Worth it to pay OOP for 50's Prime Time Cafe?

[Buttercup2009]

I have the Fantasmic Dinner Package w/ Hollywood & Vine for Nov. 30th and after reading the menu and many reviews of the place, I'm less than excited about that dinner. (Couldn't get Mama Melrose because it was already booked and I don't really want to use 2 DDP points on Brown Derby) I've also read that the CS restaurants in Hollywood Studios aren't that great so I was thinking of having lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe because I REALLY wanted to go there at some point during the trip anyway, but if we go there we will have to pay OOP for it because we have free dining that week and will have all my TS meals used up. Do you think it would be worth it to pay OOP for this meal or are there any good CS restaurants at HS that you would recommend?

 

[tfoster]

I think it would be worth it to pay OOP. I actually really like the idea of it for 50's Prime Time because then you can really go with the whole theme and buy a couple/few (depending on your party size) adult meals to eat family style.

We had been planning to go there and get 3 or 4 fried chicken dinners to all share. I think now we're going to try to get Sci Fi (since we've never been there before) but I'm still thinking about trying to add 50's as an "extra" OOP TS for us. My kids would love eating the fried chicken dinners like that and would enjoy that more than the kid's meals they have.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I would pay OOP for 50's PTC. I have not had lunch/dinner at H&V, but did have breakfast there was unimpressed. We did, however, enjoy our meal at 50's a lot. You might consider foregoing the F! package. Since they changed the way the package seating is done, I don't think it's worth the trouble to do it.

The best CS at DHS, in my opinion, is Backlot Express. Toy Story Pizza Planet is mediocre. The others are poor.

 

[Missytara]

Do it, do it, do it.

We booked two character dinners, and used 2 TS credits each. We booked a lot of other expensive places, then booked Prime Time 50's cafe and Raglan Road as our OOP meals, since the meals were much more in our budget for those nights.

Enjoy. I have to say one of my friends is soooooo looking forward to a shake at Prime Time....so it was worth it!

 

[Buttercup2009]

Thanks so much! I think we're going to have an early lunch at 11am at 50's PTC and then do Hollywood & Vine at 4:10. Now I actually have a meal to look forward to!

 

[francie57]

Prime Time is the one meal we always pay for each trip. We book all of our TS meals (using our last TS at Tappan Edo on check-out day) and have to pay for one meal each trip. We pay for Prime Time since they are the most reasonably priced and the food is so good it is worth it.

 

[bluejasmine]

I think so we enjoyed it and personally I would pay OOp to eat anywhere I wanted to try! Just dont pay OOP for H&V! Yuck! We have free dining in a few weeks and are dying to try TRex so we are paying OOP for that

 

[Freiden8]

just to be the voice of opposition, I'll say no.

sadly, very sadly, we are continue to be disappointed with this location every time to decided give it another try.

.. the service is uber slow
.. the wait staff is extrememly unattentive
.. the menu is small and disappointing for WDW

 

[mommy*RN]

50's Primetime is ALWAYS on our list regardless if we have the DDP or not. I LOVE the place. Yes we have had long waits, even with ADRs...but the fun of it all is sooo worth it! The kids love watching the TVs, and the food is really down to earth. My personal favorite is when they drop off the dessert menu and it's a viewmaster. AWESOME!!!

My vote is to do it!

 

[Buttercup2009]

My personal favorite is when they drop off the dessert menu and it's a viewmaster. AWESOME!!!

That's so cool, I haven't heard of that before now!

 

[mommy*RN]

That's so cool, I haven't heard of that before now!

Darn me and my big mouth...I should have said the dessert menus are a "surprise". I'm sorry!

 

[SassyLassy]

I would go just for the theme alone and to take it all in. The food is great. I cant speak to the service lately but I definitely would if I were you!

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

We're planning to pay for it OOP. The CS choices look pretty bad at DHS. I'm a HUGE pizza snob so any sort of pizza is out for me outside of New York and certain select pizza establishments (no Toy Story Pizza for us!) and none of the other CS choices look even half-way decent. The menu at lunch time looks fairly inexpensive and reviews seem to be positive overall. I'd rather pay OOP for a better meal than suffer through an inedible CS.

 

[LilGMom]

just to be the voice of opposition, I'll say no.

sadly, very sadly, we are continue to be disappointed with this location every time to decided give it another try.

.. the service is uber slow
.. the wait staff is extrememly unattentive
.. the menu is small and disappointing for WDW

I have to agree with this. We tried it for the first time years ago and loved it. Went the next year with the in-laws and said "We won't be back". After reading some really great reviews on it earlier this year we decided to give it another go in March. Now it is on our 'Never ever ever do again' list. I won't go into all of the reasons but the service was the worst or our trip and DH's pot roast was more fat than meat. Would I go there to take in the atmosphere and maybe order a drink or dessert? Sure. Would I go there to eat a meal and leave satisified? No.

 

[Poohbear5]

We tried 50s for the first time this spring and had a blast. We walked in without ADR at lunch and got seated quickly.
We ordered just soup and sandwhiches, but the peanut butter and jelly milkshake was soooo yummy that we went back again that week just for a shake!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

We went years ago and didn't like it, but decided to try it again this Spring and loved it. We will be going again in December and also paying OOP and saving dining credits for a more expensive meal. We didn't have to wait at all and the food was really good. I say definitely give it a try since there aren't any good CS options at DHS.

 

[aviva5675]

We paid oop for the F package at BD when we went a number of years ago. It wasn't worth 2 credits but was worth eating at with the package. If you want to switch from HV try getting in to BD and doing that OOP. Yes it wont be too cheap but the food is worth it. You can use your credits at PT then I think.

 

[momtobrynncess]

Thanks so much! I think we're going to have an early lunch at 11am at 50's PTC and then do Hollywood & Vine at 4:10. Now I actually have a meal to look forward to!

We actually paid oop at HBD for the Fantasmic Package. We felt that the price for the meal was very reasonable, and the food was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! If I was to do the Fantasmic Package again, I would definitely do the HBD and pay OOP for it.

 

[Buttercup2009]

Darn me and my big mouth...I should have said the dessert menus are a "surprise". I'm sorry!

Oh no, don't feel bad, it just makes me even more excited to get there!

We paid oop for the F package at BD when we went a number of years ago. It wasn't worth 2 credits but was worth eating at with the package. If you want to switch from HV try getting in to BD and doing that OOP. Yes it wont be too cheap but the food is worth it. You can use your credits at PT then I think.

We actually paid oop at HBD for the Fantasmic Package. We felt that the price for the meal was very reasonable, and the food was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! If I was to do the Fantasmic Package again, I would definitely do the HBD and pay OOP for it.

Hmmm....something else for me think about and maybe not a bad idea...