Some meals are gorgeous. And some just taste good.
We’d had a taste for fried chicken for a few days over the weekend. Normally we’d head over to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Disney Springs for it but I wanted to do something different last night. It’s probably been 6 months since we were last at 50’s Prime Time in Hollywood Studios but I know they have killer comfort food, and I wasn’t opposed to hitting Toy Story Mania and Tower of Terror after dinner, so we decided to grab a reservation and head that way.
If you haven’t been to 50’s Prime Time, I’d put it on your essential Disney experiences list. Set in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it’s designed to take you back in time to your grandmother’s house circa 1950. The decor, waiters and waitresses, and FOOD are unapologetically mid-century. Old TV shows are playing on old TVs.
And your waiter will tell you to get your elbows off the table and force feed you vegetables – but you’ll forgive him because he’s hilarious and bringing you meatloaf that would stand up against what your own mother used to make for you. (I’d say it might be better but I value my life….)
It’s easy to forget how good this place is. There are so many fine dining options in Walt Disney World and I’m definitely as guilty as the next person when it comes to lumping 50s Prime Time in with the kitschy experiences over the foodie ones. But the kitsch here is also why the food is so good. It’s not meant to be pretty or out there or novel. It’s meant to be the best kind of comfort food. The kind that your own mother (or grandmother, depending on your age) made for you when you were growing up.
Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken with corn and mashed potatoes is heaven.
Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf could care less that it’s ugly because it knows that it’s freaking DELICIOUS. Girl you can keep your truffles. I’ll be over here nose diving into this (while admittedly never bothering to take a picture of it again).
And we didn’t happen to get it last night – but I’ll also give a shout out to Grandma’s Chicken Pot Pie because it’s just as good as the fried chicken and meatloaf if that’s what you have a taste for.
And while you’re there don’t miss the peanut butter and jelly milkshake. It’s an institution.
As is the traditional warm apple crisp à la mode.
All in all, it’s not the hardest place in the world to become a member of the clean plate club. (Please excuse my wet little child. We’d just come in from a huge storm….)
And as a little hack…if you ever want a quick experience of what 50’s Prime Time has to offer without a reservation, you can get much of the menu…along with one of the best martinis (or a long list of other drinks) in town at the bar at the attached Tune-In Lounge.
Plus you can still wander about a little in that space and remember days gone by. We have such a good time noticing all of the little details and talking about the memories that they bring back.
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Have you been to 50’s Prime Time Café? If you haven’t, check it out! Definitely grab a reservation first, because they do fill up, but it’s usually easy to grab them for the same day if you check diligently and use my system for scoring hard to get ADRs. 😉
Also, like most ADR spots on property, they honor Tables in Wonderland and the DVC and AP discounts, so use them if you’ve got them!!
