John,
Thanks for asking your question to planDisney!
Dining with the princesses in the castle is an iconic moment for anyone visiting Walt Disney World! My teenagers still recall, with delight, their first visit all those years ago. While the food was good, it is the experience that brought them back to that time whenever we reminisce about past vacations.
If you have an 8:05 am reservation to
Cinderella's Royal Table, you should be able to enter the park early. When you approach the
Magic Kingdom turnstiles there should be a Disney Cast Member dressed in the restaurant attire, with a sign, typically off to one side or the other. They can confirm your reservation and allow you access to the park. As to how much time you need to get there, while the walk is a mere 1/2 mile (1/3 km) after the turnstiles, you really need a great deal more time, for a variety of reasons. First, Disney requests you arrive 15 minutes before your dining time. Also, getting in can take a few minutes. Additionally, the walk down Main Street is an ideal time to snap a family picture without the throngs of guests in the background. I would suggest you be at the turnstiles no later than 7:40 am. Earlier than that would be better, like maybe 7:30 am.
BONUS TIPWhen dining, because you want to meet all the royal hosts, be sure to ask your servers about the timing of your visitors. The princesses follow a fairly regular path through the restaurant, and you want to be sure that you are ready to meet them, so you don't miss anyone.
Please feel free to
write me back directly if you have any follow-up questions.
Have a Magical Vacation!
Doug