“Via Napoli” Opens August 5th, 2010

WDWNT Author on July 19, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Pizzeria at Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

The new restaurant at the Italy Pavilion at Epcot, Via Napoli, will begin taking reservations Aug. 6 for Sept. 10, the official opening day. A “Grand Opening” celebration will be Aug. 5, but the restaurant will be in a “soft opening” walk-in phase with no reservations between then and Sept. 10.

More answers to reader questions from the last blog post:

  • The restaurant is table service only, no quick service.
  • Disney Dining Plan is accepted (one point per person per meal).
  • The hottest menu item is the wood-fired pizza, and it comes in three sizes: individual; large with eight slices; and a “mezzo metro,” or half meter, that is 12 slices.
  • There is one menu for both lunch and dinner. Average check is around $23.
  • There are several vegetarian options, including the pizza Margherita, fusilli pasta in a Southern Italian-style pesto, salads, minnestrone and more.

Japan Gets A Little Animated

WDWNT Author on July 19, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Japan Gallery

Perhaps you heard, there’s a new exhibit in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot and today we’re taking a quick peek inside on The Disney Parks Blog. It’s called Spirit Beasts: From Ancient Stories to Anime Stars and as you can see from the image above, it features some pretty mysterious creatures from traditional Japanese myths and artwork. Those creatures and their stories inspired some of the most popular modern-day characters of Japan’s manga comics and anime.

Japan Gallery

And that’s what the exhibit is all about — showing the connection between the historic and the contemporary. When I popped in this week, I immediately recognized some of the Japanese characters from video games and TV shows that my children still enjoy. I think you’ll spot them too.

You’ve got plenty of time to see it. Project Manager and Show Producer Wyatt Winter expects the exhibit to be on display for several years. Just walk to the back of the Pavilion and hang a left.

Via Napoli Opening Date and Menu Revealed

WDWNT Author on July 8, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Pastas, wood-fired pizzas, scoops of sweet gelato – here’s a first look at the menu for the new Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at the Epcot Italy Pavilion. Opening next month the 300-seat restaurant expands dining choices (our favorite Tutto Italia stays). Created by the Patina Restaurant Group’s CEO Nick Valenti, the menu is based on his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York. Valenti spent time in Naples studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon. A feature at Via Napoli is its wood-burning ovens, cleverly named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli.

Appetizers: Sicilian eggplant with olives and raisins; salad of lettuce, fagiolini (string beans), fennel and tomatoes; arancini (fried saffron risotto balls) with meat ragù, mozzarella and pomodoro sauce; corn-crusted fried calamari; and minestrone with basil pesto. Or share a plate of arancini, mozzarella, calamari, portobella mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes).

Main course salads: Manzo (filet of beef) with greens, red onion, gorgonzola, apple and cucumber with a red wine-mustard vinaigrette; chopped salad with lemon chicken, greens, cantaloupe, cucumber, red pepper, green beans, onions, almonds and pasta crisps with honey-citrus vinaigrette; calamari with arugula, carrots and fennel with orange vinaigrette.

Pastas: candele (long, tube-shaped pasta) with sausage ragù; linguine with seafood; malfadine (ribbon pasta) with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) and pomodoro sauce; lasagna verde.

Piatti alla Parmigiana: (dishes topped with Parmesan and mozzarella gratinée): veal, chicken and eggplant.

Wood-fired pizzas: made with caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella and water from a local spring just like in Italy’s Campania region – 10-inch, 20-inch or 1/2 meter to share: a dozen choices, from a simple pizza Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil to carciofi with artichoke, potato, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe.

Sweets: tiramisù, zeppole di ricotta (ricotta cheese-fried dough, whipped cream and chocolate sauce); apple cake with almond sorbetti; gelatie; and vanilla gelato with almond cookies and amarena cherries.