Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

As you enter the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, you might think you are in the wrong place.  The check-in area looks like the back of a movie set, not the drive-in theater you’re expecting.  But once your party is called and you turn the corner into the dining area, you are taken into another world.  Guests are seated either in 1950s convertible “cars” or picnic tables for larger groups, all of which are facing a large movie screen playing clips from 1950s and 1960s Sci-Fi movies.  How fun!

In our last visit, my husband Barry and I were seated in the backseat of one of the car tables and told to behave by our hostess.  Everyone knows what can happen in the backseat at the drive-in.  We looked over the menu and noticed there were a few new menu items, including the All American Picnic Burger.  This monster is a burger patty topped with a grilled hot dog, sauerkraut, sauteed onions, ketchup, mustard and a pickle…yikes!

We decided to split the spinach and artichoke dip to start, which was served with tortilla chips.  The dip was tasty, but very garlicky, so we knew we were safe from the vampires in those movie trailers.  I was expecting a gooey, cheesy dip, but the consistency was a bit runnier than I expected.  We also thought that pita chips would be a nicer compliment than the tortilla chips, but overall this was a good way to start the meal.

For our main meal, Barry ordered the Angus Chuck Burger with French fries and I had the Smoked Turkey Sandwich with sweet potato fries.  Barry’s burger came with cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes.  He opted not to have the sautéed mushrooms.  He wasn’t thrilled with the burger, as it was overcooked and dry even though he asked for it to be cooked medium.

My sandwich on the other hand was very good.  The portion was HUGE and enough for two people to split.  There was a good amount of turkey on two thick slices of multi-grain bread with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and a delicious avocado mayonnaise.  The sweet potato fries were a good choice and a nice complement to the sandwich.

Overall, the food at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant is nothing spectacular, but the atmosphere is fun and unique.  It’s worth a try for lunch if you’re looking for a trip back in time and enjoy some good Sci-Fi flicks.  You might even get to see some old footage of Walt Disney!