Both 50's Prime Time and Sci-Fi in one day?

[KateDrake]

Trying to decide if we want to try to do both 50's Prime Time and Sci-Fi Dine In on the same day. We only have one day in the Studios and that seems like a lot of time "eaten" up by dining! Sci-Fi is a long time favorite and would probably be our choice if we only do one. We've never done 50's Prime Time before but it sounds really fun.

We're a party of 10, which is so much larger than we usually go with (we're a family of 4, but going with my parents and sister's family). My gang has done Star Wars land and everything already and aren't huge into the shows, but it will be the first time for my sister's fam.

We're also doing Whispering Canyon Cafe on this same trip, which I know isn't quite the same, but kind of similar with the antics, from what I understand.

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

 

[HIRyeDVC]

It is generally recommended to not to more than 1 TS dining per day but it all depends on how you want to do the parks. If you want to get more rides in then I’d stick to just one. If eating nice meals with your big party is more your thing then do both. If I had to choose between the two, I’d go with Sci Fi.

 

[CynBeth]

I would do 50’s PTC for one meal since you have never eaten there before and we love it a must do for us every trip and CS such as PizzaRizzo for the other.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Keep Sci Fi if you were lucky enough to get a reservation!
Its always on my grandchildrens first request!
Did grandma get Sci Fi ?
I love Sci Fi too !

 

[garris3404]

Go with 50's PTC. The food is better and filling. Ask for the antics, as it's usually a lot of fun.

 

[SouthJersey]

Trying to decide if we want to try to do both 50's Prime Time and Sci-Fi Dine In on the same day. We only have one day in the Studios and that seems like a lot of time "eaten" up by dining! Sci-Fi is a long time favorite and would probably be our choice if we only do one. We've never done 50's Prime Time before but it sounds really fun.

We're a party of 10, which is so much larger than we usually go with (we're a family of 4, but going with my parents and sister's family). My gang has done Star Wars land and everything already and aren't huge into the shows, but it will be the first time for my sister's fam.

We're also doing Whispering Canyon Cafe on this same trip, which I know isn't quite the same, but kind of similar with the antics, from what I understand.

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

If you space them out decently it's doable, (12pm lunch, late dinner) that way you had the morning to knock out rides and rope drop the popular ones, genie/genie+ etc.

 

[Eastern]

Maybe split burgers at SciFi. My adult children each got a burger meal and they were done eating for the rest of the day!

 

[HopperFan]

Trying to decide if we want to try to do both 50's Prime Time and Sci-Fi Dine In on the same day. We only have one day in the Studios and that seems like a lot of time "eaten" up by dining! Sci-Fi is a long time favorite and would probably be our choice if we only do one. We've never done 50's Prime Time before but it sounds really fun.

We're a party of 10, which is so much larger than we usually go with (we're a family of 4, but going with my parents and sister's family). My gang has done Star Wars land and everything already and aren't huge into the shows, but it will be the first time for my sister's fam.

We're also doing Whispering Canyon Cafe on this same trip, which I know isn't quite the same, but kind of similar with the antics, from what I understand.

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

I think your answer just might be which you can get with a party of 10. We see often on here how bigger parties are having problems booking.

That said with 10 you will be split up at Sci Fi, at 50's you would likely be seated together or next to each other with full ability to converse. (We've conversed with a whole room when they gave us homework - yes we cheated.)

Both are fun in different ways, I have been to Sci Fi with a big group .... I would totally focus on 50's as I think you'll have a great time.

 

[EThomas]

I would pick one. Two table service meals would take forever! Plus that’s a lot of food as both of those restaurants are heavy meals.

I think I would end up puking on star tours if I tried to eat 2 sit down meals in studios… but Star tours makes me queasy at the best of times…

 

[maryj11]

If I had the extra money I would do both lol. We enjoy eating the table service restaurants. I guess it all depends on if you want to spend the extra time eating.

 

[WDW88]

DO NOT DO two in one day. You will barely have time for anything else. I am currently trying to dissuade my family from any table service meals as the last time we went it took sooooo long. "They" say be there 15 minutes before check in, wait until your table is ready (30-45 minutes), be seated and then wait for server (15-25 minutes), time for food to arrive, eat, check to arrive and settle up. Nearly 2 hours later, you are finally back in the park. UGH!!
That being said, I would prioritize 50's PTC. Sci-Fi is in the dark and isolating, and you will most definitely be split up. However, maybe you need a break from extended family and Sci-Fi would be a great opportunity to enjoy your family of four.

 

[kevtlas]

Sci-Fi is the first request for every visit for both my teenage girls! We've been to 50's PTC, but not since my girls were old enough to care. Having been to both, if I had to choose one, I'd choose Sci-Fi because my girls would kill me if I didn't lol. Since you've never been to 50's PTC, I'd recommend trying that, and as others have said, it would probably be more accommodating to a party 10. At Sci-Fi, the best you could hope for is 6 at one table and 4 at another, with almost no chance of one table being able to talk to the other. At least at 50's PTC, there is a good chance you'll all be together, or at least close enough to talk.

 

[aerxo17]

I can't imagine going to sci-fi with that big of a party - I went with a party of 5 and we were all in the same car, and it was still hard to talk to each other! Sci-Fi might be nice for an end-of-day wind-down meal though. I think if you have the extra time (you can always test that out with a touring plans itinerary!) it doesn't hurt anything to do two restaurants in one day, other than maybe your wallet. If I do two sit down meals in a day though I'll usually do breakfast and dinner to space it out.

There's no wrong way to do it though!! It's your vacation, do exactly what feels right for your family!

 

[loves to dive]

No way could I eat that much food. 50s has very heavy meals and depending on the time of year that alone might make some sick (summer heat). But you will have a better chance of staying together there. As far as time, yes it's doable if you have an early lunch then a later supper. I've found service at most WDW table service restaurants hit or miss. Inside the parks or at resorts it doesn't matter. If the stars are aligned and you hold your mouth right you might get in at your ADR time, you might have a server that is Johnny on the spot and takes your order, delivers your food and brings your check in a timely manner. You might wait half hour for your table and your server be just bad. I have noticed bigger parties tend to get better service then one or two people, I'm guessing that's tip related.

 

[StarCruzer]

No way could I eat that much food. 50s has very heavy meals and depending on the time of year that alone might make some sick (summer heat). But you will have a better chance of staying together there. As far as time, yes it's doable if you have an early lunch then a later supper. I've found service at most WDW table service restaurants hit or miss. Inside the parks or at resorts it doesn't matter. If the stars are aligned and you hold your mouth right you might get in at your ADR time, you might have a server that is Johnny on the spot and takes your order, delivers your food and brings your check in a timely manner. You might wait half hour for your table and your server be just bad. I have noticed bigger parties tend to get better service then one or two people, I'm guessing that's tip related.

50's has the heavier meals for sure, my husband and I have split an app + fried chicken platter and been pretty full. We personally feel it's some of the best fried chicken in the parks (we haven't been to every restaurant though).

I recommend whatever you do, it may be best if you can swing a late lunch (1 p.m. ish) if you plan on rope dropping. It will be a nice break in the middle of the day and you won't risk missing lower waits/Fantasmic in the evening. But again, that depends on if you're planning to rope drop and be in the park all day. Last time we did an HS day we rope dropped, then took the Skyliner midday to Caribbean Beach Resort laze around in a hammock and do a very early Sebastian's dinner.

As many others have said, what you choose will very much depend on your group dynamic, who feels tired, if your trip focus is more relaxed vs aiming to ride everything once, etc. Sounds like you'll have a blast though!

 

[SomeImaginationHuh]

We always do two table service meals per day, but we also have three days in each park, since we only get to do one long trip per year. I’d keep both!

 

[tguz]

We love the Sci Fi! A must for each trip now. Love the cheesy movie clips.

 

[Mewissy]

Others have touched on this, but I wanted to reiterate that PT can take a long time to be seated. We LOVE PT for the antics but more for the food. It is more 'home'-like food which I sometimes crave when on vacation and eating out a lot. We usually travel with 7 - 11 people and each time we have waited at least a half hour, usually longer to be seated.

 

[KateDrake]

Thanks all! It sounds like it will just take so much time, so we'll probably just go with one. (And sounds like it might be whichever one I can get a reservation for!) I appreciate all your perspectives!

 

[FeliciaB23]

I know a lot of people already responded but my last trip (Nov 2022) my Mom and I did two table services - lunch at HBD at 11:10am and dinner at 50s at 7:10pm. After doing online check in at HBD, they texted us immediately saying our table was ready. We checked in 20 minutes early for 50s because we actually got everything done we wanted to and weren’t seated until 7:25pm. Both meals were amazing. It was our only day we had two reservations, other days we had one or none! I will say we both left with a substantial amount of leftovers after dinner - luckily we were staying in a studio with a microwave and fridge so we took doggy bags to go.

I did sci fi past 2 trips and love it for 2 people but seems like it would be a little challenging for a large group given how they seat you in rows.