Via Napoli v Biergarten

[lauraleh]

We can only pick one. I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old. Food and atmosphere are of equal importance. These are the others on our list so feel free to make other suggestions too. Breakfast- Akershus, Dinner- WCC, Ohana, Raglan Road, Boma, Chefs de France. Thanks!

 

[villainj]

We are trying Via for the first time in a couple of months. I am really looking forward to it! Akershus is great for character interactions our kids loved it!

 

[Mr & Mrs DD]

I would choose Via Napoli and have the pizza. I also loved the tiramisu dessert.There are those who love Biergarten. I thought it was just okay. It wasn't bad. It had a fun German atmosphere.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

I have never been to Biergarten, but Via Napoli is one of my favourites, particularly if you enjoy thin crust pizza. OP, you mention atmosphere is important (but not sure what exactly - quiet? "character"?). Via Napoli has never bothered me, but I have heard others say it is noisy. The decor is fairly simple. If you like Italian food, next door is Tutto Italia which has a little more upscale feel to it and is usually quieter, in my experience.

Akershus breakfast is a great choice.

 

[Lucius Best]

My vote would be Via Napoli, we've eaten there recently, the pizza is great. The atmosphere is the cute Italian waiters who always playfully flirt with my wife and are eager to talk about their hometowns in Italy. I haven't eaten Biergarten for a while, the food was good, you've got family style seating and the band providing atmosphere. I've seen some reviews on here recently from people complaining that it was a long wait for their ADR and a bit of a zoo inside.

 

[goofy4prez]

I like them both and really couldn't tell you which one you should go to. My recommendation would be to look over the menu's along with the theme and then determine which would be the most interesting to you. As others have said, Via Napoli has excellent pizza, some decent decor and very good service. But it is pizza, and if excellent pizza is easily available where you are from then you may want to pass on Via Napoli. Biergarten offers a very fun German atmosphere with a live band and dancing. Overall, I am not a fan of buffets, but Biergarten is pretty good. One of the drawbacks of Biergarten for some is the seating. If you are on the shy side or a bit introverted, you may not like Biergarten because you will be seated with others. I personally am very outgoing and don't mind, but for some it makes for a rather odd meal. Either way I think you will have a great time with either one.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

That is a tough one. We love Via Napoli and try to eat there each time - but the atmosphere at Biergarten is a lot of fun. My husband is German and loves the music at Biergarten - he always gets up to dance with one of our children.

As for your other choices - we absolutely love WCC. So much fun! We also really like Akershus and Boma. Raglan Road was good - our table was on the side of the stage so some of us couldn't see the show. The food was good though. We ate at Chefs de France and didn't love it. The menu is very limited. The onion soup and the flat bread are great but wouldn't go back with so many other great restaurants to eat in.

You have great dining choices - Enjoy!

 

[hmnec]

Never done Napoli but my kids enjoyed the band at Biergarten.
It's mediocre German food but good for disney

 

[goofyintoronto]

The food at Via Napoli is amazing!!!! Both the pasta and the pizza is phenominal. We go every trip. We cant resist.

Biergarten food is just ok, nothing special. Band is entertaining i suppose, but given the choice i'd definitely choose via because of the food.

 

[Kevin355]

My vote would be Via Napoli, we've eaten there recently, the pizza is great. The atmosphere is the cute Italian waiters who always playfully flirt with my wife and are eager to talk about their hometowns in Italy. I haven't eaten Biergarten for a while, the food was good, you've got family style seating and the band providing atmosphere. I've seen some reviews on here recently from people complaining that it was a long wait for their ADR and a bit of a zoo inside.

I like speaking Italian to them. Poor Italian, but enough to get by. They are pretty good in not "correcting" me when I talk to them. They make a gluten free pizza for my wife that is excellent, and they made a gluten/soy/dairy free dessert for her as well.

Biergarten is fun as well. My sons love it but there is very little for my wife to eat. If you do not have food allergies, do the dinner buffet and enjoy the show. It was fun mingling at the large table with strangers and having a blast. Great atmosphere.

 

[ktlm]

My DD(9) has ranked Biergarten up there with Princess meals since she was 3. It is her absolute favorite restaurant at WDW that does not involve Princesses. It is also my DH's one request for every trip. I'm pretty sure if it was closed for a refurb, he would want the whole trip rescheduled. The German buffet is good, and worked surprisingly well for DD when she was a very picky eater as a preschooler. There is a German band that puts on a show, and a dance floor where the kids can go out and dance during the show. The atmosphere is really fun. Biergarten would definitely be our choice.

 

[Dis703]

Biergarten is an absolute must do for us every trip. The food is really good with lots to choose from. The ambiance is great and I really enjoy the community seating. And of course the kids love to get up and dance when the band is playing. No contest for us.

We've only been to Via Napoli once and it wasn't a great experience. Didn't care for the food or service at the time and since Disney Italian food really does not compare to what we have available at home DH prefers not to bother eating Italian when we vacation anymore.

 

[gonzalj1]

Via Napoli is very good but also pretty loud. Also, they are pretty restrictive if you have DDP as I understand it.

Biergarten is a fun time. With the band playing and the selection at the buffet we enjoyed it the time we went. The kids enjoyed the food as well but were also older than yours at the time.

 

[lauraleh]

I'm so torn. The pizza looks great but we do have great coal fired brick oven pizza here in Dallas. Biergarten looks like a fun environment and the food looks good too. I guess my other reason for leaning toward Biergarten is that we are on the DDP (free) and VN is a poor value v Biergarten being a pretty great value. Also Biergarten is probably not something we'd ever try out of pocket when VN definitely is. So many choices...

 

[chrissythepooh]

The food is good at both, but I love, love, love Biergarten for the atmosphere. The German Band and dancing is so much fun and the Village atmosphere they created makes you feel like you are seated in the middle of a German village courtyard.

 

[Disneylover99]

I'm so torn. The pizza looks great but we do have great coal fired brick oven pizza here in Dallas. Biergarten looks like a fun environment and the food looks good too. I guess my other reason for leaning toward Biergarten is that we are on the DDP (free) and VN is a poor value v Biergarten being a pretty great value. Also Biergarten is probably not something we'd ever try out of pocket when VN definitely is. So many choices...

I love the pizza at Via Napoli, but we also love Biergarten. Based on what you just said, I would say go to Biergarten. It's so much fun to dance. Kids love it!

 

[GillianP1301]

For me it would be any easy choice and it would be Biergarten. Via Napoli is one of the only truly negative dining experiences I've had at Disney. The service was just horrid. The pizza was good, but certainly not amazing and not even good enough for me to give it another shot.

 

[DISNEY1975]

IMO, Beirgartens food is OK. There were a few things on the buffet that I really liked, other items I would not try! I really liked it with my, at the time, 6 yo because there is a dance floor and she could go there and dance around during dinner. Via Napoli is good, but I can eat at Italian restaurants every day of the week where I live, so I prefer the experience I wouldnt find at home.

 

[DizDaD7]

We can only pick one. I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old. Food and atmosphere are of equal importance. These are the others on our list so feel free to make other suggestions too. Breakfast- Akershus, Dinner- WCC, Ohana, Raglan Road, Boma, Chefs de France. Thanks!

It's tough because both are fun and good food. Depends on the food you want , but to be honest I would always defend Via Napoli & recommend it as well....This place is delish...Family style , and very attentive servers too..Biergarten is fun as well...If you time it with the entertainment, it's worth it..A ton of food too...

As for your others. The only one i don't very much care for is Akershus....I didn't go for brreakfast, but our dinner Buffet was Meh...Really underwhelmed there, in terms of food, and character interaction...
I'd suggest TH if you want a Character meal, or Boma's for an excellent buffet. 1900 PF was great as well. (Breakfast that is )

WCC is fun too. Love the interaction, & Ohana's we've been 6 times..Our best experience we just had this past Nov... But never had a bad meal.

 

[Stinkerbell92]

I haven't been to the Biergarten since I was 5 years old with my parents. I imagine for little kids they still have a regular Hot Dog on the menu. Via Napoli I went to with my boyfriend last year and loved the pizza. If you like pizza and your kids do they will love Via Napoli. I would choose Via Napoli.