Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
STEP INTO A ROYAL FEAST IN EPCOT’S NORWAY PAVILION WITH DISNEY PRINCESSES, A CASTLE-INSPIRED SETTING AND A FAMILY-STYLE MEAL THAT BRINGS A LITTLE EXTRA MAGIC
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, tucked inside the Norway Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase, is one of the best places to meet Disney Princesses while enjoying a family-style meal with a few Norwegian-inspired touches. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all available, and because it’s inside Epcot, valid theme park admission is required.
Before we go any further, a confession: In my early Disney planning days, I was absolutely pronouncing Akershus wrong in my head. (And no, I was not even close.) The correct pronunciation is “AH-ker-shoos,” because apparently Disney dining comes with a side of Norwegian linguistics.
If you have a little princess fan in your family, Akershus is an excellent choice. It offers much of the same royal charm as Cinderella’s Royal Table but at a lower price point, making it a great alternative if you can’t snag a castle reservation or simply don’t want to pay castle prices.
The restaurant feels like dining inside a medieval fortress, with stone walls, soaring ceilings and cozy royal touches throughout. One of our favorite details is the princess promenade, when the princesses make their way through the restaurant to music, adding an extra dose of magic between character visits.
We’ve dined in both the larger main dining room and one of the smaller front rooms. While the grand hall is impressive and fun to watch, we actually preferred the smaller room. It felt a little quieter, less hectic and still offered the same wonderful atmosphere and character interactions.
The Food
The menu at Akershus has a few more Norwegian influences than you’ll find at most Disney restaurants, so it’s worth knowing what to expect. Breakfast is the most approachable, with familiar favorites alongside specialties like Norwegian waffles served with sweet toppings. Lunch and dinner lean a little more adventurous, though Disney still makes sure there are kid-friendly options like mac and cheese and corn dog nuggets for less adventurous eaters.
We actually think breakfast has improved since the switch from the old buffet. The family-style service felt fresher, the food was consistently good and there was a nice balance of classic breakfast favorites and unique offerings. We enjoyed it enough that we’re looking forward to returning to try lunch or dinner.
(tap photos to enlarge)
HBelle celebrated her 10th birthday at Akershus with a birthday dessert and a card from the princesses.
Breakfast Pastries & Accompaniments
Mixed Fruit
All of the fruit was fantastic!
Entree
Potato casserole, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, Norweigan waffles
The Characters
As with most character buffets, our server informed us of the characters’ path, so we knew when we had a little time to get to the buffet and back to our seats before they arrived. The princesses at this meal were very chatty, which I love. Ariel was perfect, and Snow White was very impressed with the kids’ autograph books. Remember that characters, which are present at breakfast, lunch and dinner, are always subject to change.
Belle
Tiana
Tiana
Cinderella
This was a retake. Be mindful of the many windows in this restaurant during the daylight hours.
Aurora
Aurora
Snow White
Snow White
Ariel
Ariel
Akershus is a fantastic choice for princess fans, especially families who want lots of character interaction in a beautiful setting without the Cinderella’s Royal Table price tag. That said, if dining inside Cinderella Castle is a true bucket-list dream, Akershus won’t replace that experience. But if the goal is to enjoy a royal meal with beloved princesses, good food and a little extra Epcot magic, this one is absolutely worth considering.
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