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Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at Epcot Review

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On my most recent visit (February 2024) to Walt Disney World, my mom and I ate at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at Epcot one night. So, here’s my review of that experience.

Via Napoli Ristorante Review

Via Napoli Ristorante

Pizza is a very common meal that most people enjoy. As such, I’ve seen lots of lists featuring the best pizza at Walt Disney World. Nearly every single one lists Via Napoli Ristorante at or near the top of the list. I’ve been meaning to try it for several years. In fact, I had a history of booking this restaurant 60 days out and then cancelling it for various reasons. However, this time I finally ate here to see if it’s the best pizza!

Technically, Via Napoli is an Italian restaurant with lots of food choices. However, everyone goes here for the pizza. At the front of the restaurant are wood-burning ovens that cook the pizzas. So, it gives the pizza a crispy crust that you don’t get at many other places. The ovens are the centerpiece of the restaurant and it’s fun to watch the pizzas being made.

Dining Plan

If you want Disney Dining Plan tips, you can check out my post on it. That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this restaurant when on the dining plan as it wasn’t the best use of credit. However, it’s a place we’ve been wanting to try for a long time and we made better use of our other credits. For one table service credit, we were able to select an individual pizza, a drink, and a dessert.

The Pizza

I went with the Margherita Pizza as I wanted to try the traditional pizza here. It’s in the image above. It had a really crispy bottom, a tasty tomato sauce, perfect mozzarella, and a little bit of basil on top. It was a pretty good pizza. Personally, I don’t care for smokey or burnt things. So, the crust was a bit of a miss for me personally. The rest of it was good. I’m very fortunate to have a couple of independent Italians restaurants where I live. As such, this pizza wasn’t as good as the pizza I can get locally. If you only have chain pizza locations, then you are in for a treat!

My mom went with the Meat Lover Pizza. It featured a generous amount of pepperoni, ham, and sausage! Her pizza is the first image in my Instagram post below. My mom seemed to like her pizza. The crust was a little too hard for her and she didn’t eat the end pieces. However, she demolished the toppings.

Drinks and Desserts

Since we were on the dining plan, we also got drinks and desserts. We aren’t big alcohol drinkers, so we were tired of the alcohol by this point in the trip. I got a Shirley Temple, which was sweet and delicious! My mom got a Strawberry Acqua Fresca. It was a light yet sweet drink.

For dessert, I again went with a classic. I chose the tiramisu. It was a very light dessert with lots of mascarpone cream. The lady fingers were pretty dry though. Also, there was way too much cocoa powder on top for me. I actually blew some of it off. After that, it was a nice dessert.

My mom went with the gelato. She couldn’t decide on which flavor, so the amazing cast member was nice enough to bring her a small scoop of all three options: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry! That was a nice touch. She enjoyed it a lot.

Is Via Napoli Ristorante worth it?

I found Via Napoli Ristorante to be a unique place where most people can find something to eat. I think the quality of the ingredients used makes its pizza some of the best on property. However, to me it’s still expensive pizza. It’s not a great use of dining credit though. Your best bang for your buck here is to order one of the bigger pizzas to split and pay cash. I think this may be a one and done experience for me, but I don’t regret it. It was a good meal that I enjoyed with my mom.

Have you ever eaten here? Is this your go-to restaurant at Epcot?

Disney Dining Plan Tips ~ Walt Disney World

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At the beginning of 2024, Walt Disney World brought back the very popular Disney Dining Plan. My mom and I had the dining plan on our most recent trip (February 2024). So, I thought I would provide some easy tips for getting the most bang for your buck.

Disney Dining Plan

Disney Dining Plan

As of this writing, there are currently two dining plan options: Quick-Service and the regular Dining Plan. Both options include a Resort Refillable Mug and 1 snack per person per night of stay. The Quick-Service plan comes with 2 quick meals or credits per person per night of stay. The original one comes with 1 quick service and 1 table service meal per person per night of stay. FYI: “quick service” is typically a place similar to fast food or fast casual restaurants. If you want a seated meal with a waitress, that’s considered a table service.

I want to point out something important here: Disney counts the credits per night of stay. That means the nights you are staying in the Disney resort, not the days you are there. So, don’t make that mistake when planning your meals.

As of this writing the quick service plan is $57.01 per adult per night of stay and $23.83 per child (ages 3 to 9) per night of stay. The regular plan is $94.28 per adult per night of stay and $29.69 per child per night of stay. That’s a pricey thing to add on to your trip. So, here are my general tips to help you maximize your credits.

Tips for Maximizing the Disney Dining Plan

  • Make a plan – You will have to do some math to break even or maybe come out slightly ahead with the dining plan. You will have to plan out your meals along with specific foods you plan to eat to maximize your credits.
  • Order a special beverage – For both a quick service and table service meal, you can order a specialty beverage. These will really help you get the most bang for your buck. In fact, adults can even order alcohol on the dining plan. Drinks at Disney World tend to be really strong, in my opinion though. So, pace yourself there.
  • Book a character dining meal – With a few exceptions (Cinderella’s Royal Table, Lunch/Dinner at Akershus, and Storybook Dining at Artist Point are all 2 credits) character meals are an excellent use of dining credits. For instance, we did Chef Mickey’s character dinner using the plan. It’s $66 per adult and then we both got an alcoholic beverage, which put it over $70! So, that was a great use of credit!
  • Book lunch or dinner over breakfast – Lunch and dinner are more expensive than breakfast. Unless you are talking about Akershus Princess Breakfast or Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast in which case those are your only options for a 1 table service credit way to enjoy those meals. Otherwise, opt for lunch or dinner.
  • Use snack credits at Epcot festivals – We used ours at the Festival of the Arts. Some of the foods there were over $10 and were a single snack credit! Just look for the “DDP” logo on the boards to indicate if it’s eligible or ask a cast member!
  • Know credit values – Generally speaking, table service credits need to be $59-63 to be a “good use” of credit. Quick service needs to be $23-25. Snacks are $6+. I think the quick service credit is the hardest to maximize. The Polite Pig in Disney Springs is an excellent use of quick service credits though.
  • Pay for lesser value items out of pocket – You don’t have to use your dining plan for everything you eat. I’ve been known to grab a kid’s quick service meal (like at Woody’s Lunch Box) and pay out of pocket. Then, I use my credits for the other two meals of the day.
  • Order the most expensive items – Go ahead! Get the steak!

Is it worth it?

Truly, you will have to calculate your meals to decide if the dining plan is worth it or not. Although, some people will find value in the fact that the meals are pre-paid (minus gratuity). Plus, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with receipts. I think trying to maximize the credits can be fun but it can also add some stress to things. So, it comes down to how you want to spend your time and money.

Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Review

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Back in February, my mom and I enjoyed Chef Mickey’s character dinner at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. We used a table service credit to dine here, so I thought I would share if we thought it was worth it.

Chef Mickey's Character Dinner

Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner

My mom and I first ate here years ago. Since then, my mom has brought it up several times. My mom loves character dining and enjoys the options of a buffet. It just so happens that most character meals are a great use of a dining plan table service credit. So, since we had the plan this trip and we attended the Magic Kingdom After Hours Event, it seemed like a good time to dine here again for dinner.

For those who don’t know, this is a character buffet meal located at the Contemporary Resort. That makes it walking distance to Magic Kingdom and a great dinner option for an After Hours Event. It costs $66/adult for dinner, which makes it excellent use of a dining credit! We also got some adult beverages, which further increased the value. Although, I always wish I had just gotten a fancy milkshake or smoothie as the drinks at Disney are too strong for me.

The Characters

Given that it’s called Chef Mickey’s, it’s no surprise that the characters here are all dressed like chefs! We had an early dinner reservation and subsequently saw the characters in a rapid fire fashion as they came out. First up, was Goofy, followed by Pluto. Then, we saw Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse himself! Lastly, we saw Minnie Mouse. The staff here are great at making sure everyone meets every character as we had two cast members ask us if we had seen everyone. That doesn’t happen at every meal, so I appreciated that touch.

Most character meals tend to be loud and boisterous. This is no different. I think the location of the restaurant in the middle of the resort makes it a touch louder though. Nonetheless, it’s a fun time if you enjoy meeting characters.

The Food

As this is a buffet meal, the food is plentiful with lots of options. I enjoyed the Asian noodles, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, salad, pasta, and salmon. The breadstick was dry and a little hard. I will admit none of these are particularly exciting dishes or groundbreaking. So, if you are looking for something a little different or perhaps a better quality, then I recommend looking elsewhere.

I will say that I enjoyed trying the various desserts. I probably should have looked prior to starting as I quickly filled up my plate. I really enjoyed the cannoli tart with Chef Mickey’s chocolate on top. I also enjoyed a strawberry lemonade mini cake. There was also a cookies and cream dessert that I liked. The mini Minnie and Donald cupcakes looked adorable, but were pretty basic. The warm apple crisp was also basic but nice.

Overall, the food was ok. I wouldn’t visit for the food alone.

Is Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Worth It?

As with any character meal, it’s expensive. I think it’s definitely worth a table service credit though. Honestly, I would be very hesitant to pay $66 for it out of pocket. The food was fine but not amazing. The characters were cute but a little rushed. If you have kids or a character lover in your party, then it’s probably a hit. If you have adults with a refined palate and no need for characters, you can probably save your money to eat elsewhere.

Have you ever eaten here?

Crystal Palace Character Breakfast Review

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Back in October, my husband and I enjoyed the Crystal Palace character breakfast in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World! Today, I am sharing our review of that experience.

Crystal Palace Character Breakfast

Crystal Palace Character Breakfast

My husband and I grew up watching Winnie the Pooh cartoons and movies. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Pooh and friends a couple of times. However, my husband hasn’t been with me on those prior trips to Disney. We initially had this meal booked for a March 2020 trip. However, that trip was cancelled due to Covid when the resort shut down. We’ve been slowly making up reservations from that trip with each return visit, including trying Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast on this trip as well. So, I was tickled to finally check off Crystal Palace with my husband so he could meet these characters!

For those who don’t know, Crystal Palace is a greenhouse-inspired with Victorian touches restaurant right off Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. It features a buffet and Winnie the Pooh characters!

Breakfast Food

I booked a late breakfast reservation for 10:15 AM. Breakfast is cheaper than lunch and dinner, at $48/adult vs $61/adult. However, as with my Tusker House Breakfast Review, they start switching out the food from breakfast to lunch around 10:45 AM. So, we got to enjoy a little bit of both meals for the price of breakfast!

The one item they are known for here during breakfast is the churro Mickey waffles! I made sure to grab one as soon as I hit up the buffet to make sure I didn’t miss it. It’s a sweet, cinnamon waffle that’s unique as most other locations only serve regular Mickey waffles. So, if you are looking for a character meal with a little bit different menu, this may be a good spot. You can view more of my food in the Instagram post below.

The Characters

Being two grown adults, my husband and I try not to take too much of the characters’ time. This was a pretty fast character meal though. First up was Piglet. He’s so pink and cute! Next up, it was Tigger who is a brighter orange than you would think. Then, it was Eeyore! He was extra cute as he came up behind my seated husband and played a bit of peek-a-boo with him. Haha! That was probably the stand out memory from this meal. I loved the pictures I managed to get of my husband and Eeyore.

Currently, Winnie the Pooh does not come around to the tables to meet you. You get in line to meet him at the end of your meal, before you leave the restaurant. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait too long to meet him. There’s a cast member there to take photos, which made it the only character photo we got together. I thought it was a nice touch.

Is Crystal Palace character breakfast worth it?

As with any character meal, it’s an expensive meal. Aside from the much hyped churro waffles, I wouldn’t say any of the food stood out. However, you don’t really go here for the food. Besides, the food options in Magic Kingdom can be lackluster anyways. If you are a fan of Pooh and friends, then this is a great option. If you are looking for a sit down breakfast at MK, then it’s also not a bad idea. I wouldn’t recommend this place for someone on a tight budget though.

So, have you enjoyed the Crystal Palace character breakfast?

Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast Review

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I’ve now had the opportunity to try Topolino’s Terrace character breakfast twice! I first went in October 2023 with my husband and then again a few weeks ago with my mom. So, I thought it was time to finally write my review!

Topolino's Terrace Character Breakfast

Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast

Topolino’s Terrace is the signature dining restaurant at the top of the Riviera Resort. For dinner, it is a fancy signature dining experience. However, for breakfast it is a top tier character dining experience! To correspond with the French Riviera theme of the resort, it’s the Breakfast a la Art with Mickey and Friends meal! The views out over the resort and surrounding Orlando area makes for a unique dining experience.

The Characters

As I stated above, this is an art themed meal. So, Mickey is dressed as a painter with an apron and paintbrushes. Minnie is a poet dressed in papers as a dress. Daisy is a dancer. Donald is a sculptor. It’s so cute to see the different outfits on the characters. Plus, there’s a song that plays from time to time and then the characters dance around the room.

The four characters come around to each table to take pictures. The characters have had us stay in our seats both times I’ve eaten here. I think that maximizes the space of the restaurant and probably keeps things moving quickly. However, it doesn’t feel rushed. I think the seated meal makes it feel more peaceful and relaxing than a buffet. I enjoy not having to worry about missing a character while getting food.

The Food

Given that this is a plated meal and not a buffet, I think the meal is a much better quality. I think it also helps that it’s a signature dinner location. You begin the meal with a paint bucket full of pastries that includes croissants, mini muffins, and cinnamon apple muffins. They also include butter, Nutella, and strawberry jam to top your pastries with. I enjoy mixing and matching them.

Both times I have selected the sour cream waffles for my entree. I have been pleased both times. The second time I opted for the plant based sausage, but it’s a little dry and crumbly. The orange maple syrup adds more depth and flavor to the meal. The cream is a nice touch as well. I tried my husband’s quiche in October and it was really good too. I doubt there’s a bad entree here to be honest. Although, I have heard the bread pudding is a touch dry.

Is Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast worth it?

As with any other character dining experience, this is an expensive meal. It’s currently $49/adult and $30/child. My husband and I paid for the meal out of pocket in October and found it to be worth it. The food was really good and plentiful. Plus, the location and views were amazing. My mom wasn’t as convinced. We used the dining plan in February 2024 and she said she wouldn’t pay out of pocket for it. I guess it depends on what you want from a meal. My husband values food quality, taste, and ambiance more than characters. My mom likes to sample things from a buffet and see characters. I think she prefers the Cape May Cafe for character breakfast.

So, have you ever eaten here?