Sci-Fi Drive in for Lunch or Dinner? Table set-up?

[DHades]

It is less than 2 weeks until we are in WDW...and although I am really late with planning, I had a few questions on the Sci-Fi Drive-in @ MGM. Is it worth it? I understand you sit in cars with movies showing and it is kind of dim. Is it OK with 3 small kids (one 6 yo, two 4 yo)? I guess the kids sit in front of you.

Any reviews would be great. Thanks,
DH

 

[imfortune8]

There are two types of tables, "cars" and picnic tables. The best experience is being seated in one of the "cars" (3 benchs to a car, seats about 6). Yes, your kids will have to sit in front or back of you, but I don't think that is too big of a deal. We have taken our kids at very young ages 2 and 5 the first time. The movie reel is of mostly black and white sci-fi movies, which can be scary if your kids are way sensitive, but we just reassured ours that the movie was just pretend and they thought it was hilarious. No nightmares or anything. The lighting is dim, but friendly - not spooky or anything. Make sure to splurge on the glowing ice cubes for the kids. While they are expensive, they last for a year and they entertained our kids while we waited for Fantasmic to start. Food is good, burgers, shakes, etc. the onion rings are amazing! Make sure to get a PS - the wait list can get realy long. Oh, the kid portions are really big, so we found our kids could easily share!

Have a great time!!

 

[Lori of the Lodge]

Sci-fi dine-in has great "atmosphere," but the menu is "so-so"and seemed overpriced, even for Disney. I recently had lunch there on my trip Oct 13-16. I knew from past experience that the food wasn't "all-that" but my travel buddies thought the idea was so cool and really wanted to try it.

We walked-in around 11:45 a.m. and chose not to wait for one of the car tables. Instead, we were immediately seated at a table for 4 towards the back of the theater. We (4 of us) ordered onion rings and split 2 burgers/fries and it was PLENTY of food for everyone. The burgers are BIG! And pretty expensive at around $12 for a burger/fry combo. The onion ring appetizer was around $7. OUCH! I think we each got 2 onion rings. They were good, but pricy!

Everything tasted fine...but it IS what it IS--a glorified burger joint with fantastic scenery. I suspect little kids would really like the cars and they serve really cute glow-in the dark drinks for kids too!

You are correct about your kids sitting separately from you. The majority of the cars have 3 bench seats facing the movie screen, so you really don't eat together. HOWEVER...there are a limited number of cars that have 2 regular 4-seat tables next to each other, but you won't be facing the screen. http://allearsnet.com/din/scifi3.jpg They also have a few picnic tables and round tables (called flying saucers) in the back--but I suspect your kids would be quite disapointed if they didn't get to sit in a car. That is what the place is all about, after all.

 

[WAHMto5]

They do fill up fast but all my kids really enjoy eating here, it is a lot of fun! The cars are very neat to eat in and since we take a whole car we sit the kids in front of us!

 

[hockeybabe]

If you are on the dining plan, it is an ok place to go. It was our least favorite of all of the TS restaurants we have done, but it was neat to experience the atmosphere. If you are not on the dining plan, I would consider spliting a meal. The artichoke dip appetizer was wonderful, and could have served as a meal alone, but the chili appetizer was just so-so...wished it had come with more than 2 chips. The ruben sandwich wasn't anything special, pretty much ordinary deli, but huge, so you could split it. The fries, as we were warned by so many on this board, were not hot, and not very good. My ds had the steak, and it was pretty good, not a great cut, but not bad, and dh enjoyed his burger, although, again, nothing extraordinary. The shakes were good.

Overall, the food wasn't bad, just more like counter service rather than table service. It is hard to compare it to Whispering Canyon or Ohana, or even CRT, but the final bill was about the same. Our server was lacking in personality, and forgot my sons b-day, though we mentioned it twice before our meal ended. We won't do it again, but that is just our opinion.

 

[pennst8r]

we usually sit one kid, one adult You don't have to put your kids infront/behind you if you don't want to. Esp with their ages.