Tune-In Lounge Review

Tune-In Lounge Review

Amid the sets and sound checks of Hollywood Studios, you often find nooks and crannies well worth exploring. Sometimes you’ll find a soundstage you never knew existed, and sometimes you find a gem that Mickey has been hiding from everyday visitors. Tune-In Lounge is a full bar incorporated into the vintage backdrop of 50’s Prime Time Café, and it is definitely one of those places.

From the porcelain vases and figurines to the faux wood paneling and pastel furniture, Tune-In Lounge represents everything that was a home living room in the 50s. Even the menu is outfitted with drinks and cocktails that match the theme and further bring you into the atmosphere of the place. If the décor doesn’t leave you feeling like you are living “back in the day”, then the mixed drinks will. While the TVs may not be in color, the drinks certainly are.

The first thing we noticed as we entered, apart from the neon sign outside, was the many beautifully twinkling bottles of the full bar, where guests mixed and mingled while they sipped on various drinks. To the unsuspecting, it may have elicited a double-take as they walked into what could be mistaken for an actual living room, complete with shelves, sofas, comfy chairs, and a variety of knick-knacks on the walls and tables. There’s no doubt about it. Tune-In Lounge is actually more than a lounge. It’s part of a home, known as 50’s Prime Time Café.

Taking a seat at the bar, the bartender provided us menus and a pleasant fatherly smile, keeping the illusion that we were at home, and there was good old Dad, sneaking his favorite kids a quick drink. Agreeing that Father knows best, this reviewer followed the suggestion of the cast member and ordered one of Dad’s famous Magical Star Cocktails. One of many cocktails unique to Tune-In, the Magical Star Cocktail sparkles with a magic only Disney can provide, partly due to the fact that it comes with a souvenir multicolored glowing ice cube. But this little star has more to offer than a simple keepsake.

Imagine organic mango and passion fruit liqueur mixed with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum in a swirl of sweet pineapple juice. This is the Magical Star Cocktail. It’s an expertly poured concoction that is sure to give your taste buds a spin. And with the Glow Cube, it might just shine like a real star.

Guests can also order food from the neighboring restaurant to the bar. Dishes range from you’re mama’s meatloaf to near full rotisserie chickens with mashed potatoes and gravy. If you’re hungry for home cooking, but aren’t looking to take a booth to yourself, then grab something at the bar! It’s easy as that. Meals vary, but most drinks are between $8 and $11. Still, the experience is well worth the price. Sometimes you just need to get away from the complications of the world today. Why not take a trip back in time at Tune-In Lounge?

Food: In addition to the full dining menu of 50’s Prime Time Café, Tune-In Lounge has a special drink menu with a wide selection from “Dad’s Liquor Cabinet”, and boy, does he whip up a wicked cocktail. The menu also has several beers and wines for those of you who just want to unwind the way you do at home in this mock 50’s living room.

Atmosphere: With vintage bric-a-brac on faux wood shelves, black and white TVs, and pastel-colored leather upholstery, chances are good you’ll find no better representation of a 50’s home without stepping into a time machine.

Services: It’s easy to pretend the bartender is what your dad might have looked like back in the 50’s, assuming you lived in an All-American “Leave-It-To-Beaver” type family. Needless to say, the cast member bartending was knowledgeable, friendly, but always holding an air of assurance that you’ll like whatever it is he puts in front of you.

Tips: Put in your name for a table at 50’s Prime Time and then hit Tune-In Lounge for a drink while you wait. This allows you to get the full 50’s at-home experience, complete with liquor and a “home-cooked” meal.