Restaurant Akershus, Norway
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Who: Diana Riconda & Family
Where:Akershus Royal Banquet (Epcot, Norway) Princess Breakfast
When: 7/23/08
What: We ate Breakfast. They had a buffet of things like melon, fruit, and breads, spreads, and smoked salmon. They also brought eggs, bacon, potatoes and stuff to the table.
Approximate Price of Entrees: $28.99 per adult, $17.99 per child, total $130.95 we tipped $21.59
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: Yes, We never had to ask for princess to come by and the kids loved the interaction!
Okay for Couples: Yes, my husband who isn't a disney fanatic loved it and even smiled in the pictures!
Be Sure to Try: The potatoes were delicious!! I think they put cheese in them, yum!!
General tips: We got there for a 9:50am ressie and we weren't given our pager until then but it was only maybe a 10 to 15 minute wait and the best thing was you got to take a picture with Belle or probably anyone of the princess'.
Extra Comments:Mary Poppins was outside the restaurant taking pictures and giving out autographs and if you go for breakfast you will be one of the first ones to ride the norway boat ride. I think we got on the 3rd boat!!
Who: Me (Linda N), DH, DS (11), DD (9)
Where: Princess Storybook Dinner, Restaurant Akershus (Epcot-Norway)
When: August 10, 2006, 6:05pm.
What: Dinner - DD ordered the kids chicken dinner. Included a grilled chicken
breast, new potatoes, and corn. She did not eat much of it--this has
been a rough trip for her regarding the heat; DS did not want anything on the adult menu so I asked if he could have a chicken dinner. He got it--and we were charged $28.99 for it. Not much more on there than the kids meal;
DH and I ordered the poached cod. I also ordered a pink froo-fooey
adult beverage called a Stavenger; DH ordered a Carlsberg draft beer
(which he said reminded him of an ale). All meals included the cold board, which includes sliced ham, cheeses, breads and salads. There were no soups here and limited fruit.
Approximate Price of Entrees: $28.99 per adult, $13.99 per child. Carlsberg was
$6.25, the Stavanger $6.75. Total price? (gasp!) $121.37.
Thankfully I am a passholder with the DDE card or I wouldn't be
doing this meal. My adjusted total was $97.10. Add a $20 tip and
my total was a whopping $117.10.
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 4 (really. It was good.)
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Okay for Children: Yes. Its princesses.
Okay for Couples: Sure. A nice restaurant.
Be Sure to Try: I really didn't think this was a bad meal despite
worrying about what I was going to eat. I don't eat fish, but the
cod was light and flakey and perfectly poached. My mom, who eats
fish regularly, would have raved about this meal. The salmon on it
was also quite good (and I don't eat salmon as I think it is usually
too fishy). I really thought the entire meal needed some catsup or
cocktail sauce, but DH kept going on about how light and good that
fish was so I just put pepper on it. (He actually said if I put
catsup on that perfectly poached fish the chef would probably have a
heart attack). My son had a decent portion of chicken, and really
ate a lot from the cold board. Dessert was attractively presented
with a scoop of Rice Cream with strawberry sauce on either side and
two pieces of chocolate cake in one corner and lingonberry
cheesecake in the other. Our server came by after dessert and asked
how we liked it. DH said he really liked the cheesecake and she
offered to get more, which he accepted. Norwegian food is usually not very strongly seasoned, and the desserts are not very sweet. Lingonberries are tart (think cranberries the size of small blueberries) so if you're looking for
a lot of flavor at once you will not get it at this place. I went
to this dinner mainly because I have never gone and as a MFLT agent
I send people to Akershus all the time. So in the name of research
I tried something new, which is what this entire trip has been about
for me and my family.
General tips: This restaurant seats in groups of tables to help with
the princess flow. Checking in more than 10 minutes early is
pointless. I arrived 20 minutes early and they told me to come back
in 10 minutes! Never have I been told to come back for any Princess
meal; usually I have just been checked in and put into the seating
queue. There is a new batch of international staff at Epcot (they
showed up three weeks ago) and they're not quite with the entire
system yet. It was not "Disney-ish" to tell me to come back. But I
did as I was told and moseyed around for a little while and when I
came back there were two new CMs (one here just three weeks) at the
podium.
TheMouseForLess tips: There is nothing "for less" about this meal.
Don't be scared by the menu; ask them for grilled chicken if nothing
appeals to you at all. I will do this meal over CRT only because I
think the restaurant is much better designed for characters. At
least in Akershus I don't have other people in my photos; CRT is
very small with too many tables packed in there. (JMO, of course)
Extra Comments: Ariel stands in the front of the restaurant and a
photo is taken of your party before you are seated. Our
photographer did not do a good job of centering everyone otherwise I
would have purchased the photos. (Had they offered a retake I would
have taken it). Ariel was in a green gown, looking remarkedly like
drapery fabric. I guess I was expecting a bit more satin! Our
Cinderella was "normal" sized (she probably wore a good size 10-12)
in a brocade drapery-type fabric gown. Aurora was wearing her pink
dress--no drapery fabric, LOL. DH said that Ariel looked a bit old
but I told him this was probably the Ariel after she had been
married for a few years and had Melody. LOL. All of these women
were probably in their late 20's or even around 30. This surprised
me as most princesses I've seen are on the very young side. Belle
was probably about 30, and did the french accented "bonjour" quite
well. She was wearing the blue pinafore (satin-y fabric--no
brocade). Jasmine did not look too thrilled to be there, but this
was a pretty good Aurora. If you have a princess crazed little girl, or you're heading to WDW and don't want to spend two TS credits on the dining plan for
princesses at the castle for breakfast, then do this meal. I
thought the food was good, albeit a bit bland. I would order what I
did again, but next time I will definitely get some catsup.
Who: The Skamarakas Family (Dad, Mom, DD Eilis age 5; DD Granuaile age 1)
Where: Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Princess Storybook Lunch EPCOT
When: April 18, 2006
What: Lunch - included a buffet of cold appetizers that included fresh cold
cuts (salami, turkey, ham) assorted cheeses, hard boiled eggs with a shrimp
salad top, herring in tomato, potato salad, pasta salad, cut up fruit, ham
and egg salad, several other items. We ordered from the luncheon menu
spaghetti and meatballs for Eilis; pan seared trout for mom; Traditional
Kjottkaker for Dad; and then a plate of dessert to be shared that included a
lingonberry cheese cake, rice cream, and a chocolate mousse roll.
Approximate Price of Entrees: This was about $25 for adults, $14 for
children, and includes your non-alcoholic beverages
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Okay for Children: Definitely - especially for little girls
Okay for Couples: There is certainly nothing wrong with this restaurant for
couples, but it's not quiet and you will be visited by princesses
Be Sure to Try: Some of the items on the cold buffet were really unique. I
would say that you should really try some of the traditional Norwegian
items. We really enjoyed the hard boiled eggs and the herring in tomato,
and the cheeses were very good. The lingonberry cheesecake was also very
good.
General tips: Definitely make an ADR as soon as you can for this restaurant
- they were not taking any walk-ups the day we had lunch there due to the
restaurant being booked. Our own personal tip for character dining is to
sit all the children on the outside of the table, together, so it is easier
to get photos of them with the characters
TheMouseForLess tips: Not much you can do dollarless here - the lunch portions
were just appropriate sized for one person. We are lucky that our 5 year
old gets too busy with the characters to be interested in her food - the 1
year old benefitted from a great lunch this way. Your best bet would be to
make this an early lunch or late lunch and skip either breakfast or dinner.
You can certainly get a little crazy at the cold buffet, almost making a
meal on just the salads and cold cuts.
Extra Comments: Your magical experience begins when your name is called - as
ours was just minutes after checking in at the podium. The hostess called
the Royal Family Skamarakas, and Eilis got all excited! Our first stop was
in a little room just off the entrance where Ariel stood in a lovely blue
dress, marvelling over how wonderful it was to have feet! They take a
professional photo here, which they later offer to you at your table for $31
for the package.
The princesses that came to our table included Cinderella, Mulan (first time
we have EVER met Mulan!), Jasmine, and Belle. Belle spent a good 5 minutes
or more with Eilis - she talked about her name, talked about books, listened
to Eilis talk about her favorite books - she was WONDERFUL! The other
princesses did the quick "Hello, Princess! Would you like your picture
taken?" and then goodbye. Eilis' eyes nearly popped out when she saw Mulan
- she thought that was the greatest thing ever.
The food here was okay - there is nothing really to write home about, and
nothing really stands out that much. Jim's meal - which is a ground meat
patty - was very similar in taste and texture to a salisbury steak that you
get in one of those frozen dinners. The trout was good - nothing special.
Our server was Newt, and he was very attentive. Our glasses were never
empty, and he checked back often to see how things were. He also apologized
a few times for not getting back to us quickly enough, but he seemed to
always be there when we needed him, so we saw no need for apologies.
The thing here, though, is the princesses. I imagine that they could give
you a bologna sandwich and you would still want this experience for you
little girls. Mine loved it. It was a once per child's lifetime meal for
us - there are way better restaurants at EPCOT - but the kids have to have
this experience.
Who: Riordan Family - dh, myself, dd-7, ds-6
Where: Royal Banquet Hall - Restaurant Akershus, Norway - Epcot
When: Januray 24, 2006
What: Breakfast - Character all-you-can-eat (Princess Storybook
Breakfast)
Approximate Price of Entrees: DDP - would have cost us approx $ 95
otherwise
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 3 - everything served family style on one plate - sausages, cheesy
hashbrowns, eggs, biscuits. Not exactly what my kids would eat. They
nibbled.
Service: 4 - had a good waiter
Atmosphere: 5 - what a blast! Love the castle-feel !
Okay for Children: YES! Characters.
Okay for Couples: Yes, even couples enjoy it.
Be Sure to Try: Cheesy Hashbrowns ! Yummy!
General tips: MUST do ADRs - saw people turned away constantly!
TheMouseForLess tips: DDP
Extra Comments: A great character experience!
Who: Joe and Scott
Where: Restaurant Akershus in Norway
When: October 22, 2005, 6pm ADR
What: Dinner buffet w/ prepared entrees brought to your table
Approximate Price of Entrees: $19.99 not including tax and tip
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: Yes, children can try a variety of dishes or traditional
children favorites such as hotdogs, P&J, and macaroni and cheese Okay for Couples: Yes, despite being a buffet the atmosphere is not as lively and loud as the Biergarten buffet and there are individual tables. Perhaps
the host can sit you in a secluded area which is even better.
Okay for Couples: Yes, despite being a buffet the atmosphere is not as
lively and loud as the Biergarten buffet and there are individual tables. Perhaps the host can sit you in a secluded area which is even better.
Be Sure to Try: The cold smoked salmon was delicious as was the cucumber
salad, the shrimp salad was also good. This buffet contains a lot of seafood
items so if you like seafood you will love this buffet. Cooked to order
favorites included the grilled Atlantic Salmon, braised lamb and cabbage, Venison stew, and poached cod.
General tips: The restaurant gets very busy and often it is hard to get an
early ADR- if you plan on eating here make your ADR as soon as possible.
TheMouseForLess tips: The hot items used to be included on the buffet but now
they are cooked to order and brought to your table (its still all you can eat
but you have to wait for the server to bring it to you). We would order our
next hot dish when the server brought the one to our table that we had just
ordered to keep things moving along and to also make sure we could try what we
wanted without waiting.
Also, a late ADR might be better as the crowds at the buffet will not be as
heavy and getting hot entrees is a bit easier and faster.
Drinks such as soda and iced tea are included in the price as well as free
refills.
Extra Comments: Despite being busy the kitchen handled bringing out the
hot entrees in good time. However, if you do not ask your server to bring you
the next hot entree you wish to try they often will not ask you and you will
have to wait until they come around again to check on you.
The atmosphere, despite being a big restaurant, is somewhat cozy and is like
eating inside of an old castle.
This restaurant is a great place to try foods such as Norwegian dishes or
seafoods that you normally do not see on menus anywhere else.
Who: Dan (40), Tracy (39), ds (9), dd(5), MIL, FIL
Where: Restaurant Akershus, Norway
When: October 1, 2005
What: Princess breakfast
Approximate Price of Entrees: $82.57 for Dan, Tracy, ds and dd with free
dining plan
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: Absolutely
Okay for Couples: Maybe - great if you like character interaction
Be Sure to Try: the potatoes, YUM!!!!
General tips: Our ADR was for 10:20 am. This gave us plenty of time to ride
Soarin' after rope drop (no line!) We had a short wait at Akershus and most
of the dining room had cleared out before we were done so we had a little
extra character time.
TheMouseForLess tips: Love that dining plan (especially when it's free). If you plan on doing more than one character meal and table service meals,
seriously consider getting the dining plan.
Extra Comments: Food allergic dd was able to get the same "safe" waffles she
eats at home, plus the chef made her "safe" potatoes.
Who: The Hicks FamilyÑMe, DH, DD 5
Where: Restaurant Akershus
When: August 15, 2005
What: Princess Breakfast
Approximate Price of Entrees: $55.00 for 2 adult, 1 child for family
style breakfast.
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 4.5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: Yes, especially if you are Princess Fan
Okay for Couples: Yes. The Restaurant is quite lovely.
Be Sure to Try: They served family style and you could get more. It
was typical breakfast fare.
General tips: The Princesses were more relaxed and took time with
us. Even DH enjoyed Mary Poppins. Also, it is a rather lengthy
walk from the entrance to the front.
TheMouseForLess tips: I can't say enough about the Dining Plan. We are
a family that prefers sitting to eat and character meals. The
Dining Plan is the only way to go in this case!
Extra Comments: Snow White was TERRIFIC! Even remembered us when we
were touring the World Showcase! And Mary Poppins was great as
well. Great interaction with the children and adults!
Who: Crystal and Chaya Duncan
Where: Restaurant Akershus (Norway Pavilion, EPCOT)
When: September 8, 2003
What: Princess Storybook Breakfast
Approximate Price of Entrees: Adult Breakfast: $19.99; DD Breakfast: $9.99
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 5
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: Yes
Okay for Couples: Yes
Be Sure to Try: Everything Ð the food here was pretty good Ð I especially liked the potatoes and the fresh fruit
General tips: This restaurant was chock full of people with priority seatings and our PS was at 9:55 a.m. My suggestion would be to use the 120 day window and call as early as possible. It wasnÕt a problem getting the PS, but it would have been a very long wait if we didnÕt have one.
Dollarless tips: Not dollarless at all, but a good meal, and large enough to allow skipping lunch if
made late enough in the morning.
Extra Comments: Our server, Magnus, was not that kid-friendly, and slightly grunted when we asked for a second skillet of food (our skillet was half the size of other people with the same number of people in their party. Overall, the service was slow, but I saw other tables with other servers getting their food brought out without asking first, and having their drinks refilled before their cups were empty. Overall, this is a good restaurant, but Magnus needed a little coffee (or an attitude adjustment). The princesses on hand at this breakfast were Belle, Aurora, Mary Poppins, Snow White and Jasmine.
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