Prime-Time or Sci-Fi?

[britterbell]

Going to Disney this September. We want to try something different at DHS. We want to go to either Prime-Time or Sci Fi. Which do you think was better and why? Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Pakey]

I've eaten at each at least 6 times and I have to pick 50's. I love love love the theming at Sci Fi. It's just such a fun place to sit and watch those silly movies in the cute little cars. But the food is not good. We are not picky, we enjoy eating, but the food is just not good here (except for the milkshakes).

 

[JoanneNC]

We have been to each once and would also recommend 50's over Sci-Fi
I just didn't care for the darkness of Sci-fi's and the movies weren't interesting to me and the food was just ok. It probably also was one of our worse CM experiences.

I do remember reading some older threads that the tone of 50's was scaled back to be less involved? That would definitely change the place a lot and not for the good

 

[JeninTN]

I've eaten at each at least 6 times and I have to pick 50's. I love love love the theming at Sci Fi. It's just such a fun place to sit and watch those silly movies in the cute little cars. But the food is not good. We are not picky, we enjoy eating, but the food is just not good here (except for the milkshakes).

I totally agree about the food at Sci Fi. The food is the worst we have had at Disney. I had shrimp, pasta, and spinach, which I did not know you could mess up, and it was not edible.

 

[lady_hlh]

We love 50s for both the food and fun. Last year we tried Sci Fi and weren't impressed with the food at all. Even my 7 yead old DD said she never wanted to go there again. It was also freezing cold in there, it was so bad that it felt good to walk outside in the middle of August.

 

[LilGMom]

I would pick, and do pick, Sci-Fi. The food isn't anything spectacular (like Kona) but it is consistantly good and filling. My DH loves their chili & burgers. I enjoy their onion rings, Italian Chicken sandwhich, turkey breast sandwhich and their burgers. My kids love sitting in the cars and watching the "B" rated movies. The service has always been really good and in December our waitress was outstanding!

Prime Time.... what a disappointment. We really enjoyed 50PT in '99 when we went, the service was great and so was the food. We talked my ILs into going with us a few years later and the food was barely above average and the service was not very good. We vowed to not go back. Then we had been reading all of the rave reviews here on the DIS and decided to give it another shot in December. Never again.

We asked for rolls and our server said that 'they didn't keep rolls there but that she could get them from Hollywood & Vine since they share a kitchen' but then she refused to get us rolls. The pot roast that DH got was full of fatty meat but my meatloaf was ok. When we ordered dessert she said "You must be on the DDP because only people on the DDP order desserts". She then brought out the wrong desserts. When we left DH was still hungry because he ate less than half of his fatty pot roast and even though I was full I wasn't satisfied because it just wasn't a very enjoyable meal.

For our upcoming trip we have made ADRs at Sci-Fi but not at 50PT.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I didn't vote, because we haven't been to 50's. We did eat at Sci-fi last October, & really liked it. We had burgers, O-rings, & the teens had milk shakes. It was the best burger I've eaten in a long time. The fries & O-rings were great also. I guess they liked the milk shakes, because they sucked them dry. The complaints I've read about Sci-fi are for the more challenging meals to prepare. We'll be returning for the burgers, but won't be experimenting with the rest of the menu.

 

[Mom_of_3_Pirates]

Another vote for 50's Prime Time Cafe. The theming is fun and the food is really good.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Our experiences at Prime Time have been 50/50 with good and bad meals and service. We haven't had that issue with Sci-Fi, which is why we prefer meals there.

 

[rickybobby]

agree that food is better at prime time, and if you get a good waitperson, it can be a lot of fun. smores are a good and unusual dessert. the dessert menu is on a viewmaster. my kids are crazy about the sci-fi just because of the atmosphere. if you have never been there, it is neat. food just okay, stick with burgers, onion rings and shakes.

 

[Halbleib1]

Primetime is by far better than the Sci Fi. Their meatloaf is the best I have ever had (and I think I make pretty good meatloaf if I must say so myself.) I also like the atmosphere better and the waiters are better as well. Some of them really get into the act. The Sci Fi did not have very good food and our waiter was not good at all. Granted you can have a bad waiter anywhere. We ate at the Sci Fi for dinner but I have heard some good things about lunch. Just not sure I would ever try it after our bad dinner experience. The atmosphere does not make up for the bad food nor the bad movies they show.

 

[damiel]

How many in your party. We are a family of three and someone always has to sit alone at Sci-Fi. We already spend the day choosing someone to ride alone and I don't like doing the same with my meals. With that being said we are trying 50's for te first time this trip.

 

[vickalamode]

I voted for Sci-Fi. I've been to both and prefer Sci-Fi. When I went to PT, I went there expecting to get what I read about in the official guide to Disney book...a server acting like mom, telling you to clean your plate and take your elbows off the table, etc...none of that happened and our server was pretty much just an annoying guy, I give him credit for trying (he was at least friendly) but every time he came over we were just like ugh when is he going to leave. Sci-Fi the service was ok, it's what I expected being in a diner-type place, the food was good and we were happy when we left

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I have been to both more times than I can can't. Definately 50's Prime Time. Si-Fi was always a must do for us until a couple of years ago when the changed there dinner menu. It went down hill after that and we go bad service to.

 

[vettegirl]

We have a reservation for 50's this time around, loved the theming at SF, but the food was yucky.

 

[SharonLovesMickey]

I have been to both. I prefer food at 50s diner better and atmosphere and SciFi better. I know...that's really helpful isn't it? When it comes down to picking for our next trip we both (DH and I) picked SciFi.

 

[Rudy6]

There are two WDW restaurants that I do not have any plans to return to. First, Coral Reef - we got sick after eating there. Second, 50s Prime Time. It was during a fee dining, when you still received the app. I had shrimp cocktail and it was three, or so, sad little shrimp laying on a wilted lettuce leaf. The pork or beef roast was fatty - just gross. The waitress was not into character - babysitter. You are crammed in this little room, and I faced the wall. Totally unimpressed.

That being said, we always go to Sci Fi. The kids love it. Since I read that the food was bad, we avoided it on our first couple of trips. Finally, we gave in. It is so cool. I always order the Rueben - which is fine. Everyone else basically sticks to burgers. It is one of the most unique restaurants in WDW.

As I sit here, trying to think of what restaurants we always go to the list includes CRT and Sci Fi.

 

[islandchick779]

I guess it also depends on if you plan on doing lunch or dinner.

Either way my vote is for Sci-Fi, but I can honestly say the food is kinda dismal at dinner. We always do a Sci-Fi lunch, get burgers or chicken sandwiches with fries/onion rings and milkshakes. Burgers and fries are hard to mess up, so it's pretty safe to say you'll still enjoy the meal.

It is one of the greatest themed restaurants, and you don't want to miss it.

 

[Princess_K]

I would go with Sci-Fi. I tried it for the first time in December, and liked it better than 50's. I had a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. It was really good! At 50's the year before, I had the fried chicken and just wasn't that impressed with it. It wasn't the best quality. Maybe I just had a bad night though. My vote is Sci-Fi, for sure though! The atmosphere is great. Very well worth it in my opinion

 

[soundimagineer]

I think it depends on what meal you go. I do love both restaurants and we always go to both. I prefer Sci-Fi for lunch. The atmosphere is awesome and its just worth a visit even though the food is just okay. They have basic hamburgers, chicken fingers, sandwiches and so on. It's not bad, just not amazing. My family loves Prime Time for dinner usually. I've never had a bad experience there, besides maybe the wait time. Me and my DisMom love the roast beef! It is so good and what I look forward to every trip! We've always had great waiters and the atmosphere is so much fun!