MyWDW Restaurant Review: Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

Cuisine: American

Lunch and Dinner (11:00 AM - 8:30 PM [Differs depending on park closing]) (Same Menu):
Service: A la Carte
Price Level: $15-$35 per person

Appetizers

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins - with Blue Cheese topping and celery sticks $9.99

Spinach and Artichoke Dip for Two - a blend of Monterey Jack, swiss, and parmesan with spinach, artichokes, and corn tortilla chips $7.99

Entrees

The All American Picnic Burger - flame broiled Angus burger patty topped with grilled hot dog, sauerkraut, and sauteed onions, drizzled with ketchup, mustard and crowned with a pickle spear, served with a choice of cucumber salad or french fries $15.99

Vegetable Burger - vegetable patty topped with cucumber planks, vine-ripened tomatoes, grilled red onions, peppery arugula, and pickle spear drizzled with balsamic vinegar served with a choice of cucumber salad or sweet potato fries $12.49

Desserts

Red Velvet Cheesecake - with raspberry sauce and whipped cream $6.99

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cake - warm chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter center served a la mode $7.99

My girlfriend arrived at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater around 6:30 for our 7 o'clock dinner reservations. We were asked to take a seat and wait for our name to be called - however, we had barely had a chance to turn around to take a seat before we were called in for dinner. The hostess guiding us to our table had a bit of fun leading us through the "backstage" area - telling us to stay close, since we were traveling through time back to the 1950's and she didn't want us to get lost along the way. It had been a while since I'd dined at the Sci-Fi Dine-In (I was probably around 11 or 12), but I knew what to expect - my girlfriend, however, was quite excited when she saw the Disney magic at work inside - rows of car-tables all facing a screen playing a 30-40 minute loop of science fiction themed cartoons, trailers, news reels, and more. Beyond the "fence," one can view stars twinkling in the sky and the hills of California in the background.

We were seated in our car - two to a seat, and we shared our car with another family (they were in their own compartments, so no interaction if you don't want it), and soon our server came up, commenting to the people in front of us that they were very kind for picking up some hitchhikers. Another element of Disney that I love with the cast members do it right - really getting into the concept of the ride or, in this case, the restaurant that they worked at, it really separates them as the best of the best in the industry. Another moment of that came later on, when after our meal, my girlfriend and I cuddled up and were teasingly scolded by our server "No public displays of affection!" - and no more than two minutes later, a reel appeared on the screen, asking the customers at the drive-in to refrain from giving into their passions and not have any PDA - definitely a very amusing moment.

So, onto the meal - my girlfriend and I had done a bit of menu research before coming, so we already knew what we wanted. I ordered the All-American Picnic Burger, breaking my usual habit of ordering something at least relatively healthy - a medium-rare burger with a sliced into quarters hot dog, sauerkraut, and grilled onions on top and fries on the side, and my girlfriend ordered the veggie burger with sweet potato fries on the side. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures, since the lighting didn't really permit it. You can see your food perfectly well thanks to lights on the tables, but it wasn't enough to lend itself well to not particularly high-quality cameras.

Our orders arrived fairly promptly, and I have to say - as gluttonous as the picnic burger may make one feel, it really is quite tasty - it brought to mind family barbeques and hamburgers and hot dogs. After all, most of the time, most of the people I know have one of each when they barbeque - why not slap them on the same bun and save the empty carbs, right? I couldn't quite finish it, though, as it was extremely filling. The fries were good, but nothing to rave over - standard Disney french fries, though nice and hot.

My girlfriend enjoyed her veggie burger, although she said that the patty itself wasn't really anything special, though the addition of cucumber planks and the balsamic vinegar drizzle made for a bit of a different experience than she was used to. She also commented that her sweet potato fries were among the best she'd ever had - so great work there, as well, Disney!

After dinner, we decided to indulge a little more (as if I really needed to indulge anymore after my meal) and order a pair of alcoholic milkshakes. I got the Marsha's Martian, a mixture of chocolate and vanilla shakes, Bailey's Irish Cream, and Kahlua, and my girlfriend got a Space Monkey, a blend of chocolate shake, coconut rum, and banana liquer. These each came with a glowing, flashing ice cube, in keeping with the sci-fi theme of the place, and we each very much enjoyed them. We also agreed that Disney does NOT skimp on the alcohol in their beverages - they were definitely strong, in a good way, and we probably would have been mildly buzzed had we not been so full from out dinners. Very tasty and a nice after-dinner addition to our meals.

With very good service and quite good food for the price, this restaurant is on pretty equal footing with many of the restaurants at Walt Disney World. It didn't knock my socks off with gourmet cuisine or anything of the like, but I wasn't expecting a reprise of Sanaa or Les Chefs de France here!

The atmosphere, however, pulls this from being above average to being really great. So long as you don't look up (the ceiling is bare and undecorated), you really get the sense that you're at a drive-in movie. Four and a half stars to this monument to Disney magic, fun, and the wackiness of 50's sci-fi and horror. Certainly not an experience to be passed up at Disney's Hollywood Studios!