How bad is the pizza at WDW?

[LorieR]

Another New Yorker/Long Islander here who says "skip the pizza"!! DH wanted to order it at our resort (POR)! We got a whole pie and brought it back to the room -- I think it was the worst pizza we ever had!

 

[WVParkfan]

Yes, Disney does a lot of things "right," but pizza isn't one of them.

We're NY-style pizza fans, and have searched for years for a good pie in Orlando. We never found a NY-style pizza that we liked, but we did find an outstanding Chicago-style pizzeria called Giordanno's (407) 239-8900.

They have a thin-crust pizza, too, and their sandwiches are super. I highly recommend Giordanno's.

 

[pilferk]

Okay, now I am what some would refer to as a "pizza snob". I don't mean to brag and sound like a snob, but I come from Brooklyn, NY and we have some of the best pizza in the world here! So I have extremely high standards for what I would call good pizza. How good or bad is the pizza at Disney World? Is it consistent, meaning the same in all the parks and resorts? Is there any one place where it is better than another? We are going to all 4 parks. I know the CS food choices are limited at Animal Kingdom, and one choice is Pizzafari. I am just wondering how it really is, for someone like me who expects pizza to taste a certain way. To give a better example, I can't stand Papa John's or Domino's, but I can eat Pizza Hut pizza (pan pizza only, don't know why). I do like Pizzeria Uno, but have only had it in NYC and the D.C. area. But I know that restaurant started in Chicago, another place where people take pride in their pizza and know how to make it.

What's the verdict? Should I completely avoid the pizza at WDW? I know DS would be fine with it, and possibly DH. But me, I just don't know!

-Bonnie

Compared to, say, Lombardis or Naples 45 or Mario's or Grimaldi's?

It sucks.

Maybe a bit too blunt, but it's true. If that's what you're expecting, or what you're craving...stay clear of WDW's pizza if you're a real pizza snob.

My kids love it...I wouldn't eat it on a dare.

 

[pilferk]

aaaaahh I'm with you here! From Long Island, I visit the city once in a while, and can't go a visit without Pizza. It's the best. When I visit my Grandpa in Connecticut, he brings me to The Bronx for some of the best pizza ever. I mean it.

If you're in CT, and you want good pie, head to Frank Pepe's in New Haven.

Best pie outside of NYC.

 

[Tricia1972]

Yes, Disney does a lot of things "right," but pizza isn't one of them.

We're NY-style pizza fans, and have searched for years for a good pie in Orlando. We never found a NY-style pizza that we liked, but we did find an outstanding Chicago-style pizzeria called Giordanno's (407) 239-8900.

They have a thin-crust pizza, too, and their sandwiches are super. I highly recommend Giordanno's.

Mmmmm, I have had Giordano's in Chicago. It's wonderful! Though I also enjoy a good thin crust pizza too....

 

[burberryplaid]

The pizza at Roaring Forks at WL wasn't bad. It's a flat bread pizza though, not traditional. I'd probably skip it anywhere else in the World

 

[vicki845]

I used to live in Brooklyn until I got married. My family still lives there. You have the same taste as I do in Pizza. Hate Domino's. Can tolerate Pizza Hut and like but not love Pizzeria Uno/Chicago One. I'm in Rockland County, NY now and I can't get a really good pizza here either. When ever I go see my mom I always have a slice or two. Boy, That's one thing I miss about Brooklyn. The pizza as well as the restaurants. I wouldn't dream of tasting the pizza at Disney . Sorry but I am very picky when it comes to pizza. The dough and especially the sauce has to be right for me to really enjoy it. I say skip it!

 

[ChefColette]

I say it's pretty bad. The All Star resort's food court's pizza has to be the worst pizza I've ever had.

 

[magicbob]

Another vote for Giordano's. I always eat there when I'm in Chicago and we were thrilled when they added the Kissimmee location on 192 (Irlo Bronson Hwy). I'm partial to the stuffed pizza (mmm.... cheese!). My kids like thin. We usually get one of each: stuffed for DW and I, thin for the kids.

Sadly, Disney's pizza is not too good even when compared to Domino's. If you are on a budget, just have them deliver. But for a treat... go with Giordano's.

 

[PAcpl]

Unfortunately after moving to the Philly burbs my pizza snob status has been ripped away from me! But whenever I am back in Queens I live on pizza.

As some of you have already mentioned the taste has A LOT to do with the nice clean NY water. Out here in the burbs the bagels are round white bread and the Italian bread is like Wonder Bread! I never signed up for this one when I moved here!

But good bread can be produced. I worked in a bagel shop that 2 former NYC guys owned. We used their NY recipes and BOILED all the bagels and they were great! They were the closest thing to a NY bagel that I tasted since moving here, so it is possible. The shop was open for a little over a year before closing. Their biggest problem was an Einstein’s Bagel opened up about 1 mile away that charged PENNIES less then we did. Has anyone ever had an Einstein’s Bagel?

I think a big problem when you get out here to the burbs is the lack of QUALITY competition. Most of the people out here have their bagels sent in frozen so all they have to do is throw them in the oven to bake. This saves HOURS and MONEY, so why would anyone open up a bagel shop and spend the extra time and cash to produce a better bagel? There are some people that are used to settling for a sub par product and are not willing to pay the extra cash for a better product. So now you have retailers who are producing a great product but have no sales because their prices are higher then the bagel shop down the street that people have been going to for years. So they have 1 of 2 options, try to eat (pun) their profits for the first few years to get their product out there and educate the people who aren’t used to the quality. This is very hard for an individual retailer to do alone. The only other option is to settle for cheaper ways to produce a bagel that will be profitable in your area. The only problem with this is when you start cutting corners for cost you are also cutting your quality.

And this is why I am in wholesale!

 

[kermits girl]

I'm a pizza junkie, there's good pizza, there's bad pizza but in the end it's all pizza. I really liked the Pizza at WDW but then again I liked the pizza that our school cafeteria used to serve too so that doesn't say much.

 

[deej696]

While I am not from New York or Italian, I am a pizza-aholic, with at least 2 pies consumed a week Put me down as another vote to skip it at WDW. When I was a kid, there was a restaurant in MK where the Noodle Station is that I used to think had great deep dish pizza. My guess is it wasnt really that good, and I just liked it cause it was pizza and I was a kid, but I have often wished they would bring it back

 

[Mamiamjo]

Mmmmm, I have had Giordano's in Chicago. It's wonderful! Though I also enjoy a good thin crust pizza too....

I'm originally from Chicago and am a bit of a pizza snob myself.
We always order from Giordano's at least once per trip to WDW. Disney's pizza stinks, but Giordano's is very good!

They have two locations in the WDW area. They also make a good thin crust. We usually get one stuffed and one thin crust. Reminds me of Chicago

 

[pixie08]

Another Nyer checking to say the Pizza at Disney is just awful imo. The only place where it is somewhat decent is Spoodles.

 

[Disneylvr]

I love St. Louis style pizza (very thin, cracker like crust and provelone cheese) so I can't stand WDW counter service pizza but DH likes it and I hope DD will like since she will only eat about 4 things one of them being pizza.

 

[disneygirlinnj]

Oh boy... I didn't read all 5 pages but I agree with everyone from NY (I'm from NJ...8 miles from the city)... the pizza is NOT what we think pizza should be. Definitely on par with Dominoes.

And agreed with whoever said.. don't really do Mama Melrose or Tony's if you don't have to. Or if you do... don't get anything with marinara sauce. We made that mistake at both places... The 'non-Italian' stuff was actually decent (I loved my sirloin at Tony's!).