50s Prime Time Cafe Experience w/ Waitress

[princesselyse]

My family and I just got back from a day at Hollywood Studios, and had dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. We went there due to all the amazing reviews and the fun atmosphere that we were all looking forward to. However, when we got there, we had to wait an hour after we checked into our ADR. When we were seated, we were so excited to have our waiters/waitresses play the role of mom, and yell at us about table manners, washing our hands, etc. But our waitress, while nice, was not into it at all and you never would've guessed that she was supposed to be our relative. I even purposely put my elbows on the table and didn't eat my greens, but when she came by, she didn't mention it like it at all I had hoped. Not the fun experience we had expected. Overall, we were disappointed, and the food didn't make up for it.

 

[prudence64]

My family and I just got back from a day at Hollywood Studios, and had dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. We went there due to all the amazing reviews and the fun atmosphere that we were all looking forward to. However, when we got there, we had to wait an hour after we checked into our ADR. When we were seated, we were so excited to have our waiters/waitresses play the role of mom, and yell at us about table manners, washing our hands, etc. But our waitress, while nice, was not into it at all and you never would've guessed that she was supposed to be our relative. I even purposely put my elbows on the table and didn't eat my greens, but when she came by, she didn't mention it like it at all I had hoped. Not the fun experience we had expected. Overall, we were disappointed, and the food didn't make up for it.

 

[j2thomason]

We've eaten there many times. We have had a couple of dud visits. My 19yo daughter and I ate there a few weeks ago for my birthday trip. Our waitress was really hard on the family beside us and another group behind us, but nothing for us. We had fun watching her being mean to the people around us, but we were kind of sad that we were being ignored.

We've had this happen a lot at Disney table service and character meal restaurants. I think they focus more on families and groups. My daughter and I go to Disney several times each year. If we go to character meals, they always sit us in the corner, and characters sometimes skip us. We usually have to ask them to get the characters to come by our table. I guess they think adults don't really care about the interactions in these restaurants.....but we do! That's why we are there, and keep coming back. I wish they gave everyone the same type of experience.

 

[MrInfinity]

My family and I just got back from a day at Hollywood Studios, and had dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. We went there due to all the amazing reviews and the fun atmosphere that we were all looking forward to. However, when we got there, we had to wait an hour after we checked into our ADR. When we were seated, we were so excited to have our waiters/waitresses play the role of mom, and yell at us about table manners, washing our hands, etc. But our waitress, while nice, was not into it at all and you never would've guessed that she was supposed to be our relative. I even purposely put my elbows on the table and didn't eat my greens, but when she came by, she didn't mention it like it at all I had hoped. Not the fun experience we had expected. Overall, we were disappointed, and the food didn't make up for it. �� Is this rare, or have many of you had this same experience with wait staff? Is it just the luck of the draw with who you get? Is it worth another try?

Yeah, "ditto". It was okay for us. Kinda surprised you said "all the amazing reviews" because 50's gets a lot of mediocre reviews like this. It wasn't bad, really, it just wasn't particularly over-the-top Disney magic.

We had about a 45-min wait in Sep. Crazy. Average service. I wouldn't *not do it* if someone I was travelling with wanted to, I just wouldn't seek it out for my own trips.

 

[princesselyse]

Yeah, "ditto". It was okay for us. Kinda surprised you said "all the amazing reviews" because 50's gets a lot of mediocre reviews like this. It wasn't bad, really, it just wasn't particularly over-the-top Disney magic. We had about a 45-min wait in Sep. Crazy. Average service. I wouldn't *not do it* if someone I was travelling with wanted to, I just wouldn't seek it out for my own trips.

Maybe we were on different websites because the majority I saw were quite favorable. But good to know that we weren't the only ones with this experience.

 

[court9008]

I have to agree with the OP. I was very excited after reading favorable reviews and loved the chance to have the fun interactions with "Mom'. However, it turned out to be a boring experience. Our waitress was polite, but lacked any energy or enthusiasm. Also, the food wasn't memorable. I'll probably give it second chance somewhere down the line, but AFTER I try out some other places.

 

[Hopefully]

Several years ago we were at 50's and had an outstanding experience.
We were: My DH and I, our DS and his then girlfriend and her parents.
The waitress picked mercilessly on DS to propose to his girlfriend. Of course, we parents, enjoyed every minute of it. DS was totally embarrassed, but played along. It was a very fun experience that lasted the length of the meal. I even got a "Clean Plate Club" sticker after lunch. We had a great time and enjoyed our meal as well.
Sorry you were disappointed

 

[River Country]

It has changed since it first opened and i have been there many times but the same can be said for Whispering Canyon Cafe as well. I love 50's PT and will keep going back and the experince will be different every time. I do know that some guests would ask not to be treated a certain way which IMHO takes the fun out of not knowing whats gonna happen. So the more people that requested not to be made a spectacle of the less it will actually happen. Sad really that there are folks that go to WDW and ask not to have fun for whatever reason...

As far as the food quality goes its a theme park and its better than most so....

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

We went here back on our first trip in 2007. Didn't really know what to expect, but sounded like fun.

Well, while waiting for dessert, I got up to use the restroom. BIG mistake! As I'm walking back to my table, our waitress yelled at me from across the room, "And where were you, young lady?" "Um, I had to use the restroom." "I don't remember you asking for a potty pass. Don't you know you need a potty pass? Sit yourself down right this instant."

My kids thought it was hysterical that mom was getting yelled at! She did ask the kids if they'd finished their homework. (They were 5 and 7!). Plopped the food in front of us like, here ya go, eat up. When I said I didn't think I had room for dessert, "Well, I didn't make all that food for nothing. You'll eat it and you'll like it."

We loved it and thought it really funny, but I can see where some people might be put off by it too. I would have been disappointed like OP if there had been none of these "antics".

 

[JimmyV]

I've eaten there probably 10 times and can only recall one visit where the server "under-performed". Every visit is different. But what really causes me to return over and over is the terrific fried chicken and collared greens for under $20. I still consider that plate of food to be the best value at WDW in terms of quality, volume of good and price paid.

 

[Mkrop]

Food was good but our waiter was a dud. The server in the other room was joking with people. Ours just served our food.

Where every time so far at Whispering Canyon we have gotten great servers who have gotten into the act.

 

[Katelly]

I think it's kind of hit or miss with this place. The first time we dined at Prime Time was in the early nineties. As we were being seated, the waitress yelled out "hey everyone, say hello to your cousins!" and all the guests in the restaurant turned around and greeted us. The waiter also made my dad, who was in his seventies at the time, stand in the corner for not eating all his veggies. She was yelling at him and calling him a troublemaker and had the entire crowd playing along. My dad loved it.

On our last visit which was just a few weeks ago, our waitress was somewhat into it. She saw my dd17 and her friend with their iphones and said "what are THOSE contraptions?" which I thought was really funny as she was keeping the whole 1950's thing going. We also received "Clean Plate Club" stickers.

The food is ok, nothing to rave about. Still, it's a fun place to dine but it's not as over the top as it used to be.

 

[SandiR]

We only went there once and our waiter was very much in character, a lot of fun. He put my son in time out for being "too demanding" when he asked for food to be made a specific way. That being said, we all intensely hated the food and would never go back.

 

[piperdown]

This was one of most memorable meals during our summer 2010 trip. In fact, it's the only restaurant that's getting a return visit this summer.

We met "cousins" from Ohio and England.

DD and DH thought it was just too funny that Mom (me) was "forced" to finish her veggies before she could have dessert. "Uncle" went so far as doing the "here comes the airplane" trick to get me to eat up.

I'm really hoping for some fun this time around.

 

[jenjersnap]

We have mostly had dud servers too (at WCC as well). My kids have always tried to engage them, kept elbows on table, etc. Kinda disappointing watching from the sidelines as other tables get the full treatment. We might return to 50s this year after skipping it last trip but I am going to ask the host for a fun server.

 

[scrappinam]

On our last visit which was just a few weeks ago, our waitress was somewhat into it. She saw my dd17 and her friend with their iphones and said "what are THOSE contraptions?"

We were there a few weeks ago too and had a great waiter! He made my kids set the table, complained about elbows on the table, and told my husband no walkie talkies at the table when he saw him with his phone out. My kids loved it because I am always telling them no phones at the table

 

[ajwolfe]

We ate there on our last trip and was disappointed. Our waitress didn't go any teasing or antics with us or the tables around us. The food was just okay, nothing special. We tried it once, but it's not on our list to re-try.

 

[2012DisneyWorldBride]

We have eaten there 4 times. We always ask when we check in for a FUN waiter or waitress. And we're not afraid to play along either! Sometimes it was us starting the fun. That's probably why we have had some amazing times there.

Go for it again and tell them last time you were a little disappointed and ask for a fun server.
We have had Richard B and Tara I believe were both fantastic!

 

[SRiley1985]

We've only been once. We had a reservation and even though the living room was empty, we waited 30 minutes or so. Then we were sat in a back room by ourselves. The waitress basically ignored us the whole time, even though I kept dropping hints about elbows and finishing veggies for the kids. We had a much better time at WCC.

 

[KUFamily]

We ate there last summer and had a fabulous waitress. My husband who refuses to eat any vegetables, left his on his plate. Our waitress force fed him his veggies. We were cracking up!