Tune-In Lounge - Lounge Review

If the idea of the 50's Prime Time Café is to transport you back in time to "mom's" kitchen in the 1950's, the Tune-In Lounge right next door transports you into the den.  That is, it does if your dad had quite the liquor cabinet in the 50's.  A range of old televisions sits above the bar, old television shows playing non-stop, the furniture looks like something you'd see on Happy Days, and the bartenders are full of dry humor as they serve up libations for the "older kids" as they wait for their seats at mom's table or simply take a few minutes out of the sun (or rain, depending on which mood Florida is in at the time).

It was definitely a bit of a scorcher the day that Tabby and I sidled up to the bar, a bit of an irony since it was during the Frozen Summer Fun celebration.  Our bartender was David, a man with quite the deadpan sense of humor that was perfect for his job.  We spent a few moments perusing the signature drinks as we sipped on ice cold water (quite the blessing at the time) and decided to share Dad's Electric Lemonade.

Sounds good, no?

Electrifying was right - positively glowing!

While I do realize that alcohol actually causes more dehydration, this particular citrus-infused concoction really felt quenching.  Typically, I tend away from drinks containing sweet-and-sour as I find them to be a bit on the syrupy side, likely due to somewhat heavy handed bartenders.  Dad's Electric Lemonade has definitely made me reconsider, and David mixed it expertly, tossing in the glow cube for the last tiny bit of electric magic.  Speaking of electric magic, David also had another trick up his sleeve while we waited for the food we had ordered.  Did I not mention that?  You can order from the full 50's Prime Time Café menu at the Tune-In Lounge, so if you're craving some beer battered onion rings or, as in our case, Aunt Liz's golden fried chicken, you can have that on the side of your libations.  Anyway, back to the trick that David showed us, which I can only assume he picked up during Star Wars Weekends since he decided to show us after catching a glimpse of my Yoda MagicBand,

Insert cheesy mouth-made lightsaber sounds here.

Being transformed into a dark lord of the Sith really takes its toll on you, and I was soon peeking around the corner, anxiously awaiting our fried chicken...

Brings tears to your eyes, doesn't it?

For those not in the know, that's half a fried chicken, a good portion of garlic mashed potatoes, and collard greens.  Not only that, but it is the best fried chicken that I've ever had anywhere (outside of my mom's kitchen, of course).  The crispy breading isn't overly seasoned, just a simple bit of salt, pepper, garlic, and a few other spices.  The garlic mashed potatoes are exactly what they say on the tin, and the collard greens mix a bit of the healthy with a decent but not overwhelming dose of bacon goodness.

Once the fried chicken had disappeared, which happened faster than I would care to admit, we decided to peruse the shake menu.  After all, what's a 50's meal without a shake for dessert?  We had already tried the Peanut Butter and Jelly shake on a previous visit, and were going to try out the Red Velvet Cupcake shake, when David mentioned that there was a special blue raspberry Frozen-themed milkshake for the Frozen Summer event.  Since I am not able to resist a limited time food item, we went with that item.  When our milkshake arrived with two straws, our bartender suggested taking a photo with Olaf to post online for a chance to be on the big screen that night, and if you read my Frozen Summer Fun trip report, you'll know that we were the first ones up in the montage!

Poor Olaf didn't manage to get any of the shake.

The shake had a good consistency, and the flavor was nice: a bit tart, but not overwhelmingly sour, mild enough to blend in well with the creaminess of the shake.  I'm fairly certain that the blue mix itself is the same that they used for Aunt Beru's Blue Milk Ice Cream at Hollywood and Vine during Star Wars Weekends, but that's definitely not a complaint from me, as I found that to be a pretty tasty concoction.

As we were getting ready to leave, a few sanitation workers (read: streetsmosphere characters) emerged from the kitchen area.  One of the servers was nagging them ("So did you fix the leak in the sink?" "Nah, we'll come back tomorrow, it's too wet right now.") and causing a bit of a fun to-do, just a random sampling of the element of Disney magic that transports you to an entirely different place.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Disney's Hollywood Studios, the Tune-In Lounge is an excellent option.  Our experience just goes to show that the "show" element of Disney's magic is extremely important, from our dryly witty bartender to the interaction with the sanitation workers to the delightfully tacky 50's furniture and decor.  Of course, all of this would be for naught, however, without the also quite delicious drinks and food!

Until next time, stay magical everyone!

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