Nothing at a Disney World park is cheap and not all dining experiences at a park are worth the money. Is Sci-Fi Dine-In Restaurant worth it?
Nestled on the corner of Commissary Lane next to the Baseline Tap House, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is an off-the-norm restaurant that some guests may overlook. They shouldn't discount this wonderful experience and yes, it is quite wonderful.
On the day we went, reservations were sold out for the entire week. We opted to try to get reservations on Tuesday but no luck. When we went on Wednesday, still no luck. My wife decided to keep trying and we were shocked when she happened to refresh the Disney Parks app and a cancellation had taken place.
We were able to get a table, or in this case, a car. It was entirely luck so make sure you book this well ahead of time so you don't miss out.
Should you want to eat at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater? Yeah, especially if you have kids. Our kids loved the theme. Their 12, 14, and 5-year-old eyes lit up when they first saw the dining room. A large spacious and dimmed room with a massive Drive-In movie screen in the front.
Instead of traditional tables, there are booths in the shape of convertibles. Three rows for most cars and they face the front screen. There are some that face sideways which I thought was a little odd and there is a possibility that you could get seated with strangers either in front of you or behind you. It isn't a big deal as it isn't completely private anyway.
In our car, we were able to sit two to a row front to back. My kids loved the various shorts that were played on the screen in a tradition of the old 50s and 60s. Black and white films mixed with colorized versions of cartoons and such. It was quite fun and reminded me of a dinner theater.
The menu is open to whatever you want to order. It is a burger and sandwich joint with some other options but for the most part, it is simple food with nice flavor. The burgers are seasoned very well and the fries are nice and thick. The prices are what you would expect, $24.00 per plate and a lesser-priced kids menu.
Keep in mind, at every Disney park these days, gratuity is included in your bill but not in the menu prices.
I ordered a Bhan Mi burger which consisted of pork belly and pork. I love Bhan Mi sandwiches but I did not like this one at all. Horribly disappointed. The pork was very fatty and the pork belly was hardly cooked. It was way too salty and there simply wasn't enough water to correct that.
I didn't eat even half of it and when I returned from the bathroom, the car-hop waiter had taken it and replaced it at no charge with a regular burger after consulting my wife. There is a fantastic BBQ burger.
We also ordered onion rings and deep-fried pickles. Let me just say that Disney should sell both of those items at every park at kiosks. They were quite good.
Overall, our experience was fantastic. No one had a complaint, other than me and the Bhan Mi not getting along. I would actually consider eating here again but probably will try somewhere else instead that I haven't tried yet.
If you are looking for a fun and different type of dining experience, you should consider Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. I don't think you would be disappointed.