Beth:
On our first visit, our party was too large to fit into one of the cars, so we were seated at a back table. I felt a little cheated but my husband's memory of the outstanding Rueben and the kids' receiving a coveted Sci-Fi frisbee made a positive impression, though.
We returned, including our 5-year-old, in November for a second visit. (And I have since been back for a third visit.) And I was thrilled to be seated in a car! Milkshakes for everyone! But on both recent visits, I struggled with what to order, as the menu was awfully heavy: chilli, onion rings, beef & blue salad, pasta, BLT soup, ribs, burger, etc. I appreciate the layout of two to a seat, all facing forward, but if you're with friends, it's hard to hold a conversation. And if you have wiggly 3-year-olds, it might turn lunch into more stress than you'd like. What I found so interesting is how quiet the restaurant is, as most folks are watching the movies, and this leads me into your question about appropriateness. Because it's so quiet, your family will most likely watch the movies and honestly, some of the movies are actually a little scary (they
are sci-fi flicks) with monsters and creepy life-size ant things. If I were in your shoes, I think I'd opt for something else and save it for when the boys get to be in junior high and can laugh about creepy creatures from outer space all while muching on one of those burgers...
So where do I recommend?
Hollywood & Vine's Character Breakfast or Lunch. With the ages of your kids, if they don't love meeting Handy Mandy, they'll certainly enjoy getting up to sing and dance and be a part of the action. If it's out of your price-range, head to Toy Story Pizza Planet and splurge on a few of the video games for the boys on the first floor.
Wishing y'all a magical vacation!
Whitney