Velkommen til Akershus!
Today we’re visiting Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot’s Norway! This Pavilion has certainly seen its fair share of changes over the past year or so, primarily due to the influence of all things “Frozen.” The biggest headline of them all, of course, was the closing of the Maelstrom attraction in October 2014 (prompting a memorial Maelstrom Margarita at La Cava del Tequila in the neighboring Mexico Pavilion) to make way for “Frozen Ever After,” anticipated for a 2016 opening.
But that’s not the only change. We learned that Akershus — best known as being home to the Princess Storybook Dining character meal — had undergone a test alteration of its own. Typically featuring a cold buffet (Norwegian Koldtbord) along with hot breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrees served at your table, a test run recently brought about a new service style to Akershus. While it remains an All-You-Care-to-Eat option, the cold buffet was closed and several of the previous options are now brought to the table and served family style as part of a trial run at this popular restaurant.
This test has since ended, but we were told that it’s now up to guest feedback as to whether it comes back permanently.
Akershus Sign
Let’s head back inside the fortress walls to see what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what we think about this proposed update to the serving style at Akershus!
Atmosphere
For quite some time, Akershus made a name for itself as being a great alternate choice if you were unable to score an Advance Dining Reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom. While that remains true in some respects, Akershus has earned a reputation all its own due its unique Norwegian cuisine (with just enough picky-eater friendly fare), and… let’s see, what was the other thing? Oh, yeah… PRINCESSES!
Our visit started with Beauty herself, as Belle was waiting to greet us with a smile and a photo opportunity (be sure to have those autograph books at the ready!).
Princess Belle
We’ll be meeting the other Princesses soon, but let’s take a look around first, because the setting here is nothing to sneeze at. Aside from the chance to meet several Disney Princesses throughout your meal, the other reason Akershus became known as a good alternate for Cinderella’s Royal Table (which takes place, of course, inside Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom) is its beautiful castle feel, complete with stately windows, banners hanging from the dark wood ceiling, and stone fortress-like walls.
Akershus Main Dining Room
Hanging Banners
Stone Walls in the Circular Dining Room
I can’t help but check out one of my favorite Akershus details every time I visit. The (loosely translated) lyrics to “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from the Cinderella film in Norwegian remain displayed on top of a dish cabinet.
Cinderella song lyric in Norwegian!
By and large, the setting hasn’t changed — with the exception, of course, that the areas which typically serve as buffet stations were covered over and decorated with flowers and greenery due to the serving style test.
Where the buffet would be
This time, all of our food offerings would be brought to us at our table.
Our Table Setting
And speaking of seating, the main draw at Akershus is still visiting with a few special guests who stop by your table…
Characters
Of course, we’ve already greeted Belle… but you do know that she brings along a few of her friends for Princess Storybook Dining, right :)? Throughout the meal, princesses stop by the tables and chat a bit, take photos and sign autograph books. While the attending Princesses can vary, we saw the following (in addition to Belle) during our recent trip. Introducing Her Royal Highnesses!
Ariel arrives at Akershus sans mermaid tail, opting instead for her aquamarine dress.
Princess Ariel
While you can wait to greet Snow White at various times throughout the day at the Germany Pavilion, she comes to you during Princess Storybook Dining.
Princess Snow White
And what Princess meal is complete without Cinderella?
Princess Cinderella
She kindly stopped for a bit to show us the hidden slipper in the pattern on her dress. Can you spot it?
Hidden slippers in Cinderella’s dress detail.
Again, visiting Princesses rotate at Akershus, so your meal may possibly include Mulan or Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty (Mary Poppins has also been listed among the rotation, though I have never personally seen her at Akershus).
It should be noted that at this time — as far as we are aware — there are no plans to have Anna and Elsa from Frozen join the cast at Akershus (though they will be available for pictures in the Norway Pavilion again once their upcoming meet and greet space opens). Plus, Elsa is a QUEEN, so that might cause all sorts of princess-y drama… and we wouldn’t want that, would we 😉 ?
So, yes indeed, the Princesses are a pretty BIG DEAL at Akershus. In fact, their royal presence may well be the primary reason for a proposed service change at the Royal Banquet Hall.
Eats
Before we dive into our review of the meal, just a little reminder about the main reason for our visit: to observe the testing of a new service style at Akershus. So, while we go through the eats, we’ll be showing you the updated style of service.
As always, though, lunch service started with reviewing the menu to select beverage and main entrees, since you choose your own hot entree at Akershus in addition to the koldtbord accompaniments.
Akershus Menu
At this time, the mention of the buffet remains on the printed menu, even though we experienced the new service style.
Back of the menu
As with all Disney all-you-care-to-eat restaurants, regular beverages such as soda, coffee, tea, and milk are included with your meal, but we couldn’t resist some specialty drinks this time.
Blue Glow-tini and Fjellbekk
My first one was an oldie, but a goodie… served up a bit differently! The Blue Glow-tini (a sweet and fruity blend of citrus vodka, peach schnapps, blue curaçao and pineapple juice) arrived not with the standard souvenir glow cube, but instead in a souvenir glass themed to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!
The Blue Glowtini with suviner cup
My friend enjoyed a more traditional drink found on the menu, the Fjellbekk. This one’s made with vodka, Sprite, lime and Aquavit (can’t say I prefer it as a shot, but enjoyed it in this cocktail!). Very smooth, and pleasantly strong.
Fjellbekk Specialty Drink
Rarely (okay, never actually) do I think about Akershus as a spot for standout drinks, but this one surprised us!
Even before our drinks arrived, though, our server brought a large assortment of meats, cheeses, fish, and accompaniments to our table, and herein lies the service style test. Guests familiar with the buffet at Akershus will likely recognize the following inclusions: salami, ham, turkey, Jarlsberg cheese, goat cheese, smoked fish dip, and a generous pile of smoked salmon atop pickles, mushrooms and tomatoes.
First Course : Meat, Fish and Cheese Plate
A cucumber salad and a well-balanced fresh fruit salad completed the mix (along with the standard bread rolls, which were oddly on the dry side, and unfortunately crumbly).
Cucumber Salad
Fresh Fruit Salad
There is PLENTY of rich food here (the assortment you see was brought out just for my friend and me), and many of the favorites have remained from the buffet service. That definitely includes the smoked salmon, which was a true standout again this time, with excellent flavor and seasoning among the more typical meats and cheeses.
Smoked Salmon, Sliced Meats and Cheeses
And remember, if you decide you would like more of anything — such as that salmon — simply ask, and it will be brought to you!
So, yeah… let’s start with the obvious: the array of food is indeed less than what we’ve previously enjoyed with the buffet (for those unfamiliar with Akershus, you can check out examples of the full buffet spread here). Most notably, I missed some of the additional salads (the Potato Salad and Pear and Apple spring to mind), as well as a few other selections that were often available, such as cold asparagus. Plus, you know, I’m always up for more cheese, so it’s a good thing you can request replenishments!
Still, with regards to the service style itself, the fact that it remains all-you-can-eat is great. But the win here is actually less about the food: it’s the fact that there is no worrying about getting up for the buffet, only to return to your table to discover you’ve missed a visit from a Princess. Other character meals utilizing family style service include the Garden Grill, and ‘Ohana (the Best Friends Breakfast features Lilo and Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto). Overall, I do feel it lends to a much more relaxed dining experience, without constantly having to peek around to monitor who is on the way and try to gauge their arrival between buffet trips. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed Piglet or Tigger over at Crystal Palace.
From here on out, though, things operated pretty much as usual, continuing with our choices of entrees (which have always been brought directly to the table). We went with something we hadn’t tried before, along with a bona fide Akershus tradition.
First up, my friend decided to try the House-made Potato and Goat Cheese Ravioli. It’s presented upon a fennel leek cream and topped with a tomato jam.
Potato and Goat Cheese Ravioli
The verdict? Terrific! Both creamy and rich — but not too much so, since the balsamic cut the richness and helped the flavors to blend nicely so that no one taste overpowered another.
Close up on the Ravioli
We could have easily devoured two portions of this if we hadn’t had so much of the meat and cheese board.
Inside the Ravioli
The thing is, though, I find it difficult to dine at Akershus without indulging in a classic, the Traditional Kjottkake: Norwegian meatballs served on mashed potatoes with gravy and lingonberry sauce, and a side of green beans.
Traditional Kjottkake
My green beans were perfectly seasoned, the potatoes nice and creamy, and the sauce was both savory and sweet with the notes from the berry. The main attraction of the meatballs themselves definitely had good flavor but were a little dry this go ’round.
Do yourself a favor, though, and combine a bit of each: a bite of the meatball, sauce and potato, and I think you’ll find that the flavors and textures really come together well.
Inside the Traditional Kjottkake
After our main courses were finished and barely cleared away, our waitress (who was wonderful throughout the meal, by the way) came back to us with The Royals Chef’s Dessert Plate. While options can vary, we’ve actually enjoyed this same assortment on a previous visit: Traditional Rice Cream, Chocolate Mousse, and Apple Cake with cardamom whipped cream.
Dessert Trio
I’ve long been a fan of the vanilla-y, mild but comforting Rice Cream in the Norway pavilion, though I prefer it in its cup presentation at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe, which leans more heavily on the sauce along with chunks of strawberry.
Rice Cream with Strawberry
While the Apple Cake wasn’t as moist as I hoped, it did have good flavor.
Apple Cake with Cardamom Cream
Inside the Apple Cake
Last but not least was the Chocolate Mousse. The center was a little hard, like it had maybe been frozen at some point and hadn’t finished thawing entirely, but everything else about it was simple and straightforward.
Chocolate Mousse
Pleasantly full and with one final royal wave to the Princesses, then, it was time to get back to our World Showcase stroll.
Overall
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall remains a hit in my book, regardless of whether or not they revert back to the buffet or move on the family style service going forward. Yes, it’s pricey (though it remains a particularly good value for guests on the Disney Dining Plan, who will utilize one Table Service credit to dine here). However, it’s still less so than Cinderella’s Royal Table and with — in my opinion — better food. Add to that its own unique style of inviting decor and the chance to meet 4-5 Disney Princesses in one fell swoop (in air-conditioning), and I think we’ve still got a winner with Akershus.
What do you think of the possible changes to dining at Akershus? Please let us know with a comment!
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Thank you for this, AJ! We leave for WDW in 5 days and this has been the meal I have been the most worried about. We have two girls – 5 and 2 – and obviously we booked for the princesses. We have been to the parks with the girls many, many times, but have never eaten there because I dig in my heels at the word “koldtbord”. This looks way more palatable than in my imagination. 🙂
I would imagine that a lot of things on the Koldtbord would be left uneaten, and thus more food waste than the buffet. The buffet would make more financial sense if that is the case. But I could be underestimating the average guest’s taste for smoked fish dip. My grandmother is from Sweden, and I can’t stand the stuff. Or smoked Salmon.
I agree about the food waste. I would much rather eat here for breakfast, where the dining options are a little more Americanized. I think Cinderella’s Royal Table still beats Akershus on both service and price, but I agree it’s good to go here for a less-expensive alternative that is usually easier to get ADRs for.
Our family ate here back in ’09 and it was a terrible experience. We didn’t enjoy it at all and we found it was a little overpriced. I remember my little brother had gotten the kids meal pizza and it was cold and looked like one of those mini pizzas you can buy in the grocery store, and it was $20 for just a small pizza that my brother didn’t even eat! I had the meatballs or something and they were gross.
I guess it’s just hit and miss with buffet-style restaraunts?
We did a test dinner without the buffet earlier this month, we hated it. This place has always been a must do for us and honestly not sure we’ll be visiting again next year. I know not going simply over a buffet removal is harsh but it was more because of all the confusion it caused the staff. They brought out little food for our party of five and we wound up ordering another tray. Everyone was very nice about everything however so no blame is on the cast members just the way the transition was handled. That said the princesses were still great as was the food in general, those meatballs can do no wrong by me. I honestly hope enough people complain and they bring back the buffet, it was just a much smoother process I feel for larger groups of people.
Everything here is great but the Kjottkake is the BEST!!!!
We have dined with Mary Poppins at Akershus, so I can confirm that she is in the rotation.
While I like the convenience of family style service at a character dining location, I think the cost of the cold buffet is too great. The variety offered on the buffet is huge. And the asparagus has always been a stand-out side dish. The last time we visited, the variety of the buffet and the ability to sample new things really stood out as the best part of the meal food-wise. Of course the food has always been secondary to the princesses…
The entrees at Akershus have always been “good enough” in our experience. What made the meal was the buffet. I’d hate to see this change stick.
Finally, I’ll just note that my oldest would eat as many servings of the chocolate mousse as they would bring to her. But this brings to mind another short-coming of family service. While you can ask for more, a lot of people will feel weird about doing so. We have asked for seconds at Akershus before and the reaction has not always been what you would expect from Disney. We have had waiters seem inconvenienced to have to go back for more mousse.
That ravioli looks terrific! I can’t wait to see what they decide to do with the restaurant.
Thank you for this review! I’ve seen a few forum posts about the new serving style and I was curiously worried about our upcoming ADR. I actually like the idea of family style as opposed to going to and from a buffet. I hope it sticks.
As for lebeau’s note about asking for more – I definitely plan to! With the amount I’m paying, I want my own chocolate mousse! I’ve also heard that you can order two entrees (dinner), is that true? There are a couple of things my husband and I would like to try and it would be nice to order a second that we could split.
We have had terrible experiences with Disney’s all-you-care-to-eat meals that are served family-style. This is just a cost saving measure for Disney. We experienced similar to what Carmine Indelicato stated above – O’hana, Garden Grill, the skillet from Whispering Canyon, akershus are all the same. Each time we visited these places, our family of 4 (two adults, two teens) were served enough food for 1.5 people. Can you ask for more? Yes, if you can find your server and then wait 30 minutes or more for them to bring it. Whispering Canyon was the absolute worst – our first service of food literally came with about a TBS of mashed potatoes that we were all expected to share. And after waiting for more than 45 minutes, we finally tracked down a manager to settle the check and then left hungry. The author of this article states they were served a generous portion for their first course but I am willing to bet that a family of 5 would be served the same portion. I’m sure most of us agree that all-you-can-eat restaurants aren’t great anyway but those served family-style at Disney seem to be the worst value and have the worst service. Really unfortunate.
My teenage daughter and I had lunch there two years ago. It was an okay experience. The buffet was the best part with a good variety and everything tasted well chilled and fresh. I wouldn’t go back without it-just wouldn’t be good value. ^ We both ordered the meatballs because we heard it was a house specialty-but they were unremarkable. The princesses were a lot of fun-Areil was a hoot (and it looks like the same Ariel in the photo) however we dined in the terrett and they all seem to come upon us at once. It was a a very tight space and it was hard to get good photos.
I thought the amount of time that each seating was permitted was insufficient. We were one of the last people in line to be seated for our timeslot and it felt rushed. (diners, get in line early)! They’re on a tight schedule .I don’t know how you would have time to order another board of cheese or whatever without it coming around the same time as your entrée.
I have to agree with other readers that the Koldtbord is a big part of the experience for my family! There are plenty of character dining options, but what makes Akershus unique is that Norwegian feel you get, and the chance to sample a cuisine from somewhere many people may never get to visit. That’s the whole idea of World Showcase, isn’t it?
I would not be nearly as interested in returning to Akershus without the buffet option. I would miss the lingonberry, the asparagus, the brown cheese and fishes too much! Please, Disney, don’t take away what makes this place special…you’ve already taken away the complimentary photo.
We have also been told by the servers there that Mary Poppins is not part of the official lineup, she is a back-up option if one of the Princesses is “away visiting another kingdom.”
We love this place! We’ve seen Mary Poppins there twice but a friend of mine had Jasmine! We’ve been there 5 times and have never seen Jasmine….and she’s one of our favorites. 🙂
And now I really want one of those Blue Glow-tini’s. 😉
Dining here was a possibility for our upcoming trip until I heard they were getting rid of the cold buffet. That was a big draw for us! My husband in particular was looking forward to eating lots of pickled herring and accompaniments. Hope they bring it back as it was really different from the other buffets in that regard.
We always make reservations at Aukershus when in Disney, and have one for our upcoming trip. The buffet is the big draw for us, and I will be watching closely to see if it still remains. If the restaurant goes to family style, I will be cancelling our reservations.
Please bring back the buffet. We dine with a large party and the family style service does not seem to take larger portions into account. We are serves the same sized portion as a table of two and then have to ask for more. It’s insane and keeps us at our table longer.
We ate here 2 weeks ago on the Dining Plan. No Mary Poppins. Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, Jasmine visit tables. Belle in full yellow gown is your hostess.
We expected a buffet. And it did seem the staff was not used to the new system. Plenty of hoops to jump through to get seated. We stood in one line to check in with our reservation. Once approved, patrons are then squeeze into another line, between a rope line and a curb. Families are then called waaaaay beyond reservation time to stand in another line. The third line actually leads into the building. Everyone waits to have a picture with Belle. And then you are seated.
Our table was jammed in an archway between dining rooms. Guessing it used to be a hallway. In fact, the pix on this blog showing the former buffet also shows my chair!
The cast members are incredibly nice. The food gets high, high marks. We had never eaten here before so we had nothing to which to compare it.
A buffet is a money saver for a business. But it can also be a big food waster – plates being piled with food that will never be eaten.
Plenty of people appearing to be managers ran around inside the dining areas. They were watching, observing, etc. So I would say expect more changes.
Thanks for the review. Can you tell me if they’re able to accommodate dietary restrictions? I don’t eat meat and I’m allergic to dairy and gluten…
You mentioned it was a test, does this mean they will be now going back to buffet style until they make an official announcement or is it still this limited menu?
Sarah — Yes. Be sure to mention your dietary restrictions when you’re seated, and the restaurant’s staff, usually the chef, will speak with you personally about your options. Disney is one of the most accommodating spots anywhere when it comes to food allergy and sensitivity. Good luck!
Honestly< I hope that this is changed back to the buffet style before our November trip. I am not pleased about this change. All of the dinners and breakfasts that our family of 6 has experienced "family style" has received the same size platter as a party of 2. The servers then get very irritable when we ask for more food. It is ridiculous. The cold board and individual entrees are why we booked in the first place. Why does Disney keep fixing things that are not broken? At this point I have been trying to book another restuarant like nobodies business….I am so irritated
Also wanting to hear if this has switched back. We have reservations for breakfast and I am scared I need to cancel if the new model is still on. My kids would be bummed if yogurt, pastries and lots of fruit are not options!
Can anyone confirm if the buffet is back?
I love the cold buffet. The world showcase restaurants are supposed to be about sampling new things and the cold buffet gave you that opportunity. I would really miss the salads, unique cheeses, and cold shrimp. Also, take some time to speak with your Norwegian hosts and hostesses. We have really enjoyed learning about their culture and reminiscing about our own trip to Norway a few years ago.
We have reservations there in a week and I think I would be fine either way. Here at Disneyland we had the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ (now closed) that was all you can eat family style. We never had problems getting more food, though sometimes you do have trouble finding your server. I suppose the trick is to let them know how much you plan to eat, lol! I once dined with my brother who is a big eater…we told the server to keep it coming and received no less than 5 rounds of meat and 2-3 refills on sides. Should it be family style at akershus, I may ask for two platters for our party of 6, since my brother will be there!