I just love to try things new, and was pleasantly surprised at the selection and type of food offered here. The Norwegians have strong ties to the sea and fish is offered at the appetizer bar, Fra Koldtbord (Cold Table) and on the main menu. There is also pasta, Venison Stew, Lamb, Short Ribs and a traditional Norwegian-style meatball dish called "Kjottkaker" which I thought was outstanding. Now the one thing you have to remember is that the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a Princess Storybook Dining experience, so reservations are wise. It is always packed.

The restaurant is an All-you-can-Eat buffet, but it differs here in that the buffet is at the "Cold Table" which offers sliced meats, cheeses, many assorted seafood dishes, salads, and breads. The food is fresh and you must be careful, do not eat too much at the appetizer bar, you will find you will not have room for the main course! Let us go over the four criteria we consider in a restaurant…Atmosphere, food, service, and value.

The dining hall itself is large, with nice wooden tables and chairs, much like one would expect in a royal banquet hall in a Medieval Norwegian castle. There were large stone Archways, candle sconces on the walls, beautiful wood carved beams and large round chandeliers overhead, giving the feeling of spaciousness, yet very cozy. The food is excellent and the cold table is a feast in itself. The main course portions were a little small, but after the cold table, they seemed just right. My one complaint was the venison stew. Although very tasty, the sauce seemed a little watery for my tastes. Akershus is not a restaurant for fussy eaters. If you do not enjoy fish, venison, or lamb, you may find your choices limited. However, a great children's menu is offered with all the favorites, pasta, chicken, hot dogs, pizza, and turkey. The kids can also try the cold table. A lunch menu and character breakfast buffet is also available.

The service is excellent. In fact with all the times my wife and I have dined at Disney, I never had anything but the best to say for the wait staff. In fact, one time a guest had a birthday and the Waitress and Waiters came out and sang Happy Birthday in Norwegian! The Value, well before it became a Princess dining experience, you were able to order additional hot menu items as much as you wanted, as it was included in the buffet price. However, no more. One complaint I have about the character dining is that many people do not care about the character experience, the restaurants should offer the characters on certain days, and this would make reserving a table a little easier, and should lower the price a tad bit. If you have children, the Princesses will make their day. They come to the tables on a regular basis and really make a fuss over the kids. You must remember that the characters are rotated and you will not know which one will appear on what day. You may expect Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, Snow White, or Princess Aurora and Mary Poppins.

Because of the characters, it will be harder to reserve a table and the price is a little higher, but still a great value for the freshness and amount of food and the great service and atmosphere. In addition to the buffet, there are the non-specialty drinks available, soda, tea, coffee, lemonade, ice tea, and milk. Specialty drinks include, wine, liquors, mixed drinks beer specialty coffees and sparkling waters.

` Prices for "Princess Storybook Breakfast" family-style buffet are: $22.99 adults, $12.99 children (ages 3-9). Hours: 8:30am to 10:10am. "Princess Storybook Lunch: adults $24.00, $13.99 children (ages 3-9). Hours: 11:40am to 2:50pm. And "Princess Storybook Dinner" prices are $ 28.99 adults, $13.99 children (ages 3-9). Hours: 4:20pm to 8:40pm.

Akershus is definitely worth a trip back. The food is a little different, but that's the beauty of international dining. We have been here many times and will continue to come. Reservations (Highly recommended) can be made by calling WDW Dine: 1-407-939-3463.