Via Napoli

[x5x5x5x5x5]

I feel compelled to review our lunch experience. Awful. DD and I went today around 1pm. The restaurant space seemed loud, cavernous and had lots of hard surfaces. Not very inviting IMO. Our server tried to bully me into a $15 glass of wine. When I politely refused to order it he sort of ignored us for about 10 or 15 minutes. We finally ordered the child's spaghetti and the lasagna with a (not $15) glass of wine. DD liked her meal. I thought the lasagna was decent - but had clearly been sitting under a heat lamp type thing. Our server never checked on us during the meal. I finally got the bill and found that he'd over charged us for a drink. I didn't bother trying to get it removed (he was nowhere to be found) - was just glad to be finished. Will not return. Bill was over $50 for kids spaghetti, lasagna and a mediocre glass of vino. No thanks.

 

[jennylyn_b]

I would look that bill over. Kids spaghetti is around $10 and lasagne is like $20 so if your bill was really over 50 then perhaps you were charged an extra entree?!? Or did you forget a kids drink, apps or desserts or include tip in that total?

 

[bumbershoot]

We had dinner there 2/18. Same experience.

"loud, cavernous and had lots of hard surfaces. Not very inviting IMO." Absolutely. I was nearly deafened while there.

We ordered a margherita pizza. DH and DS found it to be decent, but I took one small bite of it and was done. It was so bad to my taste buds. The cheese tasted and felt horrible to me. I took the cheese off, and it was even worse. Even just the crust. Bleah.

The server asked if I was hungry when she saw how little I ate, and I said that I disliked the pizza...do you know she said NOTHING about getting me something else (about me ordering something else), or an apology or a "too bad" or anything? Nothing!

Then again, maybe she didn't hear me. It's pretty loud in there.

I was so excited for my ADR there, too.

 

[KMarston]

I'm shaking my head here! I read some no so great reviews of Tepan Edo last night and decided to change that ADR to Via Napoli since I had heard so many great things about it! I've got to stop this madness! And stop reading reviews I guess!

Sorry you didn't have a good experience!

 

[bobnrobhall]

I was supprised by your experience at Via Napoli. We just ate there last week.
Yes it is large and can be loud when full but I thought that it had the feel of eating will a large Italian family. We ate lunch there one day and dinner on another. For lunch we were seated near the fire ovens and got to watch them make our pizza which the kids thought was cool. The pizza is very authentic so if you were expecting American Pizza you may not enjoy it but we liked it so much that we came back the day. The service was excellent both times we went. They seem to work as a team and there was always someone nearby refilling my water and asking if we needed anything

 

[jwfla422]

I'm shaking my head here! I read some no so great reviews of Tepan Edo last night and decided to change that ADR to Via Napoli since I had heard so many great things about it! I've got to stop this madness! And stop reading reviews I guess!

Sorry you didn't have a good experience!

I'm also sorry the OP didn't have a good experience.

We tried VN for lunch for the first time a few weeks ago and loved it. The pizza I had was fabulous, however that being said I can understand the noise issue as the main room is very large with high ceilings.

We were lucky enough to be seated in the indoor porch area right by the open door on a gorgeous afternoon, we couldn't have asked for a better table really (and we didn't even ask for it, most of the time the hosts/seaters want to put us back in the corner by the kitchen or by the service areas LOL)...we also had a good server, not pushy about anything, etc.

Here's my review with photos: http://www.disneydiningreviews.com/via-napoli-italy-lunch-review.htm

But before you look at that...

Keep in mind. everyone can have a different experience anywhere, case and point...we also went to Sanaa after reading "rave" reviews here on the boards I just had to try it and was so looking forward to it and you know what, it was not a good experience for us...(which I still mostly blame on the server). I posted a review about it and some of the posters here just couldn't believe it (like I was making it up just to cause trouble LOL). I really wanted to like it but didn't. But I'll tell you a server can most certainly "make" or "break" a dining experience. One person's good experience can be another person's bad experience and vice versa...don't let the boards sway your decision, just go with your gutt.

 

[jwfla422]

I feel compelled to review our lunch experience. Awful. DD and I went today around 1pm. The restaurant space seemed loud, cavernous and had lots of hard surfaces. Not very inviting IMO. Our server tried to bully me into a $15 glass of wine. When I politely refused to order it he sort of ignored us for about 10 or 15 minutes. We finally ordered the child's spaghetti and the lasagna with a (not $15) glass of wine. DD liked her meal. I thought the lasagna was decent - but had clearly been sitting under a heat lamp type thing. Our server never checked on us during the meal. I finally got the bill and found that he'd over charged us for a drink. I didn't bother trying to get it removed (he was nowhere to be found) - was just glad to be finished. Will not return. Bill was over $50 for kids spaghetti, lasagna and a mediocre glass of vino. No thanks.

LOL, don't feel compelled about sharing it, it's a bummer you had this experience. We really liked this restaurant but the issues you mention are unacceptable and I would have been quite upset in your shoes.

I feel the same way about Sanaa and I thought I was going to get really flamed when I posted our experience we had there (after really looking forward to it!) but I posted about it anyway...these boards are for sharing experiences.

I would MOST CERTAINLY though, contact guest relations via email and let them know what you experienced. You don't have to go into detail more than you did here. (obviously the server was no where to be found because he knows he did a no-no)......but this shouldn't happen at WDW and unless they know (guest relations or restaurant mgmt) he can just keep trying to treat guests that way (and if I'm one of those guests one day, watch out)...

 

[lionqueen]

We LOVE Via Napoli. We went there twice last week. LOVE the pizza and the kicker is we are from the Northeast!

 

[auntfrannie]

But I'll tell you a server can most certainly "make" or "break" a dining experience. One person's good experience can be another person's bad experience and vice versa...don't let the boards sway your decision, just go with your gutt.

SO TRUE! If you have a terrible server it will impact the entire experience. I always enjoy reading reviews from others, though. I think it gives a much fairer opinion of the restaurant.

 

[VillianDiva]

I'm sorry you had such a negative experience. I agree with the previous posters that a server can ruin the experience.

We were there back in October and we loved it but I know that restaurants can always be different on a day to day basis.

 

[jojomoore]

I feel compelled to review our lunch experience. Awful. DD and I went today around 1pm. The restaurant space seemed loud, cavernous and had lots of hard surfaces. Not very inviting IMO. Our server tried to bully me into a $15 glass of wine. When I politely refused to order it he sort of ignored us for about 10 or 15 minutes. We finally ordered the child's spaghetti and the lasagna with a (not $15) glass of wine. DD liked her meal. I thought the lasagna was decent - but had clearly been sitting under a heat lamp type thing. Our server never checked on us during the meal. I finally got the bill and found that he'd over charged us for a drink. I didn't bother trying to get it removed (he was nowhere to be found) - was just glad to be finished. Will not return. Bill was over $50 for kids spaghetti, lasagna and a mediocre glass of vino. No thanks.

HI, I have never eaten at Via Napoli, but this has happened to me at another popular chain restaurant. It was at lunch and was a special birthday lunch with me, my daughter and her best friend. Once I politely declined to buy a glass of wine, I had the most horrible service. We were completely ignored and had to flag the waitress down. My daughter even said "Mom what's wrong with that waitress? she is being extremely rude" It still upsets me too think about it. I mean what kind of mother would I be if I drank and then drove with two young girls. the waitress should have never even offered me wine. I guess she was upset to only sale one adult entrée and two kids meals but what she didn't know is that I am an extremely generous tipper unless a waiter or waitress is rude for no valid reason. too make matters worse the very same day we walked out of a mall nearby and witnessed a man holding a gun to another mans head. We fled. Other adults were calling 911. I am not going to let someones elses problem become mine or my childrens. Deep Breath.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I'm sorry you didn't like Via Napoli! That was one of our favorite meals during our last trip (and we plan to eat there again during our upcoming trip!).

I totally agree that a server can make or break a dining experience. We ate excellent food at the Brown Derby, but our server was such a grump that I don't have many warm, fuzzy feelings for that restaurant. I'll likely return sometime (as the food was good) but I'm not in any rush.

 

[Compassplant]

On on Feb 2013 trip, we discovered that quite a few "sit down" Disney World restaurants had wait staff that lacked the normal outgoing, friendly demeanor of attraction cast members.

 

[Compassplant]

The bottom line with Disney restaurants is that if you are used to dining in decent non Disney restaurants back home, Disney restaurants are nothing to write home about.