Has 50s Prime Time Been Tamed?

[epcotWSC]

In the past whenever I'd go to 50's Prime Time the servers always played up their parts. They'd start making fun of the people at the table, if you put your elbows on the table you'd get reprimanded in front of everyone, you were expected to finish your vegetables or you wouldn't get dessert, etc. etc.

Last year when I went I thought I had maybe seen a person get the "no elbows on the table" thing, but this past time, nothing. I didn't hear anything anywhere in the restaurant. The table next to me had a big family together (ripe for being made fun of), the kids were sitting with their knees on the chairs, everyone (including the adults) had their elbows on the table and such... not a word from the server. I glanced around at other tables being waited on by other servers, same thing.

Has 50's Prime Time been tamed? I can only imagine someone got upset at some point, complained to Disney and they put a stop to all that "be proper" stuff. To me this was THE reason to go to that restaurant. Sure, the food is decent, but there's better throughout the parks, and the 50s theme is neat, but the TVs just keep playing the same loop over and over anyway.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

We were there back in June and noticed the jokes and being told to take our elbows off the table. In fact, the people seated next to us were from England and the waiter was getting them pretty good. I think it may just depend on who you get as a waiter/waitress. Kind of like who the skipper is on the JC.

 

[KTCpiano]

From my experience, it absolutely depends on the server. We had someone in July who truly embraced her character and gave us an amazingly fun experience. I will add that I did request an "enthusiastic server" when I checked in after some lackluster former experiences.

 

[Tuvalu]

As someone who has been going to 50s Prime Time for years, I can attest that yes, the "schtick" has definitely been toned down on the whole (not just by certain servers who don't play along. )

CMs who have worked there for years commented that a lot of guests don't "get it" or are offended (used to be mainly foreigners but now includes a wider group of people) so the servers are trained to be sensitive and often wait for the guest to initiate the banter.

The Dining Plan also accounts for some of the changes, since guests may choose 50s by default (if other TS locations are booked) whereas cash paying guests may familiarize themselves with the banter concept before deciding if they want to eat there.

Guests used to be required to "set the table" as part of the fun, but that hasn't been the case for us in a few years. The desserts used to be viewed on a Viewmaster...no more.

My tip (if you want to have the playful experience) is to engage your server from the start. You may still get a server who is reluctant to play along, but more often than not you'll get some crazy banter.

 

[righttrack]

I remember being fed vegetables "airplane style" by my server. Was funny and I instigated so the kids would enjoy

 

[French Quarter]

I agree with you that it has been toned down by all the servers. I still enjoy the experience though and actually think that the food is awesome. It is disappointing, though, that they don't still act up.

 

[Bparso87]

I was there two years ago and was feed veggies and so was my brother in law was funny. Food was below aa stage so won't be back but service was fun

 

[Jahona]

We were there in July and our waiter didn't seem to hold back or tone anything down. Elbows off the table, got in trouble for shooting straw wrappers, and all sorts of unmentionable wrong doings. My brother-in-law loved it and kept seeing how far he could push. He ended up having to stand up and face the edge of a wall while our waiter explained to everyone else what happens to naughty kids. In the end he also had to bus the table and carry the dishes into the kitchen.

 

[disneylover97]

I went to 50s for the first time this July with a group of 15, and it was nothing like I expected and to say the least was a little disappointed. After watching videos and googling the shenanigans the waiters pulled, I was very excited especially with such a large group. Our waitress was very boring and never acted up. Other waitresses and waiters around us were but unfortunately we didn't get lucky. Not sure if I'll go back and hope to get an interactive server or skip it next trip...

 

[Punky]

I was so disappointed when we went to 50's Prime Time. Not only was my server super boring, our food also got to us about 5 mins after we were seated. It really felt like a fast food restaurant.

 

[disney4life2008]

I was so disappointed when we went to 50's Prime Time. Not only was my server super boring, our food also got to us about 5 mins after we were seated. It really felt like a fast food restaurant.

The same happened to me. I ordered appetizers and no less than 2 minutes later, my food came. I enjoy the experience though, the 3 trio plate is really good.

 

[Hockey89]

I was so disappointed when we went to 50's Prime Time. Not only was my server super boring, our food also got to us about 5 mins after we were seated. It really felt like a fast food restaurant.

Always a bad sign when food comes within 3 mins of ordering....

 

[britdaw]

When we were there in 2012, it was so much fun! Our server got really into it, and when my husband didn't finish his food, she loudly announced "Uh-oh!! Cousin Josh didn't finish his food! Y'all know how we handle that around here!" and fork-fed him two big bites of his food. My kids STILL talk about how hilarious that was. I hope they haven't toned it down... If people don't "get" it, they are probably just uptight and don't belong there anyway.

 

[susan richards]

I took my daughter's a couple of months ago hoping for a fun server and we got one! She turned out being such fun. I had to get up and sing and dance I'm a Little Teapot because I put my elbows on the table. My kids didn't eat all their veggies, so she had all the tables around us make airplane noises while she fed them. It was cute!

And she was from the same area of new York that we're from, so that was a nice coincidence.

I'm glad she played it up, because my husband and I went a few years ago and it was very bland.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Depends on the CM. I've has meals where the server was playing with us from the time we sat down until we got up from the table. Other times we had a real dud and I looked at other tables thinking ... I wish I had been seated THERE and had THAT server. I've wanted to say... Hey why are you working here and not having fun???

 

[French Quarter]

I was so disappointed when we went to 50's Prime Time. Not only was my server super boring, our food also got to us about 5 mins after we were seated. It really felt like a fast food restaurant.

The same happened to me. I ordered appetizers and no less than 2 minutes later, my food came. I enjoy the experience though, the 3 trio plate is really good.

Always a bad sign when food comes within 3 mins of ordering....

I also hate when this happens. You know it had to be sitting there, waiting for you, before you even ordered. And it rushes the entire experience.

That being said, I don't recall that being an issue for us at 50s PTC, though. Boring server but the food was fine. I too had the trio. The fried chicken was my favourite.

 

[JohnD]

I think it also depends on your letting them know you're in on the fun. A guest who doesn't know the schtick could get offended by a CM telling them to set the table, keep their elbows off the table, etc. The younger generation, especially, who doesn't understand all that. If "Gary" is still there, he usually is good about interacting with the guest. I was seated next to another family so I got incorporated in on the fun. He called me "Sparky".

 

[danyoung56]

I think there's a middle ground that some servers have a hard time finding. I ate there only once. While I was familiar with and expecting the schtick, my sever took it too far and really started to tick me off. I mean, do it a little bit and see how the guest is reacting, and then adjust to that. I'd had a long day in the parks, and even though I was willing to play a bit there was a point at which it all became really intrusive. Now, I'm not the type of guy to complain about something like this - I just haven't been back. That type of interaction is for some folks, but not for others.

I can understand it if Disney has indeed asked the servers to tone it down a bit. If you're not in on the joke, or even if (like me) you're willing to go a ways with the joke and then have it calm down a bit, the schtick can make it a very uncomfortable dinner.

 

[betty rose]

I agree with you that it has been toned down by all the servers. I still enjoy the experience though and actually think that the food is awesome. It is disappointing, though, that they don't still act up.

I love the fried chicken. We missed the banter last time too.

 

[JIMINYCR]

That type of interaction is for some folks, but not for others.

I can understand it if Disney has indeed asked the servers to tone it down a bit. If you're not in on the joke, or even if (like me) you're willing to go a ways with the joke and then have it calm down a bit, the schtick can make it a very uncomfortable dinner.

Like MS .... there will be an Orange dining section and a Green dining section. Dining intense vs Dining less intense.