50's Prime Time Café — Restaurant in Bay Lake

I give this 3.5 for this experience on this day. I had higher hopes for a fun and somewhat crazy atmosphere, and it just wasn't there today. Many changes in our current times have changed this: post covid staff shortage, political correctness, fear of discrimination and harassment lawsuits, and people are just more stressed financially and emotionally. There was no horseplay, no jokes, no feeding little children their vegetables, no dancing for the crowd. In fact our corner of patrons were not even friendly at all, which would affect the attitudes of the waitstaff. Our food was ok, typical comfort food, good enough to clean our plates. Blue plate special that day was shrimp and grits. Shrimp perfectly cooked, sauce on grits very tasty. My husband thought the pot roast was the best of the 3 on sampler platter. It was moist and tasty. Chicken somewhat dry. Meatloaf drier than we remember as kids. Probably needs more tomato sauce. Mashed, green beans and corn ok. Milkshakes very good. We had the chocolate and, yes, the PB &J milkshake.

Here are some helpful tips: 1. You can go into their 50s living room/lounge/bar and wait for your table when you are checked in. We didn't know this and spent the time walking around and sitting in hot sun. As it turned out we were seated 15 min after our reservation time. I asked for a little sample of the PB&J milkshake before I ordered it. It is not too sweet. Tastes like a butterfinger or reeses blizzard or concrete mixer. 3. You are lucky if you get seated at one of the cute little nook tables as most are plain tables against a wall or in a corner. 4. Also you are lucky if you get put in a room with rambunctious vacationers who are not afraid to engage in conversation with their fellow diners. Some waitstaff were more into their roles than others, but no one acted like cousins, aunts, uncles, grannies. If you take the initiative and joke with your waiter he might respond positively and lighten up. Overall, I can see where it could be fun and interactive back in the 50s, but not so much anymore. You might be better off in your own little car in the dark, eating a burger and fries at the SciFi Drive in Theater down the street. Or hobnobbing with the Hollywood Elite, eating Cobb Salad, Coq au Vin and Pineapple Cake at the Hollywood Brown Derby. As for this place it's nostalgic and cute, the food is pretty good, but I don't know if it was worth the $98...

So we stop in here in the middle of a busy Disney day at MGM (never forget), and I gotta tell you, the atmosphere is amazing. It's as if you're in a 1950's version of your mom's house. Old school household stuff is everywhere, and there are old tube TV's everywhere, too, playing black and white, feel-good classics. Even the servers are themed. They are allegedly our cousins, scold us for having our elbows on the table, and will not allow us to have dessert until we have eaten all of our vegetables. It's so great.

So now for food. My girlfriend and I split two entrees, like we do. She got the A Sampling of Mom's Favorite Recipes (Golden-fried Chicken, Fork Tender Pot Roast, and Traditional Meatloaf with all the fixings). This was a wonderful dish. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, the way it's supposed to be. The pot roast was honestly the best pot roast I have had that wasn't made by my own Momma. The meatloaf was ok. It was a little dry, honestly. Sorry. And the fixing were mashed potatoes and green beans. Both were good.

I, on the other hand, opted for the 50's Prime Time Café Blue Plate Special (A healthy Seasonal Alternative with all the fixings), which happened to be a barbecue plate with some ribs, some pulled pork, some little potatoes, and a jalapeno cornbread muffin. The ribs were awesome. Not fall off the bone, like you want, but the flavor was dynamite. The pulled pork was pretty good, too. The potatoes were hardy and yummy, and that muffin was probably the best part. I would have liked another one.

For dessert, we ordered the Dad's Favorite Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cake. We payed the extra $2 for the a la mode, of course. And this was really awesome. I love peanut butter flavored things more than I love peanut butter sometimes. It's just easier to eat that way. Anywho, I really enjoyed this cake. Not too sweet, nice and moist, a little warm to pair with the ice cream well. A real knock out.

Overall, this place was themed to the teeth and the food tasted really authentic and home cooked. I felt like I was at my Momma's house. A really solid place. I will come back, after I've conquered all the other restaurants on...

So this will be my first Disney World review. We made reservations here in the park.

Okay, cut to the chase. The place looks amazing as it does look like 1950's America. The staff act like the restaurant is a typical household. They call your name like a mom would call kids to the table.

While we waited I ordered a couple of drinks at the bar. Dad's Electric Lemonade and Magical Star Cocktail. The lemonade was good, not to sweet but smooth. The Magical star was fruity and very sweet. Tried both and had the wife take the Magical Star (she was quite happy). The bartender put in fake ice cubes that glow and change color (you take these home with you!).

When you're brought to the table, your server inroduces themself. Then, they tell you there are rules to follow. No elbows on the table, say please and thank you, and you have to eat your veggies. I don't know if it is sad or funny that these simple concepts are more of a gimmick than a charm, since this is not so common in American culture anymore. I loved it though, our server was a sweet gal and she played the part well.

For drinks with the meal I got a cherry coke, and my wife got a milkshake. Drinkswere very good. My wife ordered the sample plate (meatloaf, fried chicken, and pot roast) and I got the chicken pot pie. There was a piece of puff pastry at the base and on top, but the soap is obviously poured on and served in the bowl. Still pretty good, generous amounts of chicken. The wife didn't finish half her meal as it was stuff a lot of stuff she didn't want. We switched plates. I couldn't finish it. So when the meal was done, our server sat down next to me and took my fork, made airplane noises, and fed me some of the green beans. Funny as hell! She gave me a hard time, then I threw my wife under the bus. She was embarrassed, but it a fun way at least. It was a fun experience. Out meal plan included dessert. Before risking food coma before getting back to our hotel room, we got it to go. Cheesecake and peanut butter and chocolate cake. Waiting to try it.

To Disney, if you read these things, Megan our server...