Now Showing: The Movies of Disney’s Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

My daughter picked the restaurant for her birthday dinner at Disney World last year. Her choice? The ultra fun Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

As the name suggests, Disney’s Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant resembles a 1950s drive-in. Technically, it’s supposed to be a movie set of a 1950s drive-in, but either scenario works well for me. Walking into the dining space feels like stepping back in time. Brightly colored convertibles serve as the tables, all facing the same direction. The kitchen resembles a snack bar, serving up burgers, fries and milkshakes.  Movie posters of coming attractions decorate the fenced walls. Low light and twinkling stars emulate evening. And of course, larger-than-life movie clips light up the big screen.

The science fiction movie trailers complete the theme or steal the show, depending on your perspective. The repeating reel features eleven different films. Most showcase ridiculous creatures stalking overly dramatic victims. Slow-motion screams and trampling stampedes are plentiful. Bold white fonts draped across the screen warn us the films are “HORRIFYING!” and “WEIRD!” The special effects are no where near today’s realistic standards, and that’s part of the fun.

Between the clips, the reel also includes advertisements for the concession stand, space-themed cartoons and “News of the Future” segments which highlight humorous and supposedly futuristic inventions. There’s also a plug for Space Cadets, a television series from the same period.

During our visit, my daughter bravely asked the server if he had seen any of the films. He smiled politely and shook his head. “I’m not even sure they are real,” he quickly added.

Turns out the movies are real. As real as this flying saucer, I mean, Canadian prototype we happened to stumble upon at the National Air Force Museum recently.

We checked out a few of the Disney’s Sci-Fi Dine-In films from the library. Then we watched a few more on Amazon Prime and those surprisingly “free” science fiction channels you can find on Roku. And thus my daughter’s love affair with 1950s (and 1960s!) science fiction films began. 

A few of the films’ scenes may have even been recreated with Legos and an old iPhone too, but I’m not willing to confirm or deny this claim. Sometimes the simplicity of the special effects makes you want to try them for yourself.

If you share a similar interest in this time capsule of entertainment history or just want help overcoming the post Disney vacation blues, I’ve assembled a list of the films. I have no idea if or when Disney updates the reel (these have been in place for several years now), so it’s possible you could experience different ones. I’m also unclear why these specific films were chosen for the restaurant, other than their obvious tie to the science fiction genre. There are definitely better films from that time period available (Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one example).

Perhaps their choices were limited based on movie rights? Or maybe silliness was the goal? The old so-bad-they’re-good strategy? In any case, you’ve been warned! The plots aren’t likely to scare you but some of the acting and “special effects” might.

Here’s the list of films (along with their spectacular posters) organized by year of release:

• 1953 – Robot Monster
• 1953 – Cat Women of the Moon
• 1954 – Devil  Girl  from  Mars
• 1956 – It Conquered the World

• 1956 – Invasion of the Saucer Men
• 1957 – The Amazing Colossal Man
• 1958 – Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
• 1959 – Plan 9 From Outer Space (possibly the best of the worst in this list)

• 1959 – The Giant Gila Monster 
• 1964 – The Horror of Party Beach
• 1965 –  Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster

If you’d like to learn more about Disney’s Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant you can check out the menu and make reservations at Disney’s site or browse this photo-filled review from The Disney Food Blog. It’s a small and popular restaurant, so it’s a good idea to make advanced dining reservations. My personal opinion is that the food and service is okay, but the theming is the star of the show.

If you’re not planning to visit Disney World any time soon, grab a burger and a favorite viewing device and dive in to one of these entertaining films at home.

It’s ridiculous fun.

Add a little science-fiction magic to your world!