Lights, camera, dining! After catching some stage shows and screaming on a falling elevator, visitors will most likely have worked up a Dumbo-sized appetite. Luckily, Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort comes complete with plenty of diva-worthy restaurants. There are many fast-food spots to grab a quick lunch or dinner; however, those looking for a full-service restaurant can “reel” in a meal fit for a star.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
With high-definition screens and surround sound filling most movie screens in the US, chances are most visitors dining at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater have never even seen a drive-in theater. Disney allows the newer generations to experience a favorite past time of the 50’s and 60’s, by mixing dinner with old science fiction movie clips. The older generations will also love reliving memories as they eat under a twinkling “night” sky in convertibles.
This is perhaps one of the best themed restaurants on Disney property, however it is not without its flaws. The cars’ seats are in rows, which means that parties larger than two will be staring at the backs of their fellow diners. Often family members in the front seat of the car will have to turn around in order to chat with the rest of their family. The food is also not the best of the sit-down restaurants. However, few honestly come to the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater for quality food. The biggest appeals are the wonderful film clips and the creative setting.
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
Tucked away near Muppets 3-D, Mama Melrose’s is commonly looked over. Easily getting a seat for lunch or dinner is one of the best parts of eating here. Rarely is Mama Melrose’s packed. This is mostly due to the plentiful number of tables, each spaced far apart from other diners. Dining with children is ideal here, as tossed pastas and spilled drinks will probably not affect anyone else in the restaurant.
The décor matches that of most Italian American dining digs, and unless visitors have never been to an Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill the theme is not the reason to dine here. The food is hit or miss, with some very surprising choices. The calamari is delicious, as is the chicken over polenta. Diners can also get a carafe of sangria for $19, making it one of the best alcoholic drink deals on Disney property.
Hollywood and Vine
Though this restaurant serves a dinner buffet, the food here is not usually recommended. There are plenty of options, and enough food to feed Pete’s Dragon, however the quality of the dining experience and the price of the buffet ($30.99) will leave many feeling ripped off.
The earlier dining options are much different however. Hollywood and Vine is transformed into Play ‘n Dine for lunch and breakfast, featuring the stars of Playhouse Disney. This is the only restaurant on property where kids can eat with characters from JoJo’s Circus and the Little Einsteins. The food is also much better at these times. It is also the only restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that offers a full-service breakfast.
50’s Prime Time Café
Unlike Mama Melrose’s, the 50’s Prime Time Café does not offer a lot of room for squirming toddlers. However, what it lacks in space, it makes up for in theme. Modeled after a 1950’s kitchen, complete with a black and white TV and plastic seat covers, diners will feel like they’ve been transported back to the time of Donna Reid and Dick Van Dyke. At the 50’s Prime Time Café, everyone is treated like family. The wait staff is turned into Aunts, Uncles and Cousins who remind diners to keep their elbows off the table and finish their vegetables. Often waiters will ridicule those finicky diners, feeding them scoopfuls of remaining mashed potatoes or corn off their plates. Anyone who finishes all of their meal will be awarded with a “clean plate” sticker, to showcase their success to the rest of the park.
The food is generally good. Highlighted dishes are the fried chicken and the meatloaf. The milkshakes are also delicious, reminding diners of a 50’s malt shop.
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Taking diners back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a replica of its famous namesake in California. Actors of the silver screen flocked to this iconic restaurant in Hollywood, turning dining into a stargazing experience. In Disney’s Brown Derby, visitors can still dine with the stars. Caricatures of stars and starlets fill the beautiful circular interior. Dark color hues, dim lighting and a creative menu make the Brown Derby an ideal bet for older diners.
The food at the Brown Derby is the best at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and may be one of the best park-based restaurants in Orlando. Great choices are the duck breast and venison sausage, the pork tenderloin and the rib eye. Diners should also split the Cobb salad as a starter, and end the evening with the tantalizingly tart grapefruit cake.
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