Returning to Epcot on May 17th for a little more of not much.
Test Track from the Monorail:
Still gutting it. It’d be nice if they could ratchet things up about 5x and have it done by say, August rather than November.
Spaceship Earth at 11:43am. Very similar to the line we saw in the previous post around the same time on May 17th.
The dining availability chart outside Guest Services. Remember, Guest Services is happy to book a reservation for you. “Check At Restaurant” basically means “No.” This is indicative of what you can expect to see most days at Epcot. When crowds are much heavier, some of those limiteds are going to change to “Check at Restaurant” and dinner choices will have less availability, but lunch is generally available at most restaurants. Marrakesh, San Angel Inn, Nine Dragons, and Tutto Italia should virtually always have availability throughout the day.
Wait times are close to what we saw this past Monday, when Epcot was also the most recommended Park with 60 minutes at Soarin’ and 40 over at Character Spot. The 30 minute wait listed for Nemo is probably over exaggerated. Living with the Land was offering FASTPASS this week and may continue to with the Test Track refurbishment continuing for another six months.
The front/back face shirts are now available in a long sleeve version in Hanes Comfortblend:
I’m about as likely to buy one of those in July as I am a Helly Hansen parka over in Norway.
The short sleeve version.
Popcorn bowls:
Not unreasonable.
A popcorn sampler:
Six different flavors of what appears to be one to three ounce bags for $12.95.
16 ounces for $9.95.
“Cream of Tartar” is my favorite food.
A 14 ounce container of Mickey Pasta will set you back $6.95.
Or in a 12 ounce package with cheese mix for the same price.
Synergy.
Will set you back $12.95.
The current Buy More….Buy More campaign.
I don’t know what this is for. It’s empty. Perfume sticks I guess?
$27.95 seems excessive. I don’t even think it dances.
Body bars for your body:
Hold the Tetrasodium Etidronate.
Mickey soap dispensers – $9.95.
A moderately reasonable $4.95.
A less reasonable $27.95.
Always nice to see a crowd for World Showcase entertainment. They should put a lumberjack show in Canada. With beavers and hockey.
Belle appearing right at 12:15pm with book in hand. A nice touch.
The second shortest line you’ll see here all day. The shortest being when she first appears at 11:15am.
Marching through Morocco with few people around at 12:07pm.
Popping into Mitsukoshi Department Store for the popular pick a pearl:
It continues to be a neat activity. There’s a little ceremony there with a Mitsukoshi cast member hitting the drum. The cost is about $17 and there is occasionally a wait later in the day when World Showcase crowds pick up. The heftier cost comes in the pearl setting you choose, should you choose one. We’ll take a closer look at those options in a future post, but you can also bring your own if you prefer. Pricing is cheaper on eBay and the like.
Lunch is at Tutto Italia this afternoon. George was nice enough to invite me out with his Premium Plan, which means everyone is going to be ordering three courses. What a life. You may recall that I reported a positive overall experience on the day Tutto reopened after its lengthy refurbishment in this post. Since it has been open for a few weeks, we should get a better idea about the food/service, especially with the multiple courses. As a reminder, here’s the lunch menu:
It includes several relatively inexpensive items. That’s ten entrees that cost $22 or less. You may remember the previous menu was much more expensive, with a lot of items that hit $30 or more.
Greg started with the Fiori di Zuca ($12), which are fried zucchini flowers with ricotta, lemon, and parmesan. One might argue the presentation is somewhat lacking, but these were really good. You might think “heavy” when you see fried, but they were surprisingly light and crispy with a subtle, but present lemon flavor. It isn’t a ton of food for $12, but I would guess preparing these suckers isn’t easy. And compared to the famous $9 scotch egg over at Rose & Crown, these babies are a bargain.
I ordered the Calimari Fritti with Marinara Piccante ($15). As you can see, this is a large portion that’s easily sharable with about two dozen individual pieces. I may be biased, but this was my favorite of the appetizers. It’s a lot of food for the money. The calimari was also lightly fried and served hot and crispy. Recommended.
The Prosciutto di Parma with Parma Ham, “Gnocco Fritto,” and Frutta di Cremona ($16). This is the same prosciutto that’s readily available over at Tutto Gusto. Actually, you can order any of these appetizers next door at Gusto. Most any of them would go well with a nice glass of wine. On the left is/are the Gnocco Fritto, which is/are fried dough filled with what I remember being cheese. But they may not have been full of anything. Overall, this was a nice serving of the prosciutto alongside some interesting items.
For an entree, I ordered the Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare, which is carnaroli rice, shrimp, squid, clams, and muscles in a light tomato sauce. I was happy to see that Tutto didn’t dumb down the flavors on this one. You can see the pepper sitting on top of the seafood in the middle of the dish. It had a subtle spice to it that didn’t overwhelm the other flavors. Perfect. The rice wasn’t overcooked, which is all too common. It’s also topped with a decent amount of seafood, to the point where you can’t really see the rice sitting underneath, other than a few patches on the outskirts.
George ordered the Spiedini Di Spada if I remember correctly – Swordfish Skewers, Sicilian Style Eggplant, and Chickpea Fritters ($25). Is that what it looks like? Anyway, I DID NOT GET A BITE OF THIS, but was assured that while the portion looks to be on the small side, it was satisfying with quality ingredients.
Greg ordered the Scaloppine Di Pollo – Chicken Scaloppine, White Asparagus, Lemon, Capers ($22). He mentioned that it could have used a side of pasta and it certainly looks like that’s true. I’m sure they would bring some if asked. I was assured that this was also good, though it doesn’t just scream value at me just by looking at it.
The dessert menu.
The Torta di Noccioli “Cortemilia” – Hazelnut Polenta Cake, Nutella, Piemonte Cream ($12). I had tried this back when I visited Tutto Gusto and it is indeed excellent. The price is on the high side, but it’s certainly a good choice if you’re on the Dining Plan.
The Ricotta Di Pecora Con Insalata Di Fragole E Miele Ai Fiori ($12). No, I didn’t make that up. It’s Sheep’s milk ricotta, Savoiardi biscuits, served with strawberry salad, Moscato d’Asti. It certainly looks light and refreshing and there was no problem finishing it. I’ll let George interject with some additional thoughts on a few of these items.
I ordered the Stracciatella Gelati, which was amazing. At $9, it isn’t cheap, but it was easily enough that I would have shared with someone else. Especially after the size of the risotto and calamari. Easily the best ice cream/gelato/frozen-treat-like item I’ve ever had and a great way to finish a meal, especially as you prepare to reenter the Florida heat.
As mentioned in the previous post, little has changed inside the main restaurant. The booths are new and offer a bit more intimacy. The restrooms are now located in the back of the restaurant, since Tutto Gusto now sits where the bathrooms previously sat.
As usual, service was excellent. You may not even notice, but you’re going to have at least one servers’ eyes on you pretty much throughout the entire meal. Just in the picture above, there are at least eight servers visible around the restaurant for probably six occupied tables. Looking around throughout the meal, I saw at least one person looking back at me every time. There’s nothing wrong with that necessarily, but it isn’t something I’ve experienced at other restaurants. On the plus side, glasses are always refilled and they can sense when you need something. Since they see everything you do.
I don’t have any qualms about recommending Tutto Italia wholeheartedly. My two past experiences there have been among the best I’ve had inside the theme parks. The attention to detail is impressive and it’s clear that the people behind the restaurant want it to be as good as possible. With the lower pricing, I think the value is generally there as well. You could easily pay just as much at Nine Dragons, La Hacienda de San Angel, Rose & Crown, and others and come away with a much less pleasant experience. I doubt there is really anything bad on the menu. It should be easy to walk up and snag a lunch reservation without any trouble too. The restaurant wasn’t even half full.
Popping over to the Germany Pavilion and Karamell Kuche, the relatively new treats store featuring WERTHER’S WERTHER’S WERTHER’S. The company is named after the town of Werther in the Westphalia region of Germany. Unfortunately, my camera was on ISO 25,600 for these pictures, so they’re on the grainy side when expanded. Bigger, nonetheless: https://www.easywdw.com/reports4/kuche1.jpg.
Bigger: https://www.easywdw.com/reports4/kuche2.jpg.
Bigger: https://www.easywdw.com/reports4/kuche3.jpg.
Wait. I guess the two sides have the exact same items. Who knew?
She probably does. I accidentally [sic] an HDR photo. Sorry. I’ll get some better pictures one of these days, but this should give you a good idea about what to expect. It’s a ton of large, heavy, mostly caramel treats. The Milk Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt is my favorite. This is a good spot to use those snack credits if you have some. And considering the size of most of the items, $4-$5 for most isn’t unfathomable.
The overhead pricing structure. The Caramel Popcorn is extremely addicting. Proceed with caution.
Items made fresh throughout the day.
The ordering process is easy. Hop in line and check out the case, tell them what you want, and proceed to pay for/steal the items.
And some other packaged merchandise:
Another good way to use those snack credits on some easily transportable candy. Otherwise, get your Wether’s at Target.
It was Constitution Day in the Norway Pavilion.
Which is the best day of the year to pick up Norwegian cast members that aren’t on duty. You’ll see bunches of babes walking around World Showcase with Norwegian flags and $11 beers.
The Pavilion was decked out in flags.
And you could get your face painted by a real life Norwegian.
The line for Spaceship Earth at 3:17pm. It’s longer than it was on Monday, but that’s an actual wait of about three minutes. The current length is probably due to a stop for someone slow to board a ride vehicle.
Have the IllumiNations Cruise and Sunday at Star Wars Weekends next.
Toffifay!
Thanks for the Tutto Italia review. We have an ADR there in a few weeks. I’ve never eaten there before and was a little hesitant, but feel better about it now. I want to try at least one new restaurant each trip, and this year it’s Tutto Italia.
Another good one Josh – thanks for the great pics of Pick a Pearl…I’ve never been close to read the details.
Thank you for the pick a pearl info!
Mmmm caramel milk chocolate and roasted pecan popcorn! Gotta check that out for sure.
woah! what exactly is that a picture of on that perfume stick holder??
Thanks for the update, I think we might book Tutto for the Candlelight package in December.
I’m starting to reconsider my dinner plans at Epcot in September….Tutto looks amazing!
That hazelnut cake is to die for…and I haven’t even tasted it yet. For Italian, we were gonna go to Via Napoli for a pie. I’m now rethinking our Italian restaurant for our next trip.
You have a tough job and I want you to know we appreciate your sacrifices.
Photo question — on your HDR shot, why does it look like the case is superimposed over that girl? Is it some effect of going HDR? Is she actually *inside* the case? It’s weird.
And I agree with Jay above that the ribbon/apple combo on the perfume bottle is slightly unwholesome, and we mutually accuse you of intentionally setting up that shot.
isn’t the “perfume sticks” one of those oil airfreshners? You put the sticks in the oil and they make the room smell nice. Seriously there’s a proper name for them but it’s not coming to me now. Infusers or something.
I can’t wait to try the carmel popcorn. Mouth watering…
What did you do to upset the merchandise? It looks like that Mickey mitt is giving you the finger.
That’s a reed diffuser and is used to scent a room. You fill the little bottle with scented oil and then put in some reed sticks. The scent diffuses out into the room through the reed sticks.
I refuse to fall into the trap your tutto pictures are setting. REFUSE!
Thanks for the post!
I cannot wait for the pricing and pictures of the pick a pearl.
Oh Karamell Kuche…I will see you again in just a few days. I’ve missed you so!!! lol
Thanks for the review of Tutto. I just can’t pass up Via Napoli pizza, though, to try a different Italy restaurant.
And yes, that caramel popcorn is so addictive. We bought a small one for our family of four on our last trip and had to go back for more before we made it out of World Showcase…and we go counter-clockwise!
Do the flower’s at Epcot look the same after the Flower Show or do they rip them all out and put in new? I always wondered about that.
Is that Mickey washcloth glove flipping us a bird?! lol
Yes! I would like to see beavers playing hockey.
I thought the same thing about the washcloth giving the bird….and I’m with Jay, the placement of the apple/ribbon on the reed diffuser is questionable!
I might have missed it, but I didn’t see the pictures of the Norwegian cast members that aren’t on duty (bunches of babes walking around World Showcase with Norwegian flags and $11 beers) I will diligently look in your next post for them.
Great update. I appreciate the detailed Tutto review. We were on the fence on whether to pop in on our next visit, but I think this pretty much sealed the deal. Although, it seems I say that about pretty much every restaurant you visit and post pictures of.
“They should put a lumberjack show in Canada. With beavers and hockey.”
Combine that with Off Kilter and a couple beers, I may never leave the Canada pavilion.
Hi Great Posts! Just curious when you said that George invited you out on the Premium plan, what did you mean? Was he able to use credits for you?
♪♪ Toffifay…it’s too good for kids! ♪♪
“The Milk Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt is my favorite.”
This is what I had at Karamell Kuche. Two big thumbs up here. And speaking of thumbs, maybe it’s time to freshen up the blue nail polish?
Those Karamell Kuche pictures are “literally” making my teeth ache! Sea salt caramel, how I long for you…
I’m with Jana — that would make the Canada pavilion my second home. If they could just bring out the full lineup of Unibroue beer from LeCellier out to the little cart, my husband might even join me there. We could fit in the little house in the garden.
I was starting to suffer HDR withdrawals…thanks for my fix. 🙂
I had to go back and look at the bow on the reed diffuser. That is very questionable placement.
Thanks for the purchase with purchase pictures. I seem to buy whatever the deal is so it’s nice to know when it changes. Gotta plan all that out ahead of time. I think I must ownthat collendar too!
I want a Dark Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt, and I want it now…want to get on a plane, rent a car, drive to the Beach Club, walk through the International Gateway, make my way to Germany, fork out my $3.99 plus tax and have it RIGHT NOW…..
Have ADR’s forTutto, and am SO excited now – Thanks!! Really enjoying the walk abouts, and am looking forward to the detailed pick-a-pearl post – hoping to do that w/ DD this fall.
Also – was flavor is “Stracciatella”? Is it fruity? Chocolatey? Coffee-y?
Greg and I were on the Premium Plan. I had our meals planned out (3 for ever night of our stay, no differentiation between regular TS, Signature Dining, or Dinner Shows/Character Meals). We typically used snack credits for breakfast, so we had a couple meals left over, which we used to treat Josh (and our friend Tracy at Citricos on a different night). Whoever said he wasn’t a cheap date? Anyway, we’re only supposed to be able to use 2 credits per meal, since our KsTTW said “A02” (two adults), but we got around this by having the waiter produce two checks: one for Josh and me, one for Greg, and we “paid” separately. Kind of like the work-around for getting adult meals at QS venues on the DDP. I can’t guarantee that every TS place will do this, but it worked at Tutto Italia. If it didn’t, Josh would have had to wash dishes.
Great review of Tutto (our favorite)! Thank you for the Pick a Pearl details. My DS went crazy over the picture because he could see the Pokemon plush! Can’t wait to go to see the whole Pokemon area!
We were at Karamelle Kuche that day. The oatmeal caramel apple cookies were amazing and, unfortunately, they did not have them again for the rest of our trip! And, believe me, we checked repeatedly.
Its a shame it worked then. I would have liked to see pictures of Josh washing dishes.
Can’t BELIEVE I chose to read this post before dinner. It just makes me hungrier! Looks like it was amazing.
Has anyone had the fettucini at Totto Italia? Is it home made pasta like the previous Italian restaurant? A light sauce? Wish you had a pic of it!
Oops,meant Tutto
What I really like of the Epcot World Showcase restaurants is that they are real! All the dishes you ate at Tutto Italia are all typical not very well know italian dishes from all over the country.
You might really go to Bologna and eat the gnocco fritto, or to Sicily and eat Pesce spada with eggplants.
About this sentence:
He mentioned that it could have used a side of pasta and it certainly looks like that’s true. I’m sure they would bring some if asked.
They did not serve pasta as a side because you’ll never see pasta as a side in Italy. Never. So this way it’s a more authentic italian experience.
And I hope they would refuse to give cheese to add to Risotto ai frutti di mare if someone ever ask. In Italy it’s a crime to add cheese on top of a fish or seafood dish. But that would be probably too much.