NEW Italian Restaurant In Epcot

[wbn36]

Greetings all,
I had read that a new, more informal type Italian restaurant was being build/contructed in Epcot. Does anyone have any information on when or if this is now open? If it is open and you have dined there, how was it?
Thanks and . . . have a magical day!

 

[Uno Mas]

It's going to be an authentic Italian brick oven pizzeria. I read that it's going to be open in time for the Food and Wine Festival this fall.

 

[TDC Nala]

This restaurant will be named Via Napoli, and will be owned and operated by the Patina Group, which operates Tutto Italia.

The details have not been officially announced, but it looks as though this will be a full service restaurant. Nothing's been released about whether they will have a counter service option to sell pizza by the slice, etc.

As noted it isn't open yet - scheduled sometime in September, ADR booking starting in July or August - there's nothing more definite at this time.

 

[CandyMandy]

The details have not been officially announced, but it looks as though this will be a full service restaurant. Nothing's been released about whether they will have a counter service option to sell pizza by the slice, etc.

It doesn't matter whether it ends up being TS, whatever it is classifed as it will sell food to go. People are heavily, heavily, heavily conditioned to equating "pizza restaurant" (and in most cases "Chinese") with take out (at least as an option) and aren't going to change that mindset just because they are at Disney.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think most people want to know their DDP options. Even if they sell food to go, will they be able to use a counter credit or will they have to use TS credits? We can't even know at this point if Via Napoli will accept DDP. Most, if not all, Disney TS don't sell food to go. Nine Dragons is a TS and they don't sell Chinese carryout there.

The general mindset regarding pizza restaurants is not going to matter at all if they have to arrange it to fit DDP. Usually when you carry out a pizza, you take it home and eat it there. At Epcot, you're not going to carry the pizza out of the park (in fact you probably wouldn't carry it out of the Italian pavilion), and there really isn't any good place there for a picnic. And how would you pay for a whole pizza for carryout on DDP? I don't think with the prices they will likely be charging, Patina would be too happy with counter credits being used for that.

I did hear that Beaches & Cream no longer offers food for carryout at all, because it is a TS restaurant and guests objected to using TS dining credits for carryout food. The dining plan could well throw a wrench into the heavily conditioned mindset as far as food to go from a TS restaurant.

 

[skater]

I wish they would offer something counter service. I always felt that was missing from Italy in Epcot. It would be fun to get good quality pizza slices for lunch. (And maybe some good quality desserts - like at the bakery in France).

 

[CandyMandy]

Most, if not all, Disney TS don't sell food to go. Nine Dragons is a TS and they don't sell Chinese carryout there.

Noticable exception: the pizza window at Boardwalk that was part of Spoodles and which is now part of Kouzzina by Cat Cora.

The general mindset regarding pizza restaurants is not going to matter at all if they have to arrange it to fit DDP.

Everyone who goes to WDW in not on the DDP. And as the TS run takeout window at the Boardwalk demonstrates, pizza slice is the textbook definition of portable food and that mindset does stay in place at WDW. I can absolutely guarantee that if this new pizza restaurant in the Italian pavillion in the World Showcase opens without offering at least CS slices, you will hear immediate howling here and on every site that tracks Disney dining before you can say "big fat strategic misfire."

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

At Epcot, you're not going to carry the pizza out of the park (in fact you probably wouldn't carry it out of the Italian pavilion), and there really isn't any good place there for a picnic.

I can totally see us ordering one to go before we leave the park (we will be staying at BWV and leave via the International Gateway) and eating it as a late night snack on our resort balcony as we watch the people on the Boardwalk