Torn between Sci-Fi and anywhere else!

[BeenDISedTwice]

My 12yo DNephew and I are going down for 4th of July. We've got four nights of DDP and I've made the following ressies for dinnertime based on one past visit we did to Ohana's in '01 and the advise of my DSis and DBIL who ate at the other three on their honeymoon a few years ago.

mon: 50's prime time cafe
tue: sci-fi dine-in theater
wed: liberty tree tavern
thu: ohana's

My nephew is glad to be eating anywhere but I'm torn over eating at sci-fi and using the TS somewhere else. The bad reviews about the food and the menu from allears.net I saw doesn't appeal like the one for 50's prime time did. The only thing really keeping me interested in Sci-Fi is the atmosphere and it's popularity.

I'm leaning towards the "All You Care To Eat" B,L,D menus for Trail's End and Whispering Canyon; both are more appealing than Sci-Fi. I was planning on doing a breakfast or lunch OOP at either TE or WC but wouldn't mind using a TS for a breakfast lunch or dinner. Any opinions on either TE or WC would be appreciated. How hard would it be to get ressies this close at either place for lunch or dinner? I made the original ones back in April. Since WC is family-style I figured I'd need a ressie even for breakfast but was hoping I could do a walk-in breakfast for TE since it's buffet?

Would it be best just to keep the ressie at Sci-Fi and go for the experience or go with my gut which says "Feed Me!"?

 

[MrsMud]

I think most 12 yr old boys would really enjoy Sci-Fi. And if you don't mind eating burgers or the like for dinner, we didn't think the food was bad at all. We were able to get milkshakes as our drinks, and they were awesome! The onion rings and spinach dip were very good. I wouldn't say the burgers were anything special, but they were fine and so big none of us could finish them. Of course, we had to save room for dessert!
Trail's end is a good buffet for dinner, but again, basic hometown fare, nothing really special. It is a good value though if you're paying OOP. With the dining plan, not so much. I haven't done the breakfast.
I've never eaten at WCC, so I can't comment other than to say I have read of people having a hard time getting dinner ADRs there recently. However, this was for free dining time, I don't know if it would apply to you. I also think the fact that there are only two of you should make it much easier to get ADRs. Theres' only one way to find out!
Personally of the ADRs you have I think I would keep Sci-FI and change Liberty Tree Tavern. Would your 12 yr old nephew appreciate the characters? Because from what I've heard the food is nothing to write home about. Maybe put WCC here instead?
HTH!

 

[Microcell]

People's opinions vary so much that you will get all kinds of opinions! It sounds like you are not too excited about the menu, and neither was I when we went. It is one of a very few restuarants I have no desire to go back to. I would change it for anything else myself!

 

[lovethattink]

We ate at Trails End last weekend. The food was definately better than the Sci-Fi's. However, the atmosphere of Sci Fi is really awesome. I think it's worth eating there once, just for the atmosphere.

We ate at Whispering Canyon back in April. We enjoyed the food, but found the food better last week at Trail's End.

 

[dsnymomof4]

We ate at Sci-Fi for the first time in April and LOVED it! What we did, because I didn't want to use a TS credit, is went for lunch and paid OOP. The prices are reasonable, and that way you could still use your TS somewhere else for dinner! I really think your nephew would enjoy it.

 

[Willow16]

Another option I have read about is to just go in for ice cream mid-afternoon. Now, I don't know if that's okay but maybe others can chime in here. We did eat lunch there using TS credit and, compared to all the other restaurants we ate in, it ranked at the bottom. You could pay for it and just get something simple.

We did enjoy the experience but not the food.

 

[BeenDISedTwice]

Thanks for the replies I've gotten so far. I'd still like to keep my ressie at LTT since it is a character dinner and we haven't done that since Chef Mickey's back in '01. Of all the ressies it's the one I'm most excited about. Why isn't the food anything to write home about? I like the idea of just going for lunch or ice cream. OOP doesn't worry me for smaller meals since it's just the two of us and we've already got the DDP covering CS breakfast or lunch and TS dinner. I learned from a trip to Hawaii a few years ago that when your on vacation you just have to go with the flow and stop worrying about how much meals might cost or it can easily ruin the experience.

 

[Willow16]

My husband and I both got the ribs and they were pretty dry and not very tasty. The ribs at Flame Tree BBQ were much better. I can't remember what my kids had but, again, nothing remarkable. The milk shake did count for the drink so that was good.

 

[Captn Jack Sparrow]

LTT is the home os the Swanson's home cooked meal. My roommate was a cook there in the fall of '05 and he told me that all the food there was from Swanson's. I am not a Swanson's fan.

I would keep something at Sci-fi Dine in, whether it it s just ice cream or a quick burger, the atmosphere is great, but I would change it from TS to OOP. Maybe go to Le Cellier's or Coral Reef

What ever you decide Have a great trip with your Nephew!

 

[nicolem]

We've been to Sci Fi twice, and been disappointed in the food both times. The first time we went, we took some advice we'd found on the DIS boards and only had dessert. That was fine, but nothing special. The second time was just blah all the way around. I won't be going back.

We love WCC and TE (we try to eat there every time we visit), but, as a previous poster said, I wouldn't use the DDP for TE because it's relatively inexpensive.

Good luck making a decision, and have fun with your nephew!

 

[BeenDISedTwice]

I think I'm going to just keep the tuesday night ressie at Sci-Fi since it's already made. How is the Seared Marinated Tuna and the Butcher Steak? Any chance they do burgers at night or just for lunch? If you do get offered shakes as part of the TS are they refillable like the Flavored Coke?

Since we're still going to Sci-Fi for dinner I was thinking what we might do is use a couple days CS's on breakfast at POP and go to Biergarten and Rose and Crown for lunch a couple times since I want to go there to. To top it all off I still want to do TE or WC as well. So many good places to eat so little TS credits. They really need to offer another tier of DDP with all TS and no CS. Can you trade in unused CS credits for disney dollars or a credit on your bill at checkout?

 

[solfan68]

While its certainly not the best food on property, I think Sci Fi gets a bum rap. And it is on our ADR list for our upcoming trip in June. The atmosphere is terrific and does provide a nice cool place to eat on those sweltering Orlando days.

 

[illiniowl]

Can you trade in unused CS credits for disney dollars or a credit on your bill at checkout?

Unfortunately, no. You must use them for food or lose them. Some popular advice on here for people who end up with unused CS credits on their last day (i.e. your departure day) is to get sandwiches to go from Earl of Sandwich and take them with you in the car/on the plane. I think some posters have also recently reported being able to convince some CMs (at a resort food court, maybe?) to let them get a couple snack-type items and a drink for a CS credit. Do a search on here for creative uses of CS credits and you should find a helpful thread.