Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria — Restaurant in Bay Lake

I’ll start with the things I really liked which was the food and our server, the most important parts. We had a really really rough time being seated though. We made reservations far in advance and were a larger party consisting of 3 smaller reservations. I checked in 15 minutes before hand as requested and spoke to the hostess outside asked if it was possible to be seated close together, not all at the same table but at least in the same area of the restaurant. If not that’s perfectly fine. They said that was no problem and they’ll call us when it’s ready. We were a party of 18, 7 of which are children - 5 children 2 and under and one child who is special needs. 30 minutes goes by- the restaurant is maybe 1/10 of the way full. So very very empty. I ask if there’s a problem with our table or did we maybe get put aside as we hadn’t been called and it’s been quite a while. They said we needed to go back outside to the hostess and check what the issue was. I waited in line to speak with her, she said there was no issue and to go back in we should be called shortly. 20 more minutes go by, still haven’t been called. Nearly an hour past our reservation time and we’ve had to entertain 5 hungry toddlers and our special needs nephew. I go back up and ask why we haven’t been called and she’s holding our ticket and calls us back. When we made it to our table we didn’t have high chairs, so had to hold our toddlers while they went to get them and they came back with them 15 minutes later. I was in tears. No one seemed to have any sense of urgency or see that our party was really struggling and had been for some time. Our server was very kind and the food was great but I’ve never had an experience like this at Disney restaurant. We go all the time and have never waited more than 15 minutes. No apologies and the woman I kept speaking to about any issues I didn’t know about was very rude. I’m not sure if I messed them up by asking to be seated close together but they assured me it was no problem. Had I known I wouldn’t have said anything and we could’ve just sat...

Update! Still five stars !!!!

July 2024- Second review here (although we’ve eaten here 10 + times).. and, again, their food is beyond excellent!! Via Napoli is top three at Disney world (I actually think it’ is number 1, to be honest). We just love it. The hosts are magnifique; we were first sat at a table by the running water station and they moved us once I asked, and they were so gracious about it. Our server, she was great… but we missed Mara. Mara checked on us,repeatedly, throughout our meal. I was just with my 7 -year old (who orders a lot, and always orders the adult dessert, but I feel that we were not prioritized). Mara is still the best server on Disney (world and land) property. ASK for her, she is the BEST! Hats off to the cooks, the food was just so delicious as always. Greatest pizza I’ve ever had and I’m from NY. Just a note.. if you’re ordering a kids pizza, it’s probably better to get the adult one if your kid is age six or above. The kids one is very small and if your child doesn’t eat the crust like mine, you need a bigger one. All other portions are enormous! Five stars on food. You can tell Via Napoli has the greatest managers and owners. They are consistently top-notch. Love this place so much! I do still believe it’s the best place on Disney property!. The BEST!

June 2024- We went to Via Napoli last week and it was amazing. We’ve been here before but this last time was outstanding. We had Mara as a server and not only was her service impeccable; it was the best service we’ve had ever….in any restaurant. Including Victoria and Albert’s. She was attentive and just so kind. We ordered Arancini for appetizer, manicotti, Cesar salad (huge), Carciofi Pizza, and the Meatlover’s pizza. All was just exquisite. The pizza is just worth every penny. Lives up to the hype.. each time. Make a reservation and ask for Mara. You will love every moment of your experience. The chocolate tart, by the...

Update to this post: After posting a negative review about my experience, I was contacted by the restaurant’s general manager. I took her call with hesitation, unsure of what to expect, but I was immediately struck by how genuine she was. From the very start of our conversation, she came across as sincere, thoughtful, and truly interested in hearing me out. She didn’t offer canned responses or corporate apologies — she spoke from a place of authenticity. She was genuinely kind, took full responsibility for the missteps, and didn’t try to shift blame or brush my concerns aside. It was clear she cared deeply about the guest experience and was committed to making things right, not just for me, but for others as well.

In a time when it’s easy to feel dismissed or ignored, her genuine approach stood out. Her willingness to listen, acknowledge the issue, and take it seriously changed how I viewed the situation. While my original experience was disappointing, the way she responded reminded me that there are still people in hospitality who lead with heart, honesty, and integrity.

Absolutely horrible experience. It took 10 minutes just to get water, and then they lost our entire food order. I was sitting so long I walked outside to the pizza window and bought a slice and returned to my table. We waited over an hour for our food. No apology, no accountability, the manager didn’t bother to show their face. The service was beyond careless—it felt like they simply didn’t care if we were there or not. I still can’t believe my wife left a tip.

Via Napoli should be embarrassed. I wouldn’t go back if the meal was free. I hope a Disney exec reads this because it’s clearly not to their standards. Btw our “ticket” was not the only one lost by the staff. They have a bunch of people in suits with headsets standing around not doing their...