Enjoying time spent with your family over a meal is a special part of every holiday and Disney is no different, even though you have a packed itinerary of rides and attractions to cram into your day. Eating together is a luxury these days, and for many of us, having everyone around the table at the same time only really happens with any certain regularity when you are on vacation. Fortunately, Disney has some amazing restaurants at all its theme parks and resorts to make your culinary experience as memorable as the rest of your activities.
What are the best restaurants at Hollywood Studios? If you are looking for table service, there are five restaurants available and the best of these is either the Sci-Fi Dine-In or the 50s Prime Time Cafe as they both offer a varied menu in a spectacularly themed environment. Of the quick service options, the ABC Commissary is one of the most popular as well as Fairfax Faire. With up to 26 different places to eat, including five table service restaurants and ten quick service outlets, there is certainly something for all palettes at Hollywood Studios.
Whether you want to eat on the run or enjoy a leisurely family meal, restaurants at Disney World including Hollywood Studios have a huge variety of different menus and themes to choose from. Some families prefer to pay for their food in advance to help budget their spending money, and this is easily done with a Disney Dining Plan. In many cases, eating out at Disney can be part of a wider experience when linked to a show or attraction as part of a Disney Dining Package. These can include meals where characters will join you at the table and interact with all members of the family, along with photo opportunities and the chance to take part in some wholesome family fun. There are many options for your day at Hollywood Studios, so it is best to plan ahead to make sure you make the most of all the opportunities on offer. Dinner reservations can be booked before you arrive so your full day’s itinerary, including food, is completely sorted and all you need to think about is what fun there is to be had.
- Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
- Oga’s Cantina at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- 50’s Prime Time Cafe
- The Hollywood Brown Derby
- The ABC Commissary
- Fairfax Fare
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
This cool eaterie in Hollywood Studios’ Commissary Lane is designed like a drive-in movie theatre with booths shaped like 50s style cars and a constant reel of sci-fi movies showing as you eat. It is a table-service restaurant so waitresses will serve you at your car under a sky full of stars. Enjoy your meal and a show with all the trimmings of a traditional drive-in, with the taillights of the other cars in front of you and a movie-style concession stand at the entrance. The entire restaurant is filled with movie memorabilia and there is something to entertain everyone, young or old. A meal here will certainly be memorable. The menu includes all the traditional drive-in favorites such as burgers, fries, and shakes. There are also pasta dishes, sandwiches, and steaks on offer. Seafood lovers won’t be left out as the shrimp and crab fondue is a perfect starter and pan-seared shrimp is another popular menu item. Vegetarians are also well catered for as there are tofu lettuce wraps, tofu burgers, and a “crabless” cake on offer which is served with vegetarian coleslaw and vegan remoulade. Desserts include warm doughnuts, s’mores brownies and ice cream and a specially made candy bar. The drinks are most striking about this restaurant as adult cocktails are served with ice cubes that glow in the dark while children are served a glowing fruit punch with a character clip-on that lights up to make the most of the movie night style experience, A meal at the Sci-fi Dine-In is sure to please everyone and will be remembered for a long time.
Oga’s Cantina at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars lovers will adore the chance to enjoy a meal at Oga’s restaurant where Jabba the Hut first met Hans Solo. There aren’t many seats available here and booking ahead is vital if you want to make sure of a space. It is more of a watering hole than an eaterie and the food on offer is mainly snack food and breakfasts but it is well worth a visit for the experience alone. As you might expect, all of the menu items are based on intergalactic recipes with snacks like Batuu Bits and drinks called Jabba Juice. Music is supplied by a droid and cast members are all dressed in keeping with the theme. Breakfast meals include an overnight oat mix and Mustafarian Lava Roll which will keep you going for the first part of your day in Hollywood Studios.
50’s Prime Time Cafe
Another popular restaurant, the 50’s Prime Time Cafe serves American food all day with something for all palettes and appetites. Set in Echo Lake, the cafe has all the decor you would expect of an authentic 50’s diner including Formica tables and vinyl chairs. The food on offer is based on home cooking with names like Mom’s Old Fashioned Pot Roast and Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf. A firm favorite is Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken served with gravy and mashed potatoes the old-fashioned way. There is plenty on offer for vegans and vegetarians with plant-based options on the list and the children’s menu includes an option to make their own by choosing from a list of mains with a choice of accompaniments. Goofy’s Salmon and Grandma’s Macaroni Cheese are top choices. You can take a seat at a TV table where each booth has a private TV that shows clips from 50’s TV shows. It feels as though you have stepped back in time as the restaurant itself looks like a realistic 1950s living room with all the fixtures and fittings that would have been around at the time. The cast members play the part of the family members as though you have dropped in to have a meal with Mom and the clan. For older guests, this cafe is a trip down memory lane and even younger visitors can feel nostalgic as they appreciate what homes were like back in the 1950s.
The Hollywood Brown Derby
No list of Hollywood Studios restaurants would be complete without this, the finest of them all. Eating here is an event in itself and you will need to spare a reasonable chunk of time to savor everything the restaurant has to offer. Lunch and dinner are served here, so you may like to make this your last stop of the day to give you ample time to relax and enjoy the experience. First of all, the environment is crafted as a true replica of the original Brown Derby which was a favorite haunt of celebrities in Hollywood, with its art decor style checkered tiles, over-sized globes, and dark mahogany woodwork. The high ceiling gives it a light and airy feel and the caricatures of famous faces around the walls is a direct link to the Brown Derby admired by all the starts during Hollywood’s heyday. The menu is understandably not cheap as this is signature dining at its best, although some dining plans are still accepted. The Hollywood Brown Derby books up well in advance so you need to make reservations as soon as you can, up to 30 days in advance for standard tickets and up to 60 days ahead for anyone staying in a Disney hotel. Even the burgundy canopy over the entrance gives off the red carpet feeling and live background music helps to create an atmosphere of high style and true class.
The menu at the Hollywood Brown Derby is everything you would expect from a top class Californian restaurant. Starters include a decadent oyster soup and sumptuous Beef Carpaccio which mixes capers with fine toasted French bread. As a main course, the Charred Filet of Beef is a firm favorite and seafood fans will love the Black Grouper and Lobster Cioppino or the Faroe Island Salmon. Vegetarians are tempted with a classic Vegetarian Pho which includes ginger lemongrass broth and mushroom and tofu spring rolls. A Garlic Herb Butter Basted Cold Water Lobster Tail is served as a luxurious snack and the desserts are to die for, with an Espresso Cheesecake and Grapefruit Cake an example of the rich, creamy offerings available. Children are not left out as their main choices include steak, grilled chicken, or a lowly hot dog. Authentic Hollywood cocktails top off what will be a truly remarkable meal.
Are Dining Packages Available at the Hollywood Brown Derby?
If you are looking for a night to remember, combining the signature restaurant with one of Disney’s best shows will make for a night out the family will never forget. Combine a meal at the Brown Derby with VIP tickets to watch Fantasmic, which includes music, fireworks, and all the stars of Disney’s best movies. You can also book a meal with an Imagineer who will join you at the Brown Derby and tell you all the secrets behind the planning and design of different sections of Hollywood Studios and other Disney Parks.
What If We Want To Eat Quickly?
If your itinerary is jam-packed and there is hardly time to squeeze in a meal, there are plenty of quick service restaurants to choose from or even street vendors selling snacks from stands dotted around the park. With over ten quick service restaurants available, you are sure to find something to suit all the family no matter how different your tastes may be.
The ABC Commissary
Probably one of the best quick restaurants available, the ABC Commissary offers everything you can imagine from salads to steaks and seafood with a vast choice for the kids. It is easy to see why this restaurant fills up quickly but don’t despair, if you are worried about long wait times in the restaurant you can order and pay for your food in advance through the My Disney Experience App. All you have to do once you have made your selection is tap a button to let cast members know you are ready and in the restaurant and your food will be prepared without delay. The menu includes burgers, grilled chicken, steaks, and a shrimp platter so there is definitely something for the foodies of the group as well as children who can enjoy a burger, chicken strips, or their favorite macaroni and cheese. Because of this diversity, the restaurant has become a popular stop in the evening and Disney has begun to take reservations for its evening meals to make sure you won’t be disappointed. With glitzy art decor all around you and posters of the most memorable ABC films, you can be sure everyone will leave the restaurant feeling happily satisfied.
Fairfax Fare
Fairfax Fare is another great quick service restaurant that is a hit with both children and adults. Specializing in fancy sandwiches, the Latin-influenced restaurant serves pulled pork as well as more exotic flavors such as Beef Empanadas with Cillantro Rice, a fajita combination and a Mexican Pork Tamale. Children are spoiled with a tasty chicken sandwich and their favorite soft drink. Situated on Sunset Boulevard, Fairfax Fare is also a great place to pop in for a bite to eat on your way to the rest of the rides and attractions on offer at Hollywood Studios.
How Does the Disney Dining Plan Work?
With a Disney Dining Plan, all your family’s meals are paid for in advance so you know exactly how many dollars you have left in spending money. This is a great way to make sure that everyone eats, and, better still, you don’t have to carry any cash around at all if you don’t want to. The Dining Plan works on a sort of virtual voucher system as the dining tickets are loaded onto your Magic Band which you simply tap against a sensor to pay for your meal. You can use one ticket per meal and being able to book your meal months in advance also helps save time thinking and planning on the day itself. Some restaurants only offer limited menu choices with the Dining Plan, obviously as some dishes are far more expensive than others. On the whole, a Disney Dining Plan is a great way to save money and help you stay organized while ensuring the entire family eats a healthy meal to keep them going for the rest of the day.