REVIEW: Trying the Revamped, Family-Style Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Princess Storybook Dining Breakfast at EPCOT

Justin Giglio

REVIEW: Trying the Revamped, Family-Style Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Princess Storybook Dining Breakfast at EPCOT

Breakfast, including Storybook Dining with Disney Princesses, has returned to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at EPCOT.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

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Akershus Royal Banquet Hall can be found in the Norway Pavilion of World Showcase at EPCOT. As you enter the pavilion, the restaurant will be to your right.

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Akershus is named after a real medieval castle in Oslo, Norway.

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The interior of Akershus is designed to feel like a Norwegian medieval castle. Banners and tapestries hang throughout.

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“Velkommen” means “welcome.”

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Akershus has royal red carpets and wallpaper, with stone archways and dark brown wood furniture.

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There are multiple dining rooms.

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Akershus previously offered a buffet but is now family-style. The former buffet area has now been repurposed as a service station.

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Princess Storybook Dining

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Of course, with Princess Storybook Dining, our table was visited by several Disney princesses like Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” and Princess Aurora from “Sleeping Beauty.”

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We were also visited by Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog.” We have been keeping up with the construction of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure over at Magic Kingdom.

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Snow White shared her secret for a gooseberry pie.

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And finally, Princess Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” stopped by. Her appearance here will remain reflective of the original animated film. However, Ariel from the live-action remake “The Little Mermaid” will be making meet-and-greet appearances at Disney’s Hollywood Studios later this year.

The princesses spend a good amount of time at each table, especially if you’re dining early and not all of the tables are filled yet. They can have long waits at their other meet-and-greet locations, so this is a pretty good spot to meet them.

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We were presented with this keepsake autograph card from the Disney Princesses that visited our table.

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Akershus Breakfast Menu & Pricing

The menu for breakfast at Akershus is all-you-care-to-enjoy family style and includes:

  • Breakfast Pastries and Accompaniments
  • Mixed Fruit
  • Potato Casserole
  • Scrambled Eggs
  • Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Norwegian Waffles

Pricing for breakfast is $53 per adult (ages 10 and up), plus tax and gratuity, and $34 per child (ages 3-9), plus tax and gratuity.

Mixed Fruit

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The fruit was fresh, bursting with a sweet, ripe flavor.

Hot Food Platter

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The hot breakfast platter includes Norwegian waffles, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, and potato casserole. These are standard American breakfast fare but better prepared at Akershus than at many Walt Disney World restaurants. That said, your mileage may vary order by order as our eggs were cooked well the first round but watery the second round.

The sausage was cooked well. It was salty and had a casing that wasn’t too tough to bite through. The potato and cheddar cheese casserole is quite good. The potato is cubed, shredded, and prepared a little softer than some Americans might prefer. There is a load of cheddar cheese baked in.

The star of the breakfast is the Norwegian Waffles which have a sweetness to them that requires no syrup. They are very soft and doughy with a crispy edge. They are absolutely phenomenal.

Pastries, Meats, & Cheeses

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Our croissant was a little stale, but the other pastries were fresh, flaky, and buttery. One pastry was filled with chocolate and maybe a custard. It could have had a little less custard, but it was otherwise good and the chocolate was rich. The lingonberry jam adds a nice sweetness to any pastry.

The salmon spread is worthy of a New York bagel, reminding us of the best lox from that region. The salami wasn’t great. It was too thick and left a weird aftertaste. The ham and cheese are just fine.

Drinks

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Several breakfast cocktails are available for an additional purchase.

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  • Viking Bloody Mary — $13.50
    • Bland of Helix7 Vodka with Loaded Bloody Mary Mix.
  • Mimosa — $14.50
    • A perfect blend of Minute Maid Orange Juice and Domain St. Michelle Brut.
  • Aass Pilsner — $11.25
    • A crisp refreshing Pilsner from Norway’s oldest brewery.
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  • Viking Coffee — $11.50
    • Featuring Joffrey’s Coffee- a robust combination of Columbian Coffee, Kamora Coffee Liqueur and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
  • Princess Mimosa — $16.50
    • A refreshing and shimmering blend of Violet Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette and Domaine St. Michelle Brut.
  • Crown Prince Kir — $16.50
    • A royal blend of Charmord Liqueuer, Minute Made Cranberry Juice and topped with Banfi Rosa Regale Sparkling Red.
  • Midnight Sun — $14.50
    • Perfect blend of LINIE Acquavit Liqueuer and Minute Maid Orange Juice with a splash of Grenadine.

Akershus Breakfast & Lunch Review Video

Watch our full video review of both breakfast and lunch at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

Akershus Phased Reopening

Following the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall did not reopen with the rest of EPCOT like many other popular character meals. In 2021, Akershus was temporarily a corporate lounge for Florida Blue. Then in November 2022, dinner reservations returned to the restaurant. Finally, over 3 years after initially shuttering due to the pandemic, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall has fully returned to pre-COVID operations.

Are you excited to see breakfast return to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall? Let us know in the comments.

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