saving your Disney Princess character meal for lunch or dinner. The food options at dinner, which include salmon, meatballs, and rice pudding, are a bit more adventurous, and they are pretty delicious.

Dinner, surprisingly, had kid appeal. In fact, my little ones love the lunch/dinner menu and have asked to return to Akershus for dinner instead of breakfast. Moreover, I have yet to meet an adult who did not enjoy the dinner. You can read a full review of what an adult-only travel party thought of the food here.

Overall Thoughts

When it comes to Disney Princess dining, you will enjoy Akershus regardless of the meal period. If you prefer to save money, select breakfast. If you would rather have a better quality meal, head there for lunch or dinner.

Plus, if you plan to book a meal with classic Disney characters in addition to your Disney Princess meal, you can enjoy a better array of food at other restaurants. Our writing team highly recommends Topolinos Terrace, Cape May, or Garden Grill.

Have you tried Akershus? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments. And, be sure to pass this review along to your friends and family who are visiting Disney soon so that they know where to eat if they want to enjoy dining with Disney Princesses!