There are some Disney experiences you build up in your head for years, and then when you finally get there, you hope the real thing can possibly live up to it. Rapunzel’s Royal Table aboard the Disney Magic was one of those for me.
I’ve wanted to dine here ever since Disney Cruise Line first announced the restaurant. I’m a huge Tangled fan, and the glowing lanterns from the movie have always been one of my favorite Disney visuals. So when I knew we’d be sailing aboard the Disney Magic for our Alaska cruise, Rapunzel’s Royal Table was very high on my list of things I couldn’t wait to experience.
And as luck would have it, I didn’t even have to wait until dinner to get my first look.
Our First Look at Rapunzel’s Royal Table
We had lunch at Rapunzel’s Royal Table on embarkation day, which turned out to be such a fun way to start the cruise. Rapunzel’s big celebration doesn’t happen during lunch, but I didn’t care. I was just thrilled to finally walk through those doors and see the restaurant for myself.
The dining room is beautiful.
You’re stepping into the royal ballroom in the kingdom of Corona, where King Frederic and Queen Arianna will be celebrating Rapunzel’s birthday and the anniversary of her return home. Glowing wish lanterns hang overhead, Rapunzel’s artwork appears throughout the room, and there are little details everywhere that immediately make the space recognizable to anyone who loves the movie.
Seeing it during lunch also gave me a chance to really look around before all the activity that comes with the dinner show. And there is a lot happening during dinner.
Dinner Is Where Rapunzel’s Royal Table Comes Alive
When we returned for our rotational dinner, the restaurant became an entirely different experience.
Rapunzel’s celebration unfolds throughout your meal with live music, singing, dancing, and appearances from Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, and the Snuggly Duckling Thugs. It’s lively without making dinner feel like you’re sitting through a stage show. Things happen around you while you’re eating, and you never quite know who might wander by next.
What surprised me most was that the characters actually stopped at every table. I wasn’t expecting that at all! They don’t sign autographs, but you can take video and photos during the interactions, and they’ll even stop and pose for a photo with you, which I didn’t do, as I was too busy filming what each one told us. That made the whole thing feel much more personal than I expected.
And Flynn Rider? Exactly as cheeky as he should be.
If you’re a Tangled fan, having these characters walking through the room while musicians are playing and those gorgeous lanterns are glowing overhead is pretty darn special. There’s even a spirited parade through the restaurant as part of the celebration.
It’s one of those dinners where you find yourself looking around constantly because you don’t want to miss anything.
And Then There Was the Food…
The entertainment could easily be the main attraction at a restaurant like this, but our food was outstanding, too.
Things got off to a very good start when the bread basket arrived with soft pretzel rolls. I could happily have eaten far too many of those, but thankfully, I showed some restraint because my appetizer was even better.
I ordered the Crisp Isle of Corona Shrimp, served with pea purée, fried potato, crisp pancetta, pea shoots, and lemon-tarragon caper mayonnaise. I thought it was an excellent way to start the meal.
For my entrée, I went with the Tangled Pasta, and this was easily the standout of the evening for me. The dish comes with green angel hair pasta, basil pesto, caramelized sea scallops, blistered grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomato tapenade, and roasted Meyer lemon.
Those scallops were cooked perfectly. Seriously, they were delicious. The whole dish worked beautifully together, and I’d order it again without thinking twice.
Dessert was the White Chocolate Bread Pudding with butterscotch sauce, almond florentine, and vanilla ice cream. I added a cup of decaf coffee, and that was pretty much the perfect ending to the night.
Tangled Fans, Put This One on Your List
Rapunzel’s Royal Table is exclusive to the Disney Magic, and after finally experiencing it myself, I think it’s one of the things that makes this ship so special.
Disney Cruise Line has plenty of beautiful rotational dining rooms, and I’ve had some memorable meals aboard its ships over the years. But this one hit differently for me. Maybe it’s because I already love Tangled so much. Maybe it was finally sitting underneath all those glowing lanterns after wanting to see this restaurant for years. Or maybe it was Flynn Rider showing up at our table and being exactly the lovable smart aleck I wanted him to be.
Whatever it was, Rapunzel’s Royal Table ended up being one of my favorite dining experiences of our entire Alaska cruise.
If you’re sailing aboard the Disney Magic and love Tangled, do not treat this as just another night of rotational dining. Go to dinner. Take your time. Look around that gorgeous room, enjoy the characters when they come by your table, and soak up the celebration.
And if that Tangled Pasta is still on the menu, you already know what I’m going to tell you to order.
If Rapunzel’s Royal Table has you ready to hop aboard the Disney Magic and experience those glowing lanterns for yourself, reach out to Dreams Unlimited Travel for a free, no-obligation quote. Their Disney Cruise Line experts can help you find the right sailing and get your own adventure started! Plus, when you book your Disney cruise through Dreams, you’ll receive a shipboard credit of up to $1,000 (based on your cruise fare) and our signature cruise gift basket, delivered right to your home before you set sail.
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