photo courtesy of cafetricot on flickr

Fans of Disney’s Tokyo DisneySea may be familiar with the very popular bear, Duffy, who graces the park as a character, plush toy and many, many other forms of merchandise. As the story goes, (you knew there was a story, right?) Mickey Mouse was about to leave on a long sea voyage. Minnie gave him a stuffed bear so he wouldn’t get lonely. Mickey kept the bear duffel bag, and the name “Duffy” was born. Aww.

Duffy has his very own Disney site in Japanese, an unofficial Facebook page, countless flickr photos and ebay auctions for bears, outfits and more. He was for sale, though not referred to as Duffy, simply “The Disney Bear” briefly at Walt Disney World, making character appearances during Teddy Bear Weekends here in Florida. I happened to have purchased one back when my 11 year old was first born. I think I loved him more than my son did. Since I have a a love for all things Japanese as well, I was pretty excited about Duffy coming here to Epcot, in the Japan pavilion – my favorite spot in World Showcase!

The good news for annual passholders is they will get a sneak preview and special hour-long presentation all about Duffy on September 18, 2010, at 11am, 2pm and 6pm at the Odyssey restaurant in Epcot. Reservations for this event open Tuesday, Aug. 31, at DisneyWorld.com/passholder to all current Disney World passholders. However, Weekday Select and Epcot After 4 p.m. passholders will need valid admission to Epcot. To read more about the details, check out Kristen Ford’s story on The Daily Disney. Duffy should begin making regular appearances in World Showcase’s Japan pavilion in October.

I can’t wait to sign up and be there for Duffy madness to arrive here in Florida. Hopefully he will receive as warm a welcome as he did in his Japanese home. Okaeri nasai, Duffy!

My own Duffy, getting ready to surf the internets.

My second visit was with my husband. First, we ordered some drinks – the Lemon Drop for me and the Sangria for him. Mine was very strong and very good. The sangria was just as good as at the preview. We then ordered the Calamari Fritti appetizer, since it’s always a family favorite and was so delicious at the preview. The first thing we noticed is this is definitely not an appetizer for two people to share. It was huge! The calamari were cooked perfectly, but there was a little less salt than at the preview, which is part of what made them so good then I think. Still, they were great and we weren’t disappointed at all.

Next up, I tried the Piccante pizza, while my husband ventured into the pasta choices for the Candele, candle-stick shaped pasta with meatballs, a sausage sauce, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. The whole thing was baked and you are served a large square of it. It was, in a word, heavenly. My husband loved it and if I was ever not in the mood for pizza, I would definitely order it. It was just the perfect combination of cheesy, pasta and meaty goodness. The Piccante is a wonderful pizza full of spicy sausage and stalks of bitter broccoli rabe. I think it was a little too bitter for me to be enjoyable, but I’m glad I tried it.

Candele baked pasta

Piccante pizza

Then, as if we hadn’t gorged ourselves enough, we had to try some desserts. I decided to go with the full-sized version of the mini Gelato Frizzante we’d sampled at the opening. My husband tried the “Ugly But Good” sundae – Coppa Di Brutti Ma Buoni an Amarena cherry and vanilla gelato sundae with homemade cookies crumbled on top. My Gelato Frizzante was soooo goood. I can’t even begin to tell you. The perfect mix of the sweet vanilla gelato with the slightly sour orange Pellegrino. I have to advise again, that this is way more than one person can eat so sharing is a good idea here.

Gelato Frizzante - delizioso!

Good But Ugly sundae - Looks pretty to me!

I also tried a Cafe Freddo, simply because it’s almost impossible for me to turn down coffee of any kind when it’s available. This was a delicious, sweetened espresso drink over ice. I took it with me to go since I really had no room for it after I ordered it. Good to know there’s some great coffee options here though.

Cafe Freddo

My next visit was last week, meeting up with some of my fellow Walt Disney World Moms Panelists. I need to mention that two of these panelists are over 6 foot tall men, so we were prepared for a lot of food! Disney Dad Chris ordered us some Arancini – saffron risotto balls with a meat ragu and mozzarella inside – $10, as well as the Fritto Misto platter – an assortment of just-fried arancini, mozzarella, calamari, melanzane (eggplant), asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes), Agro-Dolce sauce; Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce $24. As I thought at the preview, the arancini are a little on the bland side. I know many people aren’t into spicy things though, so they might enjoy them. The Fritto Misto was, unfortunately, a little disappointing. The calamari were rubbery, while the eggplant probably could’ve been cooked a bit longer. I’m sure if we had said anything, they would’ve re-cooked the platter for us but we had so much, it wasn’t too big of an issue. Just important to note that in fried things, every second does count and can make or break a first impression of a dish.

Arancini

Fritto Misto platter

We then ordered the half-meter pizza to share, split between the Piccante and the Quattro Formaggi. Both kinds were wonderful as usual, and in fact this time, the Piccante had much less broccoli rabe on it, so perhaps my first pizza was an anomaly. Even with the four of us, we had about 5 pieces of pizza left. We had no room for dessert that time around either. Disney Mom Amanda A. and I shared a pitcher of Sangria, which I highly recommend if more than one person is ordering Sangria. At $8 a glass and $19 for a pitcher, we got quite a few glasses out of it and still had some left over. I think Disney Dad Bernie, Chris and Disney Mom Amanda A. shared my opinions, but you’ll have to ask them!

So overall, my impression of Via Napoli is that the pizza is up to par each and every time, but just be aware that things like fried items may vary in consistency depending on who’s in the kitchen that day. Don’t be afraid to let your server know it’s not as it should be though, everyone we’ve experienced there has been more than accommodating to every request we had. Don’t be afraid to try something new and figure out what items are your favorites! I know we’ll be making a lot more visits in the future (still haven’t brought my kids there yet!) and experiencing more of the wonderful menu Via Napoli has to offer.

Click to see full-sized.

It’s these little moments that make visiting the parks in outrageous humidity worthwhile. I love stopping to appreciate them. Have you had any special experiences like this away from the hustle and bustle? I’d love to hear about them.

All images not watermarked are ©Disney

Now I know, everyone just wants to know how good the pizza is, but please indulge me as I discuss what makes Via Napoli such a satisfying experience…First of all, look at the picture above – how beautiful is that? So authentic-looking and inviting, isn’t it? Before we venture inside, lets take a look at the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Epcot Vice President Dan Cockerell, Patina Group CEO Nick Valenti, legendary chef and Patina Group and founder Joachim Splichal and of course, Mickey and Minnie, in their finest Italian couture!

Via Napoli is open! Let’s go inside…

As you walk into the dining area, you are met with a huge expanse of space. A large table intersects the space, allowing single diners or those wishing to experience a more social meal a place to dine in the middle of the action. The table is covered with beautiful hand-painted tiles depicting historic Italian architecture and scenery. Colorful containers of olive oil and glassware complete the scene.

To the right, inviting fresco murals cover the walls in gorgeous shades of blue, while windows reveal lush landscaping, letting your mind forget you aren’t actually in Napoli. Vintage travel posters hang above the banquet seating and more windows let in natural light. It is so spacious and open (9760 square feet to  be exact), the illusion is truly set.

It’s hard to choose a single centerpiece at Via Napoli, but surely one of the most intriguing are the brick pizza ovens. Three of them, each named after an active volcano in Italy: Stromboli, Vesuvio and Etna, sit proudly at the far end of the restaurant, watching over all. It will be interesting to observe their mustaches darken and age over time with the smoke from the ovens inside.

There are other unique touches throughout the building which I’ll let you discover on your own, but kudos to the design team of Florentine architect Stefano Nardini (of Magris & Partners) working in conjunction with Rick Swisher Architect to achieve a simply amazing homage to Italian style and form. And now…the food!

At our opening event, we were given samples of appetizers, pizza, desserts and drinks but there is so much more at Via Napoli. Here are some dishes we saw and tried:

A Mickey pizza was on display for us at the opening.

Arancini – fried risotto balls filled with mozzarella and meat ragu. These were light and perfectly cooked, but a bit bland without the dipping sauce. I would definitely order them again.

We were also given samples of the Fritto Misto – an assortment of flash fried seasonal vegetables and fish. The calamari was perfection and some of the vegetables we were given were artichoke, eggplant and zucchini. Delicious! Other appetizers on the menu include Minestrone soup, eggplant salad and a salad with assorted greens, beans and fennel in a red wine vinaigrette. Next up, the pizza!

The Margherita pizza includes tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. Simple, wonderful.

Lovers of traditional Pepperoni pizza will not be left out – this one got thumbs up from a teenager at our table.

Unfortunately I forgot to snag a pic of the delicious Quattro Formaggi (four cheese) pizza, but my blogging buddy Amanda caught me trying it out anyway! It was my favorite. The quattro formaggi has no tomato sauce for those that aren’t fans, the garlic and cheese was heavenly.

The pizza toppings on display. Other pizza choices include Quattro Stagioni (Four Seasons) which contains the vegetables eggplant, artichokes and mushrooms and parma cotto (cooked ham). Calamari, topped with fried calamari, arugula and fennel. Ortolano, tomato sauce, mozzarella and vegetables (I believe the mix was peppers, fennel and asparagus). Piccante comes topped with spicy sausage, broccoli-rabe, tomato sauce and mozzarella. Carciofi has artichoke, pecorino, mozzarella and truffle oil. Finally the Prosciutto e Melone mixes fontina, mozzarella and pecorino cheeses with prosciutto and cantaloupe.

I was asked to discover if there were any gluten-free dining options available at Via Napoli. A manager told me that yes, they did offer gluten-free entrees and desserts (we were shown the gluten-free brownie at the event). However, she cautioned that due to the nature of the open kitchen, with flour flying everywhere, anyone with severe or life-threatening allergies should definitely call ahead to plan a special meal, for fear of unintentional cross-contamination. They are more than happy to attempt to accommodate any dietary restrictions. Just call 407-WDW-DINE to ask. Edit: a Disney fan recently visited and was told they can do nothing special for gluten allergies aside from the pre-made dessert and a cold eggplant and pepper salad…this contradicts what we were told by management, so hopefully calling ahead will remedy this, or a solution will be reached in the future. Until then, have a plan B in place.

If you’d rather enjoy something other than pizza during your stay, there are quite a few choices. Traditional eggplant or chicken parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna verde made with spinach, parmesan and besciamella sauce are among the pasta options.

Of course Via Napoli is not going to leave you without dessert! We were treated to miniature versions of their tiramisu…

A splendid creation called Gelato Frizzante which was like an Italian Creamsicle. Vanilla gelato floating on San Pellegrino’s Aranciata (orange) soda. Heavenly.

Zeppole di Caterina are traditional fritters with ricotta-infused dough, served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. These were light and airy and wonderful.

This little taste is only a small portion of the Via Napoli experience. You can see the full menu on the Disney Food Blog as well. I cannot wait to get back, try other menu items and report back on them. They also had an amazing drink menu, the sangria, which I do not usually care for, was fabulous. There is a children’s menu as well, with appetizers, entrees, desserts and even a specialty drink. It’s a bit on the pricey side compared to most Disney restaurants, but the unique made-to-order choices will be worth it, I feel.

I hope you decide to venture down Via Napoli on your next visit to Epcot. I’d love to know what you tried and how you enjoyed it. Advanced Dining Reservations may be booked through 407-WDW-DINE or on www.DisneyWorld.com.

Buon Appetito!!

Check out Via Napoli Revisited for more menu item reviews.

I love this angle of Illuminations from Japan. Beautiful!

photo ©Benjamin Thompson used with permission

Here’s how it works:

First, you go to the register and pay for the pearls you want to pick.

Then, wait your turn if it's busy like this. They do a really nice little ceremony highlighting some Japanese etiquette too.

You get to pick your oyster from either tank.

Next, she carefully cuts open the oyster...

Ta da! A beautiful little pearl was inside!

Next, she cleans any debris off the pearl in a bowl of salt.

Choose carefully - when we were there, two sets of people in a row got TWIN pearls in their oyster!

Once your pearl is born, it gets measured and put into a little baggie with its size on it. You can then take it home, or purchase a jewelry setting there at the stand. They will set your pearl for you and you can pick it up before you go. Our pearls were 7 ^1/4 and 7 ^3/4; a little above average, but there were some people getting even bigger ones there. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you try your luck with this particular surprise!

Have you picked a pearl? What was your experience?

The Wonders of Life today...

The former home of the Wonder Cycles now waits for special festival events.

I know it’s no secret that Wonders of Life has been used for festival events both during the Epcot Flower and Garden and Food & Wine Festivals, but I actually had not been inside the building since around 2003. I recently attended a preview event held in the pavilion and as sad as it was to see no Cranium Command marquee, Wonder Cycles with video screens, or Body Wars, my sadness was quelled by a trip upstairs to the VIP lounge. I wish I’d taken pictures of the elevator because it really was beautiful; dark wood, mirrors on all sides, you could watch yourself watching yourself watching yourself riding the elevator.

Once upstairs, you are greeted with an instant circus theme. I know in the past for Food & Wine Festival dinners, the reception area had a full-on red and white striped tent treatment going on. I was able to find some pictures on a Disney fan message board of how the space is used for wedding receptions:

a Mad Hatter reception works perfectly with this decor - from a 2007 wedding

The Wonders Lounge

Another view of the Wonders Lounge

Cranium Command!

For our event, the reception area was all white, and the bright primary-colored seating that normally filled the lounge was replaced with white table clothed banquet tables. I’m  not sure if the big-top has gone permanently or if it can be replaced as-needed, but from the looks of these old pictures compared to the new ones, it looks like white paint has taken over.

The fabric curtains could still have stripes on the back?

The stripes over the bar are now plain white...

Where do these doors lead?? I should've looked but I was good.

When I walked into the bathroom, I was not expecting anything but a plain ol’ standard restroom. I was actually excited when I walked in and saw this. I realize this probably makes me sound extremely lame, but I’m getting old, little things thrill me.

This is my new favorite bathroom in all of Walt Disney World.

I wonder if there is usually a chair here? I loved this dressing room-like mirror though!

Nice, granite counters but there's still a circus theme.

Circus tent bathroom stalls!

Isn’t that cool? If you’d like to check out the Wonders Lounge and its accompanying restroom, look into special events during Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival which are held here in October and part of November. There are events during the Flower and Garden festival too, but I’m not sure if they make use of the lounge. It’s definitely a hidden gem of whimsy that I wish were open to the public!

One of my very favorite views of Epcot - the Imagination pavilion!

Photo ©Vanessa Guzan

From The American Adventure in Epcot's World Showcase - one of my favorite attractions!

Photo ©Vanessa Guzan

Captain EO's original poster design

Captain EO was one of the first topics I covered  a year ago when I started blogging about Disney. I had just heard the sad news of Michael Jackson’s death, and felt the need to share some of my happy memories and give whatever tribute I could at that time. There was much chatter on twitter and elsewhere wondering if and hoping that Captain EO would return to the Disney Parks in memory of Michael Jackson. Disneyland was the first to experience the film again in February and Walt Disney World fans were happy to hear of its triumphant return this summer, with Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland rounding out the film’s engagement this summer.

Beginning July 2, fans of all ages will get to see the film for the first, or perhaps 100th time. I was invited to preview (or is that re-preview?) the film today to see the new enhancements promised with the movie’s return to its original home in the Magic Eye Theatre next to Journey into Imagination. As with most fans of the original EPCOT Center, there are so many memories tied to the time period that Captain EO was born into. As much as I loved the original 3D film Magic Journeys, Captain EO was a first rate replacement. I’m trying to think of a similar musical artist who could star in a film produced today and receive the acclaim that Captain EO did in its time…and coming up blank. There is a reason there was such a ground swell of support to bring this piece of musical, film and technological history back where it belonged. Can you tell I’m a fan?

The original Captain EO logo sign from 1986

I wasn’t alone in that sentiment today. Cast members previewing the show cheered as they entered the theatre and throughout the movie. Michael Jackson, and in turn Captain EO, are still King.

It was heartwarming to hear Dan Cockerell, Vice President of Epcot, trying to locate the original plans for the Captain EO triangle sign that used to hang at the entrance to the theatre. It turns out they didn’t need the plans at all, the sign was hanging on an office wall – untouched for 16 years since the film left Epcot. They simply applied a new coat of paint and returned the sign to its rightful home.

The new effects fit in seamlessly and definitely add to the enjoyment of the movie. I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say you’ll feel like you’re right in the movie now in addition to dancing out the aisles as you exit.

It was also amazing to see just how many people had not seen the original film at all – not surprising, given the average age of new cast members just joining the company, but amazing nonetheless (and definitely makes me feel ancient!). They certainly did not sound disappointed and the film, the story, and the music have stood the test of time. Even my two older children are excited to see Captain EO in person. My son in particular has become a huge Michael Jackson fan over the year since he passed away and it really makes me happy that he can see the musical genius and artistry he with which he was synonymous.

If nothing else, Captain EO is a gift to the fans of his music; fans of a different time when Epcot was EPCOT. I for one, am grateful for that gift. It truly is a work of art to be preserved and passed along and I am thankful to Disney for giving it back to the fans today. I cannot wait to bring my children back to see Captain EO again and again, as my parents did with me, 24 years ago.

Enjoy some more photos from today’s event:

Captain EO preshow area, showing the original behind-the-scenes footage. Imagineer fans, be sure to look for 1980's Joe Rohde!

Dan Cockerell introducing Captain EO and sharing a bit of history with the audience.

Fans exiting the preview of Captain EO (cameo by Deb Wills from Allears.net!)

Captain EO Merchandise!! I have it on good authority that Fuzzball will be here by the end of the summer!! Maybe my original Fuzzball needs a friend??