Looking to dine with celebrities, or even dine back in time?  At Hollywood Studios you can do both, and more.  If you’re looking for a unique dining experience, look no further than Hollywood Studios.

 

50s Prime Time Cafe

What I love:  This restaurant transports you back in time to the 1950s where your servers is your mom, uncle, aunt, or some other family member.  When you enter, you are waiting in the family room and then you are seated in the kitchen.  Some tables are equipped with black and white tvs.  The theming here is superb and the staff definitely plays the part.

What I order:  It’s a toss up between the meatloaf and the chicken pot pie.  Both are great!

Other info:  The 50s Prime Time Cafe is one of the better deals if you are paying out of pocket (as opposed to doing the dining plan).  Also, the Tune In Lounge is located in between the 50s Prime Time Cafe and Hollywood and Vine and is a fun stop if you can’t get an ADR to either restaurant.  The PB&J shakes are amazing!  The Tune In Lounge also has clean restrooms that I have used without dining.

The bad:  Nothing stands out as being bad here.  If you’re on the dining plan, you won’t get the greatest value, but the flip side is that it’s great for non-dining plan guests.

 

Hollywood & Vine

What I love:  There’s a variety of dining experiences here.  I want to stress how important it is to check the official WDW website prior to making ADRs.  I have had both breakfast and dinner here so I truly feel that I’ve been able to experience Hollywood & Vine to the fullest.  It’s [almost] always character dining.  Breakfast and lunch are Disney Junior with [at press time] Handy Manny, Sofia the First, Doc Mc Stuffins, and Captain Jake.  I have little ones and they love these characters!  I feel that, unfortunately, Handy Manny might be on the outs since there are many new characters on Disney Junior.  Dinner is hosted by Minnie and varies by season.  I was there when they were themed as Star Wars and I haven’t seen that on the website lately, but you never know.  Most of the time, the characters are themed by season (Halloween, Holidays, Winter, Spring, Summer).  To add even more to love, they offer a Fantasmic dining package which I will elaborate on in ‘other info’.

What I order:  This is a buffet and everything is pretty standard fare.  For breakfast, I recommend the cooked to order omelette station.  The children’s selections include pancakes in addition to Mickey waffles (I have huge pancake fans which are sometimes hard to find at WDW).  For dinner, I liked the lobster and shrimp mac and cheese.  My husband liked the peel and eat shrimp.  They also have a salad bar which was quite good.  There are lots of desserts too!

Other info:  The Tune In  Lounge next door is a fun place to wait for your table after you check in.  Hollywood and Vine also offers a Fantasmic dinner package which combines dinner with VIP seating at Fantasmic.  You still need to arrive to Fantasmic 20-30 minutes early, but that is much better than the regular wait for Fantasmic.  I’m a major Fantasmic fan, but I haven’t seen it in ten years.  Why?  I’m a mom now.  As a CM I would go to it all.the.time, but things have changed.  If you have little ones, I would think seriously before going to Fantasmic.  Show Youtube videos to your children.  Beyond that, if you have older children or are on an adult trip, I would definitely consider a Fantasmic dinner package.  The cost different between just dinner and the Fantasmic dinner package is around $7 per person.  If you’re on the dining plan, it is TWO table service credits.  If you purchase the dining package and it’s cancelled due to weather, you’ll receive a voucher to attend in the VIP section within the next seven days.

The Bad:  Nothing is bad enough to be a deal breaker here.  For me, the theming leaves something to be desired.  Compared to other WDW restaurants, this has more of a cheap feel.  It’s also a smaller restaurant (a plus!), but still feels loud.  For breakfast, we met all of the character shortly and they had fun dance sessions.  I think we even met some of them twice.  Dinner is a different story.  It took us over an hour to see all of the characters.  Park time is precious plus a meal that long can be challenging with little ones.

 

Mama Melrose

What I love:  The location!  It’s tucked away in the back of the Studios and lacks some of the hustle and bustle of some of the other restaurants.

What I order:  The penne a la vodka.  I’ve been to Italy twice and this really doesn’t compare, but if you’re looking for a place to escape the HOT WDW summers, this can do the trick.

Other info:  Mama Melrose’s offers the Fantasmic dinner package which is definitely something to consider if you’re planning to see Fantasmic.  Also, this restaurant is decently priced if you’re paying out of pocket.

The bad:  The food isn’t the greatest, especially compared to it’s Italian neighbors at EPCOT.

 

 

Hollywood Brown Derby

 

What I love:  The theming here appeals to me more than some others in Hollywood Studios.  This restaurant is elegant is takes you back to old Hollywood.  The service and overall quality is higher than the other table service restaurants at Hollywood Studios.  If you’re paying out of pocket, it’s good to know that there is a wide range of entree costs.  There definitely are some budget friendly options here.

What I order:  Cobb salad!!!  If you’re not into the salad, then the beef wellington or the lamb is good.  It’s all good here!

Other info:  If you don’t have an ADR, check out the patio.  Sometimes they have availability.  They offer a Fantasmic dinner package which I would definitely look into.  They also have dining with an imagineer which is very unique to this location.

The bad:  The cost.  Of the Fantasmic restaurants, this s the most expensive.  Although I definitely feel that the added cost of warranted here, it’s good to know in advance how expensive it is.

 

Sci-Fi Dine In Theater

What I love:  The theming here is superb!  The restaurant is staged as a drive in movie theater (indoors) and guests dine in cars.

What I order:  Ask about the seasonal special burger!  If that doesn’t fit your fancy, then try the building your own burger.  They have a pretty decent variety of cheese and other toppings.  Sci-Fi has a generous array of adult beverages.  For me, this is a place to splurge on a cocktail.  An added bonus…. this is a darker restaurant and some of the cocktails some with light up ice cubes.  Super fun!

Other Info:  There’s really nothing else to note.  This is an unique dining experience.  I mean, where else can you eat indoors in a CAR while watching a movie?

The Bad:  It is a bit dark which might frighten some little ones.  Also, the movies might not grab your attention.

 

 

 

 

*** Other important notes***

Guests can make an ADR (advanced dining reservation) up to 180 days in advance.  I strongly suggest making arrangements at 180 days or as soon as you book your trip.  From my personal experiences, I strive for 180 days, but sometimes my trips are not booked that far in advance.  I have had great luck in getting reservations as soon as one week in advance.

It’s easy to make ADRs online with My Disney Experience, but if you are celebrating something special (ANYTHING SPECIAL), it will be worth it to call and note what you are celebrating.

Also, if you or anyone in your party has dietary restrictions, note that when making your ADR.  Disney does a fantastic job at accommodating all guests and can most likely provide you with meal options specifically catered to your needs.  I have seen chefs come to guests and go over exactly what is in their meal.