50's Prime Time Cafe, being asked to request an acting server?

[mergatroid]

Read a review on Tripadviser about how now if you want to be guaranteed a fun server to tell you off etc, you've got to ask? Apparently the manager told this person that the servers aren't required to 'play' anymore though some who enjoy it do, unlike pre-covid. I know from reviews that it wasn't being done by many staff when they reopened but thought that was more a 'safety' thing, anyone know if this is all true?

 

[Weather_Lady]

Following! If that's true, it's terrible.

There's already a place for people who don't want a "fun and sassy" server at 50's PrimeTime. It's called every other restaurant at Hollywood Studios.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I didn't know anything about requesting it, but when we were there in February, there was only one table out of the entire restaurant getting the standard fun treatment. Everyone else just had a very standard restaurant server experience. Don't get me wrong, our server was very nice and did a great job, but it wasn't the 50s experience we were used to.

 

[Master Yoda]

No idea if it is true but it would not surprise me one bit if it was. I found most of the actors/servers at 50's and WCC were great at reading a room and gauging whether a table was going to play along or was going to be put off by the act. However, I could see where getting that read wrong a few times could cause an issue to where the CMs working there might want some kind of confirmation before going full tilt into character.

 

[mergatroid]

We were going to go for the first time this year in October (covid allowing UK travellers). As we've never tried it and are taking friends I'd been researching reviews for some time. I know when it first reopened the reviews were pretty bad because in many cases there was no 'fun' from the servers but a lot said they thought it was because of masks and social distancing. Most reviews have always said the food is nice but not worth the price, however the atmosphere and the cast members behaviour makes it worth it. Of course people can make stuff up on Trip Adviser (like anywhere really) but it would surprise me if they'd just stopped the interaction for good? If we don't get the 'fun' then I'm thinking we'll do the Sci-fi instead as we know our group will enjoy that, even though my wife and I fancy a change.

 

[JIMINYCR]

In the past weve found some servers more in role than others. On our recent May trip, our server played the role for us without being requested. I did notice he started out greeting us first with a comment about our elbows not being on the table which probably was to guage our response. Since we played back at him, he discovered we were up for more fun. So maybe they are now testing the table they get to before they go full spiel. We had a wonderful dinner and asked him if he could let us video an in role message for friends who couldnt dine with us, which he did. He told them off brilliantly.

 

[G00fyDad]

We are torn on this issue. My family loves this from 50's Prime Time Cafe' but I am pretty anti-social when I am on vacation. I loathe being talked to while I am eating by anyone but my family. I have to check myself when we go out for dinner here at home. When I am eating or talking to my family I cannot stand for the server to walk up, interrupt me, and ask if we need anything. I know, I know, that is me just being a "you know what" and I accept that. I never say anything to them because that is just rude but it still irritates me. I don't want the server coming up to me and doing that 50's PTC stuff to me but my family loves it so we have always gone and I just bite my lip and sort of "play along". Thankfully the actors/servers have always been pretty keen that I am not into it and they have left me alone and targeted my family.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

We went a few weeks ago and we were "sassy" to our server as soon as she walked over and she was in character the entire meal. it was so much fun.

I try to make it a point to be sassy to the server right away to clue them in that I want to "play along"

 

[monorail81]

It’s the same thing over at Whispering Canyon right now. I figured it was because some of the CMs were currently displaced from other locations. Once everything reopens and people go back to their home locations, I’d like to believe the sassiness comes back.

 

[mergatroid]

It’s the same thing over at Whispering Canyon right now. I figured it was because some of the CMs were currently displaced from other locations. Once everything reopens and people go back to their home locations, I’d like to believe the sassiness comes back.

Is that the place where if you ask for ketchup they bring about 10 bottles of it and make a scene?

 

[Master Yoda]

Is that the place where if you ask for ketchup they bring about 10 bottles of it and make a scene?

Yes.

 

[correcaminos]

We were there a week ago. While they won't try to spoon feed you or make you stand against the wall, the rest was there. We had a lot of scoldings and sarcasm from our server. Even some from the chef too who talked to me (though took the onion allergy serious)

It’s the same thing over at Whispering Canyon right now. I figured it was because some of the CMs were currently displaced from other locations. Once everything reopens and people go back to their home locations, I’d like to believe the sassiness comes back.

We ate there for breakfast Thursday and sassiness was definitely there. Napkins and straws thrown. They even had a plastic bottle of ketchup with a string that would pop out when squeezed, they went around with scaring people into thinking they'd get ketchup sprayed on them. No horse races or ketchup piles, but the rest was as usual like in 2019 when we last went.

 

[Michaelson]

I'm an old fuddy dud on this topic. I will probably never go to this restaurant and will go to the others because of this acting gig.

I was raised in that kind of household during the REAL time period it presents. It does not bring back fond memories for this 50's/60's kid. Why would I pay someone to do a reenactment in order to relive it? It wasn't fun then, and it sure ain't fun now.

Where others see it as nostalgic, go for it!

I'll pass. ;-)

Regards! Michaelson

 

[UNCgolf]

Following! If that's true, it's terrible.

There's already a place for people who don't want a "fun and sassy" server at 50's PrimeTime. It's called every other restaurant at Hollywood Studios.

I think that's overly simplistic. None of the other restaurants at Hollywood Studios have the same theme. I really like the interior theming of the restaurant, but I'm not interested in the "fun and sassy" servers.

I'm not saying they should be eliminated, though, since I know a lot of people like that experience.

 

[correcaminos]

I think that's overly simplistic. None of the other restaurants at Hollywood Studios have the same theme. I really like the interior theming of the restaurant, but I'm not interested in the "fun and sassy" servers.

I'm not saying they should be eliminated, though, since I know a lot of people like that experience.

You can ask for it to be toned down too. I was with someone who liked the pot roast and just wasn't into antics. Like WCC you just ask for a little more quiet when you check in. They oblige. I had it once with WCC too without realizing that's what the friend I joined with (my first time) had requested. I didn't get it until a second try years later.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Is that the place where if you ask for ketchup they bring about 10 bottles of it and make a scene?

Yeah. I ate breakfast there once and there was a family at the table next to us who all seemed to enjoy it except for the father. When someone asked for ketchup and they got about 20 bottles brought to them, the dad snapped at the server and had them clear all of the bottles off the table. I felt so bad for his family and the server because he was really rude about it and it got awkwardly quiet real fast. I can only assume that he wasn't aware of the restaurant's theme/reputation when they booked their meal - or at least I hope that was the case because otherwise it's even worse to know about it going in and still behave that way.

I would imagine that the ketchup gag has been put on hold for the time being since having a bunch of strangers gather around your table to deliver ketchup bottles isn't the most hygienic thing during a pandemic.

 

[mergatroid]

Yeah. I ate breakfast there once and there was a family at the table next to us who all seemed to enjoy it except for the father. When someone asked for ketchup and they got about 20 bottles brought to them, the dad snapped at the server and had them clear all of the bottles off the table. I felt so bad for his family and the server because he was really rude about it and it got awkwardly quiet real fast. I can only assume that he wasn't aware of the restaurant's theme/reputation when they booked their meal - or at least I hope that was the case because otherwise it's even worse to know about it going in and still behave that way.

I would imagine that the ketchup gag has been put on hold for the time being since having a bunch of strangers gather around your table to deliver ketchup bottles isn't the most hygienic thing during a pandemic.

I can actually feel the embarrassment experienced just reading that. Even for those at other tables it must have been awkward.

 

[Lilofan]

I like Prime Time cafe. I admired and touched some of the 1950s artifacts on the shelves but I don't know they were all glued to the shelf.

 

[Sawdust]

Read a review on Tripadviser about how now if you want to be guaranteed a fun server to tell you off etc, you've got to ask? Apparently the manager told this person that the servers aren't required to 'play' anymore though some who enjoy it do, unlike pre-covid. I know from reviews that it wasn't being done by many staff when they reopened but thought that was more a 'safety' thing, anyone know if this is all true?

We were at Prime Tome last night and it is true they don’t play roles as they used to. It’s sad since the prices are so high and it didn’t seem to have the excitement it used to.

 

[mergatroid]

We were at Prime Tome last night and it is true they don’t play roles as they used to. It’s sad since the prices are so high and it didn’t seem to have the excitement it used to.

That was nearly a year ago when I posted that too, a real shame.