Horrible Experience at Tutto Italia

[tomm4004]

Saddly, I think we're going to see more of this... it's the effect of the Disney Dining Plan on Signiture Restaurants.

I thought Signature places would be immune to the DDP since the plan is not cost efficient concerning these places. If you allocate two sit down meals that's about $50, but in general an entree and dessert at a Signature doesn't cost this amount. So Signatures are where the people not on DDP are supposed to go because the other places are booked. Thus, the Signature's should have to keep their quality high to attract these diners and locals as well.

Artist Point currently has seven appetizers and seven entrees on the menu. Anyone have a menu from years back to compare? Last time there (May) I still thought it was very good. Citricos has nine entrees; Jiko ten. Any more and they start becoming a road house.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

Sure thing, I have the Lasagna and it was EXCELLENT!!! The portion was rather generous, but then again the people in my party were rather upset with the amount of food they got for the price..

Another reason why I refuse to shell out my money to World Showcase table dining. I am perfectly fine getting my Italian fix at Maggianos or Olive Garden where the prices are a lot cheaper and the food is PLENTIFUL!

Well, I usually go to Maggiano's for my lasagna fix, but I might have to give Tutto Italia a shot now!

 

[The_CEO]

Horrible? Horrible is somebody got food poisoning, somebody died (okay, that's beyond horrible), you got a rat in your food, you got held up in the men's room. What you described is far from horrible. The exaggeration and hyperbole makes people skeptical and leaves no room for a poster who had real problems.

Your missing the whole point. Our waiter had no idea what was on the menu, did not offer anyone a beverage just served water, did not even know how large the Caesar salad was and didn't even care we were there! How dare you call my situation exaggeration, I had an experience, an opinion, and I posted it because this is a DISCUSSION FORUM.

Good night.

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

We had a good dinner at Tutto Italia. Just had basic cheese raviolis in alfredo and though they were great.

Everything I saw as far as servings was definitely enough to more than enough.

Now price I cant comment on. I was at disney on a free dining plan, so maybe I would have a different opinion if I was springing for the meal out of my own pocket. But I thought it was really good.

 

[brent2124]

Hello Everyone,

If someone could please fill me in on how this restaurant receives rave reviews? I ate there this last Friday and was far from impressed. I understand they are trying to separate themselves from Alfredo's, previous occupant, but they went a little to far. I found the staff there rude and inattentive. Our food came out within 5 minutes of ordering which made me question how authentic it was and offered a more cookie cutter approach.

Most of all I have a problem with the price/portion ratio, who decided that a Caesar Salad, a wedge of lettuce with ranch like substance drizzled on top, cost 13 dollars? This wasn't even an appetizer portion, like promoted in the menu, it didn't even feed one person! I just wanted to put in my 2 cents for anyone considering this restaurant for one of their meals during their trip.


Comments?

Justin

now are you exagerating just a bit?

 

[Phonedave]

now are you exagerating just a bit?

That actualy sounds like a wedge salad. Very common in some steak houses. A wedge of iceberg with either ranch or french dressing. I am not sure myself how it became such a popular thing. I think I have ordered one twice in my life, and I still don't know why.

-dave

 

[The_CEO]

now are you exagerating just a bit?

No.

 

[tomm4004]

...Yes - but you'll notice that between 2-2008 and 11-2008, both AP and the BD droped Filets, and replaced them with rather poor NY Steaks. The NUMBER of offerings is constant, but the QUALITY (in the case of these two SD offerings) is vanishing...

You're right. And the price rises. Wow, $42 bucks for Grilled Beef Striploin. That doesn't sound good. What gets me is $10 for a garden salad. I balk at that.

 

[harryk]

I have enjoyed the Italian restaurant under both management companies -- but I shall never pay for a salad. It should be included with the meal - no matter where you go and it should contain more than lettuce.
Are we going to WDW to dine or to enjoy the entire WDW experience? I and my family go to WDW to enjoy all the parks and characters and entertainment - not to just eat. If you get hung up on when and where to eat and whats on the menu remember that they are serving thousands at these restaurants during a week and most meals are pre-prepared to meet the needs of the guests. If you want to dine go to Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian.

 

[epcotWSC]

As an Italian American, I thought Tutto Italia was horrid. Overpriced and average/bland food. I hope to never go there again. Next year I will try another restaurant in the showcase instead.

I enjoyed Alfredo's and went to the one in NYC and enjoyed it there as well. Tutto Italia gets a big thumbs down from me.

 

[PoohsGang]

As an Italian American, I thought Tutto Italia was horrid. Overpriced and average/bland food. I hope to never go there again. Next year I will try another restaurant in the showcase instead.

I enjoyed Alfredo's and went to the one in NYC and enjoyed it there as well. Tutto Italia gets a big thumbs down from me.

It's Disney, relax if you want real Italian go to Little italy in NY, just because Disney gets a bunch of kids on 1 year visas doesn't mean you are in Italy.....:zipit:

 

[dxwwf3]

I REALLY miss Alfredo's. Don't have any desire to go to Tutto Italia after looking at the prices and after hearing the reviews. Alfredo's was expensive enough, but at least the food quality was there. With Le Cellier and Tepen Edo in the same area, competition is just too tough for this place.

 

[epcotWSC]

It's Disney, relax if you want real Italian go to Little italy in NY, just because Disney gets a bunch of kids on 1 year visas doesn't mean you are in Italy.....:zipit:

If I'm spending $20+ on an entree I expect it to be good.

Alfredo's had good food. That's gone now. They replaced it with something awful.

I can go to an Italian restaurant like 5 minutes from my house and get much better food for half the price (or cook it for the price of groceries).

The world showcase should have excellent food from all of the host countries, it's supposed to showcase the world in one place. Therefore we should expect an excellent meal in every country. I don't mind spending the money, but it has to be worth it. Spending $20 on a terrible meal is not worth it to me.

The fact that it's Disney should mean that I should expect something amazing and magical not crud. Heck, I'd accept an 8 out of 10. Tutto Italia to me is a 4 or maybe worse. There are some things that don't bother me much if they are skimped on, but food, that's a big no no. If I have a bad food experience somewhere I don't go back, and I will not be going back to Tutto Italia.


Oh and FYI, little Italy is like one street now , nothing really special down there. There are hundreds of Italian restaurants all over southern NY, no need to go to Little Italy.

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

Maybe you should give it another shot? It could have just been one bad experience. Im a pain about italian food and I thought it was quite good and I definitely wouldnt describe it as something awful. And our server was probably one of the best we had on the trip.

Who knows though, maybe its just not for you

:shrug:

 

[snookie5605]

does anyone have a more updated menu for them? i know on allears.net, they have one from july but i just wanted to make sure it was right. because when we went in 07 there was like nothing on the menu and now according to the 08 menu there is tons more, especially pasta wise. i also just noticed that disney updated the disney dining plan brochure and tutto is on there for the deluxe dining so that may pay to go for that!

 

[dxwwf3]

Whatever happened to the plans for a REAL Italian restaurant in this location? Did the plan get axed?

Good point. We've heard nothing about any changes since the current spot opened. I would say that we won't see anything new anytime soon.

 

[epcotWSC]

Tutto is absolutely NOT Alfredos... but Tutto was supposed to be a stopgap temporary restaruant between the departure of Alfredos and the arival of "something better".

Whatever happened to the plans for a REAL Italian restaurant in this location? Did the plan get axed?

I was wondering the same thing a couple months ago. I think TI is it, which stinks. Alfredo's was great, I still don't know why it isn't there anymore. I ate in the NYC Alfredo's it was good as well (although I liked the Disney one more, it had more of a traditional atmosphere than the one in NYC). It's a shame.

 

[noname70]

I've eaten in NYC and I'm Italian-American (Grandma made great sauce) and I still think Olive Garden is very good! Don't worry about the food snobs.

As for the rushed service the OP mentioned-agreed. It is something I'm noticing more and more at WDW.

 

[DryCreek]

Ny?

It's Disney, relax if you want real Italian go to Little italy in NY, just because Disney gets a bunch of kids on 1 year visas doesn't mean you are in Italy.....:zipit:

If you want real Italian food - try going to Italy!

When I was much younger (early twenties - over twenty five years ago), I was sitting in a restaurant that was located in a cave, carved from the side of a mountain, in Naples, Italy. When our food came out, some of my shipmates at the table complained about the food. They said it wasn't "authentic"! If you wanted real Eye-talian food you needed to go to (insert name here) in South Jezzy, or in this borough in Noo Yock City. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that.

 

[WDW Monorail]

If you want real Italian food - try going to Italy!

When I was much younger (early twenties - over twenty five years ago), I was sitting in a restaurant that was located in a cave, carved from the side of a mountain, in Naples, Italy. When our food came out, some of my shipmates at the table complained about the food. They said it wasn't "authentic"! If you wanted real Eye-talian food you needed to go to (insert name here) in South Jezzy, or in this borough in Noo Yock City. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that.

Your friends are partially correct. What is served in most restaurants in Italy is complete dung. It's a mixture of French, German and Italian cuisine. Food in Italy, varies from region to region. Most southern, rustic food is simple and fantastic. Northern food, whether it be prepared by a chef in a restaurant or someone in a home...not so much.

Real, old world Italian food comes from either a farm house in Southern Italy, SI, New York or a certain restaurant in a certain town, in Italy operated by a certain family friend.

I have had many fantastic meals in restaurants in my area, including South Jezzy.