Gave Tony's a 2nd try.....and!!!!!!!

[Micca]

Did they fix the red sauce? I recall that as being pretty dismal in the past.

 

[Rach3975]

We're going for the first time next month. I ignored the bad reviews because we've liked every Italian restaurant we've ever eaten at (I guess we're not picky about Italian food?), but even better to hear positive reviews and a new chef!

 

[gharter]

Great to hear as we have had some terrible meals there in the past. I watched the Dis Unplugged episode and was surprised how much they liked it.
Sounds like its worth trying again.

 

[RealBlast3]

I am very happy for the original poster's wonderful dining experience. And I WANT TO BELIEVE! However, I've been through this before with this restaurant...twice! The first time it was atrocious was back in 2005 on our first trip when we knew nothing about anything and just booked on faith. However, some years later (at least 5), I decided to give it a try because of some very good reviews, probably on Allears that I read of it, and in particular, the chicken parm. And, I can't tell you how disgusting it was and the app I had, too.

So, having been burned twice, it's VERY difficult to believe. I do think it's probably safer to order the more 'non-Italian' dishes at these sort of faux-Italian or fast food Italian-lite sort of eateries (Olive Garden being another one), where they don't do what I consider authentic Italian food but cheap knock-offs for your average consumer who has grown up on stuff like Chef'Boy'r'd, Spagheitos, and Dominos and Ragu jarred sauce as their idea of good Italian food. I didn't have that sort of upbringing, having been raised in an Italian household, so I have trouble with that sort of food.

I have, honestly, had very little luck at all the Italian eateries I've tried in Disney, to be honest, none have impressed me, and what's weird is I eat good Italian all the time here in NY at like cheap Italian pizza joints that have a little restaurant area in the back but make great food. It's only in Disney I haven't fallen in love with any of their Italian establishments, though I haven't tried all of them, I've had both Epcot ones as well as Mamma Melrose in HS. They weren't all bad, just a mixed bag and underwhelming, not really good enough to get me to return. However Tony's was super bad, the worse twice, burning a hole in my memory bank.

Still, this is good news if they really have turned things around. I think I will wait and see, though, before I take a chance there, again. I hope this is the first of many raves.

 

[disneyseniors]

Just got back from our annual trip for Food and Wine. And I hemmed and hawed about where to eat for our MK day. Last few years have been Diamond Horseshoe...Liberty Tree Tavern.....Crystal Palace....all were awesome. Couldn't snag BOG...even at 180 days(although I got breakfast....which is another post!!!) It's been 6 years since we tried Tony's...and back then I had the braised Lamb shank over polenta and Pistachio Creme Brulee' for dessert which was amazing...but everyone else got Chicken Parm with Spaghetti and it was inedible. So after seeing that there is a new chef and Pete actually saw improvement....I said "what the heck" One word......OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!! It started with our server Cesar...who was awesome. I ordered the fish....which was grilled Swordfish over polenta with grillled vegetables...and my wife loves Gnocchi...but not with pesto and all the veggies....so he made her Gnocchi with a pink cream sauce and a piece of breaded chicken parm on top....and it was so good! I mentioned to Cesar how great everything was and heard that Chef Katie was new and trying to re-vamp the menu.....and 3 mins later Chef Katie was at our table and I mentioned how Pete and the guys were in a few months prior and spoke to you and we told her how awesome dinner was and to keep it up....and BRING IT!!!! And we got a very heartfelt high five !!!!!! I implore you all.....as a former "disser" of Tony's myself.......GIVE IT ANOTHER TRY. Order something a little different and give it another try.....Chef Katie is definately doing something to bring Tony's around!!!!!!

My husband and I have never eaten at Tony's. Frankly, all the reviews have kept us away. However, I made a reservation at Tony's in December. I was still apprehensive.
So, thank you for this new positive review. I will definitely keep our reservation at Tony's now

 

[shh]

Tony's used to be our place - but we're talking back in the late '80s/early '90s before dining plans existed and menus changed. I remember watching the holiday candlelit procession from Tony's patio! Never went back since it went downhill. Loved the theming and always so sad at the food decline.

How wonderful if it could be a decent place again. We're spoiled with at least 20-30 excellent authentic Italian restaurants where we live, but nothing beats that atmosphere.

Update - just booked it for our 24th anniversary - (my DH proposed at MK.) Thanks again for taking time to review. This wouldn't have even been on our radar. Hope we're not disappointed. (But hey...there will be a bottle of Chianti on the table, so really, how bad can it be?)

 

[2hapykdz]

I am very happy for the original poster's wonderful dining experience. And I WANT TO BELIEVE! However, I've been through this before with this restaurant...twice! The first time it was atrocious was back in 2005 on our first trip when we knew nothing about anything and just booked on faith. However, some years later (at least 5), I decided to give it a try because of some very good reviews, probably on Allears that I read of it, and in particular, the chicken parm. And, I can't tell you how disgusting it was and the app I had, too.

So, having been burned twice, it's VERY difficult to believe. I do think it's probably safer to order the more 'non-Italian' dishes at these sort of faux-Italian or fast food Italian-lite sort of eateries (Olive Garden being another one), where they don't do what I consider authentic Italian food but cheap knock-offs for your average consumer who has grown up on stuff like Chef'Boy'r'd, Spagheitos, and Dominos and Ragu jarred sauce as their idea of good Italian food. I didn't have that sort of upbringing, having been raised in an Italian household, so I have trouble with that sort of food.

I have, honestly, had very little luck at all the Italian eateries I've tried in Disney, to be honest, none have impressed me, and what's weird is I eat good Italian all the time here in NY at like cheap Italian pizza joints that have a little restaurant area in the back but make great food. It's only in Disney I haven't fallen in love with any of their Italian establishments, though I haven't tried all of them, I've had both Epcot ones as well as Mamma Melrose in HS. They weren't all bad, just a mixed bag and underwhelming, not really good enough to get me to return. However Tony's was super bad, the worse twice, burning a hole in my memory bank.

Still, this is good news if they really have turned things around. I think I will wait and see, though, before I take a chance there, again. I hope this is the first of many raves.

Remember ....I had gotten one meal specially made and then I had the fish. I did not go back for the standards...which I assume are made in huge quantities ahead of time for crowd purposes. If you were to try it again, I would try something different. Like I said in the OP....I was once on the HATE TONY's bandwagon!!!LOL

 

[Michelle James]

We also had a positive experience a few months back. And we snagged it as part of the Festival of fantasy dining package, with vip parade seating. Absolutely worth doing.

 

[HopperFan]

After eating at Tony's just ONCE, i vowed NEVER EVER to return there again. The food really was that bad. Inedible. (and yes we too ordered the chicken parm and spag/meatballs). But after reading your review, I just might reconsider going there again. Not for my upcoming trip, but maybe the next one. Thank you!

I'm one who would always jump in and say drop Tony's and find something else. Our meals, though a few years ago were virtually inedible, our service horrible and I'd never step foot in again.

WELL ............. I just ate there. DS is fairly non-verbal and last week when I told him we were going to Disney for long weekend he says "Lady & Tramp" .... since we were staying at POP Century and usually are in 50's with the Lady & the Tramp I said "yes" to which he says "spaghetti and meatballs" ..........huh? .......... then he says Magic Kingdom. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO he wants to eat at Tony's.

I didn't book it and hoped it would blow over. We were at Epcot today with a billion of our favorite drinking teams and I wanted to leave to eat lunch. Spun the MDE dial and nothing grabbed me so we hopped on monorail and I figured maybe I should make him happy, I knew it would be open. I booked an ADR and we went straight there. The lobby was packed so I figured the usual too long wait. We were called back promptly and seated. Our server was EXCELLENT!!! and would love to take her with us to all our eats.

I am always leery of white sauces and didn't want too heavy so I ordered the Chicken Parm expecting a sliver tenderloin on top, DS wanted Spaghetti and Meatballs. Both red sauce. The bread was a focaccia with oil to dip. We don't do the oil but it was drizzled with butter so we ate as is. I expected dry, it was not, very good. His meatballs were solid low fat so not the finely grinded moist meat but overall his meal was just fine and plentiful. My chicken was huge, likely a whole breast, breading not too heavy, topped with cheese and I was sure it would be dry. It was very good. The pasta was perfectly cooked and I liked the sauce. It had some extra bites of flavor I can't pinpoint but I liked the variation.

Honestly other than it's a very loud echo noisy restaurant (DS had to wear headphones) I would go back given the prices.

SO YES, I can EAT MY WORDS and backtrack on my big dislike for a spot. Would I rush there each trip, no but I'm not a fan of MK TS overall, but it will certainly be an option on a day I'm trying to get TS last minute and I won't ever tell folks to drop that one for OOP. I'd likely want more bang for my buck with DDP.

 

[B-Ride]

We may need to try it next trip. The pickings at MK can be a bit slim.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I'm one who would always jump in and say drop Tony's and find something else. Our meals, though a few years ago were virtually inedible, our service horrible and I'd never step foot in again.

WELL ............. I just ate there. DS is fairly non-verbal and last week when I told him we were going to Disney for long weekend he says "Lady & Tramp" .... since we were staying at POP Century and usually are in 50's with the Lady & the Tramp I said "yes" to which he says "spaghetti and meatballs" ..........huh? .......... then he says Magic Kingdom. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO he wants to eat at Tony's.

I didn't book it and hoped it would blow over. We were at Epcot today with a billion of our favorite drinking teams and I wanted to leave to eat lunch. Spun the MDE dial and nothing grabbed me so we hopped on monorail and I figured maybe I should make him happy, I knew it would be open. I booked an ADR and we went straight there. The lobby was packed so I figured the usual too long wait. We were called back promptly and seated. Our server was EXCELLENT!!! and would love to take her with us to all our eats.

I am always leery of white sauces and didn't want too heavy so I ordered the Chicken Parm expecting a sliver tenderloin on top, DS wanted Spaghetti and Meatballs. Both red sauce. The bread was a focaccia with oil to dip. We don't do the oil but it was drizzled with butter so we ate as is. I expected dry, it was not, very good. His meatballs were solid low fat so not the finely grinded moist meat but overall his meal was just fine and plentiful. My chicken was huge, likely a whole breast, breading not too heavy, topped with cheese and I was sure it would be dry. It was very good. The pasta was perfectly cooked and I liked the sauce. It had some extra bites of flavor I can't pinpoint but I liked the variation.

Honestly other than it's a very loud echo noisy restaurant (DS had to wear headphones) I would go back given the prices.

SO YES, I can EAT MY WORDS and backtrack on my big dislike for a spot. Would I rush there each trip, no but I'm not a fan of MK TS overall, but it will certainly be an option on a day I'm trying to get TS last minute and I won't ever tell folks to drop that one for OOP. I'd likely want more bang for my buck with DDP.

You're such a good mom to leave epcot in order to eat at Tony's. Its not easy to do...for me anyway.

Those were the exact same dishes we ordered when we were at Tony's. Im honestly hesitant to order them again...so if i do go back, i'd order something new. Nothing with red sauce. Too afraid. Lol. But im happy to hear you had a good experience. Its refreshing to hear the new chef really is trying to improve the restaurant. Like i said, maybe next trip. Maybe.

 

[HopperFan]

You're such a good mom to leave epcot in order to eat at Tony's. Its not easy to do...for me anyway.

Those were the exact same dishes we ordered when we were at Tony's. Im honestly hesitant to order them again...so if i do go back, i'd order something new. Nothing with red sauce. Too afraid. Lol. But im happy to hear you had a good experience. Its refreshing to hear the new chef really is trying to improve the restaurant. Like i said, maybe next trip. Maybe.

Took a kid who asks for nothing to push me back. There were several at Epcot I wanted but they would not have been his picks.

 

[lynnfitz]

We went there this past August, and it was very good! Staying at Bay Lake, like other poster's mentioned, you can't beat the location. Wouldn't hesitate to return next trip.

 

[cinnaminny]

We ate there in August and I was very glad that we did. I almost didn't because of the bad reviews. We thought it was really pretty good. My son and husband both had spaghetti and and I have the Fettuccine chicken Alfredo. We had excellent service the noodles were homemade and the pasta sauces were both good. I am very glad we checked it out.

 

[Minniemoo15]

Tonys was one of our best meals on our last trip! The festival of fantasy package is great value on the Dining plan. I’m still dreaming of the ravioli! We can’t wait to go back in March. The service was excellent too!

 

[jimim]

I remember in 2002 when my wife and myself did our first trip to Disney together when dating. Went to tony’s. I come from an all Italian family. I don’t eat sauce out. Only my mom’s or my grandmothers’. I knew we were in trouble when they brought the bread out and it was presliced sandwhich bread. Like wonder bread. Deff worse meal I ever had. Deff worse at Disney.

You all actually have me wondering. MAybe after this next trip when we aren’t with family we will give it another try.

Would be nice to have a decent dinner in magic kingdom. We haven’t had dinner in magic kingdom in years.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Where is the seating for the Festival of Fantasy Dining package? We ate there last year and had porch seating...but if you buy the package, where do they seat you for the parade?

 

[Minniemoo15]

Where is the seating for the Festival of Fantasy Dining package? We ate there last year and had porch seating...but if you buy the package, where do they seat you for the parade?

It’s at the flagpole area right across from Tony’s. It’s an awesome view of the parade coming down Main Street and making the turn.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

It’s at the flagpole area right across from Tony’s. It’s an awesome view of the parade coming down Main Street and making the turn.

Thank you!!

 

[soccermom54]

DH and I have not eaten at Tony's for many years because of the bad reviews. What I am hearing is very good news. I just booked Tony's for our Valentine's Day lunch. Keeping my fingers crossed for a wonderful meal on a special romantic day