Maria and Enzo’s at Disney Springs is the PERFECT date night while at Disney! Here’s why!
Maria & Enzo’s Story
While the story of Maria & Enzo’s isn’t necessary for you dining here, it is an excellent piece of the atmosphere and how it all comes together!
As all great Disney World places do, there’s a story to go along with Maria & Enzo’s. A young couple who immigrated to Central Florida from Italy in the early 1920s. They dreamed of sharing great authentic Italian food with the townsfolk of Disney Springs and were delighted when they found the perfect place to do so. Enzo, a pilot, instantly fell in love with an abandoned airline terminal and claimed it as home to their new restaurant. The terminal is the main dining area where guests will enjoy decor that delivers them to a past era of travel. The first class lounge offers additional seating space for guests who are randomly selected at check-in to dine in this private area.
Enzo’s Hideaway.
A speakeasy brought back to life when Enzo discovered a hidden tunnel below the airline terminal that connected to an old abandoned power plant, now The Edison. This secret tunnel housed a prohibition era hideaway with untouched bottles of rum and other goods that had been smuggled by way of the airport. After sharing this discovery with the local historical society, Enzo opened a second smaller restaurant in this cozy hideaway featuring recipes from Rome and nearby regions.
The Edison
This old abandoned power plant connected by tunnels to Maria & Enzo’s was reopened as an industrial nightlife spot with a full restaurant, multiple bars and nightly entertainment to share the past eras with Disney Springs townsfolk. By day guests can enjoy the restaurant as a family but come nightfall townsfolk 18 an older are welcome to soak up the entertainment.
What You Need to Know:
Maria & Enzo’s is a table service restaurant at Disney Springs. Reservations are suggested and can be made on the My Disney Experience app beginning at 180 days prior to arrival and also on their website.
Maria & Enzo’s is located in “The Landing” area of Disney Springs near the Aerophile balloon for easy reference on the map.
This great Italian restaurant connects with The Edison, Pizza Ponte, a quick service restaurant, and Enzo’s Hideaway. All dining locations you should consider include while visiting Disney World.
Start the evening at Enzo’s Hideaway for drinks, then enjoy Maria & Enzo’s for appetizers, dinner and dessert and finish off your evening at The Edison for live entertainment and dancing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. They’re all connected keeping you in the experience the entire evening. I love this area of Disney Springs!
Note: The Edison is 18+ after 9 pm on select days. Please see their website for more details and a complete schedule.
Tips for getting a reservation/table:
- Reservations can be made 180 days prior to arrival on the My Disney Experience app or directly on their website.
- If you don’t find availability on the My Disney Experience app make sure to check on their website. Reservations are managed on Open Table, and their site provides a link for current availability.
- There is sometimes different availability between the two reservation systems.
- Consider a later dinner time so that you can enjoy the evening entertainment on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at The Edison afterward. The Edison is adults only after 9 pm. Entertainment days and times are subject to change. Please visit their website for the most up to date information.
- If you don’t have a reservation, you can check at the podium outside the entrance for availability. I suggest checking in at the podium to get your name on the list and then doing your shopping while you wait for a table.
Where: Disney Springs – Disney World
Maria & Enzo’s is located in “The Landing” section of Disney Springs near The Aerophile balloon for easy reference.
How to Get to the Maria & Enzo’s at Disney Springs
Disney Springs is a large and recently expanded food, shopping and entertainment district at Disney World. There are two parking garages, the Lime Garage and the Orange Garage with a third garage opening soon across the street.
Traveling From:
- Magic Kingdom: Bus
- Epcot: Bus
- Hollywood Studios: Bus
- Animal Kingdom: Bus
From your Disney Resort:
From most Disney resorts you’ll take the bus to Disney Springs where you’ll be dropped off at the new bus loop located centrally to all of the fun at Disney Springs.
To get to Maria & Enzo’s from the bus loop, you can go left or right, when entering Disney Springs. Maria & Enzo’s is about equal distance each way. Ask for directions or use the map on My Disney Experience to find your way.
You can take a boat to Maria & Enzo’s and Disney Springs from the following resorts:
- Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Old Key West Resort
Menu
Maria & Enzo’s menu has just enough selections to offer a variety of options without it being overwhelming. It features upscale Italian fare in a classic airline terminal setting.
Appetizers
Start with an appetizer from the antipasti, soup or salads section. We ate the Antipasti Trio and the Salumi E Formaggi. AMAZING! I highly suggest it!
The Antipasti Trio says for a minimum of two people. I was dining with a party of 3, and there was more than enough! Try one of the appetizers and split an entree as well or be prepared to take home leftovers! There’s nothing wrong with eating a good meal for days afterward! I’m a big fan of not having to make dinner! (Drink shown below is a Classic Bellini. It was so good! I recommend it if you love a Bellini or sparkling wine)
Entrees
There are several sections to choose from for your entree. Pasta and Main Courses. The Main Courses do not come with pasta so if you’re a pasta lover consider picking one from each and sharing. The portions are substantial and can feed a few people especially if you also order from the antipasti menu.
Serena ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. It was huge and looked amazing! She loved it.
This gluten-free girl here, that’s me, ordered the Ribeye Steak without the red wine beef jus. It was so good! It can be tough to eat at an Italian restaurant when you’re gluten-free, but I was pleased with my choice and the selections offered to me. They do have gluten free pasta, more on that below.
Casey ordered the Potato Gnocchi and thought it was pretty yummy too!
We had so much food leftover that we didn’t need dessert, but the waitstaff told us it was a must, so we dove right in! They were right too!
If you’re dining at Maria & Enzo’s consider sharing an appetizer, main course or pasta and dessert. It will be more than enough food! The appetizers we ordered say they’re for two, but they could be for three or four. There is plenty to go around!
Dessert
Make sure you leave room for dessert!
The desserts were delicious! From left to right, Cannoli, Cassata Siciliana, and Enzo’s Torta, a crustless cheesecake that is gluten-free!
Cocktails & Speciality Drinks
There are so many fantastic drinks to choose from on the menu. Seasonal cocktails, prosecco cocktails, shareable sangria and wines by the glass or bottle. I don’t think you can go wrong with anything on the drink menu!
Gluten-Free Menu Options
Eating Italian food can be one of the toughest menus to eat off of when you’re gluten-free. And seeing that I’m dairy free as well, although I occasionally cheat on the dairy, it can be even more challenging! I opted for the steak because you can rarely go wrong with that! The wait staff was very attentive to my needs and double checked with the chef when needed to ensure my safety.
Allergy Menu
There is not a specific allergy menu at Maria & Enzo’s Ask for the allergy options when you order. The waiter was knowledgeable and didn’t hesitate to tell me he’d double check with the chef if he was not sure.
They did not have any gluten free bread which is always a bummer for me.
The antipasti trio was gluten free without the breadsticks.
Gluten Free Pasta Dishes:
There is gluten-free pasta available, and you can choose from the Rigatoni Alle Verdure, Mediterranean Sea Bass, Grilled Mahi Mahi and Grilled Certified Angus Ribeye Steak for your entree. As always, please confirm with the waitstaff that these items are gluten-free at the time of your visit.
Dessert
Ezno’s Torta (chocolate and mascarpone cheesecake) is an excellent option for a gluten-free dessert. It’s crustless, and I may have had a few bites despite dairy not agreeing with me! The other option that was offered was fresh fruit. In my opinion, they could expand on their gluten-free dessert options available.
Dining Plan
Dining Plans are accepted at Maria and Enzo’s and use one table service credit per person.
Take Aways
Maria and Enzo’s might very well be the perfect date night spot at Disney Springs! Start your evening with drinks, appetizers, dinner, and dessert here and then head on over to The Edison to dance the night away! Enjoy the entertainment from a different era with swing dancing and underground entertainment. It’s the epitome of a great Disney experince in which you’re whisked away to another time and place!
I can’t wait to go back for a date night with a group of friends!
Next time you’re at Disney Springs give Maria & Enzo’s a try and then tag me in your photos and tell me what you think!
Need more help or have questions? Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @loveofthemagic or email me at Jamie@LOTMV.com
Chat soon!
