50’s Prime Time Café: A Fantasmic Dining Package Review

Grab a seat at the table, because we’re heading to Mom’s kitchen to review the Fantasmic Dining Package at 50’s Prime Time Café!

Dining at 50’s Prime Time Café is like sitting at the kitchen table in a 1950’s home. Here, you’ll find Formica tables, kitschy décor, and black-and-white televisions featuring clips from popular prime-time shows of the era. It truly is a blast from the past!

Not only is the décor of 50’s Prime Time Café fully immersive, the waitstaff are too! In fact, there are no servers here – they’re family! You may have a cousin, aunt, or uncle taking care of you while you dine while Mom prepares classic American comfort food in the kitchen. And since we’re all family, you best mind your manners, or there may be consequences. That means elbows off the table, and no slouching. And don’t even think about not finishing those vegetables!

50’s Prime Time Café has been a Hollywood Studios staple since the park’s opening day. We’ve had the pleasure of dining here in the past, but on our most recent trip, we decided to treat ourselves and book the Fantasmic Dining Package.

Fantasmic Dining Package

Fantasmic Dining Packages are available at select restaurants in Hollywood Studios. Guests who book the package will receive an entrée, beverage, and dessert as well as guaranteed VIP seating for Fantasmic.

Prices and menus vary based on location, but for 50’s Prime Time Café, expect to pay $60 per adult and $23 per child.

Reservations are highly recommended, and may be booked 60 days in advance. Check out our guide for booking Advance Dining Reservations for more information!

50’s Prime Time Café Atmosphere

As I mentioned before, the theming of 50’s Prime Time Café is inspired by retro family kitchens.

Guests are sat at Formica tables with vinyl chairs in Mom’s kitchen. You’ll see kitschy knick-knacks lining the shelves that really make the space feel like a time capsule of the 1950s.

And if you’re lucky, you may have your very own black-and-white television playing clips from the era. My kids found the clips to be thoroughly entertaining!

Adjacent to the restaurant you’ll find the Tune-In Lounge. This bar area serves cocktails using ingredients from Dad’s liquor cabinet. The space feels like a 1950’s living room with vintage furniture and décor.

It’s a fantastic cozy and nostalgic spot to unwind while in the theme parks!

50’s Prime Time Café Service

The service is a large part of the experience at 50’s Prime Time Café. It’s fully immersive, and a big reason many people choose to dine here.

Mom and the extended family expect correct table etiquette. Elbows must stay off the table, napkins should be placed on your lap, and plates should be clean! Otherwise, the family may dole out punishments to those who misbehave.

We’ve seen particularly messy guests made to sweep up after themselves, or carry their dishes to the kitchen.

Now, these antics may not be for everyone. If you’d rather not be part of “the show” and simply enjoy your meal, you can let the host or your server know. They will go easy on you!

I was really looking forward to the antics, myself. But unfortunately, the hot September days were finally getting to me as well as a particularly rocky mission on the Millennium Falcon just prior to our reservation. I felt terrible, and we let Cousin Nick know so he didn’t think there was an issue with the meal.

He did a wonderful job taking care of us, with just a few gentle nudges to the kids about their elbows and finishing their food. No tough lessons or consequences were issued, and I was very grateful to him in my pathetic state!

Cousin Justin, on the other hand, was dealing swift justice to a family member he proclaimed was “NAUGHTY!” This poor soul was placed in a time out and publicly shamed by the whole restaurant. An introvert’s worst nightmare, but wildly entertaining to us!

So again, if you don’t want to play along, know you are not obligated to be part of the antics, and you can still enjoy Mom’s classic comfort food.

50’s Prime Time Café Menu

The 50’s Prime Time Café menu features classic comfort food like Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken, Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf, and Mom’s Old-Fashioned Pot Roast.

With the Fantasmic Dining Package, we were each able to order any entrée on the menu as well as dessert. We were also allowed a beverage, including alcoholic options for guests 21 and older.

Kids’ Menu

The kids’ menu at 50’s Prime Time Café allows you to create-your-own meal with the following entrees:

• Goofy’s Salmon
• Sloppy Joe Sandwich
• Grandpa’s Grilled Chicken
• Aunt Betty’s Chicken Strips

And two of the following sides:

• Green Beans & Carrots
• Stained Glass Dessert (whipped pineapple fluff with strawberry, lime, and orange gelatin)
• Grandma’s Macaroni & Cheese
• Corn
• Mashed Potatoes
• Fruit Salad
• Seasonal Cupcake

My nine-year-old surprised us all by ordering the salmon (out of character for her!), and my four-year-old went with the chicken strips. Both kiddos chose the mac-and-cheese and the cupcake as their sides (no surprise there).

The portions were very generous, and both kiddos were very happy with their food. Especially the cupcakes!

Entrees

Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken

My husband went with the fried chicken for his entrée. This was served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and corn.

He enjoyed the fried chicken, which he said was juicy and tender with a nice amount of crunch to the breading.

Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf

My oldest ordered the meatloaf. I’ve had this dish on a past visit, and really enjoyed it. It’s such a nostalgic menu item that fits the theming of the café so well.

The meatloaf is made with a blend of beef and pork, and served with roasted garlic-mashed potatoes, green beans, and a tomato glaze.

She enjoyed her entree, and earned herself a spot in the Clean Plate Club!

50’s Prime Time Café Blue Plate Special

I unfortunately had no appetite, but I decided to order the Seared Pork Chop as that seemed like the safest bet for my stomach. It was a fairly simple dish, which is what I needed.

The pork chop was served with colcannon mashed potatoes and cabernet sauvignon-onion gravy. The dish was prepared well, but I felt overall it was a little bland. However, I personally don’t gravitate toward comfort foods so that may just be a “me” thing. I also wished there was some sort of vegetable on the plate like the meatloaf.

But I’m happy to say, despite hardly making a dent in my food, this meal saved me. Sitting in the A/C, drinking water, and getting some starch and protein in my belly had me feeling immensely better in time for Fantasmic. Thank goodness for Mom’s cooking!

Desserts

Dessert options at 50’s Prime Time Café consist of the following:

• Dad’s Favorite Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cake
• Raspberry Key Lime Pie
• Traditional Warm Apple Crisp
• Vanilla Strawberry Shortcake

My husband and daughter each went with the apple crisp. They said the dessert was okay, but were disappointed in the crumble topping which they felt was lacking.

I chose to go with the chocolate-peanut butter cake. The cake was very rich and dense, and not too sweet which I appreciated. However, I felt it was a touch dry, and I didn’t pick up on much peanut butter flavor.

Fantasmic Seating

At the conclusion of our meal, we received vouchers to gain us access to the reserved seating area for Fantasmic. This was a great way to take the stress out of attending the show. No dealing with crowds or standing in long lines for over an hour before showtime.

We strolled into the venue 25min before the show, and were led to our reserved seating area. We had a great view in the center of the theater and were very close to the front!

Final Thoughts

So, is the Fantasmic Dining Package at 50’s Prime Time Café worth it? First and foremost, is attending Fantasmic a priority for your party? If so, the dining package is a great way to guarantee a stress-free viewing!

Second, is the theming at 50’s Prime Time Café (and the antics) a draw or deterrent? If your party is all-in on the playful banter, then you will have a blast here. However, if you’d prefer a quieter meal without the zaniness, you will be better off at one of the other restaurants offering the Fantasmic Dining Package. The theming really is the main draw to this restaurant.

Third, are you a fan of classic comfort food? If this is right up your alley – you’ll appreciate the menu here. There are also lighter fare options to suite a variety of palates. But if you’re looking for an incredible meal, I recommend booking the Fantasmic Dining Package at Hollywood Brown Derby.

All in all, I was happy we booked the Fantastic Dining Package for our last park day. It was a great way to end the trip with a special meal and wonderful view of Fantasmic!

I hope you enjoyed our review of 50’s Prime Time Café! Looking for other Disney Dining Reviews? Then check out our reviews of Tusker House and Morimoto Asia!