Don't even bother...

[Irrawaddy Erik]

I know I'm going to step on some toes but I think 50's Prime Time is over rated. I've tried the restaurant three times. I've always been told that everyone has a great experience. The first time I went the server never said a word to us just "What do you want?" When the food came out she threw it on the table and walked away. My other two visits were not much better.

 

[ilovepluto23]

I know I'm going to step on some toes but I think 50's Prime Time is over rated. I've tried the restaurant three times. I've always been told that everyone has a great experience. The first time I went the server never said a word to us just "What do you want?" When the food came out she threw it on the table and walked away. My other two visits were not much better.

My parents enjoyed 50's Prime Time, and we did have a good waiter "Uncle Tim". However, I was honestly uncomfortable. The "experience" kinda freaked me out.

Oh well, everyone's different!

 

[Woody13]

My family and I have eaten at WDW restaurants during the past 30 years. We haven’t eaten at all of them but we have learned one very valuable lesson. If you find a restaurant that you like, just wait a year or two and they’ll change the menu or the food supplier and find a way to make the food taste terrible. Food at WDW is in a constant state of change. I could list at least 20 or more menu items that I really enjoyed, but now they’re gone.

The same is true for restaurants at WDW. The restaurants that I like seem to often go out of business and are either never replaced or are replaced with greasy spoons. Frankly, most food served at WDW is rather unhealthy for a person like me. I prefer fresh fruit, salads, juice and turkey legs. I avoid anything that is fried or grilled. My arteries are clogged enough. I don’t need any help from WDW!

In addition, I don’t enjoy playing games with the CM’s. I eat to provide healthy fuel for my body. I don’t like to dawdle at meal times. Also, when I eat I do not drink any sort of beverage with solid food. Waiters will ask me for my beverage selection and I tell them I do not want a beverage. Some waiters will say, “Are you sure you don’t want a beverage?” At that point, I get up and walk out. Obviously, if I wanted a beverage, I would have asked for one. I have found the WDW wait staff to vary widely in quality throughout the entire resort.

In short, WDW restaurants are always a crap shoot from visit to visit. :wave:

 

[ilovepluto23]

The same is true for restaurants at WDW. The restaurants that I like seem to often go out of business and are either never replaced or are replaced with greasy spoons. Frankly, most food served at WDW is rather unhealthy for a person like me. I prefer fresh fruit, salads, juice and turkey legs. I avoid anything that is fried or grilled. My arteries are clogged enough. I don’t need any help from WDW!

In addition, I don’t enjoy playing games with the CM’s. I eat to provide healthy fuel for my body. I don’t like to dawdle at meal times. Also, when I eat I do not drink any sort of beverage with solid food. Waiters will ask me for my beverage selection and I tell them I do not want a beverage. Some waiters will say, “Are you sure you don’t want a beverage?” At that point, I get up and walk out. Obviously, if I wanted a beverage, I would have asked for one. I have found the WDW wait staff to vary widely in quality throughout the entire resort.

Glad you're a very health-conscious eater...I wish I could psyche myself into that!

I used to be a waitress, and I know from personal experience that if someone tells me they don't want a beverage...and then I don't ask "Are you sure?" (I usually ask "Are you sure you wouldn't like just a glass of water?")...I will probably end up getting a rude jerk who will snap at me for not getting them a drink or something. I think they just ask you "Are you sure?" to be polite and avoid any problems. It seems you take just a simple thing a little too much to heart...no offense. It probably causes you more stress to walk out and go eat elsewhere than if you would just tell them "No, I'm sure."

But hey, it's your life...do what you want. Just a friendly opinion!

 

[Woody13]

Glad you're a very health-conscious eater...I wish I could psyche myself into that!

I used to be a waitress, and I know from personal experience that if someone tells me they don't want a beverage...and then I don't ask "Are you sure?" (I usually ask "Are you sure you wouldn't like just a glass of water?")...I will probably end up getting a rude jerk who will snap at me for not getting them a drink or something. I think they just ask you "Are you sure?" to be polite and avoid any problems. It seems you take just a simple thing a little too much to heart...no offense. It probably causes you more stress to walk out and go eat elsewhere than if you would just tell them "No, I'm sure."

But hey, it's your life...do what you want. Just a friendly opinion!

My wife has been telling me the same thing for years now! When I ask for water, my wife registers a smile of relief. When the water comes, I look for a plant that needs a drink. :lol: :wave:

 

[barnum42]

I don’t like to dawdle at meal times.

That's a very American attitude to eating out that my sister quickly discovered with my Brother in law. Over time she was able to educate him in the joys of a relaxed meal out with breathing time between the courses. Makes for a much more enjoyable evening. Surrounding tables will turn three times when they dine out now.

However the chew n screw method does apply to Disney - get the food in you then head off to the next ride! I tend to just to counter restaurants for the most past, but when I ate in waiter service places that were not in World Showcase, I could not help but feel hurried - they wanted me in and out ASAP to get the table turned around for another pile of money.

 

[RogueHabit]

Princss storybook (Akershus) terrible food, not worth the money

Totally agree, we did this last year and it was a massive disappointment.

• Very overpriced for the menu
• characters rushed by, even with the place barely 1/4 occupied
• food took far too long to arrive
• our hostess spent more time out back then she did tending to the people at her tables.

 

[KnK]

My parents enjoyed 50's Prime Time, and we did have a good waiter "Uncle Tim". However, I was honestly uncomfortable. The "experience" kinda freaked me out.

Oh well, everyone's different!

So glad someone said this. I feel the same way. Went once and had to leave during the meal. Just too much interaction. If your into great, but if you are not, not enjoyable.

I am not a big character meal person either. But as always.... everyone has different taste. Thats why they are opinions.

Also, we are the dawdle type. We tend to linger over dinner and even lunch.

 

[slappy magoo]

However the chew n screw method does apply to Disney - get the food in you then head off to the next ride! I tend to just to counter restaurants for the most past, but when I ate in waiter service places that were not in World Showcase, I could not help but feel hurried - they wanted me in and out ASAP to get the table turned around for another pile of money.

Playing Devil's Advocate, but maybe, if you're the host or hostess, and you see the line of people with reservations, and the line of people on standby hoping they could be fit in somewhere, crying children, lack of seats for people waiting, tempers flaring...I could see how they might ask the wait staff to try to hurry people along. Granted, I'm sure money has something to do with it, but I'm sure it's also just as important that they try not to make anyone angry because they can't be seated fast enough, or at all. So the host(ess), wait staff and management have to constantly gauge the situation and keep the tables turning over at an acceptable rate without having anyone feel too terribly hurried. You would need a Master's in Psychology and the Jedi Mind Trick in order to keep everyone happy.


Oh, and as for the poster who complained about not wanting a beverage, I kinda agree with you, especially when it comes to alcoholic beverages. When the wait staff insists that I really really want an alcoholic beverage instead of a diet coke, THAT'S when *I* think they're looking for a bigger tip by having me order expensive drinks and lower my inhibitions. I'm not usually much of a drinker, and even less so in stifling Florida heat, where alcohol will dehydrate you instantly.

But if you're asking for nothing to drink at all, in WDW, their request might not be one of "let's see 15% of no drink at all is nothing at all!" It might be one of "It's a hundred and eleventy-seven degrees out and this cat ain't thirsty? AT ALL?"

It's of course your prerogative to not want any beverage, but often enough, if you just ask for a glass of water, it'll probably nip any potential for anger in the bud. And who knows? Maybe whatever you order will be so hot or spicy, having some water might be helpful

Food (or drink) for thought.

 

[mouselvrmom]

I really don't mind being hurried along at meal times since I have four small children and since I realize that a lot of other people want to eat as well. The one restaurant that I was really disappointed in on our last trip was Alfredo's. I really made a wrong choice, instead of trying the Fettuccinne, I opted for the Lasagne, which I really did not like. My husband likened it to a can of Chef Boyardee. I guess I went in with really high expectations.

 

[Woody13]

That's a very American attitude to eating out that my sister quickly discovered with my Brother in law. Over time she was able to educate him in the joys of a relaxed meal out with breathing time between the courses. Makes for a much more enjoyable evening. Surrounding tables will turn three times when they dine out now.

I mentioned this thread to my wife. We ate lunch today at a very nice local seafood restaurant and had a very delicious meal. We had a long and relaxing dining experience. During our conversation she reminded me that, at one time, the ABC Commissary had very good food. They changed the menu a few years ago and now the food is terrible. She also reminded me that the same thing happened to the Lotus Blossom Café. She had a rather long list of restaurants at WDW that have, over the years, declined in quality.

However the chew n screw method does apply to Disney - get the food in you then head off to the next ride! I tend to just to counter restaurants for the most past, but when I ate in waiter service places that were not in World Showcase, I could not help but feel hurried - they wanted me in and out ASAP to get the table turned around for another pile of money.

Indeed, I agree. I don’t go to WDW for the fine food. I am there for the attractions. I want to see and do things. I don’t want to relax! I’m wound up pretty tight when I hit the parks. The time spent on a leisurely meal translates to missed opportunities to ride Splash Mountain or other favorites. I have plenty of fine restaurants in my local community that serve excellent seafood, Cajun, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and other great cuisine. WDW has never been high on my list for dining experiences. :wave:

Oh, and as for the poster who complained about not wanting a beverage, I kinda agree with you, especially when it comes to alcoholic beverages. When the wait staff insists that I really really want an alcoholic beverage instead of a diet coke, THAT'S when *I* think they're looking for a bigger tip by having me order expensive drinks and lower my inhibitions. I'm not usually much of a drinker, and even less so in stifling Florida heat, where alcohol will dehydrate you instantly.

When I was young and immortal, I would sometimes order an alcoholic drink with my meal. Now that I am older and mortal, I avoid all alcohol. I don’t desire to be around other people that are imbibing alcohol. I have no patience with people that are inebriated. I avoid those situations.

But if you're asking for nothing to drink at all, in WDW, their request might not be one of "let's see 15% of no drink at all is nothing at all!" It might be one of "It's a hundred and eleventy-seven degrees out and this cat ain't thirsty? AT ALL?"

It's of course your prerogative to not want any beverage, but often enough, if you just ask for a glass of water, it'll probably nip any potential for anger in the bud. And who knows? Maybe whatever you order will be so hot or spicy, having some water might be helpful

Food (or drink) for thought.

Yes, you are right. I make it a habit now to ask for water with my meal, but I never drink the water. I don’t have the need to “wash down” my food with a drink or use a beverage to rescue my taste buds from hot or spicy foods. The foods that I eat normally contain more than enough hydration for my body. If I need additional hydration, water fountains abound at WDW. Or you might find me drinking a hot cup of Oolong tea at the Lotus Blossom Café. :wave:

 

[barnum42]

I avoid all alcohol. I don’t desire to be around other people that are imbibing alcohol. I have no patience with people that are inebriated. I avoid those situations.

Best you stay clear of the UK. Or if you do, avoid city centres on a weekend (including Fridays). The binge culture means those of us who don't drink are by far the exception and those who go out on a weekend drink to excess with all the obnoxious behaviour, violence and visits to the hospital that involved.

 

[figment1985]

I know I'm going to step on some toes but I think 50's Prime Time is over rated. I've tried the restaurant three times. I've always been told that everyone has a great experience. The first time I went the server never said a word to us just "What do you want?" When the food came out she threw it on the table and walked away. My other two visits were not much better.

Yeah- they are supposed to act unpleasant... I kinda got irritated with it sometimes but then I just laughed it all off. Last time I went we had this waiter who they called "Cousin Pip". He was hilarious. The portion sizes were good there.. I had the fried chicken (being from the south and all) and it was good.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE

The mexican restaurant in mexico.. San Angel?? IT WAS HORRIBLE. The steak I had was tough and the food was just plain as can be.. and for $70 bucks and no alcohol? NOT WORTH IT. Trust me folks, you can get better mexican food at taco bell.

 

[figment1985]

Best you stay clear of the UK.

Ha ha ha ha ha.. exactly.. so you don't run into drunken figments like myself ;-)

 

[BrittanyRose428]

I totally agree. The pizza at WDW is gross. Even my kids don't like it -- and my oldest has never met a pizza he didn't like before this. Bad crust, nasty sauce -- and it doesn't seem to matter where you get it: parks, foodcourt or roomservice. A frozen Tombstone tastes better.

Evergreens at Shades of Green has really good pizza. But weve been there once when the service wasnt so slooooooooooooow.

 

[joelleharbert]

I personally found the ESPN Club on the boardwalk to be highly overrated. I could have found better wings at a BW3 and the prices were astronomical, IMHO. Also, even though Cosmic Rays in MK usually gets decent reviews, I thought the food was absolutely horrible. I would rather have left the park and found the old stand-by Mickey D's.:hurl:

 

[Irrawaddy Erik]

Yeah- they are supposed to act unpleasant... I kinda got irritated with it sometimes but then I just laughed it all off. Last time I went we had this waiter who they called "Cousin Pip". He was hilarious. The portion sizes were good there.. I had the fried chicken (being from the south and all) and it was good.

Just to clarify the servers at Prime time are not supposed to be unpleasant, they are supposed to act like "adults" or authority figures. I've had just plain RUDE servers there. So much so that I will probably never attempt to go again.

 

[gatordoc]

I personally found the ESPN Club on the boardwalk to be highly overrated. I could have found better wings at a BW3 and the prices were astronomical, IMHO.

You know, I used to agree with you, but sometimes it's what you order. We tend to be there on most of our WDW trips because there's always some sporting event I want to see that's not on a channel offered by Disney in-room. Well, last time I was there, I ordered the hot dog, and it was really good (not to mention one of the biggest hot dogs I've ever had). Although with my luck, they'll have changed it or taken it off the menu by the time I go back...

 

[rbrower]

I think that it really depends on what you like as to what places you should avoid. Two of my favorite places to eat are tony's and mama melroses (you can tell I like italian) but I hated Califoria Grill. But it really does depends on the food, the atmosphere, and what you want to pay for the food.

 

[Woody13]

Although with my luck, they'll have changed it or taken it off the menu by the time I go back...

You and I have the same luck. :wave: