Day 1, con’t
World Showcase was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday afternoon in February. But the spring-like breeze was refreshing and helped us remain calm as we maneuvered through the crowds.
Look at that blue sky!
I was craving pizza.
No….a strawberry limoncello.
No….BOTH!!!
I thought I’d test my luck and see if Via Napoli was accepting walk-ups. There were people hovering around the outdoor podium as well as sitting on nearby chairs waiting for their names to be called.
It didn’t look promising.
When it was my turn to speak with the cast member I cautiously asked, “Are you taking walk-ins?”
“How many in your party?”
“Two.”
“Your name and a number we can reach you?”
I couldn’t believe it. I was afraid to ask how long the wait would be since this seemed too easy. What if the wait was an hour? Woody and I were pretty hungry and I was unsure we could go much longer before turning ugly.
The words slipped out of my mouth. “About how long is the wait?”
“Shouldn’t be too long,” was the reply.
I turned towards Woody and grinned. The CM said we could wait in the lobby. We’d barely stepped inside when a host called our name.
I said hello to our friend Aviator Frog before being seated.
Perky Sam was our server. She was
thrilled Via Napoli was taking walk-ins! She was
thrilled we’d been there before! She was
thrilled we were there for the pizza! She
loves working at Via Napoli! (I am not mocking her. Her exuberance was infectious!) She informed us that she was not from Italy but was an American (not that we had any doubt.) She said that Disney is slowly ramping up the International Program and that all native Italians working in the restaurant wear red vests. (Of course I immediately scanned the dining room for red vests!)
Drinks were ordered and arrived quickly. I think this was the best strawberry limoncello I’ve ever had!
The pizza arrived almost as fast.
(Confidential to @Loco_driver ~ we ordered the large. We can’t handle the Mezzo Metro!)
The pizza was delicious and satisfying. We did not feel rushed. Our overall dining experience was great!
And I will be looking for Sam at the premiere of Happily Ever After in April.
My friend 
