Sci-fi drive in...tell me everything

[sandiegosusie]

Wondering if I should take the family while we are at MGM...Any tips or reccomendations would be appreciated. It looks like a lot of fun, but I thought I would leave it up to the experts, you all!

 

[KLAIT]

We just returned from Disney a couple of weeks ago -- Just my best friend and I...left the families at home. We tried this restaurant for the first time and thought it was great! I cannot wait until our family trip to take my kids there...It was pretty cool.

When you enter, your server comes into the "lobby" to get you and takes you back into the restaurant to seat you. The inside is dark and replicates outside under the stars....you sit in booths that are actually cars.....there is a drive in theater screen in the front and there are movie clips playing...cheesy, but fun! We went at lunch time and the food was good. Not gourmet by any means, but good......we had burgers and fries.

The only thing that wuld be hard with a Family would be that the cars have 3 rows all facing toward the front so if you had a large group, it would be hard to converse. The booths are large enough for 2 adults and maybe a small child, but there are 3 in each car. Since there was just 2 of us, we shared a car with 2 other groups and you could pretty much be a part of their conversations as you are all so close..especially the ones in front of you.

They also have some neat glow in the dark stuff. We purchased a souvenier cup that had a glow in the dark ice cube......they also serve some of the kids things in a glow in the dark frisbee. Neat since it is dark in there....

Definately think you should try it once...we both really enjoyed it!

 

[Briar Wood]

I've read many reviews of this place over the past 2 years, and I've read mostly awful reviews about the food for dinner, and better reviews for lunch. I went there last time (6/01) and we just went for milkshakes at around 3:30PM, for the atmosphere. It was fun! (We ate dinner at the 50s Prime Time Cafe)

BW

 

[sandiegosusie]

It sounds like fun...Do the kids get to keep the glow-in-the-dark Frisbees? Probably just wishful thinking, but would still like to know. Also, should we get ps if we only are going for dessert?

 

[Micca]

It's a fun place. Probably more so for adults who actually remember going to a drive-in movie. The consensus on the food seems to be to stick with the burgers/fries/shakes and you'll be fine.

 

[tar heel]

Yes, you get to keep the Frisbees BUT you pay extra to get one! I thought that was pretty chintzy.

We ate there in July. My teen actually got a bad burger there -- perhaps it was b/c he special ordered it (not on menu) at dinner time. He only ate half of it, and he's a 14-year-old boy with a monstrous appetite. He said it was too hard to eat. It was very overcooked and dry. My older son had ribs, which he pronounced okay and I had a decent steak (think Western Sizzlin', though). DH had the salmon and was not impressed. Little one had a standard kids' meal.

The atmosphere was interesting. I'm glad we tried it once but wish we had done lunch instead of dinner. It is not on our return list. If I get the urge to see it again, I'll go to the ABC Commissary and visit the restroom, then I'll get "lost" on my way out. The two restaurants share restrooms.

 

[cd&kids]

I agree with Micca....it's better for adults who remember drive-ins than for kids. My wife and I thought our kids would be blown away by the concept....and there was an initial joy when they walked in. But they weren't nearly as happy as my wife and I.
The food is mediocre.....honestly, it's a place to get a cheeseburger, fries and milk shake. It's fun...worth a visit...don't expect too much, though.

 

[swclark]

We have only done lunch.. not dinner.. and did lunch just last week when we were there. I agree with other posters.. keep to the easy food, burgers, sandwiches, etc. We had burgers, ruebens and milk shakes.. all were great..

 

[Pluto]

We loved the Sci-Fi. We went two years ago and DD, who was 9 loved it as both me and DH. We had lunch there so we had huge burgers, fries, and shakes. Enjoyed the movie clips but our waiter was wonderful, they may make a difference. He was hilarious and when I asked him to take our pictures he did and then it appeared he had accidently opened the camera and the film came out, I was in shock, then I realized he had actually stuck a film canister in his hand with the film hanging. It was hilarious. Last year we went to the 50's prime time, the food was good but I did not enjoy the atmospere as much.

 

[Jinnyboom]

Thinking that a more "fun" experience...not to mention much better food (in our opinion) would be the 50's PTC.....
If you go to Sci Fi...do order simple things....or just go for a shake or desert...a previous poster has already provided seating information.

 

[Pig Pen]

DH and I both enjoyed it. The food was fine. As in most Disney themed restaurants, whatever is missing in fine dining is more than made up through atmosphere!

 

[christibelle]

I have a PS for the Sci Fi. My kids are almost 4 and 1 1/2. Is this an appropriate restaurant for them? Could the cheesy horror flicks be too much for them? I read that it is dark. Is it dark enough to scare young kids?