Prime Time or Sci Fi?

[LisaDKG]

I am looking at the 50's Prime Time cafe and the Sci Fi for a lunch with my DH, DS5 and DD3at MGM. They seem kind of similar so I am wondering if anyone has an opinion which would be better?
Would an ADR be necessary for lunch in mid-Sept. or can we wing it?

 

[Desnik]

They are not similar in any way other than both being at MGM!!LOL
We have eaten at 50's many times and we just got back from WDW and tried SciFi for the first time. If you are looking at lunch with really good food then pick 50's. If the atmosphere is more important then go for SciFi. SciFi was so cool inside and we really liked the atmosphere. The onion rings were really good. The rest of the food was average, comparable to maybe a TGIF restaurant. 50's is really fun especially if you get a server that is really into it. The food is really good, like a home cooked meal! The pot roast, meat loaf, fried chicken are all great.

If you really want a specific place I would just make the ADR.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I liked Prime Time much better than Sci Fi. First, the food is better at Prime Time. While it was fun to sit in the cars at Sci Fi - it was very dark in there. My kids did not appreciate the movie clips at all - they are mostly from old sci fi movies. Also, the car seats are 2 people per seat so your family is split up - one row in front of the other. It is not easy to carry on a conversation.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I forgot to add, I would make an ADR - with the free dining in September the restaurants will be more crowded and those are both popular places.

 

[traciedee]

I was trying to make the same decision for our June trip. Both places sound fun and pretty cool inside. So I decided to do both. Made an adr for lunch at Prime Time at 11:45 (cause I heard the food was better) and an adr at 2:45 at SciFi for a milkshake and onion ring break.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Sci Fi is very relaxing. It is a bit dark, if you think that would bother your kids, then you might want to avoid that. The movie clips are pretty corny, we think they are really fun to watch and my kids have always enjoyed them. But they were 8 and 10 for our first visit so quite a bit older. We like sitting in the cars and not conversing, even though you are watching movies, it feels like a break from the sensory overload of the parks. I have never seen kids of any age looking like they are not pretty fascinated and happy to be there. It is the one place we have been to on all six of our WDW visits. It is one of the quietest meals at WDW, since everybody is glued to the screen!

Prime Time is a riot, however, if you are introverts then you might not like it! When we ate there last Friday some guy had to stand up and sing "I'm a Little Teapot" since he didn't clean his plate. The food is like comfort food. The theming will be completely lost on your kids, but you and your husband will appreciate it. Go to www.allearsnet.com and click on dining to see menus of both places. I think the food is about equal at both, they are both really about the theming.

P.S. You defintely need ADR's. The dining plan is making sit downs harder and harder to come by. And since that is free dining time it will really hold true.

 

[LisaDKG]

Thanks everyone!

Gosh, I was feeling on the ball just having made a list of my potential dining experiences...now I'm starting to panic about ADRs!!! It still seems so far away but I know everyone is right about the DP in Sept. We will all be in the same boat wanting to maximize our meals and wanting the best places to do that in. I better just buckle down and make the call!

 

[Aimeedyan]

You need an ADR for any table service you really want =)

These restaurants are very different, IMO. Menu is different and atmosphere is different. Sci Fi is very cool and unique - kids esp love it. It's a relaxing meal in which you aren't forced to make conversation with the people you've spent every waking hour with for 5 days straight already. We always seem to welcome a quiet meal while on vacation =) Food is basic burgers, fries and shakes.

50s PT is loud and active with "home cooking" food. THe fried chicken is outstanding. We much prefer the food here but it's a different atmosphere and more interactive. Not always the best for a relaxing meal =) Again, kids enjoy it esp if their parents get into trouble!

We are taking the ILs to 50's PT in Sept for their first trip to WDW. We've eaten at both several times but enjoy the food more at 50s PT so we're heading there with them. I think either choice is good, honestly.

Just make a reservation! =)

 

[DaniDownUnder]

I have been to Sci-Fi twice and loved it both times...GREAT milkshakes! The people I was with both times and myself had a lovely time watching the film clips. THe last time was with my fiancee and we loved the feeling of sitting in a drive in *lol* We sat there holding hands and 'canoodling' while waiting on our food. Had a great chat with the older couple in front of us who were doing the same thing *lol* Of course, they had the excuse of actually being able to GO to a REAL drive-in movie theatre when they were teens!

I haven't been to 50's Prime Time yet...mainly because my fiancee and I are somewhat introverted and would not enjoy a meal where we run the risk of being chastised, etc....

Hmm...might have to scrap my Fantasmic dinner package at H&V and try to get an ADR for Sci-Fi again *lol*

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have been to both restaurants and prefer Prime Time over Sci Fi. Sci Fi was good but we like the atmosphere, food, and fun at Prime Time.

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

Did both two different trips, and I would have to vote for Prime Time.
While our service at both was a bit lacking (our cousin wasn't so great, and our drive in attendent was MIA) the food at Prime Time was the best hands down.

 

[JELBoggio]

We just ate at Sci-Fi last week. DH and I agree that it was our WORST meal. I thought it would be cool for us and the kids (and grandparents) to eat in a car. The food was just okay - nothing special. We knew from reading reviews that we weren't going for the food - just the atmosphere. However, DH and I felt that we entered the Twilight Zone - it was the QUIETEST restaurant we've EVER been in. It was packed, but you could literally hear a pin drop! I felt that I had to "shush" my kids (a 6 & 4 yr old) the entire time because I didn't want to ruin anyone else's viewing of the movie clips - which did not hold my kids attention at all. Also, it was difficult to have a conversation in the car since there are 2 per seat and there were 6 of us. Also, our server seemed to forget about us once he had delievered the meals to our table. It took forever to get dessert and the check.

I'm not sure if anyone else has had a similiar experience, this was just ours. I know other families love the place, it just wasn't for us. Since the OP has young kids, if they are a little "active" like my 4yr old, it may not be the place for them. We won't be going back to Sci-Fi. Cool concept, but we didn't like the quiet atmosphere. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[tar heel]

Primetime has much better food. Sci Fi is fun to do once, though, b/c it looks so different. If you're into shakes, Primetime makes them the old fashioned soda fountain way and will even bring a big metal container to your table containing what didn't fit in the glass. According to our server, the Sci Fi ones are like McDonald's or a soft serve place -- straight out of the machine already flavored.

 

[El Tel]

I have to agree with many of the posters here. I'm a sci-fi nut so on my first trip to WDW (2000) I just had to go to Sci-Fi for lunch. It was a fun location and that part of it was an experience I wouldn't have missed (the movie clips are a hoot). The server was also helpful and friendly, but I have to say that the food was a big disappointment. It was nothing special, quite dry and not very tasty. It was also a little dark for eating (bring night vision goggles if you decide to go ).
On my subsequent trip to WDW (2002) I decided to give Sci-Fi a wide berth and try Prime Time. It too is fun in a different way. Our server wasn't that over-the-top, which was a bit disappointing, but it was fun to see others getting chastised, etc. Even though some of the guides don't rave about Prime Time's food, I have to say it was way better than Sci-Fi's IMHO.
This year we are going back for a third time (oh it's been tooooo long ) and Prime Time is on the to-do list, Sci-Fi is not. I think that says it all.
Think of Sci-Fi as form of entertainment rather than a restaurant.

 

[LisaDKG]

Thanks for all the tips!
I booked all my ADRs today (what a relief!) and Prime Time was one of them. It sounds like it has better food and we can always do Sci Fi when my kids are older. I feel like I have to try to get EVERYTHING in in 10 days because it isn't THAT common for us here in Western Canada to go all the way to WDW. For the price of flights and convenience, most of us head to DL. Planning for WDW is a whole other Universe!

 

[kcrew]

I was wondering if it is appropriate to go to either one mainly for the atmosphere and just have an "snack" at lunch time, or would that be odd and frowned upon by your server?

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

I was wondering if it is appropriate to go to either one mainly for the atmosphere and just have an "snack" at lunch time, or would that be odd and frowned upon by your server?

Not only is it appropriate, but if I'm not mistaken the UOG actually suggests it for the Sci-Fi because they don't recommend the food at all but they do say that you should go try it at least once for the atmosphere by ordering something for a snack.

Could be wrong. But even if it's not in there I really don't think it would be frowned upon, especially if you made your adr's during lunch so as not to take up a table during busy dinner time.