Has 50s Prime Time Been Tamed?

[worldfanatic]

I'm not really into the shenanigans at 50's Prime Time or Whispering Canyon @ the Wilderness Lodge (just not my thing), but I still eat there on occasion.
I've found the servers to be very intuitive about knowing who to tone down the "schtick" with. Although obviously they don't always get the signals to turn it on.
On our last visit to 50's PT, we were seated at the same time as a family of eight next to us. The "Grandpa" apparently was the only one who had dined there previously.
Before the server ever showed their face, he had already enthusiastically told the entire family "all" of the amazing, hilarious, & life changing fun that was coming.
"We're all gonna have nicknames!"
"Scottie will be sent to the corner"
etc. etc. etc.

Needless to say, I'm sure he felt a bit foolish when absolutely none of this madcap hijinks occurred.
At the end of the meal he was telling the entire table that their server "must be brand new".

 

[NormC]

At end of July they were still in full performance mode. They made a girl stand with her nose against the wall for using her phone at the table. Our server was very good. We always have a great time there.

 

[Master Yoda]

I have been going there multiple times per year since the late 90s and I can count the number of times the cast was not on point on one had and have a few fingers left to spare.

Like many have suggested, the cast's read on you is important. If you come off a bit stick in the mud-ish they tend to tone things down. We come in playing the part so there is little doubt that we are there to have fun.

The cast can also have a bad day or even just a bad seating. How many times have we all had our work day ruined by just one crappy customer or coworker. You can't always just shake it off right away.

 

[French Quarter]

Like many have suggested, the cast's read on you is important. If you come off a bit stick in the mud-ish they tend to tone things down. We come in playing the part so there is little doubt that we are there to have fun.

I really don't think that those of us who are talking about being disappointed in the lack of antics are sticks in the mud. Obviously, we were looking forward to and would be encouraging the fun. I think it has more to do with the server than the customer.

 

[Master Yoda]

I really don't think that those of us who are talking about being disappointed in the lack of antics are sticks in the mud. Obviously, we were looking forward to and would be encouraging the fun. I think it has more to do with the server than the customer.

Maybe you should read all of my post.

 

[French Quarter]

Maybe you should read all of my post.

I did. I agreed with the part where you said it could be that the server was having a bad day. And I disagreed with the part about the stick-in-the-mud.

 

[Dj Corona]

I love the pot roast there, but I avoid the shenanigans by eating at the bar, maybe someday I'll try the full experience!

 

[LieutLaww]

When I was there in Sept I had a good server as did the tables around me, made me set my table, told me off for elbows on the table and gave me a sticker for finishing my main

 

[Jon81uk]

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

Apparently Whispering Canon has this, a card to show green to take part or red if you just want to watch.

 

[awheartsdw]

We had a fantastic waitress during our visit in August. I can't recall her name, but we've seen her in YouTube videos before. Older woman, I believe she had us call her Mama. She asked if we had dined at the restaurant before, we said yes, and she said good-set the table and handed my husband plates and utensils. She took our order and came back with a strawberry milkshake for my daughter. She turned to my husband and asked if he was allergic to strawberries, he said no and she fed him a spoonful of the milkshake. She asked me if I was allergic to strawberries, I too said no and was spoon fed some of the milkshake. She then went on to say that she too wasn't allergic to strawberries and "pretended" to take a spoonful for herself. We were cracking up. My husband finished his meal and she made a big deal about being part of the clean plate club (though he was bummed that she forgot to give me a sticker). And with dessert she addressed my husband, @aw14 as "Skippy" and made a few colorful comments to him. She was a trip. We really enjoyed her and we played right along with the schtick.

 

[aw14]

We had a fantastic waitress during our visit in August. I can't recall her name, but we've seen her in YouTube videos before. Older woman, I believe she had us call her Mama. She asked if we had dined at the restaurant before, we said yes, and she said good-set the table and handed my husband plates and utensils. She took our order and came back with a strawberry milkshake for my daughter. She turned to my husband and asked if he was allergic to strawberries, he said no and she fed him a spoonful of the milkshake. She asked me if I was allergic to strawberries, I too said no and was spoon fed some of the milkshake. She then went on to say that she too wasn't allergic to strawberries and "pretended" to take a spoonful for herself. We were cracking up. My husband finished his meal and she made a big deal about being part of the clean plate club (though he was bummed that she forgot to give me a sticker). And with dessert she addressed my husband, @aw14 as "Skippy" and made a few colorful comments to him. She was a trip. We really enjoyed her and we played right along with the schtick.

This was the best dinner experience we had the entire trip. The food was excellent, but she made the experience far better.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

I've eaten there just once, and that was enough. Not one person was playing any kind of part, and we had a normal sit down restaurant kind of experience. On top of that, the food wasn't very good. Could just be another example of the erosion of Disney standards.

 

[French Quarter]

I've eaten there just once, and that was enough. Not one person was playing any kind of part, and we had a normal sit down restaurant kind of experience. On top of that, the food wasn't very good. Could just be another example of the erosion of Disney standards.

Or maybe you just didn't like it?

 

[DisneyJunkie]

Or maybe you just didn't like it?

Would you if you expected the people there to be in character and they weren't?

 

[bpadair32]

What gave it away?

I think his point was that it may have very little to do with Disney standards and a whole lot to do with it just being something you did not enjoy.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

I think his point was that it may have very little to do with Disney standards and a whole lot to do with it just being something you did not enjoy.

Oh.....well actually I did not enjoy it, in part, because no one there was in character or made any effort, plus the food wasn't good.

 

[Maerj]

We had a fantastic waitress during our visit in August. I can't recall her name, but we've seen her in YouTube videos before. Older woman, I believe she had us call her Mama. She asked if we had dined at the restaurant before, we said yes, and she said good-set the table and handed my husband plates and utensils. She took our order and came back with a strawberry milkshake for my daughter. She turned to my husband and asked if he was allergic to strawberries, he said no and she fed him a spoonful of the milkshake. She asked me if I was allergic to strawberries, I too said no and was spoon fed some of the milkshake. She then went on to say that she too wasn't allergic to strawberries and "pretended" to take a spoonful for herself. We were cracking up. My husband finished his meal and she made a big deal about being part of the clean plate club (though he was bummed that she forgot to give me a sticker). And with dessert she addressed my husband, @aw14 as "Skippy" and made a few colorful comments to him. She was a trip. We really enjoyed her and we played right along with the schtick.

I had similar comments when I cleaned by plate, this was years ago. I remember the one waitress help it up and said "It's so clean, I don't think that we need to wash it!"

On our last visit, they didn't bother with us too much. We had our 6 year old daughter with us and she was afraid of the servers. They must have sensed that. It was okay though.

 

[Pete256]

We like the food because it is a filling lunch and a good value for 1 dining credit ; you get as good a piece of grilled salmon as you might at Artist point - we also like the theme but we get annoyed at times with the acting. Its cute the first time...We often are seated next to a large group who thinks it is the greatest thing they ever saw and play act back and forth while we cant get our drink order because the waitress is tied up amusing them.

Fortunately, when we were there in June the waitress identified this and went out of character, got our drinks and food and just gave us great service without the schlock. We actually enjoyed it a lot more. She also got a very nice tip for understanding the customer and doing the right thing.

 

[French Quarter]

Would you if you expected the people there to be in character and they weren't?

I was responding to you saying that this is another sign of Disney's erosion of standards. I was saying your bad experience might not have had such a sinister reason behind it.

I did eat there and found our server wasn't in character and already gave my opinion on this very thread.

 

[Kayla Marie]

We love 50's prime time! Last time we went we had a blast! If you want a good waiter that's going to play the part ask for Brannen! (if he's still there) He was so much fun! He yelled at me for having my "walkie talkie" out at the dinner table and called everyone around us our cousins. The guy (one of our cousins) beside us didn't eat his greens so Brannen did the "Choo Choo" and made him eat it the guy was laughing the whole time it was one of the best times we've had there! We never miss going there!