Our Fantastic November Adults-Only Trip w/Pics & Food Reports *7/2/11 BB & CBR**

That stupid flap on the top of my hood would not stay out of my face. :< I think they were just trying to keep the other volunteers from getting jealous of my sexiness. :D

That one guy had an identical robe to yours, but he was smart enough to leave his hood off. :thumbsup2
 
Another great update! :thumbsup2

Yay on Russell being picked to take part in the show but boo on it taking away the leisure of just sitting there and watching the show! Can't believe he made you work! :lmao:

Love the ToT pic but why are your hands securely on the bar whilst the others have one/two hands on show? I will probably be the same and hold on for dear life but was just wondering if you had a pact to show hands and you decided to back out?

The Great Movie Ride looks like fun. I was thinking of giving it a miss but others have informed me not to do so and after reading your review as well as seeing your pics will def be paying the attraction a visit! :)
 
Love the ToT pic but why are your hands securely on the bar whilst the others have one/two hands on show? I will probably be the same and hold on for dear life but was just wondering if you had a pact to show hands and you decided to back out?

The Great Movie Ride looks like fun. I was thinking of giving it a miss but others have informed me not to do so and after reading your review as well as seeing your pics will def be paying the attraction a visit! :)

I've been trying to figure out what was going on in that picture for a while now. I not only look deathly afraid, but I look like I'm trying to curl up into a ball. I have no idea what was going on. Though I will say there was something awkward about being on the inside against the wall. I don't remember if that was what it was or not. It could have also been an issue with Tabitha forgetting to secure something and making me hold it. She does that a lot with her glasses and things. I'll look over on our way up, and be like, "Uh....you still have your glasses on". One major reason I hate glasses. Luckily I have contacts now, so I don't have to worry about my own. :goodvibes

Yeah, I'd definitely enjoy The Great Movie Ride. It isn't something I'd do twice in the same trip, but it's worth the 20 or so minutes to do it once, IMO. Besides, at some point, you'll want to relax, and it's a good way of doing that without sitting out on a ride for a bit. :)
 
I've been trying to figure out what was going on in that picture for a while now. I not only look deathly afraid, but I look like I'm trying to curl up into a ball. I have no idea what was going on. Though I will say there was something awkward about being on the inside against the wall. I don't remember if that was what it was or not. It could have also been an issue with Tabitha forgetting to secure something and making me hold it. She does that a lot with her glasses and things. I'll look over on our way up, and be like, "Uh....you still have your glasses on". One major reason I hate glasses. Luckily I have contacts now, so I don't have to worry about my own. :goodvibes

Yeah, I'd definitely enjoy The Great Movie Ride. It isn't something I'd do twice in the same trip, but it's worth the 20 or so minutes to do it once, IMO. Besides, at some point, you'll want to relax, and it's a good way of doing that without sitting out on a ride for a bit. :)

I'm pretty sure you were holding her stuff. Her purse or something.
 

I'm pretty sure you were holding her stuff. Her purse or something.

That sounds about right. Still, a minor issue with an awesome ride picture. So now that everyone has had about ~1 day to look it over...

Did you see?

  • The group in the back talking on their "phones"?
  • The kid in the front catching his Wizard Mickey hat?
  • The guy behind him, apparently thinking that was funny?
  • The guy in the back having way too much fun with weightlessness?
  • Stitch trying to keep Russell brave?

You could go on, those are the highlights. :banana:
 
5362448427_9a0bb25c9c_b.jpg


Day Four: Sci-Fi Dine-In

So I'm not sure how much I conveyed this fact during the Epcot portion of this trip report, but I love Sci-Fi. In fact, everyone in our group at least strongly likes Sci-Fi. Even retro Sci-Fi is fantastic, IMO. So this was one eatery destination that we had to make. It turned out that there were no dinner reservations available when we went to book, so we decided to grab a lunch reservation instead. That was probably a good choice ultimately. The Sci-Fi Dine-In was a fine mid-day meal, but would have been more than a little disappointing if we got it for dinner.


5363060672_fde3369eb0_b.jpg



On entering the building, we found the check-in area to be a little boring and bland in theme. It's at the back of the movie screen, so it basically looks like you are in an unfinished building, or a warehouse of some sort. And probably more than any other place we visited during the week (with the exception of 'Ohana for dinner), this place was really hopping. There wasn't enough room for those waiting to sit, or even to be in the building. People were encouraged to wait outside if there was no room. In addition, there were tons of people trying to walk up and get in, only to be told that they were completely booked.

When we did finally get seated, it was about 2:40. We had gotten there only a few minutes before the reservation time, so when we got checked in, we were probably right about the exact time. So all in all, we had maybe a 30 minute wait until we were seated. By that time, the snacks that we had purchased earlier that afternoon were an after thought, and we were very much anticipating the diner food.



5362450263_b50ca855e6_b.jpg




5363062446_5aa1054629_b.jpg



5363063340_c9865087a8_b.jpg



One of the best aspects of the Sci-Fi Dine-In is definitely the atmosphere. If you aren't a fan of that sort of environment, you probably won't be a big fan of the restaurant either. That's not to say that the food isn't good...it just doesn't stand out too much.

We managed to get a car that was was in the very front, but still far enough from the screen to enjoy the movie shorts. We were soon visited by a nice waitress, all done up in her car-hop style outfit. She was very good, attentive, and always joking. She made jokes about drinking and driving (being that we were seated in the front of a car for dinner) and teased me about some of my meal selections all in good fun.

After a few minutes, we found a few hitchhikers that made their way to our car. I didn't pay them much attention, since they were in the back of the car, and I was in the front. But after a few minutes, I recognized that it was the same people that had sat in front of us during the Indiana Jones show. The kid was the same kid that I mentioned that got to start the show, and I believe his mom was picked as a volunteer to participate alongside Russell. I was the first person to notice and mention this. But in turn, just about everyone else in the car also eventually realized and mentioned it. Each time, I had to facepalm and remind them that I had already said that. :confused3

5362452973_07c6f1fb85_b.jpg



So oddly enough, I'm not a fan of onions, but I love them in two forms. Fried and battered is my favorite. I can do plain onion rings, but I tend to prefer the more "part of a giant onion" style, and I absolutely love them with specially made dipping sauces. Which is to say, of the horseradish variety, rather than the ranch or ketchup variety. I love Ranch (Not so much ketchup), but I like horseradish style sauces better, even though I'm not horseradish fan. Apparently, it's an opportunity for two things I don't particularly like to come together and be loved. Go figure. I also tend to like onions on pizza, but that's less important in this case.

Anyway, I just had to have some onion rings here, because I had heard great things about them. But they are an appetizer, so they weren't part of the free dining package. So we got one order of them, and split them between the three of us. Which was probably a bad idea, because it was a ridiculously small portion of them. The picture above wasn't the whole order, but it was pretty close. It was really just a small taste for each of us. They were very good, but not nearly big enough for the cost they charge. That's kind of a recurring theme at Disney though, which is why I'm a fan of the free dining plan. But I digress.

I'm no longer a soda fan, so in place of getting a drink with my dining plan, I grabbed a shake whenever possible instead. This is one of the cases where it was possible I had a cookies and cream shake along with my water. But it really just tasted like chocolate with a couple cookie crumbs on top. Not the best shake on the trip, but since it was included with the meal, there wasn't a lot of room for complaints.

5363064938_fef866cecb_b.jpg



Me and tabitha both got the bacon cheeseburgers with fries. Perhaps too safe of a choice. But honestly, I was a little disappointed. One of the areas where Disney suffers a bit, is that they tend to share too many of their items from restaurant to restaurant. I'm pretty sure these bland burgers came from a counter service location somewhere, because they weren't very flavorful. And the bun was even worse. Far too large, and I'm pretty sure it was some sort of quasi-wheat, which made for an even more bland experience. On the plus side, the fries were pretty good. But all in all, the entry left something to be desired.


5363066534_97e4a4aeda_b.jpg



Russell went with the more adventurous choice of some sort of shrimp pasta. He liked it quite a bit he said. So I guess it paid off for him to go that route, rather than the safe route we took. Still, I don't like seafood, so no matter how "good" it was, I wouldn't have liked anything like that.

5362456001_f67d16a2a2_b.jpg




5362456775_3460e05089_b.jpg




5363068724_2d37d45341_b.jpg



Tabitha went for the sundae on top, and really liked it. I went for the chocolate cake in the middle, and found it...ok, at best. Russell had decided to get a drink with his meal, so he got a shake for his desert instead. That's the same shake I got earlier, so now you get a closer picture of it. Like a said, less cookies and cream, more chocolate and cookie crumbs. Much like me, I think he found it "good", but a bit mis-leading.

Overall, I think the atmosphere of the restaurant topped the food quality. But for a lunch, it wasn't so bad. I'm not sure I would ever go there for dinner, but I'd be willing to try it again for lunch. With that said, it's also probably one of the first things I would knock off my list if I had a better option. The problem is, Hollywood Studios is somewhat thin on good dining options, so I'm not necessarily sure I have that choice, unless I just want to leave to go somewhere else.

If you've got the extra table service credit to spare, I'd give this place a shot. If you have better uses for your table dining credits, or if you have to pay out of pocket, it might be best to find another option. However, it is an entertaining choice, if you enjoy those retro Sci-Fi clips such as Tom and Jerry, and Attack of the 50 foot Tall Woman. Many of the clips involve cheesy dialog or silence. And apparently some small kids find it "scary" while others find it "funny". We saw no problems with kids while we were there.

Coming up next...the second half of Hollywood Studios!
 
I had forgotten how awesome our waitress was at the Sci-Fi Dine In. She was great! As far as my meal is concerned, it was very good, but not Disney good. The shrimpy pasta-y thing I got tasted like a really good dish that you would get from Applebees rather than a great Disney meal, but hey, not every place can be perfect. :3

Also, Randy forgot to mention this, but it was during the wait for this lunch that Tabitha and I went on our bathroom adventure. I don't know how many of you have tried to locate the bathroom around Sci-Fi Dine In, but it is close to impossible. Tabitha had to go to the bathroom, so she left, then I had to go as well, and I was all over the place trying to find the thing. I would look at the map, try to eyeball where I was, going around in a circle, not find anything, search again, and so on. At one point I ran into Tabitha wandering around as lost as I was. It is hard to find anything in that area because all of the buildings look the same and it doesn't translate well from the park map to the actual park, so yeah, it was complicated.

But this story has a happy ending! Eventually we both found the bathroom (much to our relief). It was tucked away back behind something in what looked to be a hallway. I felt like I really earned that bathroom break.
 
Thanks for the honest review of Sci Fi. I have read so many reviews raving about this place so was a bit gutted to have not made an ADR! However, after reading your experience I'm glad that I chose something else over this one. I will hopefully get round to eating here one day.

Your waitress sounds great! Also :woohoo: on finding the bathroom!!
 
Actually, most of the reviews that we found were pretty low key. Most people said they could take it or leave it, and that the food was not bad, but just mediocre. I would agree with those reviews 100%. It's a fun little place to check out, but mostly for the novelty of it. If it were just a place that served that same caliber of food with no actual theme or novelty value, I would not recommend it at all.
 
I've been reading along in your trip review - thanks! I've always gone to Disney with anywhere from 2-8 kids along, so I am daydreaming about an adults only trip such as yours one day :lmao:.

I also agree with you review of Sci Fi from the adult perspective. But when we went April 2010 this was one of the restaurants the kids LOVED. And we liked it as well because they were entertained throughout the whole meal, without me jumping up to take photos of characters throughout. Food was fine - as I recall onion rings were great and I had the Black & Blue Salad and really liked the blue cheese crumbles.

Thanks again for the reviews.
 
Actually, most of the reviews that we found were pretty low key. Most people said they could take it or leave it, and that the food was not bad, but just mediocre. I would agree with those reviews 100%. It's a fun little place to check out, but mostly for the novelty of it. If it were just a place that served that same caliber of food with no actual theme or novelty value, I would not recommend it at all.

I don't think I explained myself clearly in my earlier post! What I was trying to say is that I am reading other TRs and this is the third one I am reading that is reviewing Sci Fi. The other two enjoyed the food as well as the movies and dine in atmosphere. They have been on several occasions and liked the milkshakes. I was merely stating that it was nice to read the contrasting opinions.

I have read mixed reviews of the food on these dining boards and other Disney sites, however each person enjoys different food/atmospheres so I look forward to dining at Sci Fi one day and forming my own opinion. I have enjoyed reading your food choices and the reasons behind whether you enjoy it or not. I hope I have explained myself better this time round :goodvibes
 
I don't think I explained myself clearly in my earlier post! What I was trying to say is that I am reading other TRs and this is the third one I am reading that is reviewing Sci Fi. The other two enjoyed the food as well as the movies and dine in atmosphere. They have been on several occasions and liked the milkshakes. I was merely stating that it was nice to read the contrasting opinions.

I have read mixed reviews of the food on these dining boards and other Disney sites, however each person enjoys different food/atmospheres so I look forward to dining at Sci Fi one day and forming my own opinion. I have enjoyed reading your food choices and the reasons behind whether you enjoy it or not. I hope I have explained myself better this time round :goodvibes

Oh I know what you meant. I was saying that we never really found anyone that really loved Sci-Fi Dine In when we were looking at reviews before our trip. All of the reviews we found were people saying it was very mediocre. I was just saying that it is odd that you have found people that really liked it! :D
 
Oh I know what you meant. I was saying that we never really found anyone that really loved Sci-Fi Dine In when we were looking at reviews before our trip. All of the reviews we found were people saying it was very mediocre. I was just saying that it is odd that you have found people that really liked it! :D

Cool! I must have stumbled across the minority of people that do! :laughing:
 
I just caught up on your trip report, I'm sitting here drooling over the last dessert pictures :cloud9: I've never seen Lilo and Stitch but I've heard I'm missing out.
 
I just caught up on your trip report, I'm sitting here drooling over the last dessert pictures :cloud9: I've never seen Lilo and Stitch but I've heard I'm missing out.

Lilo and Stitch is a very fun, silly, heartwarming movie. I'd suggest you give it a watch ASAP! :D
 
Omg that ToT picture is just too awesome!

I probably have at least 50 shots of ToT. Especially nights shots. I just kept getting in a better position, and the shots were awesome. Other than my upcoming Expedition Everest pictures, ToT is probably my favorite.
 
I probably have at least 50 shots of ToT. Especially nights shots. I just kept getting in a better position, and the shots were awesome. Other than my upcoming Expedition Everest pictures, ToT is probably my favorite.

I have your awesome foggy looking ToT shot and the night shot of Spaceship Earth with the fountains in front of it as my desktop backgrounds currently. <3 So awesome.
 
Day Four: Hollywood Studios Part 3

After our lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine-In, we were off again to take in more of the park. We didn't have a whole lot planned. We definitely wanted to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, since we are all coaster buffs. And since Disney isn't really the park for that, you have to make sure you get it where you can. Also, Tabitha really wanted to see the Beauty and the Beast performance. I told her we would make sure we got in to see that before we left for the night.

5363070896_8d2ffb8d7d_b.jpg


As it turned out, a large portion of our evening's activities revolved around shows of one sort or another. Immediately following lunch, we headed over to the Star Wars section of the park. We were disappointed that Star Tours was closed, even though we didn't remember it being a particularly great ride. Or a particularly great Star Wars experience, for that matter. But we planned on checking out the store in the area for Star Wars related Disney merchandise. We had seen R2-D2 mickey ears earlier that day, and figured this would probably be the place to find them.

5362461375_ae7618cd4e_b.jpg


When we went over there, we were happy to discover a Jedi Training event was just starting. Unfortunately, we missed the opportunity to volunteer. :confused3 So we figured we would watch the kids participate instead. It turned out to be a pretty entertaining show, thanks to the very personable "Jedi Master" that was running the event.

5362267969_d82f5c67a5_b.jpg


The Jedi Master was both great with the kids, and funny for the adults. It's always amazing to me how well some of the Cast Members do at their job. It really seems like the perfect example of making your employees want to be there. We had one kid that could never quite get his Lightsaber all the way out:

5362271063_450dc38a12_b.jpg


5363082210_f1be551b88_b.jpg


We were disappointed by the fact that none of the kids decided to embrace the dark side instead. Which is why when the video of the kid from Disney Land came out where she bowed to Darth Vader, we were stoked. We did have a singular girl participating, but she apparently wasn't a Sith Girl. (See here, here, and here for more information on what I'm talking about, if you don't know).

After the event, we went on into the Star Wars store, and found our R2-D2 hats. I have some picture of them a little further down the line, I believe. After that, everyone else left me for a bathroom break. At that point, I met a new friend:

5362888662_5f7c5610ed_b.jpg



When everyone came back, we headed on over to the theater for a Muppet 3d performance.

5362279727_c960ef1af6_b.jpg



5362890826_de1e203bd8_b.jpg


The show was about like we remembered it. It was fun and entertaining, but ultimately nothing to write home about. Still, it was an opportunity to see the Muppets, and that's good for people that still remember when they were on the air.

5362894650_f73434b5d3_b.jpg


At this point, it was about 5pm, and we knew we had a while before the next performance of Beauty and the Beast. So we decided to start a leisurely stroll over there. We went through Streets of America, and got to see the Osbourne Family Lights that were all over the place. Unfortunately they weren't on at the time, and we never actually got to see them lit up. But you could tell it was quite impressive, even without them being on.

The plan was to stop by the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids Play Area", but it was about to get dark, so they closed it right before we could get there. We have this funny memory of the first time we went to Disney. A friend of the family lived in Florida, and was going to meet us at Disney World to spend some time with us. It was him, his wife, and his daughter. When we went to the play area, he wanted a picture of us all on the Giant Ant. But kids were running all over the place, and you couldn't get to it in order to get the picture. So he lost his temper and yelled, "Get on the ant! Get on the GD ant!". GD being a censored term that we used to describe the real phrase. It has replaced the actual phrase sense then, and has become a family meme of sorts. Anyway, we wanted to get a picture on the GD ant to show everyone, but that was not to be either.


5362286191_0d6a3a7e96_b.jpg



We trekked back across the park toward Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Beauty and the Beast. Another great thing about Disney is that there is always something to look at and take pictures of. So we made sure to get a few on the way back.


5362898188_a91e7132f4_b.jpg



5362290883_b00a627d52_b.jpg



You can see Russell's R2-D2 hat on above. I got one just like it, but didn't get a picture with it until later on that night.

We were planning to check on the time for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster while we were in the area, since we still had quite a bit of time. But apparently everyone else had that idea as well, as the line for both it and Tower of Terror were getting longer. We decided to hit the ride after the show and on the way back out instead.

I would go ahead and start talking about Beauty and the Beast here, but I'm certain that I've just about reached my picture quota for the post. So instead, I'll talk about that as well as RnRC and our return to Downtown Disney in the next post. That will finish up Day Four.

Hope you guys are all enjoying the report!
 












Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE











DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top Bottom