This week marks the birthday of Disney’s Hollywood
Studios and one of the best restaurants at the theme park (and I think a
Top 10 Disney restaurant overall) is 50s Prime Time Café. The
restaurant exudes what the park was originally trying
to convey from the start; that nostalgic part of Hollywood and days
gone by. A view of dining in the 1950s with your mom or grandma cooking
home-style dinner with great TV clips of black and white shows, all
related some way to food.
You enter the kitschy restaurant and you know that
you are in for a treat. It has the authentic feel of a 1950s kitchen,
right down to the wallpaper, cabinets, tables, chairs, and decorations
on the walls.
After you check in at the podium (you’ll want to
make sure to have an Advanced Dining Reservation here) you are asked to
sit in the Tune-in Lounge. This seating area is just like you would
expect the living room of a 50s home to look like,
with the perks of Dad’s liquor cabinet, courtesy of the bar. Guests
who don’t have reservations can choose to sit and dine at the bar,
however, space is limited. You aren’t going to be able seat a whole
large family here, but a couple or those flying solo
can tend to do well.
Once you are seated, your “cousin,” “aunt,”
“uncle,” etc, comes over to greet you and take your order. They also
tell you that it’s up to you to set your own table and all about the
house rules. Keep your elbows off the table, no walkie
talkies (cell phones), and make sure you eat your veggies.
The restaurant, as I mentioned features many down
home dishes. They are most famous for 3 different meals—the meatloaf,
the pot roast, and the fried chicken. All three are so popular that they
have actually created A Sampling of Mom’s Favorites,
which features small portions of all three. The restaurant also
features dishes like Dad’s Stuffed Pork Chop, Cousin Brandon’s Grilled
Salmon, and Sissy’s Vegetarian Favorite Multigrain Spaghetti, to name a
few.
Of course, while you are waiting, part of the fun
is to watch the fun programming played on the TVs. It’s also fun to look
at the stuff hanging on the walls. You never know what you may
recognize from you mom or grandma’s kitchen!
While dining, make sure to eat all your food,
because if you do, you’ll join the Clean Plate Club! If you don’t and
you leave your vegetables, you may find that they will be “airplaned” in
like your mom did when you were a kid.
The shtick is all part of the fun, so have fun with
it yourself! It’s always better of an experience to really lean into
the general merriment and frivolity.
In general, this is a great stop to come with your
whole family. Matter of fact, mine did enjoy a nice dinner here when we
went back in September. It was a great meal where everyone got to bond
together. It was great to have a family meal
in a restaurant where dining together as a family reigns supreme.
Of course, you can’t forget dessert. You have some
real winners like Dad’s Hot Fudge Sundae and the Smores, however my
favorite is the Warm Apple Crisp A la Mode.
Trust me when I say that you will leave this place stuffed. It’s just all too good!
50s Prime Time Café is a real treasure at Disney’s
Hollywood Studios. It offers great food, a fun and unique atmosphere,
and good family bonding time. Is there anything better for a family
vacation spot?
If you like this article, I shamelessly ask that you spread the word about A Disney World After All! Share it on Twitter or Facebook...pin the photos on Pinterest, hit up the Google + emblem...just let others know about us here! Also, make sure to LIKE our Facebook page and find me on Twitter, I'm @RikkiNibs!
