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Disney Dining Tip: Look Before You Buy


Disney4me
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Sometimes, friends, it’s best to look before you buy…

Case in point: I’ve always enjoyed spying this charming snack cart hosted by Via Napoli in the Italy Pavilion whenever it comes out (sometimes it’s tucked away in less busy seasons). It’s affectionately known as the “Donkey Cart,” ‘cuz… well, DONKEY!

Stand in Epcot's Italy

Stand in Epcot’s Italy

For a small stand with limited selections, the artwork is also pretty great. Seriously, you should check it out.

Italy Snack Stand Artwork

Italy Snack Stand Artwork

Italy Snack Stand Artwork

Italy Snack Stand Artwork

But, back to my story… I always check out the menu here whenever the donkey makes an appearance, because it changes  frequently. It’s offered everything from gelato to pizelles (Italian waffle cookies) in the past, but on this trip — while the gelato showed up again — the selection of drinks had expanded a bit. One of the inclusions was an Italian Fruit Soda for $4.25.

Italy Snack Stand menu

Italy Snack Stand menu

Not knowing exactly what it was, I asked about it, thinking maybe it was something akin to a hand-poured Italian Cream Soda. The Cast Member kindly showed me. And here it is…

Italian Fruit Soda

Italian Fruit Soda

Hmm… . Now, I know for a fact that the Sanpellegrino Sparkling Blood Orange is both tasty and refreshing. But is it $4.25 for 11.15 fluid ounces worth of tasty and refreshing? Probably not when you can find the same thing elsewhere for much cheaper (e.g. a 6-pack at Wal-Mart costs $4.98, or 24 cans on Amazon.com for $16.97).

I know that pricing at Disney is always a sensitive topic (and that’s putting it mildly). But often you have a chance first to learn about what you’re getting before you make your purchase. So the moral of my story is, if you can’t see the item, be sure to learn a little more about it before buying. Cast Members are friendly and helpful, and — as the saying goes — it never hurts to ask!

Maybe a can of Sanpellegrino is worth $4.25 for you — I love the stuff, too — but I would have preferred a little more truth in advertising on the signage. At least with a $2.50 bottle of Coke the menu reads, “Coke,” instead of “Locally bottled, sweet carbonated soda” or something that would make me think, “Ooh, what’s that! It sounds interesting and unique!” Needless to say, I ended up not purchasing the Italian Fruit Soda.

Are there any “unseen” items at Disney World that you are curious about? Please let us know with a comment!

Disney Food Blog Fans, be sure to check out our DFB Disney World Dining Guide e-Books! Find great deals at DFBStore.com!Also, come on over and:




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