Via Napoli, Walt Disney World Epcot

Italian Pavilion, Epcot World Showcase, Walt Disney World

Good for: Small or large groups
Price Range: Reasonable to expensive
Features: 1/2-meter pizza, Italian staff

There is a plethora of places to eat in the World Showcase at Epcot. As expected, though, the better ones are very expensive. At the recommendation of a friend we hopped on the ferry to eat at Via Napoli. We got off at Germany and walked to the right to the Italian Pavilion. When you get there, Via Napoli is at the far end of the area. Don’t worry, you can’t miss it!

You immediately feel immersed in a bustling part of Italy. All the staff are straight from Italy. As our waiter explained, they sign up for a one-year visa in their home country and then they get to enjoy a rich cultural experience here. That allows Disney to keep the ambiance as authentic as possible. Pretty good idea and the staff seem to love it – which means they help you to have a wonderful time as well.

Coming here you will likely get a craving for pizza. The eight of us shared a 1/2-meter long pizza and a bowl of salad. The pizza was delicious. Thin crust, just the right amount of sauce, toppings to order, and very flavorful cheese made for some happy tummies. Several in the group opted to wash it all down with a little more Italian flair.

What a wonderful place to sit down and enjoy the setting. No matter where you are seated, you can see the chefs skillfully throwing the dough in the air in the open kitchen. After the toppings are placed, into the wood-burning ovens they go. But these are not just any ovens, no, they are Disney-fied ovens!

Oh, this makes me laugh every time I see it! The restaurant is roomy and open with a great rustic charm. I loved the simple extras like the lighting, the archways, and the wooden furniture. I would say the food is pretty good and fairly reasonable. Yet, when it comes to service and overall dining experience, this scored really high in my book.