Teppan Edo vs Coral Reef vs Tutto Italia- first trip dining in Epcot!

[krazystain]

Hello!

I am new to posting to this board, but this will be my third WDW trip that I have planned in the past 12 months and I'd love to hear some feedback as we will be getting the DxDDP for the first time and I'm hoping we're making good choices! Since we're going during the free dining promotion, reservations are a bit difficult to switch around at this point, but I figure things will open up at the 45 day mark if needed. We will be travelling with me, DH, DS (4), DD (6mos), and my mom and we will be staying at the Beach Club (our first stay at a Deluxe!). We haven't spent much time at Epcot before, so we're looking forward to being within walking distance to a park - especially having two kids who will be using the stroller (as I suspect my preschooler will wear himself out during the trip!). We would like to avoid bus transportation as much as possible. Since we have been to WDW recently, we will be heavy on the experiences -- DS LOVES meeting the characters at meals -- and will hit some main rides with our FP. I know that the DxDDP involves a lot of time at restaurants, but if we combine with character meet and greets, it saves a lot of time in long lines in the park. Plus, with a lot of buffets, we can limit our total calorie consumption without being too wasteful! We will have 60 TS credits between the 4 of us)

Here is our trip itinerary as it stands right now (but they're always a work in progress, eh?!)

Nov 9 - arrive at 12pm, dinner at La Hacienda at 7:45, hopefully able to see IllumiNations from the restaurant
(4 Cr)

Nov 10 - Garden Grill breakfast at 8:25am
monorail to MK for the morning
Chef Mickey's lunch at 1:30pm
Yachtsman Steakhouse @ 7:30pm (DS will share a meal with us, saving 2 TS Cr)
(14 Cr)

Nov 11 - Cape May breakfast @ 9:10
morning at resort pool
afternoon at Epcot --lunch at F&W using the million snack credits we will likely still have at this point...!
monorail to Contemporary Resort
California Grill at 9:20pm to see Wishes (DS will share a meal, saving 2 TS Cr)
(10 Cr)

Nov 12 - Hollywood and Vine breakfast at 9:35
morning at HS, afternoon at resort/Epcot/F&W
Tutto Italia @ 8:25 (Is this a better choice than Teppan Edo or Via Napoli??)
(8 Cr)

Nov 13 - Crystal Palace at 9:25 (tried to get pre-opening ADR, but not available!)
CRT 1:15pm
afternoon at resort after CRT
Coral Reef at 8:05 (Same question -- I think my DS will like the aquarium, but is this a better choice than Teppan Edo or somewhere else in Epcot that we've missed?)
(16 Cr)

Nov 14 - Akershus breakfast @ 9:35
check out of room and spend afternoon at hotel
Cape May clambake @ 5:00
depart for airport at 7:30pm
(8 Cr)

Thanks in advance for any help/comments/advice!

 

[goofy friend]

I have only visited Via Napoli in Nov.2014, first trip under that name. Service was bad and both my wife and grandson got sick.
Never had a bad experience at either Coral Reef or Teppan Edo.

 

[JennyDrake]

Teppan Edo is (just) OK. Your local hibachi will be better and cost less. I left still hungry, but nice atmosphere and good service.

Tutto Italia was good food, small portions, LOUD and very mediocre service.

I have not tried Coral Reef.

 

[B-Ride]

As simple as it sounds I would base it on the type of food you prefer. We have eaten at Tutto several times mainly because I prefer Italian food to Japanese. Tutto is excellent but I have heard Tepan Edo is good. I would only visit Coral Reef for the atmosphere.

 

[oceanmarina]

Teppan Edo is (just) OK. Your local hibachi will be better and cost less. I left still hungry, but nice atmosphere and good service.

Tutto Italia was good food, small portions, LOUD and very mediocre service.

I have not tried Coral Reef.

I agree, we did Teppan Edo and our local hibachi place is much better. It was a one-time only for us.

Coral reef is very nice, we feel the food was very good and loved the "under the sea atmosphere". We are eating there gain this trip.

Via Napoli all the way. You kids will LOVE the pizza. Via Napoli is one of my favorite restaurants in Epcot. The fresh pasta dish I had was one of the best I have ever had - and I come from an Italian family.

So I think my picks would be Coral Reef & Via Napoli (those were my kids favorites). My kids would not eat the food at Teppan Edo, they kept saying Edo's (our hibachi place at home) was much better.

 

[Minniekins]

We love Tutto's and eat there twice each trip! The portion size was good, to us, maybe depends on what you get. The last few years we go at lunch, a little cheaper, and we like to sit outside on their patio at that time. Definitely recommend this restaurant, it's awesome! I get the lasagne and it's always excellent! I then crave it the rest of the year til we get back, lol. DD25 get a pasta dish with a white sauce, think it's a ravioli dish, and it is excellent as well sometimes wish they had a plate you could order some of each! We could each share some of ours with the if her, but we want all of our own plus a little more, lol! Oh, and we've always had great service, no complaints!

Teppan Edo has been good when we've been there, but it's so expensive. Haven't been in a few years, when we're going to spend more we usually have other favorites.

Coral Reef, we've had a couple very good meals, and one that was okay. But, the aquarium tank is pretty cool! Oh, one thing, whenever we've been there it's been freezing - I mean inside the restaurant! So, we didn't like that too much.

 

[BobC]

Coral Reef.
Coral Reef.
Coral Reef.

My votes!!

Why? I love Full House and that's where danny and vicki dined at lol....

Ok now being serious, I love the atmosphere and food and on the Disney TS plan that's always on our family's list. Good steak there if you're not into fish!

 

[mkraw74]

The only issue I see is your CP and CRT are kind of close together. I would keep trying for that earlier
CP or slightly later CRT (depending if you keep your reservation for dinner). CRT is too expensive too not be hungry for and with the rest time you want it seems you will not have much park time.

 

[theostwalts]

Coral Reef.
Coral Reef.
Coral Reef.

My votes!!

Why? I love Full House and that's where danny and vicki dined at lol....

Ok now being serious, I love the atmosphere and food and on the Disney TS plan that's always on our family's list. Good steak there if you're not into fish!

That"s funny. I just made an ADR tonight for our upcoming trip. One of my dds found a dining time open and wanted to book it because she has wanted to eat there ever since she saw them eat there on full house!

 

[Mr & Mrs DD]

We like Coral Reef. We have eaten there twice and are going back a third time.
Via Napoli - We really enjoyed the pizza and would like to go back again. We had the spaghetti once and it wasn't very good. The sauce was very watery. We may have got them on a bad day for spaghetti.

 

[Fantasia79]

Tough call! Coral reef is certainly a great place to take young kids. Personally, I think the quality has gone down over the years. No matter quality of food, I will be booking it again when my daughter goest of Disney. I think it would be a kids highlight of a dinning experience.

I love Via Napoli. Food for thought, can be a great lunch stop. Bone-in chicken parm is incredible.

Tutto Italia- great quality, hardy Italian meal. I'd say on par with Italian Village, top floor in Chicago (not the village of the old days). Not a special family owned, but certainly a great experience.

Teppan Edo- Fun, good, hard to pass up. I agree with earlier posters, probably not as good as your local hibachi. But, a great Disney experience.

Your itinerary is well researched and fantastic! Lots of quality experiences to have.

 

[Fizban]

In this order for food quality (atmosphere not taken into consideration).

1) Tutto Italia
2) Teppan Edo
3) Peanut butter sandwich
4) Leftover popcorn
5) Coral Reef