Restaurants at Disney Springs

Disney Springs Has Great Restaurants. But So Does the Real Orlando.

Disney Springs is packed with restaurants. You already know that. The Boathouse, Morimoto, Wine Bar George, all solid options. But here is the thing nobody tells you until you get the check: you are paying Disney prices whether you are inside a park or not. That pasta dish that would be $18 at a family-owned Italian spot? It is $34 at Disney Springs. Same noodles, different zip code.

Ciao Italia Ristorante is 10 minutes from Disney Springs. The Navarra family opened the doors in 1991 and never left. Over 4,000 reviews, 9 awards, handmade pasta every single day. This is not a chain. This is not a franchise location inside a shopping complex. This is a family that has been cooking the same recipes for over 35 years because they got them right the first time.

Why Locals Skip Disney Springs for Dinner

Ask anyone who lives in Orlando where they go for Italian. It is not Disney Springs. Locals figured out years ago that the best food in this city exists outside the tourist corridor. Ciao Italia is one of those places. The kind of restaurant where the owner might stop by your table, where the server knows the difference between penne arrabbiata and penne alla vodka because they actually care, and where the bread hits the table warm.

The menu covers everything you want from an Italian restaurant. Handmade fettuccine, veal piccata, chicken marsala, seafood risotto, lamb chops, eggplant parmigiana. The portions are real. The prices are fair. And when you are done, you walk to your car in a free parking lot instead of navigating three levels of a parking garage.

10 Minutes from Disney Springs, a World Away from Disney Prices

Getting to Ciao Italia from Disney Springs is simple. Head east on Buena Vista Drive, take I-4 to the International Drive area, and you are there. Ten minutes, maybe twelve with traffic. You will save more on dinner than you would on the gas it takes to get there.

Bring the Whole Family

The kids menu is $13 and comes with gelato for dessert, available for ages 10 and under. Compare that to a kids meal at a Disney Springs restaurant and the math does itself. For a family of four, you could save $40 to $60 on dinner alone. That is another day of park snacks covered.

Private Events and Large Parties

Planning a group dinner during your Disney trip? Ciao Italia seats up to 60 for private dining and up to 110 for a full restaurant buyout. Birthday dinners, family reunions, team dinners after a convention. Call (407) 354-0770 to arrange it.

About Dining Near Disney World Orlando

A day at Disney World is magical, but dinner at Disney World can be stressful. Reservations booked months in advance, prix fixe menus, and prices that make you question everything. By the end of a park day, many families just want to go somewhere easy, affordable, and good.

The roads between Disney and International Drive are lined with dining options, but most of them are the same chains you have at home. The tourist areas around Disney prioritize convenience over quality, and truly memorable restaurants are rare.

Ciao Italia Ristorante is one of those rare places. About 20 minutes east of Disney World on Westwood Boulevard, the restaurant has been family-owned since 1991. The Navarra family makes fresh pasta every morning and serves it in a warm, unpretentious dining room.

Families come in from Disney tired and hungry, and they leave relaxed and full. The kids menu is $13 with gelato. Parking is free. Walk-ins are welcome. And unlike Disney dining, you do not need to plan 60 days in advance to get a table.

Directions from Disney World to Ciao Italia

Ciao Italia is approximately 12 miles from Walt Disney World, about 20 minutes via I-4 East. Exit at International Drive and continue south to Westwood Boulevard. The restaurant sits at 6149 Westwood Blvd with a free parking lot in front. A rideshare from Disney typically costs $18 to $25 depending on which park you depart from.

More Questions About Dining Near Disney World

How to Get to Ciao Italia from Disney World Orlando

The drive from Disney World Orlando to Ciao Italia takes about 10 minutes. Head toward International Drive and continue to Westwood Boulevard. Ciao Italia is on International Drive at 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL 32821, with free parking right in front. Open nightly 5 to 10 PM.