Sci-Fi Dine-In Restaurant v. 50’s Prime Time Cafe
If you’re looking for a unique restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a quasi “show” component, there’s a good chance you’re considering Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant or 50’s Prime Time Cafe. These are two of Walt Disney World’s most fun and popular table service restaurants. However, since most people only spend a single day at DHS, there’s only time for one of them. Enter this dining comparison.
Unlike our Review of 50’s Prime Time Cafe and Review of Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, this comparison doesn’t seek to analyze specific dishes we’ve tried, so refer to those for that (and for food photos). Instead, we’re taking a more holistic approach to see how these restaurants stack up to one another.
This is the first in our new ‘restaurant versus’ series, a test run of sorts after so many of you have loved our hotel comparison series. As the first installment, we’re still in the test & adjust phase, and are open to feedback on how we might tweak these categories to improve the comparisons. (Just please don’t suggest ‘service.’ It’s so hit or miss that it’s impossible to judge at most WDW restaurants.)
Spoiler alert: there’s no winner here. Perhaps it was a bad idea to start with a comparison that I knew would yield an ‘it depends’ outcome, but I think this is probably the best way to start. These two restaurants are very evenly matched and similar, but each has strengths and weaknesses that could be deal-breakers for some guests. Illuminating those to help you choose ADRs is hopefully more helpful, at least in this particular case, than crowning a king of the hill.
With that said, let’s dive into this Walt Disney World table service restaurant comparison…
Theme: Both are thematic powerhouses, topping the list of our Top 10 Themed Restaurants at Walt Disney World. at 50’s Prime Time Cafe, you’re instantly transported to a 1950s living room when you walk in the door. Once seated, you step into mom’s kitchen and dining rooms, that are accurate right down to the black & white televisions, laminate paneling, and gaudy knick-knacks. It’s a celebration of American kitsch, and even if you weren’t alive for the 1950s, you probably have an older relative whose home perfectly-preserves this look.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant is themed as a 60s-era drive-in movie theater that screens B science fiction pulp movies. Classic cars comprise the tables, and there’s even a concession stand in the back that connects to the kitchen. Keen eyes will realize the theme here is actually a film set, and the drive-in is actually on a soundstage, complete with California labor notices on its backside and other details you’d find on a real production. (This angle is clever, but the illusion of an outdoor drive-in works well enough on its own that this added layer is superfluous–most guests probably won’t even notice it.)
As the #1 restaurant on our aforementioned top 10 list, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is our pick when we’re narrowly discussing themed design, and not the overall ambiance (more on that next). It’s really something special to step out of the midday Florida sun and go inside, only to go outside to nighttime at a California drive-in while having a meal in a classic car.
Atmosphere: 50’s Prime Time Cafe is like the Jungle Cruise mixed with Monsters Laugh Floor, except with every guest getting picked on. The quality of the experience is very much dependent upon the server who is your Cast Member; thankfully, most servers are excellent here, so it’s not hit or miss (but a ‘miss’ is still possible).
The question is whether your party is primarily introverts or extroverts. If you have a bunch of introverts, or people who simply want to decompress and be left alone while eating, 50’s Prime Time Cafe is a bad idea. The ‘relatives’ serving you won’t break character if your party isn’t into it, either. They still pick on you and insist you clean your plate (etc.), and we’ve witnessed some awkward encounters at adjacent tables that inexplicably didn’t ‘get’ the concept through their entire meal.
Extroverts and older guests who were children of the 1950s through around the 1970s tend to love 50’s Prime Time Cafe. It’s a situation where you get out of it what you put into it, and the interactions can be a hoot if you roll with them and engage in a bit of banter with the servers. Both of my parents (children during the aforementioned era) who have very different personalities, absolutely love 50’s Prime Time Cafe for these reasons.
By contrast, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is the ultimate restaurant for introverts or decompressing. Not only is the entertainment entirely passive (and the service low-key as Cast Members stay ‘out of the way’ of the movies), but you are seated in rows of a car, meaning you pretty much only have to interact with one person for the duration of the meal. For extroverts or families with kids, this seating arrangement can be a definite downside–it’s the most common complaints we receive about Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater.
Cuisine: Both restaurants serve comfort food with some good and some bad. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater has a deeper menu with slightly more variety, with their strength being specialty burgers. 50’s Prime Time Cafe serves iconic 1950s dinners (think meatloaf, chicken pot pie, etc.), but also has a couple of fish dishes that are surprisingly good and healthy.
If you are looking for a fine dining locale with nuanced dishes, both are absolutely the wrong choices. The best case scenario at each is having a hearty meal of crowd-pleasing fare. The worst case scenario, at least in terms of cuisine, is a meal just a step above fast food. Both restaurants are definitely about the overall experience, but the meal itself.
Value: It’s a challenge to definitively call either a good or poor value. If you’re viewing the menu in isolation, they’re both arguably poor values. If you factor in location, theme, and the fact that each offer a quasi dinner show, the case can be made that both are potentially good values. (That’s exactly the case I’d make–viewing a menu in isolation is a totally nonsensical approach, and a recipe for disaster, at Walt Disney World.)
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant’s menu has greater range. There are more options on the cheaper end, with some entrees being just above counter service meal prices. There’s also a more expensive New York Strip Steak (I’m comfortable mentioning that by name, since it’s been on the menu for over a decade) that makes it a good choice for those on the Disney Dining Plan. Whether you’re looking for a cheap meal or a pricey one (to maximize value on the Disney Dining Plan), Sci-Fi is the better choice in this regard.
With that said, 50’s Prime Time Cafe has a variety of better “smart” choices. There are entrees in the $20 range that are substantial and filling, and are within a dollar or two of Sci-Fi’s most expensive premium burgers. As fun as those burgers might be, they are overpriced and not as good as the pot roast or meatloaf at 50’s. At both restaurants, appetizers and desserts tend to be overpriced and underwhelming. This is excepting, of course, the iconic PB&J Milkshake at 50’s, which is totally worth the money.
Hassle: Neither 50’s Prime Time Cafe nor Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is a particularly challenging ADR to score. They do book up during busier times, but neither are ‘set your alarm’ kind of places. Reservations often can be made within a week. We almost always make same-day ADRs when we dine at either, since we rarely know how much time we’re going to want to spend in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’d say about half the time, we’re able to book one or both same-day.
Despite the relative ease of dining at these restaurants, both can be a hassle. In our experience (and we’ve dined at each many times), they both tend to have times when they get backed up, causing substantial delays in being seated, and guests waiting to be seated spilling out from the lobby (or bar, in the case of 50’s) and outside.
This can be really unpleasant, and there’s really no way to predict it. This does not always occur during peak meal hours. On our most recent visit to 50’s, we had a 2 p.m. ADR, and it took us over 30 minutes to be seated and the Tune-In Lounge was so full we had to wait outside. When we left just before 4 p.m., there was no wait. About the only times you can guarantee yourself that you won’t experience a wait is right at the start of lunch or dinner, or towards the very end of the night.
Overall, both restaurants are must-dos in our estimation. While there are elements of each (the seating at Sci-Fi, the servers at 50’s) that are going to be disqualifying for some guests, we absolutely love 50’s Prime Time Cafe and Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. We think most guests will have a good time at either restaurant, so which you choose if you only have time for one will really come down to which sounds more appealing. If I had to choose one, I’d pick Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant (as would Sarah, despite her preferring the food at 50’s).
No matter which you choose, don’t expect a wow-inducing culinary experience. Like many Walt Disney World restaurants, you’re paying for the Imagineered environment and show, with food taking a backseat to plenty of real-world restaurants. This is particularly true at both of these, as they serve American comfort food that’s easily accessible no matter where you live. Despite this, both are absolutely worth doing for some of the best fun you can have at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our comparison of 50’s Prime Time Cafe and Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant? Which restaurant would you give the edge in terms of theme and ambiance? In terms of cuisine? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’ve wanted to dine at Sci-Fi, but due to Extra Magic hour days, have had to cancel reservations there, and not been able to get it for the day we did go to DHS.
I (we) dined at 50’s Prime Time, and as a child of the 70’s (born in 1966), I’ve got to say they nailed the decor (some of it looked very familiar).
I’m an introvert, and we had a great server. About halfway through I realized I had a hat on, and was fully expecting (and waiting for him) to call me out on it, like he was calling out guests at his other tables. He did tell me in a low voice when we were almost done that in fact was to be my fate, but he felt it might upset our daughter if she saw Daddy getting “picked on,” so he cut me some slack.
If you ever go and get “Lou” from Morocco as your server/”cousin,”, expect a funny and great time.
As a introvert I’ve got to say I hated Sci-fi and loved 50’s.
I really don’t understand the appeal of Sci-fi the lighting is so dim it is hard to see what you are eating, the cars are very uncomfortable to be sitting in for more then a couple of minutes and the food I had there was mediocre at best. And the movie trailers just didn’t do anything for me.
In contrast I was not looking forward to our meal at 50’s. I expected to hate the interactions and instead we actually had zero of the type of interactions I had read about and I found myself wishing our server gave us at least a little of the experience. I loved how much space there was between the tables a true rarity at WDW restaurants. And the food was excellent and I can’t wait to return.
For me there is no competition 50’s was great and I can’t wait to return and Sci-fi I would be perfectly happy to never visit again.
Love the idea of this series and the first installment! One thing to add in future series entries would be specific advice for couples alone vs families with different age kids. In this case the introvert/extrovert factor is huge, but in many other restaurants (and I hope you’ll review a bunch of them this way!) the age of kids is a big factor in how much they enjoy a restaurant. ESPN could have served my tween a plate of shredded cardboard and he would have said it was the best restaurant EVER. My husband and I agreed because it kept him so entertained it felt like a solo date night for us!
We’ve visited both as a young couple with no kids and loved both. My only caveat for Sci-Fi – some of the “movies” can get a little scary, depending on the kid (probably only the youngest).
I cried tears of joy when we walked into 50s. Mid-century kitsch sets my heart a-flutter, and it felt like walking in the door of grandma’s house. Our server sat down with us while we finished our PB&J milkshakes and talked and talked and talked….we thought she’d never leave! I loved it.
Ever since an amazing trip as a child to the 50s with my family I’ve been hooked and think this is a hands down competition with 50s as the clear winner over SciFi. When I took my fiance to DHS we did lunch there at 11:30AM. It was dead-empty which was awesome because we got a LOT of attention and were seated and served very quickly. Our cast member still was able to provide laughs and was entertaining despite us being a young couple without family (as families are always the easiest to work with interaction-wise) and the food was excellent. Only regret was not getting the PB&J milkshake! (I think we got a reeses one or something? Wish I could remember specifics.)
For me, it’s Sci-fi. For my sister and travel partner, it’s Prime Time. And it does line up with our personalities, she being extroverted while I’m introverted, but it also has to do with food choices. My sister LOVES the ‘mom/grandma style’ food at Prime Time, while I actually struggle to pick something. I’m much happier with the more picnic-y food at Sci-fi.
I will say, I had my own first hand experience with Prime Time not being for everyone. On a trip with my aunt, our waiter ‘picked on’ her quite a bit. Unfortunately, it was our last day, she was homesick, missing her boyfriend and dog, and had recently been told to watch what she ate by the doctor, so she wasn’t enjoying it (It’s like cats, isn’t it? They pick on the one least interested). That poor waiter very nearly got a plateful of food in his face. Thankfully, she was able to rein in her temper, but it was a very good example of different strokes. Although, I’ll never let her live it down that I TOLD her she wouldn’t enjoy it, but she dismissed me.
I love both restaurants, my introvert husband dislikes (actually, hates is a better word) the interaction with the cast members at the 50’s Prime Time Cafe. I wish you could make reservations at 50’s the way you used to with Smoking/Non-Smoking: “Interaction/No Interaction.” That way I could go there more often. 🙂 But I do also enjoy the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, so it’s not too much of a hardship.
It seems like the red/green cards like at Whispering Canyon Cafe might be the way to go at 50’s.
It usually isn’t a choice to eat at both so I prefer Sci-Fi unless you already eaten there, but why even bother with 50’s. I really don’t care for annoying characters. The only characters I want to meet is when I can get a good photo with and it doesn’t include the server.
Slightly off topic here, but do you recall servers at Sci-Fi loudly interacting with and “answering back” to the film clips? I haven’t witnessed this in a few years, but it certainly happened on consecutive visits months apart.
I have never witnessed that. Do you recall around what year that was?
I saw the servers doing this is in November 2014. I know the year / month because that was the only time I’ve ever eaten at Sci-Fi. That trip I finally decided to try the restaurant out (and drag my family along too), and we “went” to Hollywood Studios just for it. We literally walked into the “park”, ate and left immediately after. I really enjoyed Sci-Fi, and the Picnic Burger (or whatever it is/was called) really tasted like it was cooked outdoors on a charcoal grill. When you combine good burgers with fried pickles and tasty shakes, and then add in a super-unique atmosphere, that’s success for me.
I’ve racked my brain trying to narrow down the timeframe. 006’s Nov 2014 witnessing sounds about right. We we’re seated in one of the cars, and we haven’t been seated in one of the cars since forever(we prefer the snack bar tables) The commentary was not unlike live Rocky Horror Picture Show snark, robotically yet entertainingly spoken.
It’s all Sci-Fi for me.
I’m pretty content with a burger anytime, and that atmosphere is incredibly unique.
I’ll never forget walking in there for the first time on my maiden voyage to Walt Disney World back in 1991.
I went to 50s Cafe as a teenager in the 1990s. The food was fine and my baby boomer parents enjoyed the theming since they grew up in that era. I have never been to Sci-Fi. Maybe I’ll give those 2 restaurants a chance once DHS becomes less of a quarter-day park.
Love this new series!
For a future matchup, I’d be curious your thoughts on Boma vs Tusker
We love the 50’s Prime-Time Cafe, and usually go there on every trip. We have only been to the Sci-Fi Dine-In twice, on our first trip in 1992 and in 2017. The quality of the fare in ’92 was poor enough that we didn’t even consider going for 25 years. The food has certainly improved. However, with a party of three, I can tell you that it is not a great experience to be sitting alone in the second seat, unable to have a conversation with the rest of your party for the duration of the meal. Is the drive-in a fun concept? Sure. Great if you are Tom and Sarah seated in the same row? I imagine so. Sitting by yourself for an hour when you are not the introvert? Not so much.
On the other hand, nobody is left out at the 50’s Prime Time. The food is good, and the show is great. Especially if you have a birthday in your party!
“On the other hand, nobody is left out at the 50’s Prime Time.”
I think for some people, that’s exactly the problem. There are plenty of guests who would *rather* be in the second row having a quiet meal to decompress by themselves than be included in the “fun” at 50’s Prime Time Cafe.
That’s one of the great things about Walt Disney World: there’s something for everyone. The style of Sci-Fi won’t appeal to some people, but the style at 50’s will appeal to most of those people. (And for those who dislike both approaches, there’s Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, etc.)
I would love to try 50’s Primetime with my family, but we have a picky 5 year old, and I wonder if the relative is as tough on them as they are the grown-ups who don’t clean their plate? I’m not sure that would be a magical experience for us…
My very picky then three year old ate more at this meal than any other on our trip. The server bent over backwards for her and even brought her a huge bowl of cantaloupe (her favorite fruit) for dessert. Highly recommend for picky kids. My three year old especially loved the servers yelling at me….
We went in November and our server was amazing with our kids. We have a 2 year old who was just in a bad mood that day, super whiny and fussy and our server immediately brought out some crackers and grapes and it worked to calm him down. Definitely give it a try the food was great and my kids loved it! It is after all Disney and they for sure know how to make kids happy
50’s is absolutely wonderful for kids. It’s not a “tough” environment at all, and the food is very crowd-pleasing.
Does Sarah need to be force fed her broccoli at home too??? Love that photo and it seems like a great idea for future 50’s visits.
The idea of comparing two completely different restaurants can work in many cases, but in my opinion, doesn’t work for these particular two. Perhaps it is that I like both and they are totally different concepts and thus, I would not even think to compare them. I guess the fact that they are both table service and are both in Hollywood makes them comparable for your purposes. I did like the very enjoyable post.
I have not been to the 50’s Prime Time Cafe in probably 8 – 10 years. In that trip, we went twice – the first time, the “relative” was excellent so we decided to go again a couple of days later and that “relative” was a dud that showed no enthusiasm. I had been there a couple of times prior to that trip but I have not been there since that trip since the performance is a key reason to go there and we cannot rely on the “relative” performing with enthusiasm. This is not to be confused with the regular waiter service of bringing food and drink and clearing the tables, which can vary at any restaurant and which I don’t take into account at Disney restaurants.
Sci-Fi is a mandatory visit for us for almost all trips. The vegetarian meals have been getting better (last visit 3 years ago) but I don’t know what they currently have. My main issue with Sci-Fi is that I get a craving for jumping hot dogs, candy and all types of other yummy confectionery items at intermission, so I go to where the snack bar should be located and they always refuse to sell me the items. Something about that they don’t have a snack bar???? (Who has a drive-in without a snack bar but advertises snack bar items on the screen?) They did once, however, give me a complimentary lighted ice cube since I was so disappointed. 🙂
“The idea of comparing two completely different restaurants can work in many cases, but in my opinion, doesn’t work for these particular two. Perhaps it is that I like both and they are totally different concepts and thus, I would not even think to compare them. I guess the fact that they are both table service and are both in Hollywood makes them comparable for your purposes.”
Your last sentence, coupled with the fact that they are very different concepts–despite surface-level similarities in that both have a “show” component–is exactly why I chose to compare them.
Remember, a lot of people who have never visited Walt Disney World, or who have only been once or twice, read this blog. If you’ve never experienced these restaurants, you very well might assume they are similar, and might be on the fence about which to choose. I think this type of ‘deeper dive’ into the two reveals the many differences, and (hopefully) makes the decision easier for some people.
Failing that, hopefully the post is an entertaining topic. 😉
Absolutely love sci fi and it just being close in price to a counter service makes it an easy choice. A table service burger is definitely better than counter service. Just wish the video clips were a little longer we were there long enough before for them to start over again. No brainer for the trips I had tables in wonderland!
Totally agree about a longer loop.
I do think the prices of these burgers have creed up a bit too much over the years ($19 for a burger?!), but then again, so have the counter service ones. At least there are still some ~$15 entrees.
My son insists on Sci-Fi for each trip so that is a typical stop for us. The thought of even stepping foot in 50’s PrimeTine has this introvert cringing even thinking about it. But I have extrovert friends who say this is the most entertaining meal they have their entire trip. We’ll stick with the dark drive in.
Can a family of 5 eat at SciFi if the “cars” generally seat two across?
Most of the cars have 3 rows of seats, so it would be 2, 2, and 1 for a family of 5. Our family of 3 often gets ‘hitchhikers ‘ who sit in the last row.
We really love Sch-Fi. Have yet to dine at 50’s. I would however disagree with Sci-Fi being an easy ADR. Ever time we go to WDW it is a challenge to find a table. Not impossible, but a challenge.
Love the article! My husband and I visit WDW every year and alternate between these 2 restaurants each visit.. although I absolutely love both, I have to say that the years we book Sci-Fi, I find myself yearning for 50’s Prime! There is just something about walking in to 50’s and going back in time that is so unique and comforting. Even when we don’t dine here, we will slip in to Dad’s bar for a milk shake.. that is a MUST!
“Even when we don’t dine here, we will slip in to Dad’s bar for a milk shake.. that is a MUST!”
Seconded. Even on days when we do Sci-Fi, we find ourselves at the Tune-In Lounge for a shake.