Kristi,
I have to confess that the inner princess in me found eating at the castle a truly magical experience, so I thought it was worth the splurge.
While the characters vary, breakfast and lunch often have a handful of princesses. At dinner, only the Fairy Godmother is there.
During breakfast, the menu is pre-plated. Lunch and dinner have a fixed menu with choices from an appetizer, entree, dessert, and beverage.
At each of the meals, a photo is taken of each group in the lobby and delivered while dining.
I do want to share with you that the advance dining reservations fill up quickly for this, so it is something you would want to do as soon as you are 180 days away from your trip.