Hi, I received an email from a friend currently working in the Italian Pavilion and they're saying that the Alfredo restaurant is closing down 8/31.... any news regarding what will take its place? I will going Sept 11 and I am wondering about whether the new restaurant will be in place (which I doubt....) How about the current italians CM? While I am happy and thrilled to be part of a total new opening (I heard not so great stories about the Alfredo's management...) I am a bit worried about how this will influence the working experience down there... Any rumor regarding this? Thankx a lot
well, actually it is a fact....all the CMs working there have received this message: Exciting new changes are coming to the Italy Pavilion at Epcot that will further enhance the Guest experience. Our contract with L’Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante will reach its conclusion on August 31, 2007. While we have enjoyed working with the Alfredo’s Group since Epcot opened, we are finalizing plans to develop a new Italian restaurant concept. This builds upon the original vision for World Showcase, which was designed to continually evolve and offer new Guest experiences that showcase cultures, traditions and immersive entertainment from around the world. We look forward to announcing more details in true Disney fashion once all the particulars are finalized. FAQ's Q1.Why are you making this change? We have an opportunity to further enhance the Guest experience and build upon the original vision for World Showcase, which was designed to continually evolve and showcase cultures, traditions and immersive entertainment from around the world. Q2.Why after so many years? Although it has been a privilege to be the home to Alfredo’s Restaurant for more than 20 years, Epcot is transitioning to a new Italian dining experience where Italy’s rich history and vibrant culture will continue to enrich the Guest experience. Q3.When will Alfredo’s close? Alfredo’s is currently scheduled to close at the end of August 2007. Q4.When will the new restaurant open? Although details are still coming together, we expect the restaurant to close temporarily during the transition process. Q5.What is coming in its place? While we are not ready to announce this new restaurant, we are currently finalizing negotiations with a strategic partner. We look forward to sharing more details once they are finalized. Q6.Will this change impact the Food & Wine Festival? No. Everything will operate as normal for this year’s International Food & Wine Festival. Q7.What will happen to the existing employees? All affected employees will be presented with options, which will vary based on their current job function and individual set of circumstances. Q8.What if a Guest already has a reservation booked for the restaurant (that occurs after its last day of operations); what should they do? As of this time, there are no dining reservations booked that will be impacted by this change. Q9.Has Alfredo’s Restaurant relocated in the local area? While Alfredo’s has an established restaurant in New York City, we have not received any information about a venue in the Central Florida area. Q10.Will the new Italian dining experience be a part of the Magic Your Way dining plan? Yes, we expect the new Italian dining experience will participate in the Magic Your Way dining plan. Q11.Will the new Italian dining experience continue to have Cultural Representatives from Italy to lend to a truly genuine Italian experience? Yes. Q12.Will this change impact any other venues within the Italy Pavilion or World Showcase? No.
Wow, cool! I was never a big fan of Alfredo's, I always thought it was far too expensive for food that could sit in a big pot and be ladelled onto a plate when needed. I'm very interested as to what they mean by "what they had originally planned for the World Showcase". Nick
Yeah I have to agree I had one meal at Alfredos and everyone in my party wasn't too found of their food and we all felt it was overpriced (for what we got). Should be interesting to see what is going in though! I like me my italian food!
Thanks nammyIT - very interesting news! I was never a huge fan of the food, service or atmosphere. I can't wait to see what Disney comes up with for that space...so much potential! I would love to see both a full-service and a quick service location there, which you know would do very well...
Yeah that's a bit strange.....I made a little bit of research on the net to capture what people think about the restaurant.....Some people said it was great. lot of people had mixed feelings about the restaurant while some said it was definately kind of "rip off".....so I guess Disney decided not to renew the contract because inconsistency is the biggest sin in the F&B business.... Hoping for something better to come I am very excited that I will be working in a brand new restaurant experience...... Monday morning I will call the Italian Disney rep to see what will change in terms of employment.....Maybe we'll be hired by Disney directly instead of Alfredo (which is a partecipant...) So better discounts i Hope!
