Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano

Location: Disney's Hollywood Studios
Serves: Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks
Reservations: Recommended
Price: Moderate
Cuisine: Italian
Disney Dining Plan: Yes
Menu Standout: Flatbread Pizzas and Chicken Parmesan





When you walk into this restaurant you will feel like you have stepped into a little Italian trattoria with its beautiful hardwood tables, chairs, and floors and little lights all around the restaurant.  This restaurant is a recreation of a restaurant in California by the same name!  Mama Melrose wanted to be an actor in hollywood, but her food was more of the attraction to her, and poof this restaurant was born!  The entry way is adorned with autographs of many famous people who went to the restaurant in California! If these famous actors, actresses, and directors enjoyed this restaurant, you definitely will too!

Four Cheese and Mushroom Flatbread

The menu is what makes this restaurant special.  I have never had anything bad here! It is probably one of the largest menus you will find at Disney World, with items varying from pizzas to pasta to meats and seafood.  All of the pastas are homemade and everything is cooked almost right in front of you because there is an open kitchen.  The last couple of times I have been there I have gotten the campanelle pasta or the gnocchi.  Both were absolutely delicious and I would get these again and again!  The Flatbreads are also amazing and many people even get them as their meal because they are so good.  My family got one as an appetizer to share and it was gone in literally seconds.  They also have delicious desserts like cheesecake and chocolate cannoli cake, both of which are amazing.

Chicken Campanelle

This restaurant is also part of the dinner and a show option where you can eat lunch or dinner at a particular restaurant and then have automatic seating at the Fantasmic show that night. You must do this in advance by making a reservation and request the dinner and a show option.  The only thing is, if you do this package you must get an appetizer, an entree, and dessert for a flat fee of around 35 dollars.  My family was unaware of this when we got there and I wish we would have been hungrier for all of the food we ordered.  It was nice though when we got to walk right up and have seats waiting for us at Fantasmic though!

Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables and Pesto

This is one of the most delicious restaurants in Disney World and is both kid and adult friendly.  If you are looking for italian food that is still familiar to the American palate, this is your restaurant!

Fantasmic

One show that you cannot miss is Fantasmic! It is a 25-minute show at Hollywood Studios and happens most nights, especially during peak season.  Before your trip you can check online to see what nights the show will take place.  During especially crowded times, like the summer, there are two showings at 9:00PM and 10:30PM.  This is a show unlike any other show at Disney World.  Mickey Mouse has nightmares about all of the Disney villains, but of course knowing Mickey he doesn't let them ruin his sleep!  All of your favorite Disney characters are in this show.  There are beautiful fireworks and awesome water special effects throughout the show.  The music consists of all of your favorite Disney songs.

Fantasmic is located on Sunset Boulevard at the Hollywood Hills Theater.  This is between Tower of Terror and the Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage Show.  Seating begins 90 minutes prior to the show, and most people begin to line up at that time.  You can most likely get a seat 30 minutes prior, but it won't be the best seat.  I have rarely seen a person being able to find a seat closer to the showing than 30 minutes.  It is advised that you may get wet if you are in the first few rows, but I sat in the second row this past time and never felt a drop.  You also may wonder what you are going to possibly be doing besides just sitting before the show begins for all of that time, but Disney Cast members do a lot of fun things with the audience before show start.


If you want to beat the lines at this show, there is a way.  If you make lunch or dinner reservations at either Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano or Hollywood and Vine you can choose the dinner and a show package. Basically you make a reservation the day you want to see Fantasmic and select the package deal.  This allows you to go 30 minutes to show time, sometimes even less than that, and walk right to the front of the line to your own reserved section.  Hollywood and Vine is a buffet and Mama Melrose's is an al a carte menu.  However, with the Mama Melrose package you must order an appetizer, entree, and dessert for a flat fee of about 35 dollars a person. My family did that and I felt like the money we spent really did not add up with the food that we ordered.  But I do think it was worth it because we had awesome seats and did not need to wait in line at all.  Plus the meal we had was delicious.

Don't miss out on this show because it will be something you will never forget!

Reminder: This show is dependent on the weather! Do not be disappointed if a show is cancelled due to rain!